1. Umphrofethi u-Isaya wathini ngoJesu njalo kungani akutshoyo kusithokozisa kakhulu?

UMPHROFETHI u-Isaya wakhuluma amazwi athokozisayo amayelana leNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu. Waphrofetha ukuthi uJesu “kayikwahlulela ngalokho akubona ngamehlo akhe, loba aqume ngalokho akuzwa ngendlebe zakhe. Kodwa abaswelayo uzabehlulela ngokulunga.” (Isaya. 11:3, 4) Lokhu kuyasijabulisa kakhulu ngoba siphila labantu abalobandlululo futhi abakhangelela abanye phansi. Sonke siyafisa ukuba loMahluleli ongasoze asahlulele ngalokho akubona ngamehlo.

2. UJesu wasilaya ukuthi senzeni njalo sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

² Nsuku zonke kukhona esikucabangayo ngabanye abantu. Lanxa kunjalo kasenelisi ukwahlulela kuhle njengoJesu ngoba thina silesono. Sijayele ukwahlulela ngalokho esikubona ngamehlo. Kodwa ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni walaya abafundi bakhe wathi: “Khawulani ukusola ngokubona kwamehlo, lahlulele ngokuthi ulutho luqondile.” (Joh. 7:24) Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJesu ufuna sibe njengaye, singahluleli abanye ngendlela abakhangeleka ngayo. Abantu bajayele ukwahlulela abanye ngokuthi bangumhlobo bani, balemali enganani lokuthi baleminyaka emingaki. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa  ngezinto lezi ezintathu ezenza abantu bahlulele ngalokho abakubona ngamehlo njalo sizabona ukuthi kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi silalele umlayo kaJesu.

3, 4. (a) Kuyini okwenza umphostoli uPhetro wantshintsha indlela ayephatha ngayo abeZizweni? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Yisiphi isifundo esitsha esatholwa nguPhetro?

³ Ubona angathi umphostoli uPhetro wayecabangani ngesikhathi etshelwa ukuthi aye eKhesariya emzini womuntu weZizweni okuthiwa nguKhoneliya? (ImiSeb. 10:17-29) Phela uPhetro wayengumJuda njalo wayekhule etshelwa ukuthi abantu beZizweni bangcolile. Kodwa ngalesosikhathi kwasekwenzakale izinto ezithile ezasezintshintshe indlela ayecabanga ngayo. Wayesebone umbono omangalisayo. (ImiSeb. 10:9-16) Wabona isitsha esasinjengelembu elikhulu sisehliselwa kuye sigcwele inyamazana ezingcolileyo, kwasekuzwakala ilizwi ezulwini lisithi: “Vuka, Phetro. Bulala udle.” UPhetro wala kathathu ukwenza ayekutshelwa kodwa ilizwi lalo lamtshela kathathu lathi: “Akungabilalutho olubiza ngokuthi aluhlanzekanga oseluhlanjululwe nguNkulunkulu.” Ngemva kwalowombono uPhetro wasala emangele ezibuza ukuthi ilizwi lalingabe lifuna ukumtshelani. Kusenjalo kwafika amadoda ayethunywe nguKhoneliya. Umoya ongcwele watshela uPhetro ukuthi ahambe lamadoda la emzini kaKhoneliya. Lakanye uPhetro wasukumela phezulu.

⁴ Aluba uPhetro wahlulela ngalokho ayekubona ngamehlo akhe, wayengasoze aye emzini kaKhoneliya ngoba amaJuda ayengalugxobi emizini yabantu beZizweni. Pho kuyini okwenza uPhetro wahamba lanxa ekuqaliseni wayebabandlulula abeZizweni? Wayesentshintshe indlela ayecabanga ngayo ngenxa yalokho ayekubone embonweni kanye lalokho ayekutshelwe ngumoya ongcwele. Lokho uPhetro akuzwa ngoKhoneliya kwamthinta kwamancane waze wathi: “Sengibona khathesi ukuthi uNkulunkulu kathandi abanye kulabanye abantu, kodwa wamukela abantu benhlanga zonke abamesabayo, abenza okulungileyo.” (ImiSeb. 10:34, 35) Ukuthola ulwazi lolu olutsha kwamthokozisa uPhetro. Wayesefundile ukuthi kakumelanga ahlulele abanye ngokuthi bangumhlobo bani. Lokhu kwakuzawasiza njani amanye amaKhristu?

5. (a) Kuyini uJehova afuna wonke amaKhristu akuzwisise? (b) Yiluphi uhlupho esingaba lalo enhliziyweni lanxa singamaKhristu?

⁵ UJehova wasebenzisa uPhetro ukuze afundise wonke amaKhristu ukuthi yena kalabandlululo. Kakhangeli ukuthi umuntu ulombala onjani, ungumhlobo bani, ngowasiphi isizwe loba ukuthi ukhuluma luphi ulimi. UNkulunkulu uthanda loba ngubani omesabayo futhi owenza okulungileyo. (Gal. 3:26-28; Isam. 7:9, 10) Lawe uyakwazi lokho. Kodwa kungenzakala ukuthi wakhulela endaweni egcwele ubandlululo loba emulini eyayibandlulula abanye. Lanxa ungabe uzitshela ukuthi wena kawulalo ubandlululo, lungabe lukhona lucatshile enhliziyweni. UPhetro laye wayenjalo. Lanxa kunguye owanceda abanye ukuze babone ukuthi uJehova kakhethi, ngemva kweminyaka wabandlulula abafowabo. (Gal. 2:11-14) Singenzani ukuze singahluleli abanye ngalokho esikubona ngamehlo njengoba uJesu watsho?

6. (a) Kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi sisuse ubandlululo ezinhliziyweni zethu? (b) Okwatshiwo ngomunye umdala webandla kutshengisani?

⁶ Kufanele sizihlole sisebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze sibone ukuthi kasilalo yini ubandlululo ezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zethu. (Hubo. 119:105) Labangane bethu bangasisiza sibone ukuthi silalo yini ubandlululo lanxa thina singabe singalunanzeleli. (Gal. 2:11, 14) Phela iqaqa livele kalizizwa ukunuka kwalo,  yikho lathi singazitshela ukuthi kasilalo ubandlululo kanti lucatshile enhliziyweni. Lokhu kwenzakala komunye umdala webandla ngesikhathi ekhuluma ngomunye umzalwane lomkakhe ababesenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke. Umzalwane lo wayedabuka komunye umhlobo wabantu abakhangelelwa phansi endaweni ababehlala kuyo. Umdala lo wayengananzeleli ukuthi laye uyababandlulula abantu bomhlobo lo. Wamncoma kakhulu umzalwane lo kodwa wathi esephetha wathi: “Lanxa umzalwane lo [engumhlobo lo], indlela aziphatha ngayo laphila ngayo inceda abantu bazwisise ukuthi kungelani lokuthi abantu abanengi [bomhlobo lo] bahlala bengcolile futhi baphila impilo engaqedakaliyo, abanye babo kabanjalo.” Lokhu kusifundisani? Kusifundisa ukuthi lanxa kulemisebenzi eqakathekileyo esiyenzayo enhlanganisweni kaJehova, kufanele sizihlolisise ngelihlo elibukhali njalo sivume ukuthi abanye basincedise ukuze sibone ukuthi kasilalo yini ubandlululo enzikini yezinhliziyo zethu. Kodwa kukhona okunye esingakwenza.

7. Singenzani ukuze kukhanye ukuthi sizivule ngokupheleleyo izinhliziyo zethu?

⁷ Nxa singazivula ngokupheleleyo izinhliziyo zethu, sizabathanda abanye kulokuthi sibabandlulule. (2 Khor. 6:11-13) Kungenzakala ukuthi abanye bethu sikhetha ukuba lobudlelwano labantu bomhlobo wethu kuphela kumbe abavela elizweni lethu loba abakhuluma ulimi esilukhulumayo. Nxa lawe unjalo, vula inhliziyo yakho. Zama ukunxusa abazalwane beminye imihlobo ukuthi bahambe lawe ekutshumayeleni kumbe ukuthi bakuvakatshele emzini wakho lizokudla ndawonye kumbe lizokwejisa nje. (ImiSeb. 16:14, 15) Nxa ungenza njalo, ubandlululo luzaphela nya enhliziyweni yakho ngoba iyabe isiphuphuma uthando. Khathesi kasixoxeni ngokunye okungabangela ukuthi sahlulele abanye ngalokho esikubona ngamehlo.

8. Yisiphi isifundo esiqakathekileyo esisithola kuLevi 19:15?

⁸ Ukukhangela ukuthi umuntu ulemali enganani lakho kungenza sibe lobandlululo. ULevi 19:15 uthi: “Lingabandlululi umyanga kumbe litshengise ukukhetha abakhulu, kodwa lahlulele umakhelwane wenu ngokulunga.” Ukukhangela ukuthi umuntu unothile loba ukuthi ungumyanga kungayintshintsha njani indlela esimbona ngayo?

9. Yiliphi iqiniso esingeke siliphike elabhalwa nguSolomoni njalo lisifundisani?

⁹ USolomoni waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale iqiniso esingeke siliphike mayelana lalokho okwenziwa ngabantu abalesono. Wabhala wathi: “Abayanga bahlanyukwa langobamakhelwane babo, kodwa izinothi zilabangane abanengi.” (Zaga. 14:20) Amazwi la asifundisani? Nxa singananzeleli, singacina sesizwanana labafowethu labodadewethu abanothileyo kuphela kodwa sininela khatshana abadubekayo. Kungani kuyingozi ukukwahlulela abanye ngokuthi balemali enganani?

10. Yiluphi uhlupho uJakhobe akhuluma ngalo?

¹⁰ Ukwahlulela abanye ngokuthi balemali enganani kuyingozi kakhulu ngoba kungenza ibandla lidabukane phakathi. Umfundi uJakhobe wabhalela abazalwane ebaxwayisa ngohlupho lolu ngoba lwaseludala ukungezwani emabandleni angalesosikhathi. (Bala uJakhobe 2:1-4.) Ngakho kumele sinanzelele ngoba umkhuba lo ungacina usungena lasemabandleni esikuwo. Pho singenzani ukuze singahluleli abanye ngokuthi banothile loba bayadubeka?

11. Inotho lobuyanga yikho yini okungenza umuntu abe lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova? Chasisa.

¹¹ Kumele siphathe abafowethu ngendlela uJehova abaphatha ngayo. Okwenza umuntu aqakatheke kuJehova akusikho ukuthi ulemali  kumbe ungumyanga. Sonke singenelisa ukuba ngabangane bakhe kungelani lokuthi sinothile loba siyadubeka. Lanxa uJesu wathi ‘kunzima ebantwini abanothileyo ukuthi bangene eMbusweni wezulu,’ kazange athi ngeke bangene. (Mat. 19:23) Waphinda wathi: ‘Libusisiwe lina elimpofu, ngoba okwenu nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu.’ (Luk. 6:20) Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi bonke abayanga babezalalela lokho uJesu ayebafundisa khona futhi bathole izibusiso. Banengi abantu ababezidubekela abangazange bamlalele. Ngakho ngeke sithi umuntu ulobuhlobo obuhle loJehova ngenxa nje yokuthi ungumyanga loba unothile.

12. IMibhalo ithini kwabanothileyo labangabayanga?

¹² Sibusisekile sibili ngoba silabafowethu labodadewethu abanengi abathanda uJehova futhi abamkhonza ngenhliziyo yonke kungelani lokuthi banothile loba bangabayanga. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lilaya abanothileyo ukuthi ‘bangabeki ithemba labo enothweni engathembekanga, kodwa ukuba babeke ithemba labo kuNkulunkulu.’ (Bala u-1 Thimothi 6:17-19.) Liphinda lilaye zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinothileyo lezingabayanga ukuthi ziqaphele umkhuba wokuthanda imali. (1 Tim. 6:9, 10) Nxa singaphatha abafowethu labodadewethu ngendlela uJehova abaphatha ngayo, kasisoze sibahlulele ngokuthi balani empilweni. Olunye uhlupho esingaba lalo yikwahlulela abanye ngokuthi baleminyaka emingaki. Kuqondile yini lokho? Kasehleni lodaba sizwe.

13. IMibhalo ithi kumele sibaphathe njani abantu abadala?

¹³ Minengi imibhalo esitshela ukuthi sihloniphe abantu abadala. Ngokwesibonelo uLevi 19:32 uthi: “Sukumelani asebeluphele, lihloniphe abantu abadala, limesabe uNkulunkulu wenu.” Ikanti iZaga 16:31 zisitshela ukuthi “izinwele ezimhlophe zingumqhele wobukhulu, zizuzwa ngempilo elungileyo.” UPhawuli laye walaya uThimothi ukuthi angawakhuzi ngolaka amadoda amadala kodwa awaphathe njengaboyise. (1 Tim. 5:1, 2) Lanxa uThimothi wayephiwe umsebenzi wokukhokhela amadoda amadala, kwakufanele awahloniphe njalo abe lomusa kuwo.

14. Kungani kwezinye izikhathi kuqondile ukweluleka umuntu omdala kulathi?

¹⁴ Kodwa kumele siyizwisise kuhle indaba le yokuhlonipha abantu abadala. Kambe singaphonguzithulela yini nxa umuntu omdala kulathi esona ngabomo loba ekhuthaza abanye ukuthi benze izinto ezingamthokozisiyo uJehova? UJehova kahluleli ngalokho akubona ngamehlo futhi kasoze ayekele ukujezisa umuntu omdala owenza isono ngabomo. IBhayibhili lithi: “Isoni sizaqalekiswa lanxa singabe sesiphile iminyaka elikhulu.” (Isaya. 65:20, NW) Indaba le iyagcizelelwa lasembonweni owabonwa nguHezekheli. (Hez. 9:5-7) Yikho-ke okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi ngazo zonke izikhathi sihloniphe uSimakade, uJehova uNkulunkulu. (Dan. 7:9, 10, 13, 14) Lokho kuzasinceda ukuthi singesabi ukuqondisa umuntu kungelani lokuthi unganani.​—Gal. 6:1.

15. Isibonelo sikaPhawuli sisifundisani?

¹⁵ Abafowethu abasakhulayo bona kumele sibaphathe njani? UPhawuli wabhalela uThimothi wathi: “Ungavumeli muntu ukuba akweyise ngenxa yokuthi usakhula, kodwa abakholwayo benzele isibonelo ngokukhuluma, langokuphila, langothando langokukholwa kanye langokuhlambuluka.” (1 Tim. 4:12) Ngesikhathi uPhawuli ebhala amazwi la, uThimothi wayengabe esanda kwedlula iminyaka engu-30. Loba kunjalo, uPhawuli wayemnike imisebenzi eqakathekileyo. Kasazi ukuthi kuyini sibisibili okwenza wambhalela amazwi la, kodwa esikufundayo yikuthi akumelanga sahlulele abazalwane  ngokuthi baleminyaka emingaki. Phela leNkosi yethu uJesu yaqeda yonke inkonzo yayo emhlabeni ileminyaka engu-33 kuphela.

16, 17. (a) Abadala kufanele basebenziseni nxa behlolisisa ukuthi umfowethu angaba yinceku ekhonzayo loba umdala? (b) Esikucabangayo lamasiko ethu kungaphikisana njani lalokho okutshiwo yiMibhalo?

¹⁶ Kwezinye indawo abasakhulayo bakhangelelwa phansi ngenxa yamasiko. Abadala bamabandla akulezondawo bangathikaza ukubeka abazalwane abasakhulayo ukuthi babe zinceku ezikhonzayo loba ngabadala ebandleni. Yikho bonke abadala kumele bakhumbule ukuthi iMibhalo kayitsho ukuthi umzalwane kufanele abe leminyaka emingaki ukuze abe yinceku ekhonzayo kumbe ngumdala. (1 Tim. 3:1-10, 12, 13; Tit. 1:5-9) Nxa abadala bangafaka owabo umthetho abawuthethe esikweni labo, bayabe bengasalandeli okutshiwo yiMibhalo. Nxa kukhangelwa ukuthi umfowethu osakhulayo angaba yinceku ekhonzayo kumbe ngumdala, kufanele kusetshenziswe iLizwi likaNkulunkulu hatshi imibono yabantu loba amasiko.​—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

¹⁷ Ukulandela amasiko kungenza abafowethu bangabekwa ukuba ngabadala lezinceku ezikhonzayo lanxa bekhonza kuhle. Kwelinye ilizwe, kwakulenceku ekhonzayo etshisekayo eyayiphiwe imisebenzi emikhulu ebandleni. Abadala bamhlola umzalwane lo osakhulayo besebenzisa iMibhalo futhi bavumelana ukuthi uyafanela ukuba ngumdala ebandleni. Kodwa kabazange bambeke ukuba ngumdala ngoba abanye abadala asebekhulile babesithi ukhangeleka emncane kakhulu. Kuyadanisa ukuthi umfowethu lo kazange abekwe ukuba ngumdala ngenxa nje yokuthi wayekhanya emncane. Lapha sikhulume ngendaba eyodwa kuphela kodwa imibiko itshengisa ukuthi uhlupho lolu lugcwele emabandleni amanengi emhlabeni wonke. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi sisebenzise iMibhalo hatshi amasiko loba lokho esikucabangayo. Singenza njalo, sizabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyawulalela umlayo kaJesu wokuthi singahluleli ngalokho esikubona ngamehlo.

18, 19. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi siphathe abanye ngendlela uJehova abaphatha ngayo?

¹⁸ Lanxa sazalwa silesono singenelisa ukuphatha abanye ngendlela uJehova abaphatha ngayo njalo singababandlululi. (ImiSeb. 10:34, 35) Kodwa kumele siqhubeke sizama ngamandla wonke ukusebenzisa izimiso eziseLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Nxa singazisebenzisa, sizenelisa ukulalela umlayo kaJesu wokuthi singahluleli ngesikubona ngamehlo.​—Joh. 7:24.

¹⁹ Sekuseduze ukuthi iNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu yahlulele bonke abantu ngendlela eqondileyo hatshi ngalokho ekubona ngamehlo loba ekuzwa ngendlebe. (Isaya. 11:3, 4) Lokhu kuzasithokozisa kakhulu.