1-2. (a) Kungani kungamelanga simangale nxa uhulumende esalisa ukwenza umsebenzi wethu? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

NGOMNYAKA wenkonzo ka-2018 bekulabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle abedlula 223 000 abahlala ezindaweni lapho umsebenzi wethu ongavunyelwa khona ngokupheleleyo lalapho eminye imisebenzi yethu engavunyelwa khona. Lokhu akusimangalisi ngoba sifundile esihlokweni esidlulileyo ukuthi amaKhristu eqiniso azahlukuluzwa. (2 Tim. 3:12) Loba nini ohulumende bangasalisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu esimthandayo uJehova kungelani lokuthi sihlala ngaphi.

² Nxa uhulumende walapho ohlala khona angenza njalo engxenye ungazibuza imibuzo elandelayo: ‘Sihlukuluzwa ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu kathokozi ngathi yini? Sizenelisa yini ukuqhubeka simkhonza uJehova njengoba singasavunyelwa ukwenza umsebenzi wethu? Ngithuthele kwelinye ilizwe yini ukuze ngikhonze uNkulunkulu ngikhululekile?’ Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni lesi. Sizaphinda sixoxe ngalokho okumele sikwenze lalokho okungamelanga sikwenze ukuze siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova nxa singasavunyelwa ukuthi senze umsebenzi wethu.

3. U-2 Khorinte 11:23-27 uthi umphostoli uPhawuli wahlukuluzwa njani futhi sifundani esibonelweni sakhe?

³ Kwesinye isikhathi singacabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu kathokozi ngathi nxa uhulumende engasasivumeli ukuthi  senze umsebenzi wethu. Kodwa kumele sikhumbule ukuthi ukuhlukuluzwa akutsho ukuthi uJehova kathokozi ngathi. Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu wayethokoza sibili ngomphostoli uPhawuli. Umphostoli lo waba lesibusiso sokubhala amabhuku angu-14 eMibhalo YamaKhristu YesiGrikhi njalo wayengumphostoli kwabezizweni. Lanxa kunjalo wahlukuluzwa okuzwayo. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 11:23-27.) Okwenzakala kuPhawuli kusifundisa ukuthi uJehova uyavumela ukuthi izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo zihlukuluzwe.

4. Umhlaba usizondelani?

⁴ UJesu wachasisa ukuthi kungani kumele sikulindele ukuphikiswa. Wathi sizazondwa ngoba asisibo bomhlaba. (Joh. 15:18, 19) Ukuhlukuluzwa akutsho ukuthi asila sibusiso sikaJehova kodwa kutshengisa ukuthi senza kuhle.

5. Abantu bangakumisa yini ukukhonza uJehova? Chasisa.

⁵ Abantu abasiphikisayo ngeke bakumise ukukhonza uNkulunkulu uSomandla. Banengi abazame ukukwenza lokhu kodwa behluleka. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili. Ohulumende bamazwe amanengi babebahlukuluza kakhulu abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Iqembu lamaNazi eGermany ayisilo lodwa elavala umsebenzi waboFakazi bakaJehova. Ohulumende base-Australia laseCanada labakwamanye amazwe labo bawuvimba. Kodwa kwenzakalani? Ngesikhathi impi iqalisa ngo-1939 kwakulabamemezeli abangu-72 475 emhlabeni wonke. Kodwa imibiko yaveza ukuthi ngo-1945 impi isiphelile kwasekulabamemezeli abangu-156 299. Ukwanda okukhulu kangaka kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wayebabusisile sibili abantu bakhe!

6. Ukuhlukuluzwa kungasenza sizimisele ukwenzani? Nika isibonelo.

⁶ Ukuhlukuluzwa kungasenza sizimisele kakhulu ukukhonza uJehova kulokuthi sesabe. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umfowethu lomkakhe babehlala elizweni lapho uhulumende avimbe khona umsebenzi wethu futhi babelomntwana omncane. Kabazange besabe kumbe bahlehlele emuva kodwa baba ngamaphayona esikhathi sonke. Udadewethu waze watshiya lomsebenzi owawuholisa kuhle ukuze aphayone. Umfowethu uthi ukuvinjelwa komsebenzi  wethu kwabangela ukuthi abantu bafise ukwazi okunengi ngoFakazi bakaJehova. Lokhu kwenza kwaba lula ukuthi aqalise izifundo zeBhayibhili. Kukhona okunye okuhle okwenzakalayo umsebenzi wethu usuvinjiwe. Omunye umdala webandla ohlala elizweni lelo uthi abanye ababengasamkhonzi uJehova baqalisa ukungena imihlangano kanye lokutshumayela.

7. (a) Sifundani kuLevi 26:36, 37? (b) Uzakwenzani nxa sesingasavunyelwa ukwenza umsebenzi wethu?

⁷ Nxa izitha zivimba umsebenzi wethu ziyabe zifuna ukusesabisa ukuze singamkhonzi uJehova. Zingaphinda zifafaze amanga ngathi, zifuze ezindlini zethu, zisihambise emthethwandaba kumbe zibophe abanye bethu. Ziyabe zicabanga ukuthi ukubopha abanye bethu kungenza sidlele evalweni. Nxa singatshaywa luvalo sizesabe kumbe sesabe lokho ezingasenza khona singacina sihlehlela emuva loba siyekele ukukhonza uJehova. Kasifuni ukwenza njengalabo okukhulunywa ngabo kuLevi 26:36, 37. (Bala.) Kasisoze sivume ukuthi ukwesaba kuphambanise indlela esikhonza ngayo loba kusiqede amandla ngoba siyamthemba ngokupheleleyo uJehova. (Isaya. 28:16) Siyakhuleka kuye simcela ukuthi asincedise. Siyakwazi ukuthi ngitsho lohulumende olamandla kulabo bonke kasoze asiyekelise ukukhonza ngokuthembeka ngoba uNkulunkulu uyasisekela.​—Heb. 13:6.

8-9. (a) Yisiphi isinqumo okumele senziwe yinhloko yemuli loba ngumuntu ngamunye? (b) Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi senze isinqumo esihle?

⁸ Nxa uhulumende walapho ohlala khona engavimbela umsebenzi wethu ungazibuza ukuthi sekufanele uthuthele kwelinye ilizwe yini ukuze ukhonze uJehova ukhululekile. Lesi yisinqumo umuntu ngamunye azenzela sona. Ungakenzi isinqumo kungakunceda ukuqala uhlole okwenziwa ngamaKhristu aze ahlukuluzwe ngesikhathi sabaphostoli. Izitha zathi sezikhande uStefane ngamatshe abafundi ababeseJerusalema basabalala baya eJudiya leSamariya futhi abanye batsholobela baze bayafika eFenikhiya leKhuphro le-Antiyokhi. (Mat. 10:23; ImiSeb. 8:1; 11:19) Hlola lalokho okwenziwa nguPhawuli kuze kube lokunye ukuhlukuluzwa kwamaKhristu ngesikhathi sabaphostoli. Kazange asuke ezindaweni lapho abantu ababephikisa khona umsebenzi wokutshumayela. Wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngoba wayefuna ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle lokuqinisa abazalwane ababesemadolobheni lapho ukuhlukuluzwa okwakusidla khona ubhedu.​—ImiSeb. 14:19-23.

⁹ Sifundani endabeni lezi? Inhloko yemuli ngayinye kumele izikhethele ukuthi imuli yayo izathutha yini. Ingakenzi isinqumo kumele ithandaze futhi icabangisise ngezimo zemuli yayo lokuthi kungayihambela njani nxa ingathutha. Endabeni le umKhristu ngamunye kumele ‘azithwalele umthwalo wakhe.’ (Gal. 6:5) Akumelanga sisole abanye ngesinqumo abasenzayo.

10. Kuyini esizakutshelwa yiwofisi yegatsha kanye labadala?

¹⁰ Ungenzani ukuze uqhubeke ukhonza uJehova nxa sesingasavunyelwa ukwenza umsebenzi wethu? Iwofisi yegatsha izatshela abadala bebandla lakini ukuthi kumele benzeni ukuze lithole ukudla okuqinisa ukholo, ukuthi imihlangano yenziwe njani lokuthi litshumayele njani izindaba ezinhle. Nxa igatsha lingenelisi ukuxhumana labadala, abadala bazakunceda wena  kanye labanye ebandleni ukuthi liqhubeke likhonza uJehova. Bazalikhokhela besebenzisa lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili kanye lamabhuku ethu.​—Mat. 28:19, 20; ImiSeb. 5:29; Heb. 10:24, 25.

11. Kungani kumele uqiniseke ukuthi uzakuthola konke okudingayo ukuthi uqinise ukholo lwakho futhi ungenzani ukuze iBhayibhili lakho kanye lamabhuku kungatholakali?

¹¹ UJehova uthembise ukuthi izinceku zakhe zizakuthola konke ezikudingayo ukuze ukholo lwazo luhlale luqinile. (Isaya. 65:13, 14; Luk. 12:42-44) Yikho qiniseka ukuthi inhlanganiso yakhe izakwenza konke engakwenza ukuze ikuncede uqhubeke uthembekile. Kodwa kulokunye ongakwenza lawe. Nxa umsebenzi wethu ungasavunyelwa, dinga lapho ongafihla khona iBhayibhili lakho kanye lamanye amabhuku ethu ongabe ulawo. Nanzelela ukuthi awutshiyi izinto lezi eziligugu endaweni lapho ezingatholakala khona lula. Lokhu kugoqela lezempucuko ezilamabhuku ethu. Sonke kumele senze okusemandleni ethu ukuze sihlale silokholo oluqinileyo.

12. Abadala bangayihlela njani imihlangano ukuze abantu bangananzeleli esikwenzayo?

¹² Imihlangano yebandla yona-ke? Abadala bazahlela ukuthi liyingene njani ngendlela engasoze inanzelelwe ngabaphikisi. Bangathi lihlangane lingamaqenjana njalo kungenzeka bahlale bentshintsha indawo lezikhathi zokungena imihlangano. Ungavikela abazalwane ngokukhulumela phansi ngesikhathi ufika emihlanganweni lalapho usuka. Kanti njalo ungagqoka angathi ungekhaya loba uyazivakatshela nje ukuze kungakhanyi ukuthi uya emihlanganweni.

13. Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa ngabazalwane ababehlala emazweni ayethiwa yiSoviet Union?

¹³ Indlela esitshumayela ngayo layo ingantshintsha kusiya ngendawo. Kungelani lokuthi izimo zinjani sizatshumayela kuphela ngoba siyamthanda uJehova futhi siyakukholisa ukutshela abanye ngoMbuso wakhe. (Luk. 8:1; ImiSeb. 4:29) Owezembali okuthiwa ngu-Emily B. Baran wakhuluma ngokutshumayela kwaboFakazi bakaJehova emazweni ayethiwa yiSoviet Union. Wathi: “Uhulumende wathi esetshele oFakazi bakaJehova ukuthi bangasatshumayeli bona baqalisa ukuxoxa labomakhelwane, abasebenza labo kanye labangane. Bathi sebevalelwe ejele ngenxa yalokho baqalisa ukutshumayeza ezinye izibotshwa.” Abazalwane ababesemazweni la abazange bayekele ukutshumayela lanxa uhulumende wayengasabavumeli ukuthi benze njalo. Nxa umsebenzi wokutshumayela ungasavunyelwa lapho ohlala khona, zimisele ukulingisela abazalwane laba!

14. IHubo 39:1 lisixwayisa ngani?

¹⁴ Nanzelela okutshela abanye. Ngesikhathi umsebenzi wethu ungasavunyelwa  kumele sisazi ‘isikhathi sokuthula.’ (UmTshu. 3:7) Akumelanga sikhulume izinto eziyimfihlo njengamabizo abafowethu labodadewethu, indawo esingenela kuzo imihlangano, indlela esitshumayela ngayo lesithola ngayo imfundo esiqinisa ukholo. Izinto lezi akumelanga sizitshele izisebenzi zikahulumende, abangane loba izihlobo zethu eziselizweni lethu kumbe kwamanye amazwe kungelani lokuthi zingoFakazi loba hatshi. Nxa singenza lokhu siyabe sifaka abazalwane bethu engozini.​—Bala iHubo 39:1.

15. Kuyini uSathane azazama ukukwenza kodwa thina kumele senzeni

¹⁵ Akumelanga sivume ukwehlukaniswa yizinto ezincane. USathane uyakwazi ukuthi nxa imuli ingehlukana ngeke ime. (Mak. 3:24, 25) Yikho uzaqhubeka ezama ukudala ukwehlukana phakathi kwethu. Uyabe ecabanga ukuthi engenza njalo sizaqalisa ukulwisana kulokuthi silwe laye.

16. Sifundani kulokho okwenziwa ngudadewethu uGertrud Poetzinger?

¹⁶ LamaKhristu aqinileyo ekukhonzeni kumele ananzelele ukuthi angabanjwa ngumjibila lo. Cabanga ngesibonelo sabodade ababili ababegcotshiwe uGertrud Poetzinger lo-Elfriede Löhr. Bona labanye odadewethu babebotshiwe enkambeni yokuhlukuluzwa yamaNazi. UGertrud waba lomhawu ngoba udade Elfriede wayesenza inkulumo ezazikhuthaza abanye odade ababesenkambeni. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uGertrud wazisola wacela uJehova ukuthi amncedise. Wabhala wathi, “Kumele sikwamukele ukuthi abanye bazingcitshi ekwenzeni ezinye izinto loba balemisebenzi eminengi kuleyethu.” Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi alwisane lomhawu? UGertrud wakhangela ubuntu obuhle buka-Elfriede lokuthi wayengumuntu wabantu. Lokhu kwamnceda ukuthi aphinde azwanane laye. Bobabili bacina bephumile enkambeni yokuhlukuluzwa futhi baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova bethembekile baze bafa. Sizahlala simanyene nxa singazimisela ukulungisa loba yini engasehlukanisa labazalwane bethu.​—Kol. 3:13, 14.

17. Kungani kumele sihlale silalela okutshiwo yinhlanganiso kaJehova?

¹⁷ Ungazenzeli okwekhanda lakho. Ukulalela esikutshelwa ngabadala kuzasivikela engozini ezingaba khona. (1 Phet. 5:5) Ngokwesibonelo, kwelinye ilizwe lapho umsebenzi wethu ongavunyelwa khona abadala batshela abamemezeli ukuthi bangatshumayela lapho kuvela ithuba kodwa bangatshiyeli abantu amabhuku. Kodwa omunye umzalwane oliphayona ohlala  kuleyondawo wazitshela ukuthi uhlakaniphile wahambisa amabhuku ngesikhathi yena labanye betshumayela. Okwenziwa ngumzalwane lo kwabangelani? Bathi beqeda ukutshumayela amapholisa abalanda ababuza imibuzo. Kukhanya esinye isisebenzi sikahulumende sasibalandela sithatha amabhuku ababewatshiyela abantu. Sifundani kulokho? Kumele silalele esikutshelwayo lanxa singavumelani lakho. UJehova uzahlala esibusisa nxa silalela abafowethu abakhethe ukuthi basikhokhele.​—Heb. 13:7, 17.

18. Kungani kungamelanga sitshayele abanye imithetho engadingakaliyo?

¹⁸ Lingatshayeli abantu imithetho engadingakaliyo. Nxa abadala bangatshaya imithetho engadingakaliyo abanye bazathwala nzima. Umfowethu uJuraj Kaminský wakhuluma ngalokho okwenzakala ngesikhathi umsebenzi wethu ungavunyelwa elizweni okwakuthiwa yiCzechoslovakia, wathi: “Ngemva kokubotshwa kwabadala abanengi, abanye ababesele bekhokhela emabandleni laseziqintini baqalisa ukutshayela abamemezeli imithetho bebatshela lokho okwakumele bakwenze lalokho okwakungamelanga bakwenze.” UJehova kasinikanga ilungelo lokuthi sitshayele abazalwane bethu imithetho. Umuntu owenza njalo kabavikeli kodwa uzama ukuba ngumbusi wokholo lwabo.​—2 Khor. 1:24.

19. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-2 ImiLando 32:7, 8, kungani singaba lesibindi kungelani lokuthi uSathane wenzani?

¹⁹ Isitha sethu esikhulu uSathane uDeveli sizaqhubeka sizama ukuhlukuluza izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo. (1 Phet. 5:8; Isam. 2:10) USathane lalabo abamsekelayo bazazama ukusivimbela ukuthi sikhonze uJehova. Lanxa sisesaba kasisoze siyekele ukumkhonza loba sekutheni. (Dute. 7:21) UJehova ulathi njalo uzaqhubeka esisekela lalapho umsebenzi wethu ungasavunyelwa.​—Bala u-2 ImiLando 32:7, 8.

20. Uzimisele ukwenzani?

²⁰ Kasizimiseleni ukwenza njengabaphostoli abatshela ababusi bangalesosikhathi bathi: “Yahlulelani lina ukuthi kuqondile yini emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ukuthi silalele lina kulokuthi silalele uNkulunkulu. Kodwa thina kasingeke siyekele ukukhuluma ngezinto esizibonileyo lesizizwileyo.”​—ImiSeb. 4:19, 20.