1, 2. (a) Iyiphi inkinga izingane eziningi zababaleki ezibhekana nayo? (b) Sizoxoxa ngamiphi imibuzo kulesi sihloko?

UJOSHUA uthi: “Kusukela ngisewusana, ekhaya nasebandleni bengilokhu ngikhuluma ulimi lwabazali bami abavela kwelinye izwe. Nokho ngemva kokuqala isikole, ngaqala ukuthanda ulimi lwendawo. Eminyakeni emibalwa, kwase kuwulimi engilusebenzisa njalo. Ngangingasezwa lutho emihlanganweni futhi ngangingayiqondi indlela yokuphila yabazali bami.” Lokho uJoshua abhekana nakho kuyinto evamile.

² Namuhla, abantu abangaphezu kuka-240,000,000 abahlali emazweni abazalelwa kuwo. Uma ungumzali ovela kwelinye izwe, ungazisiza kanjani izingane zakho ukuba zikhonze uNkulunkulu futhi ‘ziqhubeke zihamba eqinisweni’? (3 Joh. 4) Abanye bangasiza kanjani?

3, 4. (a) Abazali bangaba kanjani izibonelo ezinhle ezinganeni zabo? (b) Yini abazali okungafanele bayilindele ezinganeni zabo?

³ Bazali, isibonelo senu sibalulekile ukuze izingane zenu zihambe endleleni yokuphila okuphakade. Lapho izingane zenu zinibona “nifuna kuqala umbuso,” zifunda ukuncika kuJehova ukuze zithole izidingo zansuku zonke. (Math. 6:33, 34) Ngakho, philani ukuphila okulula. Nidele izinto ezibonakalayo ukuze nizuze ubuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu​—ningenzi okuphambene nalokho. Lwelani ukungabi nazo izikweletu. Funani ‘ingcebo ezulwini’​—ukwamukelwa uJehova—​hhayi ingcebo yaleli zwe noma “inkazimulo yabantu.”​—Funda uMarku 10:21, 22; Joh. 12:43.

⁴ Ningabi matasa kangangokuthi anisenaso isikhathi nezingane zenu. Ziboniseni ukuthi niyaziqhenya ngazo lapho zibeka uJehova kuqala kunokuba zizifunele udumo noma ingcebo​—noma zikufunele nina. Gwemani umbono ongewona owobuKristu wokuthi kufanele izingane zisebenze ukuze abazali baphile ntofontofo. Khumbulani, “abantwana akufanele baqongelelele abazali babo, kodwa ngabazali okufanele baqongelelele abantwana babo.”​—2 Kor. 12:14.

5. Kungani abazali kumelwe bakhulume nezingane zabo ngoJehova?

⁵ Njengoba kwabikezelwa, abantu ‘bazo zonke izilimi zezizwe’ bathutheleka enhlanganweni kaJehova. (Zak. 8:23) Nokho inselele yolimi ingenza kube nzima ukuba ufundise izingane zakho iqiniso. Izingane zakho zingabantu ababaluleke kunabo bonke oyoke ufunde nabo iBhayibheli futhi ‘ukungenisa kwazo’ ulwazi ngoJehova kusho ukuphila okuphakade. (Joh. 17:3) Ukuze zifunde izimfundiso zikaJehova, kumelwe ‘ukhulume ngazo’ njalo lapho kufaneleka.​—Funda uDuteronomi 6:6, 7.

6. Zingazuza kanjani izingane zakho ngokufunda ulimi lwakho? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁶ Cishe izingane zakho ziyofunda ulimi lwendawo esikoleni nasemphakathini, kodwa ulimi lwakho zilufunda kuphela lapho uxoxa nazo njalo. Ukwazi ulimi lwakho kwenza izingane zakho zikhulume nawe ngokukhululekile, kuzivulela namanye amathuba. Ukuzazi kahle izilimi ezimbili kulola ikhono lezingane zakho lokucabanga futhi kuthuthukisa ikhono lazo lokukhuluma nabanye. Kungazivulela namathuba okuthi zandise inkonzo yazo. UCarolina onabazali abavela kwelinye izwe uthi: “Kumnandi ukuba sebandleni elikhuluma olunye ulimi. Ave kujabulisa nokusiza lapho kunesidingo esikhulu khona sabamemezeli.”

7. Yini ongayenza uma ingane yakho ikhuluma kahle ulimi lwendawo kunolimi lwakho?

⁷ Nokho, lapho izingane zakwelinye izwe zijwayelana namasiko nolimi lwendawo, ezinye zazo zingaphelelwa uthando ngisho nanekhono lazo lokukhuluma ulimi lomdabu lwabazali. Bazali, uma lokho kwenzeka ezinganeni zenu, ningakwazi yini ukufunda okungenani okuthile ngolimi lwendawo? Niyoba sethubeni elingcono lokukhulisa izingane zenu zibe amaKristu uma niziqonda izingxoxo zazo, izinto ezizijabulisa ngazo nomsebenzi wazo wesikole futhi uma kungenzeka, xoxani ubuso nobuso nothisha bazo. Yiqiniso ukuthi ukufunda ulimi olusha kuthatha isikhathi futhi kudinga umzamo nokuthobeka. Nokho uma kungenzeka ingane yakho iba yisithulu, ubungeke yini uzame ukufunda ulimi lwezandla ukuze ukwazi ukukhuluma nayo? Awuvumi yini ukuthi ingane elukhuluma kahle ulimi lwendawo idinga ukunakwa ngendlela efanayo? *

8. Ungazisiza kanjani izingane zakho uma ungalwazi kahle ulimi eziluqonda kangcono?

⁸ Yiqiniso, kungenzeka kube nzima ngabanye abazali bakwelinye izwe ukulwazi kahle ulimi olusha olukhulunywa yizingane zabo. Le nselele ingenza kube nzima ngabazali ukufundisa izingane zabo ulwazi olujulile ‘lwemiBhalo engcwele.’ (2 Thim. 3:15) Uma lesi kuyisimo obhekene naso, usengazisiza izingane zakho zifunde futhi zithande uJehova. UShan, ongumdala uyakhumbula: “Mina nodadewethu sakhuliswa umama, wayengaluqondi kahle ulimi esasilwazi kangcono nathi sasingakwazi ukulukhuluma kahle ulimi lwakhe. Nokho lapho simbona etadisha, ethandaza futhi eqhuba ukukhulekela komkhaya masonto onke, saqonda ukuthi ukufunda ngoJehova kuyinto ebalulekile.”

9. Abazali bangazisiza kanjani izingane ezingase zidinge ukufundiswa ngezilimi ezimbili?

⁹ Ezinye izingane kungase kudingeke zifunde ngoJehova ngezilimi ezimbili​—ulimi ezilufunda esikoleni nolimi olukhulunywa ekhaya. Ngenxa yalokho, abanye abazali basebenzisa izincwadi ezinyathelisiwe, okulalelwayo nama-video azo zombili izilimi. Ngokusobala, abazali abavela kwelinye izwe kumelwe bachithe isikhathi esiningi futhi bazikhandle ukuze basize izingane ziqinise ubuhlobo bazo noJehova.

10. (a) Ubani okumelwe anqume ukuthi umndeni uhlanganyela ebandleni laluphi ulimi? (b) Yini okufanele inhloko iyenze ngaphambi kokuba inqume?

¹⁰ Lapho ababaleki behlala kude noFakazi abakhuluma ulimi lwabo, kumelwe bazihlanganise nebandla elikhuluma ulimi lwendawo. (IHu. 146:9) Nokho uma kukhona ibandla eliseduze elikhuluma ulimi lwakho lomdabu, umbuzo ophakamayo uthi: Umndeni wakho kumelwe uye kuliphi ibandla? Ngemva kokucabangisisa, ukuthandaza nokuxoxa noshade naye nezingane, inhloko yomndeni kumelwe inqume. (1 Kor. 11:3) Iziphi izinto inhloko yomndeni okumelwe icabange ngazo? Yimiphi imiBhalo esebenzayo? Ake sixoxe ngale mibuzo.

11, 12. (a) Ulimi luba namuphi umthelela ekuzuzeni kwengane emihlanganweni? (b) Kungani ezinye izingane zingafuni ukufunda ulimi lwabazali bazo?

¹¹ Abazali kumelwe bahlole izidingo zezingane zabo ngobuqotho. Yiqiniso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ingane ikhuluma luphi ulimi, ukuze ilazi kahle iqiniso, ingane idinga isikhathi esiningi kunamahora ambalwa esiba nawo isonto ngalinye emihlanganweni yethu. Nokho cabanga ngalokhu: Emihlanganweni eqhutshwa ngolimi ezilwazi kahle, izingane zingazuza okuningi ngokuba khona nje, ngisho nangaphezu kwalokho abazali abakucabangayo. Kungase kungabi njalo lapho izingane zingaluqondi kahle ulimi. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 14:9, 11.) Ulimi ingane eyaluncela lungase lungabi ulimi ecabanga ngalo noma ulimi oluyithinta inhliziyo. Eqinisweni, ezinye izingane zingafunda ukuphendula, zenze izinkulumo futhi zikhulume ngolimi lwabazali kodwa lokho ezikushoyo kube kungasuki enhliziyweni.

¹² Ngaphezu kwalokho, inhliziyo yengane ithonywa okungaphezu nje kolimi. Kwakunjalo nangoJoshua, ocashunwe ekuqaleni. Njengoba kusho udadewabo u-Esther, “ulimi lwabazali, indlela yokuphila nenkolo konke kuyayithonya inhliziyo yezingane.” Uma izingane zingayiqondi indlela yabazali yokuphila, zingase zingafuni ukufunda ulimi lwabazali​—nalokho abakukholelwayo. Yini abazali bakwelinye izwe abangayenza?

13, 14. (a) Kungani abanye abazali abavela kwelinye izwe bathuthela umndeni wabo ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwendawo? (b) Abazali bazigcina kanjani benobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu?

¹³ Abazali abangamaKristu babeka ubuhlobo bezingane zabo noJehova kuqala kunalokho abakuthandayo. (1 Kor. 10:24) Ubaba kaJoshua no-Esther, uSamuel, uthi: “Mina nomkami sahlolisisa izingane zethu ukuze sibone ukuthi ubuhlobo bazo noNkulunkulu buthuthuka uma zisebenzisa luphi ulimi futhi sathandazela ukuhlakanipha. Impendulo yayingekona lokho esasingakukhetha. Nokho lapho sibona ukuthi kuncane abakuzuzayo emihlanganweni eqhutshwa ngolimi lwethu, sanquma ukuthuthela ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwendawo. Sasiya njalo emihlanganweni futhi sishumayele ndawonye. Sasimema nabafowethu nodadewethu ukuba bazodla nathi. Konke lokhu kwazisiza izingane zethu zabazi kahle abafowethu futhi zazi noJehova, hhayi nje njengoNkulunkulu wazo kodwa futhi njengoBaba noMngane. Lokhu sakubheka njengento ebalulekile kunokuba zazi kahle ulimi lwethu.”

¹⁴ USamuel uyanezela: “Ukuze sigcine ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu bubuhle, mina nomkami sasiya nasemhlanganweni yolimi lwethu. Ukuphila kwakumatasa futhi sasihlale sikhathele. Nokho siyambonga uJehova ngokubusisa imizamo nokuzidela kwethu. Izingane zethu zontathu zikhonza uJehova enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.”

15. Kungani udadewethu uKristina aba nomuzwa wokuthi angathuthuka kangcono ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwendawo?

¹⁵ Intsha ingaqaphela ukuthi ingamkhonza kangcono uJehova ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi elwazi kahle. Uma kunjalo, abazali bayo akufanele neze bazizwe sengathi izingane zabo ziyabalahla. UKristina uyakhumbula: “Ngangilwazi kancane ulimi lwabazali bami kodwa ulimi olwalusetshenziswa ebandleni ngangingaluqondi nhlobo. Lapho sengineminyaka engu-12, ngaya emhlanganweni wesifunda owawuqhutshwa ngolimi engangilufunda esikoleni. Kwakungokokuqala ngqá ukuba ngiqonde ukuthi lokho engangikuzwa kwakuyiqiniso! Olunye ushintsho lwaba lapho ngiqala ukuthandaza ngolimi engangilufunda esikoleni. Ngase ngikwazi ukukhuluma noJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni!” (IzE. 2:11, 41) Lapho esekhulile, uKristina waxoxa ngale ndaba nabazali bakhe wabe esenquma ukuthuthela ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwendawo. Uyakhumbula: “Ukufunda ngoJehova kwangenza ngathatha isinyathelo.” Kungakabiphi, uKristina waba iphayona elivamile elijabulayo.

16. Kungani udadewethu uNadia ejabula ngokuthi wahlala ebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwabazali bakhe?

¹⁶ Basha, ingabe ningathanda ukuba sebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwendawo? Uma kunjalo, zibuzeni ukuthi kungani. Ingabe ukuthuthela kulelo bandla kuzonisiza nisondele kakhudlwana kuJehova? (Jak. 4:8) Noma kungenzeka yini ukuthi ufuna ukuthutha ukuze wenze okuncane noma ungagadwa? UNadia, manje okhonza eBethel uthi: “Lapho mina nezingane zakithi sesevile eminyakeni engu-12, sasifuna ukuthuthela ebandleni olukhuluma ulimi lwendawo.” Kodwa abazali bakhe babazi ukuthi leso sinyathelo sasingeke sizisize izingane zabo zakhe ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova. UNadia uthi: “Manje siyajabula ngokuthi abazali bethu bazikhandla ekusifundiseni ulimi lwabo futhi saqhubeka sisebandleni elikhuluma ulimi lwabo. Kuye kwathuthukisa ukuphila kwethu futhi kwandisa namathuba okuthi sisize abanye bafunde ngoJehova.”

17. (a) Ubani uJehova amabele ukuba afundise izingane? (b) Abazali bangaluthola kanjani usizo lokufundisa izingane zabo iqiniso?

¹⁷ UJehova unikeze abazali ilungelo lokufundisa izingane zabo iqiniso hhayi ugogo nomkhulu noma omunye umuntu. (Funda izAga 1:8; 31:10, 27, 28.) Noma kunjalo, abazali abangalwazi ulimi lwendawo bangase badinge usizo ukuze bafinyelele izinhliziyo zezingane zabo. Ukucela kwabo usizo akumelwe kuthathwe njengokuthi babalekela umthwalo wabo wokufundisa izingane ngoNkulunkulu; kunalokho, kuyingxenye yokukhulisa izingane zabo “ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova.” (Efe. 6:4) Ngokwesibonelo, abazali bangase bacele amacebiso kubadala bebandla mayelana nokuqhuba ukukhulekela komkhaya nokutholela izingane zabo abangane.

18, 19. (a) Abafowethu nodadewethu abathanda uNkulunkulu bangabasiza kanjani abasebasha? (b) Yini abazali okumelwe baqhubeke beyenza?

¹⁸ Ngokwesibonelo, abazali bangase bameme eminye imindeni ukuba ihlanganyele nabo ekukhulekeleni komkhaya ngezikhathi ezithile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, intsha eningi iyathuthuka ngenxa yethonya labangane abathanda inkonzo, okungenzeka baye basebenza nayo enkonzweni futhi bajabulela ubudlelwano obakhayo. (IzAga 27:17) UShan ocashunwe ekuqaleni uthi: “Ngibakhumbula kahle abafowethu abangisondeza eduze. Njalo lapho bengisiza ngezinkulumo zami, ngangizuza okuningi. Ngangiyijabulela nendlela esasichitha ngayo isizungu nabo njengeqembu.”

¹⁹ Yiqiniso, labo abazali ababakhetha ukuba basize izingane zabo, kufanele bazisize zihloniphe abazali bazo, bakhulume kahle ngabo, bangathathi umthwalo wabazali. Ngaphezu kwalokho, labo abasizayo kufanele bagweme noma yikuphi ukuziphatha okungasolisa ebandleni noma emphakathini. (1 Pet. 2:12) Abazali akumelwe bamane bawushiyele kwabanye umsebenzi wabo wokufundisa izingane zabo ngoNkulunkulu. Kufanele baqaphe usizo olunikezwayo futhi baqhubeke nokuzifundisela izingane zabo.

20. Abazali bangazisiza kanjani izingane zabo ukuba zikhonze uJehova?

²⁰ Bazali, thandazelani usizo lukaJehova futhi nenze konke okusemandleni. (Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 15:7.) Bekani ubuhlobo bezingane zenu noJehova kuqala. Yenzani konke eningakwenza ukuze iZwi likaNkulunkulu lifinyelele izinhliziyo zezingane zenu. Ningalokothi niphelelwe yithemba lokuthi izingane zenu zingaba izikhonzi zikaJehova. Lapho izingane zakho ziphila ngokuvumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu zilingisa nesibonelo senu esihle, nizozizwa ngendlela umphostoli uJohane azizwa ngayo ngezingane zakhe ayezisize zafunda ngoNkulunkulu: “Anginaso isizathu esikhulu sokubonga kunalezi zinto, ukuba ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bayaqhubeka behamba eqinisweni.”​—3 Joh. 4.