1-2. Isibonelo sikamphostoli uPawulu singabasiza kanjani abadala namuhla?

 UMPHOSTOLI uPawulu wayebathanda abafowabo. Wayesebenza ngokuzikhandla ngenxa yabo. (IzE. 20:31) Ayekholwa nabo, nabo babemthanda uPawulu. Ngesinye isikhathi, abadala base-Efesu “bakhala kakhulu impela” lapho bezwa ukuthi ngeke baphinde bambone. (IzE. 20:37) Abadala bethu abazinikele nabo babathanda kakhulu abafowabo nodadewabo futhi benza konke abangakwenza ukuze babasize. (Fil. 2:16, 17) Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi abadala babhekana nezinselele. Yini engabasiza bazinqobe?

² Abadala bethu abasebenza kanzima bangacabanga ngesibonelo sikaPawulu. (1 Kor. 11:1) Akukona ukuthi wayenamandla angaphezu kwavamile. Wayengumuntu onesono owayekuthola kunzima ukwenza okulungile ngezinye izikhathi. (Roma 7:18-20) Wabhekana nobunzima obuhlukahlukene. Kodwa uPawulu akazange aphele amandla noma aphelelwe injabulo. Uma abadala belingisa uPawulu, bangazinqoba izinselele, balondoloze nenjabulo njengoba bekhonza uJehova. Ake sibone ukuthi bangakwenza kanjani lokho.

3. Yini esizoyihlola kulesi sihloko?

³ Kulesi sihloko, sizohlola izinselele ezine abadala abavame ukubhekana nazo: (1) ukulinganisela phakathi komsebenzi wokushumayela neminye imithwalo yabo, (2) ukuba abelusi abakhathalelayo, (3) ukubhekana nobuthakathaka babo, (4) nokusebenzelana nabantu abanesono. Sizoxoxa ngendlela uPawulu ayinqoba ngayo inselele ngayinye nokuthi abadala bangamlingisa kanjani.

4. Kungani abadala bengase bakuthole kuyinselele ukuhola emsebenzini wokushumayela?

⁴ Okwenza kube inselele. Abadala baneminye imithwalo eminingi ngaphandle kokuhola emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi bayashintshana ngokuqhuba umhlangano waphakathi neviki nokuqhuba iSifundo SeBhayibheli Sebandla. Bangase banikeze nezinye izinkulumo. Bamatasa ngokuqeqesha izinceku ezikhonzayo futhi bayakujabulela nokuqhubeka bekhuthaza abazalwane nodade. (1 Pet. 5:2) Abanye abadala basebenza ekwakheni nasekunakekeleni amaHholo OMbuso nezinye izakhiwo zenhlangano. Noma kunjalo, njengawo wonke amalungu ebandla, umsebenzi oza kuqala kumdala ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle.​—Math. 28:19, 20.

5. UPawulu wabeka siphi isibonelo endabeni yokushumayela?

⁵ Isibonelo sikaPawulu. Okwenza uPawulu waphumelela kutholakala kweyabaseFilipi 1:10, lapho esinxusa khona: “Niqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu.” Wakwenza lokho ayekukhuthaza. Wayabelwe inkonzo futhi kwaphela iminyaka eyibheka njengenye yezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu. Washumayela “obala nasendlini ngendlu.” (IzE. 20:20) Akazange nje agcine ngokushumayela ngesikhathi esithile sosuku noma ngosuku olulodwa evikini. Wayewasebenzisa wonke amathuba awatholayo ukuze ashumayele! Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi esalinde abangane bakhe e-Athene, washumayeza abantu abavelele, kwaba nemiphumela emihle. (IzE. 17:16, 17, 34) Ngisho nalapho ‘eboshiwe,’ uPawulu washumayeza labo ababenaye.​—Fil. 1:13, 14; IzE. 28:16-24.

6. UPawulu wabaqeqesha kanjani abanye?

⁶ UPawulu wayesisebenzisa kahle kakhulu isikhathi sakhe. Wayevame ukumema abanye ukuba bashumayele naye. Ngokwesibonelo, ohambweni lwakhe lokuqala njengesithunywa sevangeli, wahamba noJohane Marku, kolwesibili wahamba noThimothewu. (IzE. 12:25; 16:1-4) Akungabazeki ukuthi uPawulu wenza konke angakwenza ukuze afundise la madoda indlela yokuhlela izinto ebandleni, indlela yokwenza umsebenzi wokwalusa nokuba abafundisi abaphumelelayo.​—1 Kor. 4:17.

7. Abadala bangawulalela kanjani umyalo kaPawulu okweyabase-Efesu 6:14, 15?

⁷ Esikufundayo. Abadala bangalingisa uPawulu ngokungagcini nje ngokushumayela endlini ngendlu kodwa nangokuba bazimisele ukusebenzisa wonke amathuba abawatholayo ukuze bafakaze. (Funda eyabase-Efesu 6:14, 15.) Ngokwesibonelo, bangafakaza lapho  besezitolo noma lapho besemsebenzini. Bangafakaza nalapho benakekela izakhiwo zenhlangano, bahlanganyele izindaba ezinhle nomakhelwane nabathengisi. NjengoPawulu, abadala bangasebenzisa isikhathi abasichitha ensimini ukuze baqeqeshe abanye, kuhlanganise nezinceku ezikhonzayo.

8. Yini okungase kudingeke umdala ayenze ngezinye izikhathi?

⁸ Abadala akufanele babe bamatasa kakhulu ngemisebenzi yebandla noma yesigodi baze bangabi naso isikhathi sokushumayela. Ukuze balinganisele, ngezinye izikhathi kungase kudingeke bangazamukeli ezinye izabelo. Ngemva kokuthandaza, bangase baqaphele ukuthi ukwenza isabelo esithile kubenza bangabe besakwazi ukwenza izinto ezibaluleke nakakhulu. Lezo zinto zihlanganisa ukwenza ukukhulekela komkhaya isonto ngalinye, ukuhlanganyela ngokugcwele emsebenzini wokushumayela noma ukuqeqesha izingane zabo emsebenzini wokushumayela. Abanye bakuthola kunzima ukwenqaba ilungelo lenkonzo, kodwa bangaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyaqonda ukuthi bafisa ukuba abalinganiselayo kuzo zonke izinto.

9. Abadala abamatasa babhekana nayiphi inselele?

⁹ Okwenza kube inselele. Ziningi izinto ezivivinya abantu bakaJehova. Phakathi nalezi zinsuku zokugcina, sonke siyasidinga isikhuthazo, ukusekelwa nenduduzo. Kanti ngezinye izikhathi abanye badinga usizo ukuze bagweme ukuziphatha okubi. (1 Thes. 5:14) Kuyavunywa, abadala ngeke bakwazi ukususa lonke uvivinyo abantu bakaJehova ababhekana nalo. Noma kunjalo, uJehova ufuna abadala benze okusemandleni ukuze bakhuthaze futhi bavikele izimvu zakhe. Abadala abamatasa bangasitholaphi isikhathi sokunikeza usizo oludingekayo?

10. Ngokuvumelana neyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7, uPawulu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabakhathalela abantu bakaJehova?

¹⁰ Isibonelo sikaPawulu. UPawulu wayefuna izindlela zokuncoma nokwakha abafowabo. Abadala benza kahle ngokulandela isibonelo sakhe sothando ngokuphatha abantu bakaJehova ngothando. (Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 2:7.) UPawulu waqinisekisa ayekholwa nabo ngokuthi uyabathanda nangokuthi uJehova uyabathanda. (2 Kor. 2:4; Efe. 2:4, 5) Wabaphatha njengabangane labo ayenabo ebandleni, echitha isikhathi nabo. Wabonisa ukuthi uyabethemba ngokungabafihleli ubuthakathaka bakhe nokuthi kunezinto ezazimkhathaza. (2 Kor. 7:5; 1 Thim. 1:15) Nokho, akagxilanga ezinkingeni zakhe. Kunalokho, wayefuna ukusiza abafowabo.

11. Kungani uPawulu eluleka abafowabo nodadewabo?

¹¹ Ngezinye izikhathi, uPawulu kwakudingeka eluleke abafowabo nodadewabo. Kodwa akakwenzanga lokho ngoba ecasukile. Wabeluleka  ngoba ebakhathalela futhi efuna ukubavikela ezingozini ezihlukahlukene. Wazama ukwenza iseluleko sakhe siqondakale kalula futhi wayekhathazeka ngokuthi samukelwa kanjani. Ngokwesibonelo, encwadini ayibhalela abaseKorinte, uPawulu wanikeza iseluleko esiqinile. Ngemva kokubabhalela leyo ncwadi, wathumela uThithu kubo. UPawulu wayelangazelela ukuzwa ukuthi bayamukele kanjani incwadi yakhe. Wajabula kakhulu lapho ezwa ukuthi basamukele kahle iseluleko!​—2 Kor. 7:6, 7.

12. Abadala bangabaqinisa kanjani abakholwa nabo?

¹² Esikufundayo. Abadala bangalingisa isibonelo sikaPawulu ngokuchitha isikhathi nabakholwa nabo. Enye indlela yokwenza lokhu iwukufika kusenesikhathi emihlanganweni yebandla ukuze babe nezingxoxo ezakhayo nabanye. Kuvame ukuthatha imizuzu embalwa nje ukunikeza umzalwane noma udade isikhuthazo esinothando esidingekayo. (Roma 1:12; Efe. 5:16) Umdala olandela isibonelo sikaPawulu naye uyabaqinisa akholwa nabo ngokusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze abakhe, abaqinisekise nangokuthi uNkulunkulu uyabathanda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubabonisa uthando labo abanakekelayo. Uxhumana nabo njalo futhi ufuna amathuba okubancoma. Lapho umdala enikeza iseluleko, usisekela eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Akagwegwesi lapho enikeza iseluleko kodwa uba nomusa ngoba uyayikhathalela indlela lokho akushoyo okwamukelwa ngayo.​—Gal. 6:1.

13. Ukuba buthakathaka bungaba namuphi umthelela kumdala?

¹³ Okwenza kube inselele. Abadala banesono. Benza amaphutha njengathi sonke. (Roma 3:23) Kungenzeka ngezinye izikhathi bangabubheki ngendlela efanele ubuthakathaka babo. Abanye bangase bagxile kakhulu emaphutheni abo baze baphele amandla. Abanye bangase basheshe ukubeka izaba ngamaphutha abawenzayo, okungabenza bazithele ngabandayo, bangalwenzi ushintsho.

14. NgokweyabaseFilipi 4:13, ukuthobeka kwamsiza kanjani uPawulu wabhekana nobuthakathaka?

¹⁴ Isibonelo sikaPawulu. Ngokuthobeka, uPawulu waqaphela ukuthi wayengeke akwazi ukubhekana nobuthakathaka bakhe eyedwa. Wayedinga amandla avela kuNkulunkulu. Esikhathini esingaphambili, uPawulu wayewashushise ngonya amaKristu. Kodwa kamuva, wavuma ukuthi wayenze iphutha futhi wayezimisele ukushintsha isimo sakhe sengqondo nobuntu bakhe. (1 Thim. 1:12-16) Ngosizo lukaJehova, uPawulu waba umalusi onothando, onozwela nothobekile.  Ayemzwisa ubuhlungu amaphutha akhe, kodwa wakhetha ukugxila entethelelweni kaJehova kunokugxila emaphutheni akhe. (Roma 7:21-25) Wayengalindele ukungawenzi amaphutha. Kunalokho, wasebenza kanzima ukuze athuthukise ubuntu bakhe bobuKristu, wathembela nakuJehova ukuze afeze umsebenzi wakhe.​—1 Kor. 9:27; funda eyabaseFilipi 4:13.

15. Yimuphi umbono olinganiselayo abadala okufanele babe nawo ngamaphutha abo?

¹⁵ Esikufundayo. Abadala bayamiswa nakuba bengabantu abanesono. Nokho, uJehova ulindele ukuba bawavume amaphutha abo, bathuthukise nobuntu bobuKristu. (Efe. 4:23, 24) Umdala kufanele asebenzise iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze azihlole, bese enza noma iluphi ushintsho oludingekayo. Uma enza kanjalo, uJehova uzomsiza ajabule futhi aphumelele.​—Jak. 1:25.

16. Yini engenzeka uma umdala egxila emaphutheni abanye?

¹⁶ Okwenza kube inselele. Abadala bangase bawabone kalula amaphutha abanye ebandleni ngenxa yokusebenzelana nabo eduze. Nokho, uma bengaqaphile, abadala bangase bacasuke, babe nokhahlo noma bagxeke. UPawulu waxwayisa amaKristu ngokuthi uSathane angathanda ukuwabona enza lezi zinto ezimbi.​—2 Kor. 2:10, 11.

17. UPawulu wayebabheka kanjani abafowabo nodadewabo?

¹⁷ Isibonelo sikaPawulu. Wayehlale ebheka okuhle kubafowabo nodadewabo. Wayewazi kahle amaphutha abo ngoba ngezinye izikhathi izenzo zabo zazimzwisa ubuhlungu. Noma kunjalo, uPawulu wayazi ukuthi uma umuntu enza amaphutha, lokho kwakungasho neze ukuthi ungumuntu omubi. Wayebathanda abafowabo futhi wagxila ezimfanelweni zabo ezinhle. Uma abafowabo nodadewabo bekuthola kunzima ukwenza okulungile, wayephetha ngokuthi izisusa zabo zinhle, bamane nje badinga usizo.

18. Ufundani endleleni uPawulu asiza ngayo u-Evodiya noSintike? (Filipi 4:1-3)

¹⁸ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela uPawulu asiza ngayo odade ababili ebandleni laseFilipi. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:1-3.) Kubukeka sengathi u-Evodiya noSintike bavumela ukungaboni ngaso linye kwaqeda ubungane babo. UPawulu akazange abe nokhahlo noma abagxeke; wagxila ezimfanelweni zabo ezinhle. Babengodade abathembekile abanomlando omuhle. UPawulu wayazi ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda. Umbono omuhle uPawulu ayenawo ngalab’ odade wamenza wabakhuthaza ukuba balungise ukungezwani. Indlela ayebheka ngayo izinto yamsiza wahlala ejabule, walondoloza nobungane obuqinile nabanye ebandleni.

19. (a) Abadala bangahlala kanjani benombono omuhle ngabakholwa nabo? (b) Ufundani esithombeni esinomdala ohlanza iHholo LoMbuso?

 ¹⁹ Esikufundayo. Badala, bhekani izimfanelo ezinhle abafowenu nodadewenu abanazo. Ngamunye wabo unesono; kodwa unazo nezimfanelo esingazilingisa. (Fil. 2:3) Yiqiniso, ngezinye izikhathi abadala kungase kudingeke balungise ukucabanga komzalwane noma udade. Kodwa njengoPawulu, abadala kufanele balwele ukubheka ngale kwezenzo namazwi acasulayo ashiwo othile. Kunalokho, kuhle bagxile endleleni lowo muntu athanda ngayo uJehova, akhuthazela ngayo ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu nasemizamweni yakhe yokwenza okuhle. Abadala abanombono omuhle benza ibandla libe indawo efudumele nenothando.

20. Abadala bangaqhubeka kanjani bezuza esibonelweni sikaPawulu?

²⁰ Badala, kuzonisiza ukuqhubeka nitadisha isibonelo sikaPawulu. Ngokwesibonelo, kuyi-Watch Tower Publications Index, ningabheka ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “Paul” bese nibheka ngaphansi kwesithi “example for elders.” Njengoba nitadisha lezi zihloko, zibuzeni, ‘Isibonelo sikaPawulu singangisiza kanjani ngilondoloze injabulo yami njengoba ngifeza umsebenzi wokuba umdala?’

21. Yini abadala abangaqiniseka ngayo?

²¹ Badala, khumbulani ukuthi uJehova akaniceli ukuba ningawenzi amaphutha; unicela ukuba nithembeke. (1 Kor. 4:2) Wayekwazisa ukuzikhandla kukaPawulu nokwethembeka kwakhe. Nani ningaqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwazisa lokho enikwenza enkonzweni yakhe. UJehova akasoze ‘akhohlwa umsebenzi wenu nothando enalubonisa egameni lakhe, ngokukhonza abangcwele nangokuqhubeka nibakhonza.’​—Heb. 6:10.