1. Kubayini kungasirari ukuthi abantu abathembani ephasineli?

 ABANTU ephasini lakaSathaneli abazi bona bangathemba bani. Kanengi badaniswa yindlela imikhangiso, zepolotiki, nabadosiphambili bezekolo abaziphatha ngayo. Abathembi ngitjho nabangani, abomakhelwana, namalunga womndenabo. Lokho akukafuzi kusirare. IBhayibheli labikezela lathi: “Emihleni yokuphela . . . , abantu bazakuba . . . abangakathembeki, . . . abarhwayeli, . . . Abathengisa abanye.” Ngamanye amezwi abantu bazokutjengisa ubuntu bakazimu wephaseli, uSathana ongakathembeki.—2 Thim. 3:1-4; 2 Kor. 4:4.

2. (a) Ngubani esingamthemba ngokupheleleko? (b) Khuyini abanye abazibuza yona?

² Thina njengombana simaKrestu siyazi ukuthi singamthemba ngokupheleleko uJehova. (Jor. 17:7, 8) Siyaqiniseka ngokuthi uyasithanda begodu ‘angeze abafulathele’ abangani bakhe. (Rhu. 9:10) Singamthemba godu noJesu Krestu ngombana wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngebanga lethu. (1 Pit. 3:18) Sifundile eentweni ezisehlakaleleko bona iBhayibheli lisinikeza isinqophiso esingasethemba. (2 Thim. 3:16, 17) Siyaqiniseka bona singamthemba uJehova, uJesu, neBhayibheli. Abanye abantu bangazibuza ukuthi inga-kghani ngaso soke isikhathi kufuze babathembe abafowethu nabodadwethu ebandleni. Nangabe kufuze babathembe, kubayini?

3. Ngiliphi ilungelo elihle esinalo? (Markosi 10:29, 30)

³ UJehova usikhethe bona sibe yingcenye yomndenakhe wephasini loke labantu abamlotjhako. Akhucabange ukuthi lokho kulilungelo elihle kangangani elisizuzisako! (Funda uMarkosi 10:29, 30.) Ephasini mazombe sinabafowethu nabodadwethu abathanda uJehova njengathi begodu abenza koke okusemandlenabo bona baphile ngeenkambiso zakhe. Indlela esikhuluma  ngayo, amasiko, nendlela esimbatha ngayo ingahluka kweyabanye abantu kodwana sizizwa sitjhidelene nabo nanyana sihlangana nabo kokuthoma. Khulukhulu sithanda ukuba nabo silotjhe nabo uZimethu onethando wezulwini!—Rhu. 133:1.

4. Kubayini sitlhoga abafowethu nabodadwethu?

⁴ Nje kunanini ngaphambili sitlhoga ukuba munye nabafowethu nabodadwethu. Ngezinye iinkhathi bayasisiza ngemiraro esiqalana nayo. (Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2) Bayasikhuthaza bona sihlale simajadu emsebenzini kaJehova besiqinise itjhebiswano lethu naye. (1 Thes. 5:11; Heb. 10:23-25) Cabanga bona besingazizwa njani ngathana besinganaso isivikelo sebandla bona sisisize sihlale siqinile lokha nasiqalene namanabethu uSathana nephasi elimbeli. USathana nalabo abalawulako esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo bazokuhlasela abantu bakaZimu. Akhucabange bona kuzosithokozisa njani ukuthi sinabafowethu nabodadwethu abasisekelako!

5. Kubayini kungaba budisi ngabanye ukuthemba abafowabo nabodadwabo?

⁵ Abanye bakufumana kubudisi ukuthemba abafowabo nabodadwabo mhlamunye kungenzeka phambilini khenge baziphathe kuhle namkha babhalelwa kugcina isithembiso ebebasenzileko. Mhlamunye omunye ebandleni wenza namkha watjho into eyabazwisa ubuhlungu khulu. Izinto ezinjengalezo zingenza bona kube budisi ukuthemba abanye. Yeke, khuyini engasisiza bona sakhe ukuthemba kwethu abafowethu nabodadwethu esikholwa kunye nabo?

6. Ithando lingasisiza njani bona sithembe abanye? (1 Korinte 13:4-8)

⁶ Ithando sisekelo sokuthemba. Yokuthoma kwebeKorinte isahluko 13 ihlathulula iingcenye zethando ezingasisiza bona sakhe  namkha sivuselele ukuthemba kwethu abanye. (Funda yoku-1 kwebeKorinte 13: 4-8.) Ngokwesibonelo ivesi 4 lithi “ithando liyabekezela begodu linomusa.” UJehova uyasibekezelela nanyana sona kuye. Kwamambala nathi singababekezelela abafowethu nabodadwethu nabatjho namkha benze into ethileko esingayithandiko namkha esilimazako. Ivesi 5 lingezelela lithi: ‘[Ithando] alisilingeki, alinamavunda.’ Angeze safuna ‘ukuba namavunda’ namkha sibambe izinto emkhumbulwenethu abafowethu nabodadwethu abazenze kithi ukwenzela bona ngesikhathi esizako sizikhumbule izintwezo. UMtjhumayeli 7:9 uthi “ungarhabi ukuthukuthela.” Qala bona kuhle kangangani ukusebenzisa amezwi afumaneka kweyebe-Efesu 4:26 athi “thukuthelani kodwana ilanga lingatjhingi nisathukuthele”!

7. Ikambiso esemtlolweni kaMatewu 7:1-5 ingasisiza njani bona sikghone ukuthemba abanye?

⁷ Okhunye okungasisiza bona sithembe abafowethu nabodadwethu, kubaqala ngendlela uJehova abaqala ngayo. UZimu uyabathanda begodu akabakhumbuzi izono abazenzileko. Yeke, nathi akukafuzi sikwenze lokho. (Rhu. 130:3) Kunokudzimelela emtjhaphwenabo, kufuze sizimisele ukufuna okuhle kibo begodu sibone ukuthi ihloswabo kukwenza okuhle. (Funda uMatewu 7:1-5.) Sikhetha ukubathemba ngombana ithando “likholelwa zoke izinto.” (1 Kor. 13:7) Amagama lawo akatjho ukuthi uJehova ulindele bona sibathembe kodwana singaqali izinto abazenzako, kunalokho ufuna sibathembe ngombana batjengisile ukuthi bayathembeka. b

8. Ungakuthuthukisa njani ukuthemba abafowenu?

⁸ Ukuthenjwa, njengokuhlonitjhwa kuyasetjenzelwa begodu kuthatha isikhathi. Ungakuthuthukisa njani ukuthemba abafowenu? Bazi ngcono. Khuluma nabo nawusesifundweni. Hlela ukusebenza nabo emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Babekezelele, banikele ithuba lokutjengisa bona bathembeke kangangani. Ekuthomeni, kuhle ukukhetha ukuthi ngiziphi izinto ozikhuluma nabo njengombana uthoma ukubazi. Njengombana ubuhlobo benu buqina ungazizwa utjhaphulukile ukukhuluma nangezinye izinto bona zikuphatha njani. (Luk. 16:10) Khuyini ongayenza nange umfowenu angakhenge athembeke kuwe? Ungabi msinya ekumlahleleni izandla, kunalokho mnikele isikhathi. Ungavumeli izenzo zabambalwa zikwenze ungasabathembi abafowenu. Esihlokwenesi sizokucoca ngeembonelo zabantu abalotjha uJehova abaragela phambili bathemba abanye nanyana khebadaniswa ngabanye abambalwa.

9. (a) UHana waragela njani phambili nokuthemba ilungiselelo lakaJehova naphezu kwemtjhapho yabamjameleko? (b) Okwenzeka kuHana kukufundisani ngokuthemba ilungiselelo lakaJehova? (Qala isithombe.)

⁹ Inga-kghani ukhe wadaniswa zizenzo zomfowethu onemithwalo ebandleni? Nakunjalo sizokuzuzisa isibonelo sakaHana. Ngesikhatheso umphristi ophakemeko u-Eli nguye obekadosa phambili ekulotjheni uJehova kwa-Israyeli. Umndenakhe bewungasisibonelo esihle. Amadodanakhe ebewasebenza ethempelini bewaziphatha kumbi ngokomseme, nanyana kunjalo, kuncani khulu uyise akwenza ngalokho. UJehova khenge athi u-Eli alise ukuba mphristi. UHana khenge ahlanukele ilungiselelo lakaZimu ngokulisa ukulotjha etabernakeli la u-Eli bekamphristi ophakemeko khona. Lokha u-Eli nakabona uHana  athandaza begodu agandelelekile, waphetha ngokuthi uHana urhamulile nanyana bekungasinjalo. Watjho njalo angakhenge aziphe isikhathi sokuqala ubujamo bomfazi lo. (1 Sam. 1:12-16) Naphezu kobujamobo uHana wafunga ukuthi nakangafumana indodana uzoyiletha bona izokulotjha etabernakeli la beyizokutlhogonyelwa khona ngu-Eli. (1 Sam. 1:11) Inga-kghani indaba efaka hlangana amadodana ka-Eli beyitlhoga ukulungiswa? Iye, begodu uJehova wathatha amagadango ngesikhathi esifaneleko. (1 Sam. 4:17) Kusesenjalo, uZimu wavuza uHana ngokumnikela indodana, uSamyela. —1 Sam. 1:17-20.

10. IKosi uDavida yaragela njani phambili nokuthemba abanye naphezu kokudaniswa aqalana nakho?

¹⁰ Inga-kghani khewajikelwa mngani? Nange kunjalo, cabanga ngesibonelo seKosi uDavida. Omunye wabangani bakhe abatjhidelene naye khulu, bekuyindoda ebizwa ngokuthi ngu-Arhitofeli. Kwathi lokha indodana kaDavida u-Absalomu nakafuna ukuthatha isikhundla sakayise abe yikosi u-Arhitofeli wahlanganyela nayo ekuvukeleni ikosi. Kufuze bona kwamzwisa ubuhlungu khulu uDavida ukulahlekelwa lisekelo lendodanakhe nendoda ebekacabanga bona mnganayo. UDavida khenge avumele ubujamobu bumkhandele bona athembe abanye. Waragela phambili wathemba omunye godu umnganakhe, uRhutjhayi ongakhenge avume ukuhlanganyela ekuhlaseleni kobukhosi bakaDavida. UDavida bekanebanga elizwakalako lokuthemba uRhutjhayi, kazi, wathembisa bona umngani othembekileko lokha nakabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini asiza uDavida.—2 Sam. 17:1-16.

11. Inceku kaNabhali yakutjengisa njani ukuthemba u-Abigeyili?

¹¹ Akhesicoce nangesibonelo senceku kaNabhali. Ngokuzithandela uDavida namadoda ebekakhamba nawo bavikela iinceku zendoda yomu-Israyeli onguNabhali. Ngesinye isikhathi uDavida wabawa indoda enjingileko le uNabhali, bona inikele amadoda ebekanawo ukudla nanyana yini ebekangabanikela khona. Lokha uNabhali nakangasamukeli isibawo sakaDavida, uDavida wasilingeka khulu kangangobana waqunta ukubulala woke amadoda asemzini kaNabhali. Inceku ethileko yakhamba yayokubikela umfazi kaNabhali u-Abigeyili ngendaba le. Njengombana bekalilungu lomkhandlu bekazi ukuthi ukuphila kwakhe  kusezandleni zaka-Abigeyili. Kunokuthi abaleke ngemva kwalokho wathemba ukuthi u-Abigeyili uzokukghona ukulungisa indaba le. Bekangaba nokumthemba u-Abigeyili ngombana bekaziwa njengomfazi okghonako ukucabangisisa kuhle nozwisisako. Njengombana kwaba njalo, ukuthemba kwakhe umfazi lo kwaba nomvuzo omuhle. U-Abigeyili waba nesibindi wehlisa ilaka lakaDavida. (1 Sam. 25:2-35) Bekanethemba lokuthi uDavida uzokwenza okulungileko.

12. UJesu watjengisa njani ukuthi bekabathemba abafundi bakhe naphezu kokuba nemitjhapho?

¹² UJesu wabathemba abafundi bakhe naphezu kokuba nemitjhapho. (Jwa. 15:15, 16) Lokha uJakopo noJwanisi babawa isikhundla esikhethekileko emBusweni, uJesu khenge azaze ihloswabo yokulotjha uJehova namkha angasabenzi abapostoli. (Mar. 10:35-40) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, boke abafundi bakaJesu bamlahla ngobusuku bokubotjhwa kwakhe. (Mat. 26:56) Nanyana kunjalo, uJesu khenge angasabathemba abafundi bakhe. Bekazi kuhle bona banesono, nanyana kunjalo ‘wabathanda bekwaba sekupheleni.’ (Jwa. 13:1) UJesu ovusiweko wanikela abafundi bakhe abayi-11 imithwalo ebekufuze bayenze, ukudosa phambili emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi bebatlhogomele nezimvu zakhe eziligugu. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Jwa. 21:15-17) Ukuthemba kwakhe amadoda anesono la bekufanele, boke balotjha ngokuthembeka bekwaba sekupheleni kwekambwabo yephasini. Kwamambala, uHana, uDavida, inceku kaNabhali, u-Abigeyili, noJesu basibekela isibonelo esihle sokuthemba abantu abanesono.

13. Khuyini engenza bona kube budisi ukuthemba abanye?

¹³ Inga-kghani ukhe wathemba umfowenu ngendaba ethileko eyifihlo, kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wafumana ukuthi sele ayitjele abanye? Lokho kungaba buhlungu kwamambala. Udadwethu othileko wakhe watjela umfowethu othileko indabakhe ngelanga elilandelako umfazi womdala lo wafownela udadwethu bona amkhuthaze kwamambala indaba le wayifumana endodenakhe. Kuyazwisiseka ukuthi udadwethu lo wathukwa khulu ukuzwa lokho. Udade lo waragela phambili nokufuna isizo. Wakhuluma nomunye umdala begodu lokho kwamsiza ngombana wakghona godu ukuthemba abadala.

14. Omunye umfowethu wasizwa yini bona avuselele ukuthemba kwakhe abafowethu?

¹⁴ Umfowethu othileko besele kusikhathi eside angazwani kuhle nabafowethu ababili ababadala ebandleni begodu angasabathembi. Nanyana kunjalo, wathoma wacabangisisa okuthileko okwatjhiwo mfowethu ebekamhlonipha khulu, nakathi: “NguSathana inaba lethu ingasi abafowethu.” Umfowethu lo wacabangisisa ngamagama la, begodu wathandaza ngawo, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, wakghona ukwenza ukuthula nabafowethwaba ababadala.

15. Kubayini ukuvuselela ukuthemba abanye kuthatha isikhathi? Nikela isibonelo.

¹⁵ Kghani khewalahlekelwa sisabelo esithileko ebewusenza? Lokho kungenzeka kwaba buhlungu khulu. UGrete nommakhe bebaboFakazi abathembekileko e-Germany yeNazi hlangana kwabo-1930, lokha umsebenzethu wokutjhumayela ukhandelwe. U-Grete bekathabela ukuthayipha amakhophi wesiThala athayiphela amakholwa amatjha. Lokha abafowethu nabafumana ukuthi ubabakhe bekaphikisa iqiniso basithatha isabelweso ngebanga lokusaba ukuthi ubabakhe uzokutjela abaphikisi ngebandla. Isitjhijilo saka-Grete khenge siphelele lapho. Kiyo yoke iPi yePhasi  yesiBili, abafowethu khenge bamnikele u-Grete nommakhe amakhophi wesiThala begodu bebangafuni nokubakhulumisa lokha nabahlangana nabo endleleni. Lokho kwamzwisa ubuhlungu khulu, iinlondezo bezidephe khulu begodu u-Grete wathi kwamthatha isikhathi eside khulu bona alibalele abafowethwaba nokubathemba godu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wavuma ukuthi nangabe uJehova ubalibalele naye uzobalibalela. c

16. Kubayini kufuze sihlule nanyana ngiziphi iinqabo lokha nasakha ukuthembana?

¹⁶ Nangabe nawe unendaba ebuhlungu eyakwehlelako, sebenza budisi bona uvuselele ukuthemba kwakho abanye. Kutlhoga isikhathi kodwana yoke imizamo ozoyenza izokuphumelela. Bona sifanekise, nange sakhe sadla ukudla okunetjhefu sizokuhlala sivule amehlo ngesikhathi esizako bona sidla ini. Nanyana kunjalo, ukudla okunetjhefu ngeze kwenza bona singasadli. Ngokufanako, akukafuzi sivumele okuthileko okwasenzakalelako kwenze bona singasabathembi abafowethu nabodadwethu esazi kuhle bona nabo babelethwa banesono. Nasivuselela ukuthemba kwethu abanye sizokuthaba begodu sizokukghona ukudzimelela kilokho thina esingakwenza bona sithuthukisele phambili ukuthembana ebandleni.

17. Kubayini ukuthemba abanye kuqakathekile begodu sizokucoca ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ Ephasini lakaSathaneli ukuthembana akusabonwa, kodwana singabathemba abafowethu nabodadwethu, ngombana siyabathanda begodu nabo bayasithanda. Ukuthemba okunjalo kwenza bona sithabe begodu sibe nobunye nje begodu ukuthembekokho kuzoba sivikelo njengombana sizokuqalana neenkhathi ezibudisi ezisezako. Kuthiwani nange uqalene nobuhlungu ngebanga lokuthi abantu khenge bathembeke kuwe? Linga ukuqala izinto ngokombono kaJehova, sebenzisa iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibheli, lwela ukuba nethando elidephileko ngabafowenu begodu funda eembonelweni eziseBhayibhelini. Singalwisana namazizo abuhlungu begodu sivuselele ukuthemba kwethu abanye. Njengombana senza njalo sizokuthabela isibusiso sokuba nabangani abanengi ‘abasekela ngcono kunomfo.’ (IzA. 18:24) Nanyana kunjalo, ukuthemba kuza ngeendlela ezimbili. Esihlokweni esilandelako sizokucoca ngokuthi khuyini esingayenza bona sitjengise abafowethu nabodadwethu ukuthi bangasithemba.