1, 2. (a) Luluphi uxolo esinalo ngoku? (b) Okwangoku, yintoni ebangela ukuba lungabikho ngokupheleleyo uxolo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

SONKE siyakufuna ukuphila ngoxolo, kungekho nto isixhalabisayo. Simbulela kakhulu uYehova ngokusinika ‘uxolo lwakhe’ olusikhusela kwiingcinga nakwiimvakalelo eziphazamisayo! (Fil. 4:6, 7) Kwakhona ‘siseluxolweni noThixo,’ nto leyo ethetha ukuba sisondelene naye, ngenxa yokuba sizinikele kuye.—Roma 5:1.

² Kodwa ke, alikafiki ixesha lokuba uThixo abangele kubekho uxolo ngokupheleleyo. Zininzi iingxabano kule mihla yokugqibela, ibe abantu abaninzi bayakuthanda ukuqala uqhushululu. (2 Tim. 3:1-4) Thina maKristu kufuneka silwe noSathana neemfundiso zakhe ezibubuxoki. (2 Kor. 10:4, 5) Kodwa abona bantu banokuluchitha uxolo kuthi zizizalwana ezingakholwayo. Ezinye zinokuhlekisa ngeenkolelo zethu, zisityhole ngokuxabanisa intsapho, okanye zisithembise ngokusigxotha entsatsheni ukuba asiluyeki unqulo lwethu. Sifanele sikujonge njani ukuchaswa yintsapho? Sinokukwazi njani ukujongana neengxaki ezibangelwa yiloo nkcaso?

3, 4. (a) Zinaliphi ifuthe iimfundiso zikaYesu? (b) Kunini apho kunokuba nzima ngokukhethekileyo ukulandela uYesu?

³ UYesu wayesazi ukuba iimfundiso zakhe zaziza kubaxabanisa abantu, nokuba abalandeli bakhe kwakuza kufuneka babe nesibindi xa bechaswa. Le nkcaso yayinokwenza kungabikho xolo phakathi kwabantu abazalanayo. UYesu wathi: “Musani ukucinga ukuba ndize kungenisa uxolo emhlabeni; ndize kungenisa, kungekhona uxolo, kodwa ikrele. Kuba ndize kwahlukanisa indoda noyise, intombi nonina, umfazana noninazala. Eneneni, iintshaba zomntu ziya kuba ngabantu bendlu yakhe.”—Mat. 10:34-36.

⁴ Xa uYesu wayesithi “Musani ukucinga ukuba ndize kungenisa uxolo,” wayethetha ukuba abo babemmamele kwakufuneka bacinge ngemiphumo eyayinokubakho xa besiba ngabalandeli bakhe. Iimfundiso zakhe zazinokubaxabanisa nabanye abantu. Kakade ke, eyona njongo kaYesu yayikukufundisa abantu inyaniso ngoThixo, kungekhona ukubaxabanisa. (Yoh. 18:37) Kodwa ke, kwakuza kuba nzima ukwenza izinto ozifundiswe nguKristu xa abahlobo okanye izizalwana zakho zingayifuni inyaniso.

5. Ziintoni abaye bazinyamezela abalandeli bakaYesu?

⁵ Xa uYesu wayethetha ngezinto ezibuhlungu ekwakuza kufuneka abalandeli bakhe bazinyamezele, wayequka nokuchaswa yintsapho. (Mat. 10:38) Ukuze babonise ukuba bayafaneleka ukuba ngabalandeli bakaKristu, kwakuza kufuneka banyamezele ukwenziwa intlekisa, okanye ukulahlwa ziintsapho zabo. Kodwa ke, bafumana okungaphezu koko babelahlekelwa kuko.—Funda uMarko 10:29, 30.

6. Yintoni esimele siyikhumbule xa izizalwana zisichasa?

⁶ Kwanaxa izizalwana zethu zichasa, siyaqhubeka sizithanda, kodwa asilibali ukuba abona bantu sibathanda ngaphezu komntu wonke nguThixo noKristu. (Mat. 10:37) Simele siqonde nokuba uSathana uza kusebenzisa ukuzalana kwethu ukuze asenze sigungqe ekukhonzeni uYehova. Makhe sithethe ngeemeko apho kunokuvela inkcaso yentsapho size sibone nendlela yokujongana neengxaki ezinokubangelwa yiyo.

7. Abo batshate nomntu ongakholwayo bafanele bayijonge njani imeko yabo?

⁷ IBhayibhile ithi abantu abatshatileyo “baya kuba nembandezelo enyameni yabo.” (1 Kor. 7:28) Ukuba umntu otshate naye akaloNgqina, kusenokwenzeka iingxaki namaxhala ongezeke emtshatweni wakho. Kodwa ke kubalulekile ukuba imeko yakho uyijonge ngendlela uYehova ayibona ngayo. Into yokuba umntu otshate naye engafuni ukulandela uKristu ayithethi kuthi yahlukana naye okanye uqhawule umtshato. (1 Kor. 7:12-16) Umyeni ongakholwayo umele ahlonelwe njengentloko-ntsapho, nangona engakhokeli kwizinto zonqulo. Nenkosikazi engakholwayo imele ithandwe kakhulu ngumyeni wayo ongumKristu.—Efe. 5:22, 23, 28, 29.

8. Yiyiphi imibuzo onokuzibuza yona xa umntu otshate naye ekubekela imiqathango?

⁸ Kuthekani ukuba umyeni okanye inkosikazi yakho ikubekela imiqathango? Ngokomzekelo, omnye udade waxelelwa ngumyeni wakhe ukuba aye entsimini kuphela ngeentsuku ezithile evekini. Ukuba nawe ukwimeko efanayo, zibuze: ‘Ngaba umyeni okanye inkosikazi yam ithi mandiyeke ukunqula uThixo? Ukuba akatsho, ngaba andinakuyenza ke le nto ayicelayo?’ Ukuba  asizibaxi izinto, siya kutsho sikuphephe ukuqala uchuku luzihlelele.—Fil. 4:5.

9. AmaKristu anokubafundisa njani abantwana bawo ukuba babe nembeko kumzali ongakholwayo?

⁹ Kunzima kakhulu ukuqeqesha abantwana xa umntu otshate naye engeloNgqina. Ngokomzekelo, kufuneka ufundise abantwana bakho ukuba bathobele iBhayibhile xa isithi: “Beka uyihlo nonyoko.” (Efe. 6:1-3) Kodwa kuthekani ukuba lo mntu utshate naye akaphili ngemithetho yeBhayibhile kumba wokuziphatha? Yiba ngumzekelo ngokuba nembeko kumyeni okanye kwinkosikazi yakho. Jonga izinto ezintle kubuntu bakhe, uze umxabise. Ungathethi kakubi ngomyeni okanye ngenkosikazi yakho phambi kwabantwana. Kunoko, bachazele ukuba wonk’ umntu umele azikhethele ukukhonza uYehova. Xa abantwana benembeko, umzali ongakholwayo unokutsho asondele kunqulo lwenene.

10. Umzali ongumKristu unokubafundisa njani abantwana bakhe iBhayibhile xa omnye umzali engeloNgqina?

¹⁰ Ngamany’ amaxesha, umyeni okanye inkosikazi engakholwayo inokunyanzelisa ukuba abantwana baye kwimibhiyozo engqubana neemfundiso zeBhayibhile okanye bafundiswe iinkolelo zonqulo ezibubuxoki. Abanye abayeni banokude bangafuni ukuba amakhosikazi abo angamaKristu afundise abantwana iBhayibhile. Nalapho, udade wenza loo nto anako ukuyenza ukuze afundise abantwana iBhayibhile. (IZe. 16:1; 2 Tim. 3:14, 15) Ngokomzekelo, umyeni usenokungayivumeli inkosikazi yakhe eliNgqina ukuba iqhubele abantwana isifundo okanye iye nabo  ezintlanganisweni. Lo dade unokusihlonela isigqibo somyeni, kodwa aqhubeke ethetha ngonqulo lwakhe xa ithuba livela, ngaloo ndlela uya kuba uyabaqeqesha abantwana kwaye ubafundisa ngoYehova. (IZe. 4:19, 20) Kodwa ke ekugqibeleni, abantwana bakhe bamele bazikhethele ukuba banqula bani.—Dut. 30:19, 20. *

11. Yintoni enokubangela ingxaki phakathi kwakho nezizalwana ezingengomaNgqina?

¹¹ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuqaleni asikhange sizixelele iintsapho zethu ukuba sifunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina. Kodwa ke, luthe lwakuqina ukholo lwethu, sabona ukuba kufuneka sizichazele iinkolelo zethu. (Marko 8:38) Ukuba loo nto iye yabangela ingxaki phakathi kwakho nezizalwana ezingengomaNgqina, nanga amanyathelo onokuwathatha ukuze uphephe uchuku, kwangaxeshanye uqhubeke uthembekile kuThixo.

12. Yintoni esenokuba ibangela izizalwana ezingakholwayo zisichase, kodwa sinokuzibeka njani ezihlangwini zazo?

¹² Zibeke ezihlangwini zezizalwana ezingakholwayo. Ngoxa thina sisenokuba siyavuya ngenxa yeemfundiso zeBhayibhile esizifundileyo, izizalwana zethu zona zisenokuba ngenxa yokungazi, zisibona ngathi siqhathiwe okanye silahlekiswe nguvuk’ engceni wecawa. Zisenokucinga ukuba asisazithandi kuba singasabhiyozeli iiholide kunye nazo. Zisenokude zicinge ukuba le nkonzo iza kusenzela amashwa. Sifanele sizibeke ezihlangwini zazo ngokuzama ukujonga izinto ngendlela ezizibona ngayo nangokuzimamela kakuhle ukuze siqonde eyona nto izixhalabisayo. (IMize. 20:5) Umpostile uPawulos wazama ukuqonda ‘abantu bazo zonke iintlobo’ ukuze akwazi ukubashumayeza, ibe nathi kunokusinceda ukwenjenjalo.—1 Kor. 9:19-23.

13. Sifanele sithethe njani nezizalwana ezingakholwayo?

¹³ Thetha kakuhle nazo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Amazwi enu makasoloko ekholekile.” (Kol. 4:6) Sinokumcela uYehova asiphe umoya wakhe oyingcwele ukuze sikwazi ukuba nesiqhamo sawo xa sithetha nezizalwana zethu. Asifanelanga siphikise zonke iinkolelo zobuxoki zazo. Xa zithetha amazwi ahlabayo okanye zisenza into esivisa kabuhlungu, masenze njengabapostile. UPawulos wabhala wathi: “Xa sitshabhiswa, siyasikelela; xa sitshutshiswa, siyanyamezela; xa sinyeliswa, siyabongoza.”—1 Kor. 4:12, 13.

14. Kunceda njani ukuziphatha kakuhle?

¹⁴ Ziphathe kakuhle. Ewe kona ukuthetha kakuhle nezizalwana ezichasayo kuyanceda, kodwa eyona nto inamandla nangakumbi yindlela esiziphethe ngayo. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 3:1, 2, 16.) Izizalwana zakho mazibone apha kuwe ukuba amaNgqina ayonwaba emtshatweni, abahoyile abantwana bawo, kwaye onwabile nangona ephila ngendlela ecocekileyo kwaye eziphethe kakuhle. Kwanokuba ezethu izizalwana azide ziyamkele inyaniso, sivuyiswa kukwazi ukuba ukuthembeka kwethu kuyamkholisa uYehova.

15. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sizilungiselele kwangaphambili izinto ezinokubangela ingxabano?

¹⁵ Zilungiselele kwangaphambili. Cinga ngeemeko ezinokubangela iingxabano, nokuba uza kuthini xa kusenzeka loo nto. (IMize. 12:16, 23) Omnye udade waseOstreliya uthi: “Utatazala wam wayechasa kakhulu. Ngaphambi kokuba siye kumbona, mna nomyeni wam sasiye sithandaze, sicele uYehova asincede singaphindisi xa ethetha kakubi nathi. Sasiye  sicebe izinto esiza kuncokola ngazo naye ukuze singaxabani. Sasiye sibeke ixesha esiza kulihlala naye ukuze siphephe incoko ende enokuphela sele kuphikiswana ngezinto zonqulo.”

16. Unokwenza njani xa uziva unetyala kuba ungaboni ngasonye nezizalwana zakho?

¹⁶ Kakade ke, zikho iimeko apho singenakukuphepha ukuxabana nezizalwana zethu ezingakholwayo. Ezo ngxabano zinokukwenza uzive unetyala, ngokukodwa kuba ubathanda nyhani aba bantu kwaye usoloko uzama ukubavuyisa. Xa kunjalo, thanda uYehova ngaphezu kokuba uthanda izizalwana zakho. Loo nto inokwenza zibone ukuba ukuphila ngeBhayibhile kubaluleke kakhulu. Kodwa ke, ukhumbule ukuba awunakuzinyanzela ukuba zamkele inyaniso. Kunoko, mazibone kuwe indlela ekunceda ngayo ukulandela iindlela zikaYehova. Njengokuba wenzayo nakuwe, uThixo wethu onothando unika izizalwana zakho ithuba lokuzikhethela ukuba ziza kuphila njani na.—Isa. 48:17, 18.

17, 18. Yintoni enokukunceda xa ilungu lentsapho limshiya uYehova?

¹⁷ Kuba buhlungu kakhulu xa ilungu lentsapho lisuswa kubudlelane okanye lizahlula. Umele wenze ntoni ke xa ukule ntlungu?

¹⁸ Qhubeka usenza izinto ezikusondeza kuYehova. Qinisa ukholo lwakho ngokufunda iBhayibhile rhoqo, ulungiselele iintlanganiso uze uye kuzo, uye entsimini, kwaye uthandaze ucele amandla okunyamezela. (Yude 20, 21) Kodwa kuthekani ukuba uvakalelwa kukuba ezi zinto awuzenzi ngentliziyo yakho yonke, wenza nje uphela-sonwabe? Sukuncama! Ukwenza izinto ezikusondeza kuYehova kunokukunceda ulawule iingcinga neemvakalelo zakho. Masenze umzekelo ngento eyenzeka kumbhali weNdumiso 73. Wayejonga izinto ngendlela engafanelekanga ibe wakhathazeka ngenxa yaloo nto, kodwa wakwazi ukuyilungisa indlela acinga ngayo xa efika kwindawo yokunqulela uThixo. (INdu. 73:16, 17) Nawe xa umnqula ngokuthembeka uYehova uza kukwazi ukuyenza le nto.

19. Unokubonisa njani ukuba uyayihlonela ingqeqesho kaYehova?

¹⁹ Yihlonele ingqeqesho kaYehova. Ingqeqesho yakhe inceda wonke umntu ekugqibeleni, kuquka nomoni lowo, nangona isiba buhlungu ekuqaleni. (Funda eyamaHebhere 12:11.) Ngokomzekelo, uYehova uthi ‘masiyeke ukunxulumana’ naboni abangaguqukiyo. (1 Kor. 5:11-13) Nangona iintliziyo zethu zibuhlungu, asimele sincokole nelungu lentsapho elisusiweyo ngefowuni, ngeSMS, silibhalele ileta okanye i-imeyili, okanye sincokole nalo kumajelo eintanethi.

20. Simele sibe nethemba lantoni?

²⁰ Ungalahli ithemba. Uthando lusenza sibe ‘nethemba lezinto zonke,’ kuquka nokuba abo bamshiyileyo uYehova baza kubuyela kuye. (1 Kor. 13:7) Xa ubona iimpawu zokutshintsha kwilungu lentsapho yakho, thandazela ukuba iZibhalo ziliqinise lize lenze ngokwesicelo sikaYehova esithi: “Buyela kum.”—Isa. 44:22.

21. Yintoni ofanele uyenze ukuba intsapho yakho iyakuchasa ngenxa yokuba ulandela uYesu?

²¹ UYesu wathi asifaneleki ukuba ngabalandeli bakhe ukuba sithanda nabani na ngaphezu kwakhe. Kodwa wayeqinisekile ukuba abafundi bakhe babeza kuba nesibindi baze banamathele kuye kwanaxa bechaswa ziintsapho. Ukuba ukulandela uYesu kuzise “ikrele” entsatsheni yakho, mthembe uYehova ukuba uza kukunceda. (Isa. 41:10, 13) Vuyiswa kukwazi ukuba uYehova noYesu bayayithanda le nto uyenzayo kwaye baza kukunika umvuzo ngokuthembeka kwakho.