1, 2. (a) Bakhathazeka ngani abazali abalabantwana abaleminyaka engu-13 kusiya kwengu-19? (b) Kungani iminyaka le ingaba lusizo kakhulu kwabasakhulayo abangamaKhristu?

ABAZALI abangamaKhristu bayathokoza kakhulu nxa bebona abantwababo bebhaphathizwa. * UBerenice olabantwana abane ababhaphathizwa bengaphansi kweminyaka engu-14 uthi: “Sathokoza okwamagama ngalokho okwenziwa ngabantwabethu. Kwakuyinto enhle sibili ukubona ukuthi bayakufuna ukukhonza uJehova.” Uqhubeka esithi: “Kodwa sasikwazi lokuthi njengoba bekhula, bunengi ubunzima ababezahlangana labo.” Nxa ungumzali olomntwana oleminyaka ephakathi kwengu-13 kusiya kwengu-19, kumele ukuthi uyamzwisisa uBerenice.

² Enye ingcitshi ehlola ngokukhula kwabantwana iyakuvuma sibili ukuthi ukukhula komntwana esiba lijaha kumbe intombi kungaba yisikhathi esinzima kubazali lakuye umntwana ngokwakhe. Lanxa kunjalo ithi: “Kayisikho ukuthi nxa sebekulelibanga bayabe ‘behlakaniphele eceleni’ loba ‘belobuntwana.’ Yisikhathi lapho abayabe belemizwa ejulileyo khona, befuna ukukholisa labangane njalo betshengisa ubungcitshi abalabo.” Ngakho umntanakho angenelisa ukwakha ubuhlobo obuhle  loJehova ngesikhathi ekulelibanga lokukhula, acabange ngemisebenzi yenkonzo afuna ukuyenza njalo ayifinyelele. Kanti njalo angazenzela isinqumo sokuzinikela kuJehova futhi aqhubeke emlalela. Isikhathi lesi singanika umntwana ithuba elihle kakhulu lokwakha ubungane loJehova njengoba kwenza uJesu esakhula. (Bala uLukha 2:52.) Njengoba ungumzali, kuyini pho ongakwenza eminyakeni le eqakatheke kangaka yokukhula komntwana? Cabanga ngendlela uJesu atshengisa ngayo uthando, ukuthobeka lokuqedisisa lapho esekhulile. Ukulingisela isibonelo sakhe kungakunceda njani ukuthi uqeqetshe umntanakho ukuba akhonze uJehova?

3. Kungani uJesu wabiza abaphostoli bakhe ngokuthi ngabangane bakhe?

³ UJesu wayelothando futhi engumngane oqotho. (Bala uJohane 15:15.) Ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili kwakungandanga ukuthi umqhatshi atshele izinceku zakhe imfihlo yakhe kanye lendlela ayezizwa ngayo. Kodwa uJesu waba ngumngane omkhulu kubalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo lanxa wayeyiNkosi yabo. Wayezinika isikhathi sokuba labo, ebatshela indlela ayezizwa ngayo njalo elalelisisa lapho bemtshela okwakusezinhliziyweni zabo. (Mak. 6:30-32) Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uJesu labaphostoli bakhe bathandane kakhulu njalo kwenza ukuthi abaphostoli balungele ukuthwala imisebenzi yenkonzo ababezakuba layo ngesikhathi esizayo.

4. Ungenzani ukuze wena lomntanakho libe ngabangane ungazange ululaze ilungelo lakho lokuba ngumzali? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁴ UMichael, ubaba olabantwana ababili uthi: “Lanxa singeke sibe yintanga yinye labantwabethu, singaba ngabangane babo.” Abangane bayazinika isikhathi sokuba ndawonye. Thandaza kuJehova umcele ukuthi akuncede unciphise isikhathi somsebenzi wakho wokuziphilisa loba osisebenzisa kwezinye izinto ukuze ube lesikhathi esinengi sokuba labantwabakho. Kanti njalo abangane bathanda izinto ezifananayo. Ngakho zama ukuthi uthande izinto ezithandwa ngumntanakho, kungaba ngumculo, amafilimu loba ezemidlalo. U-Ilaria wase-Italy uthi: “Abazali bami babewuthakazelela umculo engangiwulalela. Khonokhu kwenza ukuthi ubaba abe ngumngane wami omkhulu njalo ngangikhululeka lokukhuluma laye ngezindaba okungalula ukukhuluma ngazo.” Nxa usakha ubungane labantwabakho njalo ubasiza ukuthi babe ngabangane bakaJehova, kayisikho ukuthi uyabe ululaza ilungelo lakho lokuba ngumzali. (Zaga. 3:32) Kodwa uyabe utshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda lokuthi uyabahlonipha njalo kabasoze besabe ukukhuluma lawe, bazakhululeka ukuzokubikela izinto ezibakhathazayo.

5. UJesu wabanceda njani abafundi bakhe ukuthi bathole intokozo ngokukhuthala enkonzweni kaJehova?

⁵ UJesu wayefuna ukuthi abafundi bakhe abathandekayo ababengabangane bakhe bathole intokozo ngokuba lokunengi kokwenza enkonzweni kaJehova. Ngakho wabakhuthaza ukuthi batshiseke enkonzweni lokuthi bawukhuthalele sibili umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi! Waphinda wabaqinisekisa ukuthi wayezabancedisa ukuze baphumelele emsebenzini lo.—Mat. 28:19, 20.

6, 7. Kungani sisithi abazali bayabe bebathanda abantwababo nxa besiba lohlelo oluphathelane lokukhonza futhi belulandela?

⁶ Kumele ukuthi lawe uyafuna ukuthi abantwabakho bahlale bengabangane bakaJehova. UNkulunkulu laye ufuna ukuthi ubakhulise “ngokufundisa langokulaya kweNkosi.” (Efe. 6:4) Njengoba uNkulunkulu ekunike umlandu wokubafundisa, woba leqiniso lokuthi liba lohlelo lokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza zikhathi zonke. Ngokwesibonelo, abazali abanengi bakhuthaza abantwababo ukuthi baye esikolo ngenxa yokuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi bafunde njalo bayazama ukubenza bakuthande ukufunda. Ngakho abazali abalothando baba leqiniso lokuthi abantwababo bayathola ‘ukulaya kweNkosi’ emihlanganweni yebandla, emihlanganweni emikhulu, lasekukhonzeni kwemuli. Imfundo evela kuJehova iqakatheke kakhulu, ngakho abazali kumele bazame ukunceda  abantwababo ukuthi bakuthande ukufunda ngoJehova njalo babasize ukuthi bathole inhlakanipho evela kuye. (Zaga. 24:14) Njengoba uJesu wancedisa abafundi bakhe, lawe zama ukubancedisa ukuthi baphumelele enkonzweni ngokubenza bakuthande ukufundisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, futhi bakhuthaze ukuthi baye ekutshumayeleni zikhathi zonke.

⁷ Ukuba lohlelo olungantshintshiyo lokwenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza kungabanceda njani abantwabakho? U-Erin waseSouth Africa uthi: “Sisesengabantwana sasijayele ukukhala lokukhonona nxa kwasekumele sifunde iBhayibhili, siye emihlanganweni lasekutshumayeleni. Kwezinye izikhathi sasiphazamisa isifundo ngabomo ukuze sicine singafundanga. Kodwa abazali bethu kabakuvumanga lokhu.” Uqhubeka esithi: “Ukuqeqetshwa okunjalo kwanginceda ukuthi ngibe ngumuntu oma kulokho akuhlelileyo. Khathesi nxa kungaba lento engiphambanisayo ekukhonzeni ngizizwa sengifuna ukulungisisa ngokuphangisa. Aluba abazali bami kabazange baqinise isandla ezindabeni zokukhonza, kangiboni ukuthi bengizakwenelisa ukukwenza lokhu. Ngabe basiyekelela, ngibona angathi bekuzakuba lula ukuthi ngilove emihlanganweni loba ekutshumayeleni.”

8. (a) UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile? (b) Ukuthobeka kukaJesu kwabanceda njani abafundi bakhe?

⁸ Lanxa uJesu wayephelele, wazithoba wathembela kuJehova futhi wavuma ukuthi kukhona ayengeke akwenze ngawakhe amandla. (Bala uJohane 5:19.) Ukuthobeka kwakhe kwenza ukuthi abafundi bakhe bangamhloniphi yini? Ngitsho lakancane. Iqiniso yikuthi ukuthembela kwakhe kuJehova kwenza ukuthi abafundi bakhe bamethembe ngamandla. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, labo balingisela isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka.—ImiSeb. 3:12, 13, 16.

9. Ukuxolisa kanye lokuvuma ukuthi kukhona ongenelisiyo ukukwenza kungabanceda njani abantwabakho?

⁹ Lathi kunengi esingenelisiyo ukukwenza ngawethu amandla, futhi kasifanani loJesu ngoba silesono njalo siyaphambanisa. Ngakho thobeka uvume ukuthi kulalapho osilela khona njalo uxolise nxa uphambanisile. (1 Joh. 1:8) Angithi vele umqhatshi ongamhlonipha kakhulu ngulowo ovumayo ukuthi uphambanisile kulalowo ongaxolisiyo nxa enze iphutha. Umntanakho uzakuhlonipha kakhulu nxa angakuzwa uxolisa. Laye angafunda lokuvuma awakhe amaphutha. URosemary olabantwana abathathu asebekhulile uthi: “Sasiwavuma amaphutha ethu, futhi lokhu kwenza ukuthi abantwabethu bakhululeke ukukhuluma lathi nxa babelohlupho. Sasivuma lokuthi zikhona izinto ezingaphezu kwamandla ethu, yikho safundisa abantwabethu ukuthi kungaphi lapho abangathola khona amacebo okulungisisa izinhlupho zabo. Nxa babefuna usizo, sasibatshela ukuthi bachwayisise emabhukwini enhlanganiso futhi sasikhuleka labo.”

10. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uthobekile ngesikhathi enika abafundi bakhe imilayo?

¹⁰ UJesu wayelamandla okunika abalandeli bakhe imilayo. Lanxa kunjalo, wayethobekile ngoba wayehlala ebatshela izizatho zokuthi kungani wayebanika umlayo othile. Ngokwesibonelo kazange acine ngokubatshela ukuthi bafune kuqala uMbuso kaNkulunkulu lokulunga kwakhe, kodwa wathi: “Kuzakuthi-ke zonke lezizinto liziphiwe lazo.” Kanti njalo ngemva kokubatshela ukuthi, “Lingehluleli,” wabanika isizatho sakhona wathi: “Funa lani lehlulelwe. Ngoba ngaleyondlela elahlulela ngayo abanye lani lizakwehlulelwa ngayo.”—Mat. 6:31–7:2.

11. Kungani kuyikuhlakanipha ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi utsho izizatho zesinqumo osithetheyo loba umthetho owufakileyo?

¹¹ Nxa kuvuma, chasisa izizatho zokuthi kungani ufake umthetho othile kumbe wenze isinqumo esithile. Nxa umntanakho ekuzwisisa ukuthi kungani wenze lesosinqumo, kuzakuba lula ukuthi akulalele ngenhliziyo yonke. UBarry owakhulisa abantwana abane uthi: “Ukutshela abantwabakho izizatho kwenza ukuthi bakuthembe ngoba bayabe bebona ukuthi izinqumo zakho zilengqondo,  kayisizo ezokuwela kumbe eziphonguntshintsha nje.” Njengoba umntanakho ekhula, laye uyafunda ukuzenzela izinqumo. (Rom. 12:1) UBarry uqhubeka esithi: “Abantwana akumelanga benze izinqumo ngamawala, kodwa kumele bafunde ukwenza izinqumo ezilengqondo futhi babe lezizatho eziqinileyo zokwenza njalo.” (Hubo. 119:34) Nxa ungathobeka unike umntanakho izizatho zokuthi kungani wenze isinqumo esithile, uzakunanzelela ukuthi kawusamphathi njengosana kodwa uyakubona ukuthi uqhubeka ekhula, njalo uzafunda ukuzicabangela azenzele ezakhe izinqumo.

12. UJesu wakusebenzisa njani ukuqedisisa ukuze ancede uPhetro?

¹² UJesu watshengisa ukuthi wayelokuqedisisa ngoba wayenanzelela lapho abafundi bakhe ababedinga khona ukuncediswa. Ngokwesibonelo umphostoli uPhetro wayengahlosanga okubi lapho encenga uJesu ukuthi azizwele ukwenzela ukuthi angabulawa. Kodwa uJesu wakubona ukuthi amazwi kaPhetro ayetshengisa ukuthi umcabango wakhe wawunxele. UJesu wanika iseluleko esingakhekheleziyo ukuze asize uPhetro labanye abafundi, wasebatshela ngezingozi zokuzizwela kanye lokuthi ukuzidela kulomvuzo bani. (Mat. 16:21-27) UPhetro wasizwisisa isifundo lesi.—1 Phet. 2:20, 21.

13, 14. (a) Kuyini okungatshengisa ukuthi ukholo lomntanakho seluxega? (b) Ungakusebenzisa njani ukuqedisisa ukuze umzwisise umntanakho njalo umsize?

¹³ Thandaza kuJehova ucele ukuqedisisa ukuze wenelise ukubona lapho abantwabakho abadinga khona usizo. (Hubo. 32:8) Ngokwesibonelo ungabona njani ukuthi ukholo lomntanakho seluxega? Mhlawumbe kasachelesanga njengakuqala, usehlala echothoza abanye abazalwane, kumbe usefihla okwenzakala empilweni yakhe. Ungaphangisi ucabange ukuthi lokhu kubangelwa yikuthi kulesono asesenza ngudlu. * Lanxa kunjalo ungakuthathi lula lokhu kumbe uzitshele ukuthi okwenza umntanakho azehlukanise kwabanye yikuthi usakhula, kuzadlula.

¹⁴ Lingisela uJesu ubuze imibuzo ngomusa langenhlonipho. Nxa ungathi usikha amanzi emgodini otshonayo ubusukhipha inkonxa yakho ngesiphangiphangi, okwenzakalayo yikuthi uyawachitha uwachithe amanzi. Kunjalo lokubuza umntanakho imibuzo ngolaka, kungabangela  ukuthi ulahlekelwe lithuba lokuzwisisa ukuthi ucabangani lokuthi uzwa njani. (Bala iZaga 20:5.) U-Ilaria okukhulunywe ngaye phezulu uthi: “Ngesikhathi ngisakhula ngangingasakwazi ukuthi ngikhethe kuphi phakathi kokuba seqinisweni lokuchitha isikhathi esinengi labantu engangifunda labo. Impi le eyayingaphakathi kwami yangenza ngahlala ngingumuntu odanileyo njalo abazali bami bakunanzelela lokhu. Ngenye intambama bangilanda bangibuza ukuthi kuyini okwakungihlupha ngoba babekubona ukuthi ngangingasachelesanga. Ngaqalisa ukubihla, ngabalandisela uhlupho lwami, ngacela lokuthi bangisize. Bangigona, bangitshela ukuthi bayangizwisisa futhi bathembisa lokungisiza.” Abazali bakhe bahle baqalisa ukumncedisa ukuthi athole abanye abangane abangcono ebandleni.

15. Chaza ukuthi uJesu wayetshengisa njani ukuthi ulokuqedisisa endleleni ayephatha ngayo abanye.

¹⁵ UJesu watshengisa ukuthi wayelokuqedisisa langokubona okuhle kubafundi bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho indoda okuthiwa nguNathaneli isizwa ukuthi uJesu wayengowaseNazaretha, yathi: “ENazaretha! Kulolutho oluhle olungavela khona?” (Joh. 1:46) Wawungacabanga ukuthi uNathaneli ngumuntu onjani usizwa amazwi la? Othanda ukuchothoza? Olobandlululo? Loba ongelakholo? UJesu waba lokuqedisisa ngoba wabona okuhle kuNathaneli. Wambiza ngokuthi ‘ngumIsrayeli oqotho, okungekho nkohliso kuye.’ (Joh. 1:47) UJesu wayesenelisa ukubona okusezinhliziyweni zabantu, njalo wakusebenzisa lokhu ukuze abone okuhle kubo.

16. Ungamnceda njani umntanakho ukuthi abe lobuntu obuhle?

¹⁶ Lanxa wena ungenelisi ukubona okusenhliziyweni yomntanakho, uNkulunkulu angakusiza ukuthi ube lokuqedisisa. Uzakusebenzisa yini ukuqedisisa lokhu ukuze ubone okuhle kumntanakho? Akulamuntu ofuna ukubizwa ngokuthi “uluhlupho.” Ungaqali ukucabanga loba ukutshela umntanakho ukuthi “ulihlongandlebe” loba “ungumntwana ongalaleliyo.” Lanxa umntanakho engalukhutha ugatsha kwezinye izikhathi, mtshele ukuthi uyakubona okuhle akwenzayo kanye lesifiso sakhe sokwenza okulungileyo. Nanzelela loba yini ayenzayo etshengisa ukuthi uyathuthuka ubusumncoma. Msize ukuthi athuthukise ubuntu bakhe obuhle ngokuqhubeka umphathisa eminye imisebenzi eqakathekileyo nxa kuvuma. Yikho uJesu akwenzayo kubafundi bakhe. Kwathi sekwedlule umnyaka lengxenye ehlangane loNathaneli (owayebizwa langokuthi nguBhatholomewu), wamkhetha ukuthi abe ngumphostoli futhi uNathaneli waba ngumKhristu otshisekayo. (Luk. 6:13, 14; ImiSeb. 1:13, 14) Ngakho nxa ungamncoma njalo umkhuthaze umntanakho, kasoze azibone eyisehluleki kodwa uzabona ukuthi angenelisa ukuba ngumKhristu olobuntu obuhle angabusebenzisa ekukhonzeni uJehova.

17, 18. Uzatholani nxa ungaqhubeka uzama ukusiza abantwabakho ukuthi bakhonze uJehova?

¹⁷ Njengoba ukhulisa umntanakho, ngezinye izikhathi ungazizwa njengomphostoli uPhawuli owaba ngubaba wabanengi. Wayephakathi ‘kokukhathazeka okukhulu lobuhlungu benhliziyo’ ngenxa ‘yokuzika kothando’ ayelalo ngabaseKhorinte ayebafundise iqiniso futhi ayebabona njengabantwabakhe. (2 Khor. 2:4; 1 Khor. 4:15) UVictor owakhulisa abafana ababili lentombazana uthi: “Kwakungalula ukubakhulisa ngesikhathi beleminyaka engu-13 kusiya kwengu-19. Kodwa izikhathi ezimnandi esaba lazo zizedlula khatshana izinhlupho esahlangana lazo. Saba ngabangane abaseduze labantwabethu ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wayesisiza.”

¹⁸ Qhubeka usebenza nzima ukuze uqeqetshe abantwabakho ukuthi bakhonze uJehova. Njengoba ubatshengisa ukuzika kothando lwakho, sengathi ungaqhubeka uthola injabulo enkulu kakhulu yokubabona belamukela iqiniso futhi beqhubeka bebalwa phakathi kwalabo ‘abaphila ngokweqiniso.’—3 Joh. 4.