1-2. (a) Kutheni singamele sothuke xa umsebenzi wethu uvalwa? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

KUNYAKA wenkonzo ka-2018, abavakalisi abayi-223 000 bebehlala kumazwe apho urhulumente engavumi ukuba benze nayiphi na into esiqhele ukuyenza xa sikhonza uYehova okanye angavumeli nje ezinye zazo. Ayisothusi ke le nto, kuba njengokuba besifundile kwinqaku elidlulileyo, amaKristu okwenene ayilindele into yokuba aza kutshutshiswa. (2 Tim. 3:12) Nokuba sihlala phi, urhulumente usenokuvele nje athi masiyeke ukukhonza uThixo wethu, uYehova.

² Ukuba le nto inokwenzeka kwilizwe ohlala kulo, usenokuzibuza le mibuzo: ‘Inoba sitshutshiswa kuba uThixo engasasithandi? Siza kuyeka ke ngoku ukumkhonza uYehova kuba nje umsebenzi wethu uvaliwe? Ngaba ndimele ndibalekele kwelinye ilizwe apho umsebenzi wethu ungavalwanga khona?’ Kweli nqaku, siza kuphendula le mibuzo. Siza kuthetha nangezinto esimele sizenze nesingamele sizenze ukuze siqhubeke sikhonza uThixo wethu.

3. Ngokutsho kweyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 11:23-27, uPawulos watshutshiswa njani ibe sifunda ntoni kumzekelo wakhe?

³ Ukuba urhulumente uthi masiyeke ukukhonza uYehova, sisenokucinga ukuba uTata wethu osezulwini akasasihoyanga. Kodwa ke khumbula, ukutshutshiswa akuthethi ukuba uYehova akasasithandi. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngento eyenzeka kuPawulos. Wayethandwa nguYehova. Wabhala iileta eziyi-14 ezikwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike  ibe wayengumpostile weentlanga. Kodwa kuyo yonke loo nto, watshutshiswa kakhulu. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 11:23-27.) Kulo mzekelo kaPawulos, sifunda ukuba uYehova uyakwazi ukuvumela ukuba batshutshiswe abakhonzi bakhe.

4. Kutheni abantu behlabathi besicaphukela?

⁴ UYesu watsho ukuba kutheni simele siyilindele into yokuba siza kutshutshiswa. Wathi siza kucatshukelwa kuba singazenzi izinto ezenziwa ngabantu behlabathi. (Yoh. 15:18, 19) Xa sitshutshiswa loo nto ayithethi ukuba uYehova akasasithandi. Endaweni yoko, ithetha ukuba senza le nto ayifunayo.

5. Ngaba abantu bangaze bakwazi ukusenza siyeke ukukhonza uYehova? Cacisa.

⁵ Abantu abasichasayo abanakuze bakwazi ukusenza siyeke ukumkhonza uThixo wethu onamandla, uYehova. Baninzi abakhe bayizama le nto kodwa bakha phantsi isitya sigcwele. Khawucinge ngento eyenzeka kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi yesibini. Ngelo xesha, kumazwe amaninzi oorhulumente babatshutshisa kakhulu abantu bakaThixo. Umsebenzi wethu zange uvalwe nje ngurhulumente waseJamani kuphela. Wavalwa nangurhulumente waseOstreliya, eKhanada nowamanye amazwe. Kodwa uyayazi ukuba kwenzeka ntoni? Xa kwaqalisa imfazwe ngo-1939, abavakalisi emhlabeni wonke babeyi-72 475. Kodwa kwathi kuphela imfazwe ngo-1945, abavakalisi babe sele beyi-156 299 kuba uYehova wabaxhasa abantu bakhe. Inani labavakalisi laphindaphindeka kaninzi!

6. Endaweni yokuba soyike xa sitshutshiswa, yintoni enokwenzeka? Yenza umzekelo.

⁶ Ngokuqhelekileyo sisenokoyika xa sitshutshiswa. Kodwa intshutshiso inokusenza sifune ukumkhonza kakuhle nangakumbi uYehova. Ngokomzekelo, omnye umzalwana nenkosikazi yakhe ababenomntwana, babehlala kwilizwe apho urhulumente awuvalileyo umsebenzi wethu. Endaweni yokuba boyikiswe yiloo nto, baba ngoovulindlela abathe ngxi. Inkosikazi yalo mzalwana yade yayeka nomsebenzi wayo owawuyibhatala imali eninzi. Lo mzalwana uthi le nto yokuvalwa komsebenzi wethu yenza ukuba abantu abaninzi baba nemibuzo ngathi maNgqina. Ngenxa  yaloo nto, kwaba lula ukuba abe nezifundo zeBhayibhile. Kanti ikhona nenye into evuyisayo eyenzekayo. Omnye umdala naye ohlala kweli lizwe, uthi abantu abaninzi ababengasamkhonzi uYehova, baqalisa ukuya ezintlanganisweni ibe baphinda bashumayela.

7. (a) Sifunda ntoni kwiLevitikus 26:36, 37? (b) Uza kwenza ntoni xa uvaliwe umsebenzi wethu?

⁷ Xa iintshaba zethu zivala umsebenzi wethu, zifuna siyeke ukukhonza uYehova. Azipheleli nje ekuwuvaleni umsebenzi wethu kodwa zinokude zixoke ngathi, zithumele abantu abasebenzela urhulumente ukuba bagqogqe amakhaya ethu, zisise ezinkundleni okanye zide zivalele entolongweni abanye bethu. Ukuba siqalisa ukuzoyika, sisenokutyhafa okanye siyeke ukukhonza uYehova. Asifuni kufana nabantu abachazwe kwiLevitikus 26:36, 37. (Yifunde.) Asizutyhafa okanye siyeke ukukhonza uYehova ngenxa nje yokoyika. Asiphakuzeli kuba sithembele ngoYehova. (Isa. 28:16) Siyamcela ukuba asikhokele. Ekubeni esixhasa, siyazi ukuba noyena rhulumente unamandla akanakuze akwazi ukusenza siyeke ukumkhonza uThixo wethu.​—Heb. 13:6.

8-9. (a) Sesiphi isigqibo esimele senziwe yintsapho okanye ngumKristu ngamnye? (b) Yintoni eza kunceda intsapho isenze kakuhle isigqibo sayo?

⁸ Ukuba kwilizwe ohlala kulo urhulumente uyawuvala umsebenzi wethu, usenokucinga ngokuya kwelinye ilizwe apho ungavalwanga khona. Umele uzenzele ngokwakho isigqibo kule meko. Ngaphambi kokwenza eso sigqibo, mhlawumbi usenokuqala uphande ngento eyenziwa ngamaKristu exesha labapostile xa ayetshutshiswa. Emva kokuba abantu bebethe uStefano ngamatye de wafa, abafundi abahlala eYerusalem babalekela kulo lonke ilizwe lakwaYuda naseSamariya, kangangokuba bade baya eFenike, eSipro nakwa-Antiyokwe. (Mat. 10:23; IZe. 8:1; 11:19) Kanti, usenokuphanda ngento eyenziwa nguPawulos xa amaKristu aphinda atshutshiswa. UPawulos wayesiya kanye kwezi ndawo kwakutshutshiswa kuzo nangona le nto yayinokumfaka engxakini. Wayenza le nto kuba efuna ukushumayela.​—IZe. 14:19-23.

⁹ Yintoni esiyifundayo ke thina? Ntsapho nganye imele izenzele isigqibo sokuba iza kuthini. Ngaphambi kokwenza eso sigqibo, imele iqale ithandaze ize icinge kakuhle ngeemeko zomntu ngamnye okule ntsapho. Kanti, imele icinge nangokuba kuza kuyinceda njani ukuyohlala kwenye indawo nangeengxaki ezisenokuvela. Kule meko, mKristu ngamnye umele ‘athwale owakhe umthwalo.’ (Gal. 6:5) Asimele sibagxeke abanye ngenxa yezigqibo abazenzayo.

10. Iofisi yesebe nabadala baza kulinceda njani ibandla?

¹⁰ Uza kumkhonza njani uYehova xa umsebenzi wethu uvaliwe? Iofisi yesebe iza kunika abadala basebandleni lakho imiyalelo namacebiso. Aza kubanceda bayazi ukuba baza kuzifumana njani izinto eziza kubanceda bangaphelelwa lukholo, banokuziqhubela kwindawo enjani iintlanganiso, nokuba bamele bashumayele njani. Ukuba iimeko zibangele ukuba iofisi yesebe ingakwazi ukuthetha nabadala, abadala baza kulinceda ibandla lingayeki ukukhonza uYehova. Baza kulinceda besebenzisa iBhayibhile neencwadi zethu.​—Mat. 28:19, 20; IZe. 5:29; Heb. 10:24, 25.

11. (a) Kutheni unokuqiniseka ukuba uza kuzifumana izinto eziqinisa ukholo xa umsebenzi wethu uvaliwe? (b) Yintoni onokuyenza ukuze uqiniseke ukuba iBhayibhile neencwadi zethu azibhaqwa?

 ¹¹ UYehova uye wathembisa ukuba uza kubanika izinto eziqinisa ukholo abakhonzi bakhe. (Isa. 65:13, 14; Luka 12:42-44) Ngoko unokuqiniseka ukuba intlangano yakhe iza kwenza nantoni na ukuze ikunike izinto eziza kukunceda ungaphelelwa lukholo. Kodwa kukho into onokuyenza nawe. Xa sele uvaliwe umsebenzi wethu, khangela indawo onokuyifihla kuyo iBhayibhile yakho nezinye iincwadi zethu. Qiniseka ukuba awuzishiyi kwindawo ezinokukhawuleza zibhaqwe kuyo nokuba zikwizixhobo ze-elektroniki. Sonke simele senze konke esinako ukukwenza ukuze luhlale lomelele ukholo lwethu.

12. Abadala bangenza njani ukuze baqiniseke ukuba iintshaba zethu azikrokreli nto?

¹² Kuza kwenzeka ntoni kwiintlanganiso zebandla? Abadala baza kuzama ukuba iintlanganiso ziqhutywe ngendlela engazukwenza iintshaba zethu zikrokre. Basenokuthi makudityanwe ngokwamaqela, mhlawumbi banokude batshintshe amaxesha nendawo veki nganye. Unokubakhusela abazalwana bakho ngokuthethela phantsi xa usiya naxa usuka ezintlanganisweni. Kusenokufuneka unxibe ngendlela engazukwenza abantu bakrokre.

13. Sifunda ntoni kubazalwana bethu baseRashiya nabakumazwe akufutshane nayo?

¹³ Indlela yokushumayela isenokungafani, ixhomekeka kwindawo ohlala kuyo. Kuba simthanda uYehova ibe sithanda nokuchazela abantu ngoBukumkani bakhe, siza kujonga indlela yokushumayela. (Luka 8:1; IZe. 4:29) UEmily B. Baran ophanda ngezinto zakudala, wathetha ngendlela amaNgqina KaYehova ashumayela ngayo eRashiya nakumazwe akufutshane nayo. Wathi: “Xa urhulumente wathi amaNgqina mawayeke ukushumayela, wona zange ayeke, endaweni yoko ashumayela kubamelwane, kubantu asebenza nawo nakubahlobo. Xa avalelwa entolongweni ngenxa yokushumayela, ashumayela nakumabanjwa.” Nangona umsebenzi wethu wawuvaliwe, abazalwana bethu baseRashiya nabakumazwe akufutshane nayo, zange bayeke ukushumayela. Ukuba ungaze uvalwe umsebenzi wokushumayela kwilizwe ohlala kulo, akwaba ungenza njengaba bazalwana!

14. INdumiso 39:1 isinceda ukuba sithini?

¹⁴ Zazi izinto omele uzixelele abantu. Xa umsebenzi wethu uvaliwe, umele wazi xa ilixesha “lokuthi cwaka.” (INtshu. 3:7) Asimele sizithethe izinto eziyimfihlo, njengamagama abazalwana noodade, iindawo esidibanela kuzo, indlela esishumayela ngayo, nendlela esizifumana ngayo izinto  ezisiqinisa ukholo. Asimele sibachazele ezi zinto abantu abasebenzela urhulumente, abahlobo, nabantu esizalana nabo abahlala kwilizwe lethu okanye kwamanye amazwe enoba bangamaNgqina okanye abangawo. Singabafaka engxakini abazalwana bethu ukuba singayenza le nto.​—Funda iNdumiso 39:1.

15. Yintoni uSathana aza kuzama ukuyenza ibe thina simele senze ntoni ukuze ingenzeki loo nto?

¹⁵ Ungavumeli izinto ezingenamsebenzi zisixabanise. USathana uyazi ukuba indlu eyahluleleneyo ayinakuma. (Marko 3:24, 25) Ngoko uza kusoloko ezama ukusixabanisa. Kaloku ufuna silwe sodwa endaweni yokuba silwe yena.

16. Sifunda ntoni kuGertrud Poetzinger?

¹⁶ NamaKristu ekudala ekhonza uYehova, amele aqiniseke ukuba awavumeli izinto ezingenamsebenzi zisixabanise. Makhe sithethe ngoodade ababini ababenethemba lokuphila ezulwini, uGertrud Poetzinger noElfriede Löhr. Babebanjwe nabanye oodade kwinkampu yoxinaniso yamaNazi. UGertrud waba nomona xa uElfriede wakhuthaza abanye oodade apho. Kodwa emva kwethuba, wazisola waza wacela uYehova amncede. Wabhala wathi, “Kufuneka siyamkele into yokuba abanye abazalwana noodade wethu basenokunikwa imisebenzi emininzi kuneyethu.” Yintoni awayenzayo ukuze ayeke ukuba nomona? UGertrud wajonga iimpawu ezintle zikaElfriede. Le nto yamnceda wayeka ukummonela. Bobani baphuma bephila kule nkampu ibe bamkhonza kakuhle uYehova de basweleka. Ukuba siyazilungisa iingxaki esinazo nabazalwana bethu, asizukuvumela nantoni na ukuba isenze singamanyani.​—Kol. 3:13, 14.

17. Kutheni simele siyithobele imiyalelo esiyinikwayo?

¹⁷ Thobela imiyalelo oyinikwayo. Xa sizenza izinto esizixelelwa ngabazalwana abakhokelayo siza kuziphepha iingxaki. (1 Pet. 5:5) Ngokomzekelo, kwelinye ilizwe, apho umsebenzi wethu uvaliweyo khona, abazalwana abakhokelayo bathi abavakalisi mabangahambisi iimagazini xa beshumayela. Kodwa omnye umzalwana onguvulindlela wenza kanye le nto anqandwa kuyo. Kwenzeka ntoni? Emva nje kokuba yena nabanye begqibile ukushumayela, bahlatywa ngemibuzo ngamapolisa. Kubonakala ukuba abantu abasebenzela urhulumente babalandela baza bazifumana neemagazini abebezihambisile. Yintoni esiyifundayo kule nto? Simele sithobele naxa singayiboni ukuba iza kusinceda njani into esiyichazelwa ngabazalwana. UYehova uyavuya xa sithobela abazalwana aye wabakhetha ukuba basikhokele.​—Heb. 13:7, 17.

18. Kutheni simele singabeki imithetho engadingekiyo?

 ¹⁸ Sukubeka imithetho engadingekiyo. Ukuba abadala babeka le mithetho ingadingekiyo, baza kubasokolisa abazalwana. UMzalwan’ uJuraj Kaminský ukhumbula into eyenzekayo xa kwakuvalwe umsebenzi kwilizwe elalikade libizwa ngokuba yiCzechoslovakia. Wathi: “Emva kokubanjwa kwabazalwana abakhokelayo nabanye abadala abaninzi, aba bangabanjwanga baye babekela abavakalisi imithetho, bebaxelela ngezinto abamele bazenze nabangamele bazenze.” UYehova akafuni sibabekele imithetho abazalwana. Umntu owenza imithetho engadingekiyo akabakhuseli abazalwana bakhe, endaweni yoko, ufuna ukuba ‘yinkosi phezu kokholo lwabo.’​—2 Kor. 1:24.

19. Ngokutsho kweyesi-2 yeziKronike 32:7, 8, kutheni simele sibe nesibindi nokuba wenza ntoni uSathana?

¹⁹ Olona tshaba lwethu, uSathana uMtyholi, aluzukuyeka ukubatshutshisa abakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo. (1 Pet. 5:8; ISityhi. 2:10) USathana nabantu abamsebenzelayo baza kuzama ukuwuvala umsebenzi wethu. Kodwa ke nokuba singoyika, asinakuze siyeke ukukhonza uThixo. (Dut. 7:21) UYehova ungakuthi ibe nokuba ungavalwa umsebenzi wethu uza kuqhubeka esixhasa.—Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 32:7, 8.

20. Yintoni ozimisele ukuyenza?

²⁰ Akwaba singenza izinto njengamaKristu awayephila ngexesha labapostile, awathi kubantu ababephethe ngela xesha: “Enoba kububulungisa kusini na emehlweni kaThixo ukuphulaphula nina kunoThixo, zigwebeleni ngokwenu. Kodwa thina, asinakuyeka ukuthetha ngezinto esizibonileyo nesizivileyo.”—IZenzo 4:19, 20.