1, 2. (a) Kuyini okwenza senelise ukuntshintsha ubuntu bethu ukuze buhambelane lentando kaNkulunkulu? (b) UKholose 3:10-14 uqamba ziphi izimpawu ezitshengisa ukuthi sesembethe uqobo olutsha?

IBHAYIBHILI lisikhuthaza ukuthi sembathe “uqobo olutsha” loba ubuntu obutsha obuhambelana lentando kaNkulunkulu. (Efe. 4:24; Kol. 3:10) Kodwa singenelisa yini ukuntshintsha ubuntu bethu ukuze buhambelane lentando kaNkulunkulu? Ye singenelisa ngoba uJehova wasidala ngomfanekiso wakhe okutsho ukuthi siyenelisa ukulingisela izimpawu ezinhle alazo.​—Gen. 1:26, 27; Efe. 5:1.

² Lanxa kunjalo isono esilaso singenza kube nzima kwezinye izikhathi ukuthi sintshintshe ubuntu bethu. Kanti njalo indawo esihlala kuyo layo ingenza kube nzima ukuthi sitshiye imikhuba emibi esilayo. Kodwa okuhle yikuthi uJehova angasisiza ukuthi sintshintshe njalo siphile ngendlela ayifunayo. Ngakho esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngezimpawu ezitshengisa ukuthi sesembethe uqobo olutsha uPhawuli akhuluma ngalo. (Bala uKholose 3:10-14.) Sizabona lokuthi singazitshengisa njani izimpawu lezo emsebenzini wokutshumayela.

3. Yiluphi uphawu olutshengisa ukuthi sesintshintshile ubuntu bethu?

³ UPhawuli waveza ukuthi ukungakhethi luphawu oluqakathekileyo olutshengisa ukuthi sesembethe uqobo olutsha. Wabhala wathi: “Akukho mGriki loba umJuda, osokileyo loba ongasokanga, iqaba, umSikhethiya, isigqili loba okhululekileyo.” * Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi akumelanga sicabange ukuthi singcono kulabanye ebandleni ngenxa yolimi esilukhulumayo, ilizwe esidabuka kulo kumbe imali esilayo. Okufanele sikukhumbule yikuthi sonke ‘simunye.’​—Kol. 3:11; Gal. 3:28.

4. (a) Kumele sibaphathe njani abanye? (b) Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi sihlale sizwanana labanye?

⁴ Abantu abalobuntu obutsha bahlonipha wonke umuntu, abakhangeli ukuthi ungumhlobo bani loba ukuthi ulani empilweni. (Rom. 2:11) Kodwa kwamanye amazwe kuba nzima ukuthi abantu bazwanane. Ngokwesibonelo eSouth Africa kwakulezindawo ezazihlala abamhlophe kuphela kube lezinye ezazingezabantu abamnyama bodwa. OFakazi abanengi balokhu behlala ezindaweni ezinjalo. Ngakho ngo-October 2013 iQula Elibusayo lasungula uhlelo oluqakathekileyo eSouth Africa ngenjongo yokunceda abafowethu labodadewethu kulelo ukuthi babe lobudlelwano obuhle labanye.—2 Khor. 6:13.

5, 6. (a) Yiluphi uhlelo olwenziwa kwelinye ilizwe ukuze abafowethu labodadewethu bamanyane? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Kube lempumela bani?

⁵ Kwahlelwa ukuthi kwamanye amalanga ngempelaviki amabandla asebenzisa indimi ezitshiyeneyo asebenze ndawonye. Kwakumele abafowethu labodadewethu bamabandla la batshumayele ndawonye, bangene imihlangano yebandla ndawonye njalo banxusane emizini yabo. Amabandla amanengi akwenza lokhu njalo igatsha lathola imibiko emihle kakhulu futhi eminye yakhona yayivela kwabanye abantu emphakathini. Ngokwesibonelo enye indoda engumfundisi yathi: “Lanxa ngingasuye Fakazi nginanzelele ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela eliwenzayo uhlelekile njalo kalibandlululani.” Uhlelo lolu lwabanceda yini abafowethu labodadewethu beSouth Africa?

⁶ Omunye udadewethu ongumXhosa okuthiwa nguNoma uthi ekuqaliseni wayekuthola kunzima ukunxusa abazalwane abamhlophe emzini wakhe. Kodwa ngemva kokutshumayela labazalwane abamhlophe lokuyazilibazisa labo emizini yabo, uNoma wathi: “Sengibonile ukuthi labo bayafanana lathi!” Ngakho kwathi sekulibandla labo okwakumele linxuse abazalwane abamhlophe uNoma wanxusa abanye emzini wakhe ukuze bazokudla ndawonye. Omunye wabo kwakungumzalwane omhlophe ongumdala webandla. UNoma uthi: “Ngamangala ngibona umzalwane lo evuma ukuhlala phezu kwekhrethi.” Lokhu kwabanceda kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu beSouth Africa, bathola abangane abatsha njalo balokhu bezimisele ukuqhubeka belobudlelwano obuhle labazalwane beminye imihlobo.

7. Kungani kumele sibe lesihawu?

⁷ Sizaqhubeka sihlangana lenhlupho ingqe nje uSathane elokhu ebusa umhlaba. Ngokwesibonelo sithwele nzima ngenxa yokuswelakala kwemisebenzi, ukugula, ukuhlukuluzwa, izingozi ezibangelwa yimvelo, ukuntshontshelwa lobunye ubunzima. Ngakho kuqakathekile ukuthi sibe lesihawu ukuze senelise ukubambisana kuloba yibuphi ubunzima esingabe siphakathi kwabo. Ukuba lesihawu kuzasifuqa  ukuthi sibe lomusa njalo senzele abanye okuhle. (Efe. 4:32) Kanti njalo ukuba lomusa lesihawu kuzasinceda ukuthi silingisele uNkulunkulu njalo siduduze abanye.​—2 Khor. 1:3, 4.

8. Ukuba lomusa lesihawu kubo bonke abasebandleni kungaba lempumela bani? Nika isibonelo.

⁸ Singabatshengisa njani umusa abazalwane abaswelayo kumbe labo abavela kwamanye amazwe esilabo ebandleni? Singaba lobungane labo njalo sibenze bakhululeke futhi babone ukuthi labo baqakathekile ebandleni. (1 Khor. 12:22, 25) Lokhu kwenzakala kwenye indoda okuthiwa nguDannykarl eyasuka ePhilippines yayahlala eJapan. Indoda le ithi lapho eyayisebenza khona abantu babengayiphathi njengezinye izisebenzi ezazidabuka kulelo. Ngelinye ilanga uDannykarl wangena umhlangano waboFakazi bakaJehova. Uthi: “Phose bonke ababelapho babeyizizalwane zeJapan. Kodwa bangamukela kuhle kakhulu, kwakungathi bavele bayangazi.” Abafowethu labodadewethu baqhubeka bemphatha ngomusa futhi lokhu kwamsiza ukuthi athuthuke ekukhonzeni. Ngokuya kwesikhathi uDannykarl wabhabhathizwa futhi khathesi ungumdala webandla. Abanye abadala kulelobandla bathi uDannykarl lomkakhe uJennifer balusizo ebandleni. Kanti njalo babika ukuthi indoda le lomkayo abalazinto ezinengi njalo bangamaphayona akhutheleyo afaka uMbuso kuqala.​—Luk. 12:31.

9, 10. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi ukuba lesihawu ekutshumayeleni kuba lempumela emihle.

⁹ Umsebenzi wokutshumayela ngoMbuso usinika ithuba lokwenzela abanye okuhle. (Gal. 6:10) Abanye oFakazi bafunda ezinye indimi ukuze benelise ukutshumayeza abantu abavela kwamanye amazwe. (1 Khor. 9:23) Lokhu kube lempumela emihle kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo udadewethu oliphayona okuthiwa nguTiffany wafunda ulimi lwesiSwahili ukuze enelise ukutshumayeza abantu abakhuluma ulimi lolo edolobheni leBrisbane e-Australia. Lanxa kwamthwalisa nzima ukufunda ulimi lolu uTiffany wathola izibusiso ezinengi. Uthi: “Nxa ufuna ukukholisa ukutshumayela, hamba ebandleni elikhuluma olunye ulimi. Kuyabe kungani uvakatshele lapho okudabuka khona labobantu. Kulapho obona khona ukuthi abazalwane emhlabeni wonke bamanyene okwamagama.”

¹⁰ Esinye isibonelo ngesemuli ethile yaseJapan. Indodakazi yakhona okuthiwa nguSakiko ithi: “Ngabo-1990 sasijayele ukuthi nxa sisekutshumayeleni sihlangane labantu abakhuluma isiPhuthukezi ababevela eBrazil. Sasibabalela iSambulo 21:3, 4 kumbe iHubo 37:10, 11, 29 ngeBhayibhili lesiPhuthukezi. Babethokoza kakhulu futhi kwezinye izikhathi babeze behlise izinyembezi.” USakiko labangakibo  babazwela isihawu abantu laba ngakho baqalisa ukufunda ulimi lwabo ukuze benelise ukubafundisa iqiniso. Ngokuya kwesikhathi imuli le yancedisa ukuthi kubunjwe ibandla lesiPhuthukezi kuleyondawo futhi seyasiza abantu abanengi abavela kwamanye amazwe ukuthi bazinikele kuJehova. USakiko uthi: “Kwakunzima ukufunda isiPhuthukezi, kodwa izibusiso esazitholayo zedlula khatshana ubunzima esadlula kubo. Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova.”​—Bala ImiSebenzi 10:34, 35.

11, 12. (a) Kuyini okumele kusifuqe ukuthi sintshintshe ubuntu bethu? (b) Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sihlale sithobekile?

¹¹ Okumele kusifuqe ukuthi sintshintshe ubuntu bethu yikufuna ukudumisa uJehova hatshi ukubukwa ngabantu. Khumbula ukuthi ingilosi ethile eyayiphelele yacina yenze isono ngenxa yokuzigqaja. (Khangela loHezekheli 28:17.) Ngakho lathi kulula ukuthi siqalise ukuzikhukhumeza loba ukuzigqaja ngenxa yokuthi silesono. Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi ngeke senelise ukuba ngabantu abazithobayo. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo?

¹² Yikubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke lokuzinika isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngalokho esiyabe sikubala. (Dute. 17:18-20) Kumele sicabangisise kakhulu ngalokho okwakhulunywa nguJesu ngesikhathi esemhlabeni kanye lesibonelo sakhe esihle sokuthobeka. (Mat. 20:28) Wayethobekile sibili ngoba ngelinye ilanga wagezisa abafundi bakhe izinyawo. (Joh. 13:12-17) Okunye okumele sikwenze yikuthandaza kokuphela kuNkulunkulu sicela umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze senelise ukunqoba umkhuba wokuzibona siqakathekile kulabanye.​—Gal. 6:3, 4; Flp. 2:3.

13. Kunceda ngani ukuthobeka?

¹³ Bala iZaga 22:4. UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo ngoba ukuthobeka kuyanceda kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo nxa sithobekile sonke sizakwenelisa ukulondoloza ukuthula lokumanyana ebandleni. Kanti njalo uJehova uzasitshengisa umusa wakhe omkhulu nxa singahlala sithobekile. Umphostoli uPhetro wabhala wathi: “Lonke zembathiseni ngokuthobeka omunye komunye, ngoba, ‘uNkulunkulu umelana labazigqajayo kodwa abe lomusa kwabathobekileyo.’”​—1 Phet. 5:5.

14. Ngubani oyisibonelo esihle kulabo bonke endabeni yokubekezela lobumnene?

¹⁴ Lamuhla abantu abanengi bakubona kuyibuthutha ukuba ngumuntu omnene futhi obekezelayo. Kodwa umbono wabo unxele! Khumbula ukuthi ukubekezela lobumnene ngezinye izimpawu zobuntu bukaJehova uNkulunkulu omkhulu kulabo bonke ezulwini lasemhlabeni. Uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni yokubekezela lobumnene. (2 Phet. 3:9) Ngokwesibonelo wabekezelela u-Abhrahama loLothi ngesikhathi bebuza imibuzo eminenginengi futhi waphendula leyomibuzo esebenzisa izingilosi zakhe. (Gen. 18:22-33; 19:18-21) Kanti njalo uJehova wabekezelela abako-Israyeli okweminyaka engu-1 500 lanxa babephambuka kuye kanenginengi.​—Hez. 33:11.

15. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyisibonelo esihle endabeni yobumnene lokubekezela?

¹⁵ UJesu laye ‘wayemnene.’ (Mat. 11:29) Wayebabekezelela abafundi bakhe lanxa babephambanisa izikhathi ezinengi. Kanti njalo wayephathwa kubi ngabakhokheli ababengamaJuda. Lanxa kunjalo waqhubeka emnene futhi ebekezela waze wabulawa ngendlela ebuhlungu kakhulu. Wathi ephakathi kobuhlungu wathandaza kuYise emcela ukuthi athethelele labo ababemhlukuluza ngoba  wathi “kabakwazi abakwenzayo.” (Luk. 23:34) Uyisibonelo esihle sibili uJesu ngoba wenelisa ukubekezela lokuqhubeka emnene lanxa wayephakathi kobunzima obukhulu.​—Bala u-1 Phetro 2:21-23.

16. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabekezela lokuthi singabantu abamnene?

¹⁶ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabekezela lokuthi singabantu abamnene? UPhawuli wabhala enye indlela esingakwenza ngayo lokhu. Wathi: “Bekezelelanani, lithethelelane loba kuyinsolo bani omunye angaba layo ngomunye. Thethelelani njengoba iNkosi [uJehova] yalithethelela.” (Kol. 3:13) Kumele sibe mnene njalo sibekezele ukuze senelise ukuthethelela abanye. Nxa singazimisela ukuthethelela abanye kuzakuba lokuthula ebandleni.

17. Kungani ukuthobeka lobumnene kuqakathekile?

¹⁷ UJehova ukhangelele ukuthi sonke sibekezele njalo sibe mnene. Izimpawu lezi ziqakatheke kakhulu ngoba zingasinceda ukuthi sithole ukuphila okuphakade. (Mat. 5:5; Jak. 1:21) Kanti njalo nxa silazo impawu lezi siyabe sidumisa uJehova njalo sisiza labanye ukuthi bamdumise.​—Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24, 25.

18. Ukuba lothando kungenelana njani lokungabandlululi?

¹⁸ Zonke izimpawu esesixoxe ngazo zisekelwe ethandweni. Ngokwesibonelo uJakhobe waxwayisa abazalwane ngomkhuba wokuqakathekisa abantu abanothileyo ngapha bebandlulula abayanga. Watshengisa ukuthi umkhuba lo mubi ngoba wephula umthetho oqakathekileyo othi: “Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengalokhu uzithanda.” Waqhubeka wathi: “Uma libandlulula lenza isono.” (Jak. 2:8, 9) Ngakho-ke ukuba lothando kuzasinceda ukuthi sithande bonke abantu kungelani lokuthi abafundanga, abalamali loba ukuthi bangumhlobo bani. Indaba le iqakatheke kakhulu, akumelanga siyenzele ukulahlisa nje kodwa kumele kube yinto esuka enhliziyweni.

19. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sembathe uthando?

¹⁹ IBhayibhili lithi uthando ‘luyabekezela, lulomusa njalo kaluzigqaji.’ (1 Khor. 13:4) Ukubekezela, ukuba lomusa kanye lokuthobeka kuyasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sitshumayela izindaba ezinhle kubomakhelwane bethu. (Mat. 28:19) Izimpawu lezi zenza kube lula lokuthi sizwanane labo bonke abafowethu labodadewethu ebandleni. Kuzasinceda ngani ukuqhubeka sithanda abanye? Kuzakwenza simanyane, sidumise uJehova futhi kuzadonsa labanye ukuthi babuye enhlanganisweni yakhe. IBhayibhili liphetha indaba yokwembatha uqobo olutsha ngokuthi: “Phezu kwakho konke lokhu ukulunga yembathani uthando, olukubophela ndawonye kube yikumanyana okupheleleyo.”​—Kol. 3:14.

20. (a) Yiphi imibuzo okumele uzibuze yona futhi ngenxa yani? (b) Kuyini esikukhangeleleyo?

²⁰ Ngamunye wethu kumele azibuze umbuzo lo othi, ‘Kuyini okunye engingakwenza ukuze ngihlubule ubuntu obudala futhi ngibulahlele khatshana?’ Thandaza kokuphela kuNkulunkulu ukuthi akusize njalo usebenze nzima ukuze ulahle yonke imikhuba engalunganga engabangela ukuthi wehluleke ukungena emhlabeni omutsha. (Gal. 5:19-21) Omunye umbuzo okumele uzibuze wona yilo, ‘Ngiyazama yini ukuntshintsha isimo sengqondo yami ukuze ngithokozise uJehova? (Efe. 4:23, 24) Ukuntshintsha ubuntu bethu yinto okumele siqhubeke siyenza size siyekuthi qithi emhlabeni omutsha. Kuzabe sekumnandi sibili ngoba ngalesosikhathi sonke siyabe sesiphelele futhi sesingaselabo ubuntu obudala.