1. Kutheni ingasothusi into yokuba kungekho lula ukuthemba abantu?

 KWELI hlabathi likaSathana, abantu abazi ukuba ngubani abamele bamthembe. Basoloko bephoxwa ngoosomashishini abanamaqhinga, iinkokeli zepolitiki nabefundisi beecawe zabo. Abaninzi abasathembi nabahlobo, abamelwane nabantu abazalana nabo. Ayisothusi ke le nto. Kaloku iBhayibhile yathi: ‘Ngemihla yokugqibela abantu abazukuthembeka, bangcolise amagama abanye, bajikele nabahlobo babo.’ Ngamany’ amazwi, abantu babeza kufana noSathana, “uthixo weli hlabathi” ongenakuthenjwa tu.—2 Tim. 3:1-4; 2 Kor. 4:4.

2. (a) Ngoobani esinokubathemba ngokupheleleyo? (b) Yintoni abasenokuzibuza yona abanye?

² Thina maKristu siyazi ukuba sinokumthemba ngokupheleleyo uYehova. (Yer. 17:7, 8) Siqinisekile ukuba uyasithanda futhi ‘soze abalahle’ abahlobo bakhe. (INdu. 9:10) NoYesu sinokumthemba kuba wancama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yethu. (1 Pet. 3:18) Siye sazibonela nokuba amacebiso eBhayibhile anokuthenjwa. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Asinasizathu sokungamthembi uYehova, uYesu neBhayibhile. Sekunjalo, abanye basenokuzibuza ukuba bangabathemba na abazalwana noodade. Ewe, banokubathemba. Kutheni sisitsho?

3. Yeyiphi inyhweba esinayo? (uMarko 10:29, 30)

³ UYehova usikhethile ukuba sibe kwintsapho yakhe enabantu abamkhonzayo abasemhlabeni wonke. Yinyhweba nyhani le futhi zininzi izinto esizifumanayo ngenxa yokuba kule ntsapho! (Funda uMarko 10:29, 30.) Emhlabeni wonke, sinoosisi noobhuti abathanda uYehova njengathi nabazama ukuphila ngendlela athi ilungile. Zisenokungafani iilwimi zethu, izithethe nendlela esinxiba  ngayo, kodwa siyabathanda nokuba siyaqala ukudibana nabo. Sikuthanda nakakhulu ukumdumisa nokumkhonza nabo uTata wethu wasezulwini.—INdu. 133:1.

4. Kutheni sibadinga abazalwana noodade?

⁴ Kubaluleke kakhulu ngoku ukuba sihlale simanyene nabazalwana noodade. Ngamanye amaxesha, bayasincedisa kubunzima esijongene nabo. (Roma 15:1; Gal. 6:2) Bayasikhuthaza nokuba sikhuthale kumsebenzi kaYehova size sihlale singabahlobo bakhe. (1 Tes. 5:11; Heb. 10:23-25) Inoba ngesiziva njani ukuba besingancedwa libandla ukuze sikwazi ukumelana neentshaba zethu, uSathana uMtyholi nehlabathi lakhe elikhohlakeleyo? Kungabanga xesha lide, uSathana nabantu bakhe baza kuhlasela abantu bakaThixo. Kuza kusivuyisa nyhani ukuba nabazalwana noodade abaza kusinceda ngelo xesha!

5. Kutheni kusenokungabi lula ukubathemba abazalwana noodade?

⁵ Kwabanye bethu kusenokungabi lula ukuthemba abazalwana noodade, mhlawumbi kuba sasikhe sababalisela into eyimfihlo, bona basuka babalisela abanye okanye kuba bengazange bayenze into ababesithembise yona. Mhlawumbi ebandleni kukho umntu owathetha okanye wenza into eyasikhathaza kakhulu. Xa kusenzeka ezi zinto, kunganzima ukubathemba abazalwana noodade. Yintoni ke engasinceda siye sibathemba?

6. Uthando lungasinceda njani sibathembe abanye? (ama-1 Korinte 13:4-8)

⁶ Luthando olusenza simthembe umntu. Izinto ekuthethwa ngazo kumaKorinte okuqala isahluko 13 ngothando,  zingasinceda sikwazi ukubathemba abazalwana noodade. (Funda ama-1 Korinte 13:4-8.) Ngokomzekelo, kuvesi 4 kuthiwa “uthando lunomonde yaye lunobubele.” UYehova uba nomonde kuthi naxa simona. Ngoko ke, nathi simele sibe nomonde xa abanye bethetha okanye besenza izinto esingazithandiyo. Kuvesi 5 kuphinda kuthiwe: “[Uthando] alukhawulezi lucaphuke yaye alunanzondo.” Asifuni kuba ‘nenzondo’ ngokuthi sizibhale edolweni izinto eziye zasikhathaza ezenziwe ngabazalwana noodade. INtshumayeli 7:9 ithi ‘masingakhawulezi ukucaphuka.’ Kunokuba sicaphuke, masenze into ethethwa kumaEfese 4:26 ethi: “Malingatshoni ilanga nisenomsindo”!

7. Into ethethwa kuMateyu 7:1-5 ingasinceda njani sibathembe abanye?

⁷ Enye into enokusinceda sibathembe abazalwana noodade kukubajonga ngendlela uYehova abajonga ngayo. Uyabathanda futhi akahlali egadene nezinto abangazenzi kakuhle. Nathi masingayenzi loo nto. (INdu. 130:3) Kunokuba sihlale sigade izinto abangazenzi kakuhle, simele sizame ukujonga iimpawu zabo ezintle, sicinge nangezinto ezintle abanokukwazi ukuzenza. (Funda uMateyu 7:1-5.) Sikholelwa ukuba soze basikhathaze ngabom, kuba uthando “lukholelwa yonke into.” (1 Kor. 13:7) Kodwa le nto ayithethi kuthi uYehova ufuna simthembe njee umntu, ufuna simthembe kuba esenza izinto ezibonisa ukuba singamthemba. b

8. Ziintoni onokuzenza ukuze ubathembe abazalwana noodade?

⁸ Ukuthemba umntu akusuki nje kuzenzekele futhi kuthatha ixesha. Yintoni onokuyenza ukuze uye ubathemba abazalwana noodade? Zama ukubazi kakuhle, uncokole nabo xa nikwiintlanganiso, nishumayele kunye. Ungabancami, kodwa balinde de bazibonakalise ukuba banokuthenjwa. Ekuqaleni, usenokuzikhetha izinto omxelela zona umntu ongekamazi kangako. Kodwa njengoko nisiya nisazana, usenokukhululeka. (Luka 16:10) Uza kuthini ke ukuba uphoxwa ngumzalwana okanye ngudade obumthembile? Sukukhawuleza umncame, linda kudlule ixesha. Ukuphoxwa ngabazalwana noodade abambalwa makungakwenzi ungabathembi bonke. Makhe sithethe ngabanye abakhonzi bakaYehova ababethembekile, nabangazange bavumele ukuphoxwa ngabanye kubenze bangabi sathemba mntu.

9. (a) Yintoni eyenziwa nguHana, ebonisa ukuba wayeyithemba indlela kaYehova yokwenza izinto nangona amadoda awayewasebenzisa ayesenza iimpazamo? (b) Into eyenzeka kuHana ikufundisa ntoni ngokuyithemba indlela kaYehova yokwenza izinto? (Jonga umfanekiso.)

⁹ Ngaba wakhe waphoxeka xa ubona izinto ezenziwa ngumzalwana omiselweyo? Ukuba uthi ewe, into eyenziwa nguHana ingakunceda. Umntu owayekhokela abantu bakaThixo kwaSirayeli ngelo xesha, yayinguMbingeleli Omkhulu, uEli. Kodwa intsapho yakhe yayingaqhubi kakuhle. Oonyana bakhe, ababengababingeleli babeziphethe kakubi ngendlela elihlazo, kodwa akho nto ingako awayenzayo ukuze abanqande. UYehova zange akhawuleze amyekise ukuba ngumbingeleli uEli. Ngoxa wayesengumbingeleli omkhulu, uHana zange ayeke ukuya kukhonza kwintente engcwele. Xa uHana wayethandaza, esentlungwini, uEli wamtyhola, esithi unxilile.  Zange ambuze nokuba kutheni ekhala, wasuka wamgxeka. (1 Sam. 1:12-16) UHana wayethembisile ukuba xa wayenokufumana unyana, wayeza kumzisa kuYehova. Wayezimisele ukuyenza loo nto nangona loo nyana wayeza kuhoywa nguEli kwintente engcwele. (1 Sam. 1:11) Ngaba yayimele ilungiswe indlela ababeziphethe ngayo oonyana bakaEli? Ewe, uYehova zange abayeke, wabohlwaya ngexesha lakhe. (1 Sam. 4:17) Kwelinye icala, uThixo wasikelela uHana ngonyana onguSamuweli.​—1 Sam. 1:17-20.

10. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uDavide zange avumele ukuphoxeka kumenze angathembi mntu?

¹⁰ Ngaba wakhe wajikelwa ngumhlobo wakho omthanda nyhani? Ukuba uthi ewe, cinga ngento eyenzeka kuKumkani uDavide. Omnye wabahlobo bakhe yayinguAhitofele. Kodwa xa unyana kaDavide, uAbhisalom, wazama ukumbhukuqa etroneni, uAhitofele wamncedisa. Inoba waba buhlungu nyhani uDavide akubona ukuba unyana wakhe nendoda ebecinga ukuba ingumhlobo wakhe, bamjikele! Kodwa le nto zange imenze angabi sathemba mntu. Zange ayeke ukumthemba omnye umhlobo wakhe uHushayi, ongazange avume ukumjikela. Wayenezizathu zokuyithemba le ndoda. Kaloku uHushayi waphantse wafa, enceda uDavide. Loo nto ibonisa ukuba wayengumhlobo wokwenene.—2 Sam. 17:1-16.

11. Isicaka sikaNabhali sabonisa njani ukuba siyamthemba uAbhigali?

¹¹ Khawucinge nangento eyenziwa sesinye isicaka sikaNabhali. UDavide nabafana bakhe bakhusela izicaka zenye indoda eyayingumSirayeli, uNabhali. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uDavide wacela le ndoda yayisisityebi ukuba ibaphe nantoni na ababenokuyitya. UNabhali zange ayingene kwaloo nto, ngoko uDavide waba nomsindo waza wafuna ukubulala wonke umntu oyindoda kwaNabhali. Esinye isicaka saya kuchazela uAbhigali, owayengumfazi wale ndoda. Ekubeni naso sasihlala kwaNabhali, sasisazi ukuba nguAbhigali owayenokusisindisa. Endaweni yokuba sibaleke, sasimthemba ukuba wayeza kuyilungisa  le nto. Sasifanele ukumthemba kangaka. Kaloku wonke umntu wayesazi ukuba uAbhigali ngumfazi onobulumko. Zange siphazame ngokwenza loo nto. UAbhigali waba nesibindi sokuya kuthetha noDavide, emcenga ukuba angayenzi le nto wayeyicinga. (1 Sam. 25:2-35) Lo mfazi wamthemba uDavide ukuba uza kwenza into elungileyo.

12. Yintoni eyenziwa nguYesu ebonisa ukuba wayebathemba abafundi bakhe nangona babesenza iimpazamo?

¹² UYesu wabathemba abafundi bakhe nangona babemana besenza iimpazamo. (Yoh. 15:15, 16) Xa uYakobi noYohane bacela izihlalo ezikhethekileyo eBukumkanini, uYesu zange azithandabuze izizathu zokuba bakhonze uYehova, engazange abayekise nokuba ngabapostile. (Marko 10:35-40) Ngobusuku awabanjwa ngabo, bonke abafundi bakhe bamshiya. (Mat. 26:56) Kodwa uYesu zange ayeke ukubathemba. Wayesazi ukuba bayazenza iimpazamo kodwa “wabathanda de kwasekupheleni.” (Yoh. 13:1) Emva kokuba evusiwe, wanika abapostile bakhe abathembekileyo abayi-11 umsebenzi obalulekileyo. Wathi mabakhokele kumsebenzi wokwenza abafundi baze bakhathalele nezimvu zakhe azithandayo. (Mat. 28:19, 20; Yoh. 21:15-17) Zange aphazame ngokuthemba la madoda, kuba onke awenza ngokuthembeka loo msebenzi de asweleka. Ininzi into esinokuyifunda kuHana, uDavide, isicaka sikaNabhali, uAbhigali noYesu ngokuthemba abantu abanesono.

13. Yintoni enokwenza kube nzima ukuthemba abanye?

¹³ Ngaba wakhe waxelela umzalwana into eyimfihlo waza wafumanisa ukuba uxelele omnye umntu ngayo? Ikhathaza nyhani ke loo nto. Omnye udade waxelela omnye umdala ngengxaki awayenayo. Ngosuku olulandelayo, inkosikazi yalo mdala yafowunela lo dade, imkhuthaza, ivakala ukuba ixelelwe ngale ngxaki. Zange kube lula kulo dade ukuphinda athembe lo mdala. Kodwa iyancomeka into awayenzayo emva koko. Waya kuthetha nomnye umdala ngale nto yaza loo nto yamnceda waphinda wabathemba abadala.

14. Yintoni eyanceda omnye umzalwana waphinda wabathemba abanye?

¹⁴ Kwadlula ixesha elide omnye umzalwana engavani nabadala ababini kuba wayecinga ukuba akanakubathemba. Kodwa wacinga ngento eyathethwa ngumzalwana awayemhlonipha kakhulu owathi: “Utshaba lwethu nguSathana, ayingabo abazalwana noodade.” Lo mzalwana wacingisisa ngala mazwi, wathandazela into awayemele ayenze waza ekugqibeleni waxolelana nabo badala.

15. Kutheni kusenokusithatha ixesha ukuphinda sibathembe abanye? Yenza umzekelo.

¹⁵ Ngaba wakhe wayekiswa umsebenzi obukade uwenza ebandleni? Inoba yakukhathaza nyhani loo nto. Ngeminyaka yoo-1930, xa umsebenzi wethu wawuvaliwe eJamani yamaNazi, uGrete nomama wakhe babengamaNgqina alapho awayethembekile. UGrete wayesenza umsebenzi awayewuthanda wokubhalela abazalwana noodade iikopi zeMboniselo. Kodwa xa abazalwana bafumanisa ukuba utata wakhe akayifuni inyaniso, bamyekisa ukwenza lo msebenzi, besoyika ukuba utata wakhe unokuchaza izinto zebandla kubantu abangawafuniyo amaNgqina. Zange ziphelele apho iingxaki zalo dade. Ngexesha leMfazwe Yehlabathi Yesibini, uGrete  nomama wakhe babengazinikwa iimagazini, bengabuliswa naxa kudityanwa nabo. Le nto yamkhathaza kakhulu uGrete, kangangokuba kwathatha ixesha elide ukuba abaxolele aze aphinde abathembe abo bazalwana. Ekuhambeni kwexesha waqonda ukuba uYehova umele ukuba ubaxolele, ngoko naye makabaxolele. c

16. Kutheni simele singavumeli nantoni na isenze singabathembi abazalwana noodade?

¹⁶ Ukuba nakuwe kwakhe kwenzeka into ebuhlungu njengale yenzeka kuGrete, sebenzela ukuphinda ubathembe abazalwana noodade. Kusenokuthatha ixesha elide, kodwa xa uzama soze uzisole. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba sikhe saguliswa yinto esiyityileyo, siye silumkele ukuba ingaphindi yenzeke loo nto. Kodwa loo nto ayithethi kuthi soze siphinde sitye. Ngendlela efanayo, ukuphoxwa ngumntu omnye makungasenzi singabathembi bonke abazalwana noodade, esaziyo ukuba banesono. Xa siphinda sibathemba, siza konwaba size sibone nezinye izinto esinokuzenza ukuze ibandla lihlale lithembana.

17. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuthembana? Yintoni esiza kuyibona kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁷ Akuthenjwana kweli hlabathi likaSathana, kodwa sinokubathemba abazalwana noodade kuba siyabathanda, nabo bayasithanda. Le yenye yezinto ezisenza sivuye size simanyane ngoku, futhi iza kusinceda naxa sisiba neengxaki kwixesha elizayo. Uza kuthini xa uye waphoxwa ngumntu obumthembile? Zama ukujonga izinto ngendlela uYehova azijonga ngayo, usebenzise imigaqo yeBhayibhile, ubathande kakhulu abazalwana noodade uze ufunde kubantu ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni. Ungayeka ukukhathazeka uze uphinde ubathembe abanye. Xa usenza loo nto, uYehova uza kukusikelela ngabahlobo abaninzi ‘abasondele ngaphezu komntakwenu.’ (IMize. 18:24) Kodwa ukuze abanye basithembe, bamele babone ukuba nathi singabantu abanokuthenjwa. Kwinqaku elilandelayo siza kubona into esinokuyenza ukuze basithembe abazalwana noodade.