1, 2. Emva kokuloba ubusuku bonke, kwenzeka ntoni kuPetros?

ABAFUNDI bakaYesu abasixhenxe babelobe ubusuku bonke kuLwandle LwaseGalili kodwa ababambisa noba ibe nye intlanzi. UYesu wayebabukele eselunxwemeni. Emva koko wathi kubo: “‘Phosani umnatha ngakwicala lasekunene lesikhephe yaye niya kufumana okuthile.’ Bawuphosa, kodwa abazange babe sakwazi ukuwutsalela ngaphakathi ngenxa yenkitha yeentlanzi.”—Yoh. 21:1-6.

² Emva kokuba ebanike isidlo sakusasa, uYesu wajonga uSimon Petros waza wathi: “Simon nyana kaYohane, uyandithanda na ngaphezu kwezi?” Wayethetha ngantoni uYesu? UPetros wayekuthanda kakhulu ukuloba. Ngoko, kubonakala ukuba uYesu wayembuza ukuba yintoni eyona nto wayeyithanda kakhulu. Ngaba wayethanda iintlanzi neshishini lokuloba ngaphezu kukaYesu nezinto amfundise zona? UPetros wamphendula wathi: “Ewe, Nkosi, uyazi wena ukuba ndinomsa ngawe.” (Yoh. 21:15) Wayengaxoki uPetros. Ukususela ngoko wabonisa ukuba uyamthanda uKristu ngokuthi asoloko eshumayela nangokuba yintsika  yebandla lamaKristu lenkulungwane yokuqala.

3. Zeziphi iingozi amaKristu afanele azilumkele?

³ Sifunda ntoni kumazwi uYesu awawathetha kuPetros? Sifanele silumke, singaluvumeli luphole uthando lwethu ngoKristu size siphazamiseke kwizinto ezidibene noBukumkani. UYesu wayesazi kakuhle ukuba le nkqubo yezinto iya kuba nezinto ezisixhalabisayo. Kumzekeliso awawenzayo womhlwayeli, wathi abanye abantu baya kuliva “ilizwi lobukumkani” baze benze inkqubela ekuqaleni, kodwa “ixhala lale nkqubo yezinto namandla akhohlisayo obutyebi” ayeya ‘kuliminxa ilizwi.’ (Mat. 13:19-22; Marko 4:19) Ngokwenene, ukuba asilumkanga, izinto zamihla le zinokuthimba iintliziyo zethu zize zilwenze buthathaka ukholo lwethu. Yiloo nto uYesu walumkisa abafundi bakhe wathi: “Zilumkeleni ukuba iintliziyo zenu zingaze zisindwe kukuzingxala ngokutya nokusela kakhulu nangamaxhala obomi.”—Luka 21:34.

4. Yintoni eya kusinceda sibone ukuba simthanda kangakanani uKristu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁴ Njengokuba wenzayo uPetros emva kokuba ethethe noYesu, nathi sibonisa ukuba simthanda kangakanani uKristu ngokuthi umsebenzi asinike wona ube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi. Simele senze ntoni ukuze siqiniseke ukuba uhlala uyeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi? Kufuneka simane sizibuza le mibuzo: ‘Yintoni eyona nto ndiyithanda kakhulu? Ngaba eyona nto indivuyisa kakhulu kukwenza izinto ezingenamsebenzi okanye kukwenza izinto zonqulo?’ Kule nkalo, makhe sithethe ngezinto ezintathu ezinokusenza singamthandi kakhulu uKristu nezinto ezinokwenza nokholo lwethu ukuba asizibeki kwiindawo zazo. Siza kuthetha ngomsebenzi wempangelo, ukuzihlaziya nokuba nezinto.

5. IZibhalo zithi zinayiphi imbopheleleko iintloko-ntsapho?

⁵ UPetros wayengachithi nje isithukuthezi ngokuloba, kwakuyindlela yakhe yokuziphilisa. Iintloko-ntsapho ziyazi ukuba iZibhalo zithi zimele zondle iintsapho zazo. (1 Tim. 5:8) Kufuneka zisebenze nzima ukuze ziyenze loo nto. Kodwa ke, kule mihla yokugqibela umsebenzi usenza sibe nexhala.

6. Ziintoni eziqobayo kwimisebenzi yempangelo yale mihla?

⁶ Ngenxa yokuba unqabile umsebenzi ibe bebaninzi abantu abawufunayo, abantu abaninzi baziva benyanzelekile ukuba basebenze ixesha elide, befumana umvuzo omncinci ngamanye amaxesha. Nento yokuba kufuneka kusetyenzwe ngamandla iyabaqoba abantu emzimbeni, engqondweni nakwiimvakalelo. Umsebénzi ongafuniyo ukuzincama ngenxa yenkampani yakhe angaba sengozini yokuphelelwa ngumsebenzi.

7, 8. (a) Ngubani oyena mntu simele sinamathele kuye? (b) Ziintoni omnye umzalwana waseThailand awazifundayo ngomsebenzi wakhe?

⁷ Thina maKristu kufuneka sinamathele kuYehova uThixo, kungekhona kumqeshi. (Luka 10:27) Umsebenzi uyindlela nje yokuba sizixhase. Sisebenza ukuze sikwazi ukuba nezinto esizidingayo nokuze sikwazi ukushumayela. Kodwa ukuba asilumkanga, impangelo ingasiphazamisa kunqulo lwethu. Ngokomzekelo, omnye umzalwana waseThailand uthi: “Umsebenzi wam wokulungisa iikhompyutha wawubangel’ umdla kakhulu, kodwa kwakufuneka ndiphangele ixesha elininzi. Ngenxa yoko, wawundenza ndingabi naxesha  lokwenza izinto zebandla nokusondela ngakumbi kuThixo. Ndaqonda ukuba ukuze ndibeke uBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala, kwakuza kufuneka nditshintshe umsebenzi.” Wenza ntoni ke lo mzalwana?

⁸ Uthi: “Ndathath’ unyaka ndicinga ngento endandiza kuyenza. Ndagqiba ekubeni ndithengise i-ice cream esitratweni. Ndaphelelwa yimali ekuqaleni, ibe ndatyhafa. Xa ndidibana nabantu endandiphangela nabo, babendihleka besithi bendiyicingiswe yintoni into yokuba ukuthengisa i-ice cream kungcono kunokusebenza ngeekhompyutha kwindawo epholileyo. Ndathandaza kuYehova, ndicela andincede ndinyamezele nokuba ndibe nexesha lezinto zebandla. Kungekudala izinto zaqalisa ukuba ngcono. Ndade ndazi ukuba abathengi bam bathanda eyiphi i-ice cream, ibe nam ndaba yincutshe ekuyenzeni. Kungekudala, yayithengwa iphele suku ngalunye. Phofu, ndandingasakhali ngamali njengangokuya ndandiphangela ngeekhompyutha. Ndonwabe kakhulu kunakuqala kuba andisenawo amaxhala endandiba nawo ndisaphangela kulaa ndawo yokuqala. Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba ndiziva ndisondele kuYehova.”—Funda uMateyu 5:3, 6.

9. Yintoni enokusinceda sibeke umsebenzi endaweni yawo?

⁹ UYehova uthanda ukuba sikhuthale, ibe xa sisebenza nzima ibakho into esiyifumanayo. (IMize. 12:14) Nakuba kunjalo, njengoko ebonile lo mzalwana sithethe ngaye, umsebenzi kufuneka siwubeke kwindawo yawo. UYesu wathi: “Qhubekani, ke ngoko, nifuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe, yaye zonke ezinye izinto [eziyimfuneko] ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” (Mat. 6:33) Ukuze ubone enoba umsebenzi kunye nezinto zonqulo uzibeka kwindawo ezifaneleyo, khawuzibuze: ‘Ngaba umsebenzi wam uyandivuyisa kwaye ubangel’ umdla ngoxa izinto zonqulo zindidika okanye zindikruqula?’ Ukucinga nokucamngca ngendlela esivakalelwa ngayo ngomsebenzi nangezinto zonqulo kuya kusinceda sibone ukuba yeyiphi eyona siyithandayo.

10. Yintoni awayifundisayo uYesu ngezinto ezimele zibe kwindawo yokuqala?

¹⁰ UYesu ungumzekelo wokubeka umsebenzi nezinto zonqulo kwindawo ezifaneleyo. Wakha watyelela uMariya nodade wabo, uMarta ekhayeni labo. Ngoxa uMarta wayeququzela elungisa ukutya, uMariya yena wahlala ngasezinyaweni zikaYesu wammamela. Xa uMarta wakhalaza esithi uMariya akamncedisi, uYesu wathi kuMarta: “UMariya unyule isahlulo esilungileyo, yaye asiyi kususwa kuye.” (Luka 10:38-42) UYesu wayefundisa uMarta into ebalulekileyo. Ukuze silumkele ukuphazanyiswa ngumsebenzi nokuze sibonise ukuba siyamthanda uKristu, sifanele sikhethe “isahlulo esilungileyo,” izinto zonqulo zibe kwindawo yokuqala.

11. Zithini iZibhalo ngokuphumla nokuzihlaziya?

¹¹ Kuyafuneka ukuba sikhe siphumle emva kokusebenza nzima. ILizwi LikaThixo lithi: “Akukho nto elunge ngakumbi emntwini kunokuba adle, asele aze enze umphefumlo wakhe ubone okulungileyo ngenxa yokusebenza kwakhe nzima.” (INtshu. 2:24) UYesu wayesazi ukuba abantu bafanele babe nexesha lokuphumla. Emva kokuba begqibe iphulo lokushumayela elalinzima, wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Yizani, nedwa kwindawo engasese, niphumle kancinane.”—Marko 6:31, 32.

12. Yintoni esifanele siyilumkele ngokuzihlaziya nokuzonwabisa? Zekelisa.

 ¹² Ngokwenene kubalulekile ukuzihlaziya nokuzonwabisa. Kodwa ke, ingozi isekubeni ukuzonwabisa kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala abantu abaninzi babesithi, “Masidle size sisele, kuba ngomso siza kufa.” (1 Kor. 15:32) Abantu kwiindawo ezininzi namahlanje bacinga ngendlela efanayo. Ngokomzekelo, kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo, omnye umfana eNtshona Yurophu waqalisa ukuya ezintlanganisweni. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba ethanda ulonwabo kakhulu wayeka ukuya kuzo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, waqonda ukuba ukuthanda kwakhe ulonwabo kumfake ezingxakini kwaye akayifumananga le nto ebecinga uza kuyifumana. Ngoko, waphinda waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile waza waba ngumvakalisi weendaba ezilungileyo. Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe wathi: “Into endizisola ngayo kukuba ndidlale ngexesha, ndiqonde kade ukuba ukukhonza uYehova kokona konwabisa ngaphezu kolonwabo lweli hlabathi.”

13. (a) Zekelisa ngendlela ukuzihlaziya nokuzonwabisa okunokuba yingozi ngayo. (b) Yintoni enokusinceda sibeke ukuzihlaziya nokuzonwabisa endaweni yako?

¹³ Injongo yokuzihlaziya kukusenza siphinde sibe semandleni. Ukuze sihlaziyeke ke kufuneka sichithe ixesha elingakanani? Makhe sizekelise: Abantu abaninzi bayathanda ukutya izimuncumuncu ngamaxesha athile, kodwa abasoloko bezitya kuba besazi ukuba ziza kubagulisa. Ngenxa yalo nto, okona kutya sikutyayo kokunesondlo. Ngokufanayo, xa sisoloko sizihlaziya yaye sizonwabisa, loo nto iya kusenza sibhekele kuThixo. Ukuze ingenzeki loo nto, sisoloko sixakeke ngumsebenzi woBukumkani. Yintoni enokusinceda sibone ukuba ukuzihlaziya sikubeka endaweni okuyifaneleyo okanye akunjalo? Sinokukhetha iveki ethile, size sibale iiyure esenze izinto zonqulo ngazo, njengokuya kwiintlanganiso, ukushumayela nokufunda iBhayibhile sisedwa nakunye neentsapho zethu. Sinokuthelekisa ezo yure kunye nezo besizihlaziya ngazo kuloo veki kwizinto ezifana nemidlalo, imidlalo yevidiyo, ukwenza izinto esizithandayo okanye ukubukela iTV. Sifumanise ntoni? Ngaba kufuneka sibuyise unyawo ekuzihlaziyeni?—Funda eyabase-Efese 5:15, 16.

14. Sifanele sikhokelwe yintoni xa sikhetha indlela yokuzihlaziya neyokuzonwabisa?

¹⁴ Iintloko-ntsapho nabanye abantu bakhululekile ukuba bazikhethele indlela abaza kuzihlaziya ngayo, kodwa ke ihambisane nendlela uYehova asikhokela ngayo ngemigaqo eseBhayibhileni. * Indlela efanelekileyo yokuzihlaziya “sisipho sikaThixo.” (INtshu. 3:12, 13) Siyazi ukuba asinakukhetha iindlela zokuzihlaziya ezifanayo. (Gal. 6:4, 5) Nokuba sikhetha eyiphi sifuna ukuyigcina ikwindawo eyifaneleyo. UYesu wathi: “Apho bukhoyo ubuncwane benu, nentliziyo yenu yoba lapho.” (Mat. 6:21) Ngoko, kuba simthanda uYesu ngeentliziyo zethu zonke, eyona nto siya kucinga size sithethe ngayo kwaye siyenze kukushumayela kunezinye izinto zamihla le.—Fil. 1:9, 10.

15, 16. (a) Ukuthanda ubutyebi kunokumbambisa njani umKristu? (b) UYesu wacebisa wathini ngokufuna izinto?

¹⁵ Namhlanje abantu abaninzi basoloko becinga ngefashoni yakutshanje, izinto ze-elekroniki nezinye izinto zezi mini. Ngoko, mKristu ngamnye kufuneka asoloko ezihlola ukuba ziintoni azinqwenelayo  ngokuzibuza imibuzo enjengethi: ‘Ngaba ukuba nezinto yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kum, nto leyo endenza ndisebenzise ixesha lam elininzi ndiphanda yaye ndicinga ngeemoto zakutshanje okanye ngefashoni ngaphezu kwendilichitha ndilungiselela iintlanganiso? Ngaba ndixakeke kakhulu zizinto zemihla kangangokuba ndithandaza okanye ndifunda iBhayibhile manqaphanqapha?’ Ukuba siyabona ukuba sithanda izinto ngaphezu kukaKristu, sifanele sicinge ngala mazwi kaYesu: “Nizilinde kulo lonke uhlobo lwenkanuko.” (Luka 12:15) Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu asilumkise kangaka?

¹⁶ UYesu wathi: “Akukho bani unokukhonza iinkosi ezimbini.” Waphinda wathi: “Aninakukhonza uThixo nobuTyebi.” Kungenxa yokuba “nkosi” nganye ifuna uzinikele kuyo yodwa. UYesu wathi: ‘Usenokuyithiya enye uze uyithande enye, okanye unamathele kwenye uze uyidele enye.’ (Mat. 6:24) Ekubeni singafezekanga, sonke kufuneka silwe ‘nomnqweno wenyama,’ oquka ukuthanda ubutyebi.—Efe. 2:3.

17. (a) Kutheni kunzima kubantu abasoloko becinga ngeminqweno yenyama ukubeka izinto abanazo nabazifunayo kwindawo yazo? (b) Yintoni esinceda silwe nokunqwenela ubutyebi?

¹⁷ Kunzima kubantu abasoloko becinga ngeminqweno yenyama ukubeka izinto abanazo nabazifunayo kwindawo efanelekileyo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba abacingi kwaukucinga ngoThixo. (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 2:14.) Xa amandla abo okucinga engasebenzi kakuhle, kuba nzima ukuba bahlule okulungeleyo kokubi. (Heb. 5:11-14) Ngenxa yoko, abanye baye bangakwazi ukuwulawula umnqweno wokuba nezinto ezininzi, ibe abaneli zezo zinto. (INtshu. 5:10) Into evuyisayo kukuba likhona iyeza elinokusinceda singosulelwa yile ndlela yokucinga: ukufunda rhoqo iLizwi LikaThixo, iBhayibhile. (1 Pet. 2:2) Njengoko uYesu womelezwa kukucingisisa ngeBhayibhile ukuze angahendeki, ukusebenzisa imigaqo eseBhayibhileni kuya kusinceda silwe nokunqwenela ubutyebi. (Mat. 4:8-10) Xa sisenjenjalo, sibonisa ukuba uYesu simthanda ngaphezu kwezo zinto.

18. Uzimisele ukwenza ntoni?

¹⁸ Xa uYesu wabuza uPetros: ‘Uyandithanda na ngaphezu kwezi?’ wayemkhumbuza ukuba eyona nto eyayimele ibaluleke kuye yayikukukhonza uThixo. UPetros, ogama lithetha “ilitye,” walilandela igama lakhe, kuba wayengagungqi njengalo. (IZe. 4:5-20) Nathi sizimisele ukungagungqi ekuthandeni uKristu, sibeke umsebenzi, ukuzihlaziya nezinto esizifunayo kwiindawo zazo. Ngamana indlela esikhetha ngayo ingabonisa ukuba sivakalelwa ngendlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uPetros, owathi kuYesu: “Nkosi, uyazi wena ukuba ndinomsa ngawe.”