1-2. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Phetro 4:7, 8, kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi siqinisele ebunzimeni?

SEKUSEDUZE ukuthi ‘izinsuku zokucina’ ziphele yikho singehlelwa yibunzima obukhulu. (2 Tim. 3:1) Ngokwesibonelo, kwaba leziphithiphithi lokulwa ngemva kokhetho olwenziwa kwelinye ilizwe elisentshonalanga ye-Africa. Okwezinyanga ezedlula eziyisithupha abafowethu labodadewethu babengakhululekanga ukuya lapho ababefuna ukuyakhona ngenxa yokuthi endaweni ababekuyo kwakuliwa. Kuyini okwabancedayo? Abanye babalekela emizini yabazalwane ababehlala endaweni engelaziphithiphithi kangako. Omunye umfowethu wathi: “Ngesikhathi leso ngathokoza ngokuba labangane bami. Sasikhuthazana.”

² Ngesikhathi ‘ukuhlupheka okukhulu’ kuqalisa sizathokoza nxa silabangane abahle abasithandayo. (Isam. 7:14) Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi siqinise ubungane bethu labazalwane khathesi. (Bala u-1 Phetro 4:7, 8.) Singafunda okunengi kulokho okwenzakala kuJeremiya. Abangane bakhe abaseduze bamnceda ngezikhathi ezinzima iJerusalema isizabhujiswa. * Singamlingisela njani?

3. (a) Kuyini okwakungenza uJeremiya abe ngunkomo idla yodwa? (b) UJeremiya wamtshelani umabhalani wakhe uBharukhi futhi kwenzakalani ngemva kwalokho?

³ Okweminyaka engu-40 loba edlula lapho, uJeremiya waphila labantu ababengekho qotho kuJehova. Abanye babengomakhelwane futhi kungenzeka abanye kwakuyizihlobo  zakhe ezazidabuka edolobheni lakibo le-Anathothi. (Jer. 11:21; 12:6) Lanxa kunjalo kazange abe ngunkomo idla yodwa, watshela umabhalani wakhe oqotho uBharukhi indlela ayezizwa ngayo. Lathi sesiyazi indlela ayesizwa ngayo njengoba yabhalwa eBhayibhilini. (Jer. 8:21; 9:1; 20:14-18; 45:1) Kumele ukuthi uBharukhi loJeremiya baba ngamathe lolimi futhi bahloniphana kakhulu ngesikhathi uBharukhi ebhala phansi konke okwenzakala kuJeremiya.​—Jer. 20:1, 2; 26:7-11.

4. UJehova wacela uJeremiya ukuthi enzeni njalo umsebenzi lo wabuqinisa njani ubungane bukaJeremiya loBharukhi?

⁴ Okweminyaka eminengi uJeremiya wakhuluma ngesibindi exwayisa ama-Israyeli ngalokho okwakuzakwehlela iJerusalema. (Jer. 25:3) UJehova waphinda watshela abantu ukuthi baphenduke futhi wacela uJeremiya ukuthi abhale encwadinimgoqwa amazwi okubaxwayisa. (Jer. 36:1-4) UJeremiya loBharukhi basebenza ndawonye emsebenzini lo ababewuphiwe nguNkulunkulu futhi kungenzeka umsebenzi wabo waphela ngemva kwezinyanga ezinengi. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ngalesosikhathi babesiba lezingxoxo eziqinisa ukholo.

5. UBharukhi watshengisa njani ukuthi ungumngane omuhle kaJeremiya?

⁵ Sithe sesifikile isikhathi sokuthi incwadimgoqwa le ibalelwe abantu uJeremiya wathembela kumngane wakhe uBharukhi ukuthi akwenze lokhu. (Jer. 36:5, 6) UBharukhi waba lesibindi wawenza umsebenzi lo oyingozi. Kumele ukuthi uJeremiya wathokoza kakhulu lapho ebona uBharukhi esiya egumeni lethempeli futhi esenza ayekuthunyiwe. (Jer. 36:8-10) Izikhulu zakoJuda zezwa ngalokho okwakwenziwe nguBharukhi njalo zamtshela ukuthi azibalele okwakuphakathi kwencwadimgoqwa. (Jer.  36:14, 15) Zabona kungcono ukuthi iNkosi uJehoyakhimi izwe lokho uJeremiya ayekutshilo. Zazilomusa kuBharukhi yikho zathi kuye: “Wena loJeremiya hambani liyecatsha. Lingatsheli muntu ukuthi lingaphi.” (Jer. 36:16-19) Leli kwakulicebo elihle.

6. UJeremiya loBharukhi benzani bephikiswa?

⁶ INkosi uJehoyakhimi ithe isizwa amazwi ayebhalwe nguJeremiya yazonda yaze yatshisa incwadimgoqwa futhi yathi uJeremiya loBharukhi babotshwe. Kodwa uJeremiya kazange esabe. Wathatha enye incwadimgoqwa wayinika uBharukhi wasemtshela umlayezo ovela kuJehova. UBharukhi wabhala “wonke amazwi omqulu owawutshiswe emlilweni nguJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda.”​—Jer. 36:26-28, 32.

7. Kuyini okungabe kwenzakala ngesikhathi uJeremiya loBharukhi besebenza ndawonye?

⁷ Abantu ababhensela ubunzima ndawonye bajayele ukucina sebengabangane abaseduze kakhulu. Yikho kumele ukuthi uJeremiya loBharukhi bajayelana kakhulu futhi baba ngabangane abaseduze kakhulu ngesikhathi bebhala enye incwadimgoqwa, njengoba eyokuqala yayitshiswe yinkosi embi uJehoyakhimi. Okwenziwa ngamadoda la athembekileyo kusifundisani?

8. Kuyini okungenza kube nzima ukuthi siqinise ubungane bethu labanye njalo kungani kungamelanga sikhalale?

⁸ Kwesinye isikhathi kungaba nzima ukuthi sithululele abanye isifuba sethu ngenxa yokuthi omunye umuntu wake wasizwisa ubuhlungu. (Zaga. 18:19, 24) Kanti njalo singazitshela ukuthi asila sikhathi lamandla okuqinisa ubungane bethu labanye. Lanxa kunjalo akumelanga sikhalale. Kumele sifunde khathesi ukuthemba abazalwane bethu ngokubatshela esikucabangayo lendlela esizizwa ngayo. Singenza njalo bazasisekela nxa sisebunzimeni futhi sizaqinisa ubungane bethu labo.​—1 Phet. 1:22.

9. (a) UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathemba abangane bakhe? (b) Ukukhuluma okucabangayo lendlela ozizwa ngayo kungakunceda njani ukuthi uqinise ubungane bakho labanye? Nika isibonelo.

⁹ UJesu wayebathemba abangane bakhe yikho kazange abafihlele lutho. (Joh. 15:15) Lathi singamlingisela ngokuxoxela abanye lokho okusithokozisayo, okusikhathazayo lokusidanisayo. Lalelisisa nxa omunye ekhuluma lawe ngoba kungenzeka ukuthi okunengi akucabangayo lendlela azizwa ngayo kanye lalokho ahlela ukukwenza kuyahambelana lokwakho. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikadadewethu okuthiwa nguCindy oleminyaka engu-29. Ulomngane oliphayona okuthiwa nguMarie-Louise oleminyaka  engu-67. UCindy loMarie-Louise baphuma bonke ekutshumayeleni ngoLwesine ekuseni maviki wonke futhi baxoxa bekhululekile ngendaba ezitshiyeneyo. UCindy uthi, “Ngiyakholisa kakhulu nxa ngixoxa labangane ngendaba eziqakathekileyo ngoba lokhu kwenza ngibazi futhi ngibazwisise kakhulu.” Nxa utshela abangane bakho lokho okucabangayo lendlela ozizwa ngayo njalo ubalalela nxa labo bekhuluma lawe, ubungane benu buyaqina. Lokhu yikho okwenziwa nguCindy.​—Zaga. 27:9.

10. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuZaga 27:17, kuyini okuzakwenzakala nxa singasebenza labafowethu labodadewethu?

¹⁰ Okwenzakala kuJeremiya loBharukhi kusitshengisa ukuthi nxa singasebenza labafowethu labodadewethu futhi sinanzelele ubuntu babo obuhle sizafunda okuhle kubo. Lokhu kuzenza ubungane bethu buqine. (Bala iZaga 27:17.) Ngokwesibonelo, uzwa njani nxa usekutshumayeleni lomngane wakho umuzwa echasisa ngesibindi izizatho zalokho akukholwayo kumbe etshengisa ukuthi uyaqiniseka nxa ekhuluma ngoJehova lenjongo zakhe? Kumele ukuthi uyasondela kakhulu kuye.

11-12. Nika isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi ukutshumayela labanye kuyabuqinisa ubungane bethu labo.

¹¹ Asixoxeni ngezibonelo ezimbili ezitshengisa ukuthi ukusebenza ndawonye ekutshumayeleni kwenza abantu bathandane kakhulu. Udadewethu oleminyaka engu-23 okuthiwa ngu-Adeline wacela omunye umngane wakhe okuthiwa nguCandice ukuthi bahambe bonke besiyatshumayela endaweni engatshunyayelwa kangako. Uthi: “Sasifuna ukutshiseka kakhulu ekutshumayeleni lokuthi sikukholise kakhulu. Sobabili sasidinga okwakungasikhuthaza ukuthi sinike uJehova okungcono kakhulu.” Ukusebenza ndawonye kwabanceda njani? Uqhubeka esithi: “Ntambama sasixoxa ngendlela esasizizwa ngayo langalokho okwakusikhuthazile engxoxweni  esasibe lazo labantu. Sasixoxa langalokho esasikubonile okwakutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasisekela. Sasikukholisa ukuba Iezingxoxo ezinje futhi ubungane bethu baqina.”

¹² ULaïla loMarianne ngodadewethu abangatshadanga abahlala eFrance abahamba bayatshumayela okwamaviki amahlanu eBangui, idolobho eliphithizelayo njalo eliyisigodlo seCentral African Republic. ULaïla uthi: “Lanxa sasihlangana lobunzima ubungane bethu baqina kakhulu ngoba sasixoxa sikhululekile futhi sizwanana kakhulu. UMarianne kwakungamthathi sikhathi ukujayela izimo futhi wayebathanda abantu bakuleyondawo njalo wayekhuthele ekutshumayeleni. Lokhu kwenza ngamhlonipha kakhulu.” Akudingi ukuthi uze uye kwelinye ilizwe ukuze ukubone lokhu. Loba nini nxa usekutshumayeleni lomfowethu kumbe udadewethu uyenelisa ukujayelana laye kakhulu lokuqinisa ubungane bakho laye.

13. Kuyini okwenzakalayo ngezinye izikhathi nxa sisebenza labangane bethu?

¹³ Kwesinye isikhathi nxa sisebenza labangane bethu ekutshumayeleni kasinanzeleli ubuntu babo obuhle kuphela kodwa sinanzelela labakuphambanisayo. Pho kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke singamathe lolimi lanxa bephambanisa? Asixoxeni futhi ngoJeremiya. Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi abone okuhle okwakusenziwa ngabanye lokuthi abathethelele nxa bephambanisa?

14. UJeremiya wafundani ngoJehova futhi lokhu kwamnceda njani?

¹⁴ UJeremiya nguye owabhala ibhuku elibizwa ngebizo lakhe futhi kungenzeka wabhala lebhuku lokuqala lelesibili lamaKhosi. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ukubhala amabhuku la kwamnceda wabona ukuthi uJehova ulesihawu ebantwini abalesono. Ngokwesibonelo, wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova kazange abhubhise abemuli yeNkosi u-Ahabi ngesikhathi isaphila ngoba yayiphendukile ezonweni zayo. (1 AmaKho. 21:27-29) Wayekwazi lokuthi uManase wenza okubi kakhulu ukwedlula lokho okwenziwa ngu-Ahabi. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova wamxolela uManase ngoba waphenduka. (2 AmaKho. 21:16, 17; 2 ImiLan. 33:10-13) Kumele ukuthi indaba lezi zenza uJeremiya walingisela uJehova ngokubekezelela abangane bakhe abasekhwapheni langokubatshengisa isihawu.​—Hubo. 103:8, 9.

15. UJeremiya watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabekezela njengoJehova ngesikhathi enceda uBharukhi owayesephambuka?

¹⁵ Ngesinye isikhathi uBharukhi wayesephambaniseka emsebenzini wakhe. Wenzani uJeremiya? Kazange ahle azitshele ukuthi uBharukhi kasoze antshintshe kodwa wamtshela umlayezo owawuvela kuNkulunkulu owawulomusa kodwa ungagudli iguma. (Jer. 45:1-5) Sifundani kulokhu?

16. IZaga 17:9 zithi kumele senzeni ukuze sihlale silobungane obuqinileyo labanye?

¹⁶ Akumelanga sikhangelele ukuthi abafowethu labodadewethu bangaphambanisi. Yikho nxa sesithole umngane kumele sisebenze nzima ukuthi sihlale singabangane. Nxa umngane engaphambanisa kumele sibe lomusa kodwa singambhodi ngesikhathi simnika iseluleko esisekelwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. (Hubo. 141:5) Kumele simxolele lanxa esizwise ubuhlungu. Nxa sesimxolele akumelanga siphinde siyivuse indaba leyo kumbe sitshele abanye ngayo. (Bala iZaga 17:9.) Kuqakatheke kakhulu kulezizikhathi ezinzima ukuthi sikhangele okuhle okwenziwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu kulokutshona sizihlupha  ngalokho abakuphambanisayo. Singenza njalo sizaqinisa ubungane bethu futhi lokhu kuzasinceda ngoba sizabadinga abangane abaseduze ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu.

17. UJeremiya watshengisa njani ukuthi ungumngane weqiniso ngezikhathi ezinzima?

¹⁷ UJeremiya watshengisa ukuthi ungumngane weqiniso ngezikhathi ezinzima. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Ebhedi-Meleki owayeyisikhulu esigodlweni senkosi wayesesaba ukuthi izikhulu zizamlimaza ngenxa yokuthi wayencede uJeremiya ngokumkhipha egodini elalilodaka. UJeremiya kazange athule ezitshela ukuthi umngane wakhe uzabona okokwenza. Lanxa wayebotshiwe wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuthi atshele umngane wakhe u-Ebhedi-Meleki isithembiso esiduduzayo esasivela kuJehova.​—Jer. 38:7-13; 39:15-18.

18. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuZaga 17:17, kumele senzeni nxa umfowethu kumbe udadewethu ephakathi kobunzima?

¹⁸ Lamuhla abafowethu labodadewethu behlelwa yibunzima obutshiyeneyo. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bathwele nzima ngenxa yomonakalo wemvelo lomonakalo odalwa ngabantu. Nxa bengehlelwa yibunzima obunje, abanye bethu bangabathatha bahlale labo. Abanye bangabanceda ngemali. Kodwa sonke singakhuleka sicela uJehova ukuthi abancedise. Kwesinye isikhathi nxa singezwa ukuthi kulomzalwane odanileyo siyabe singakwazi ukuthi sithini kumbe senzeni kodwa singenelisa ukumnceda. Ngokwesibonelo, singamvakatshela, simlalele nxa ekhuluma futhi simtshele ivesi eduduzayo esiyithandayo. (Isaya. 50:4) Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi ube labafowenu labodadewenu nxa bedinga uncedo lwakho.​—Bala iZaga 17:17.

19. Ukuqinisa ubungane bethu labafowethu labodadewethu khathesi kuzasinceda njani ngesikhathi esizayo?

¹⁹ Kumele sizimisele khathesi ukuthi sibe ngabangane labafowethu labodadewethu futhi siqinise ubungane bethu labo. Lokhu kuqakathekile ngoba izitha zethu zizazama ukusehlukanisa zisebenzisa indaba ezingamanga. Zizazama ukwenza ukuthi singabathembi njalo singabasekeli abafowethu labodadewethu kodwa kazisoze ziphumelele. Kazisoze zenelise ukwenza ukuthi singabathandi. Akulanto ezizayenza ezaqeda ubungane bethu labo. Sizahlala singabangane labafowethu labodadewethu kuze kube nini lanini!