1, 2. (a) Yintoni abayixhalabeleyo abanye abazali babantwana abafikisayo? (b) Abantwana bangayisebenzisa njani kakuhle iminyaka yabo yokufikisa?

ENYE yezona zinto zivuyisa abazali kuxa abantwana babo bebhaptizwa. Abantwana bakaBerenice bonke babhaptizwa ngaphambi kokuba babe neminyaka eyi-14. Uthi: “Sasingazi nokuba masivakalelwe njani. Kakade, sasiyibulela into yokuba abantwana bethu befuna ukukhonza uYehova. Kodwa sasisazi nokuba ekubeni befikisa, baza kujongana neengxaki ezininzi.” Ukuba unyana okanye intombi yakho iyafikisa okanye isondele apho, mhlawumbi nawe uxhalatyiswa yinto efanayo.

² Esinye isazi sengqondo yabantwana sithi iminyaka yokufikisa iba nzima kubazali nakubantwana, kodwa abazali abamele bacinge ukuba abantwana babo ababhadlanga okanye baphethwe bubuntwana. Kunoko uthi, abantwana abafikisayo banengqondo, baneemvakalelo, ibe bayakudinga ukuchitha ixesha nabahlobo. Ngoko abantwana bakho banako ukwakha ubuhlobo obusondeleyo noYehova besafikisa, kanye njengokuba uYesu wenzayo xa wayesemncinane.  (Funda uLuka 2:52.) Bangakwazi nokuphucula ubuchule babo bokushumayela, baze babe nomnqweno wokumsebenzela ngakumbi uThixo. Bayakwazi nokuzenzela izigqibo, njengokwahlulela ubomi babo kuYehova baze bamthobele. Kodwa yintoni onokuyenza wena mzali ukuze ufundise umntwana wakho ukuba akhonze uYehova? Ininzi into onokuyifunda kwindlela yothando, eyokuthobeka neyokuqonda uYesu awayebafundisa ngayo abafundi bakhe.

3. Babesazi njani abapostile ukuba uYesu wayengumhlobo wabo?

³ UYesu wayengeyoNkosi nje kubapostile bakhe. Wayekwangumhlobo wabo. (Funda uYohane 15:15.) Ngexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile, inkosi yayidla ngokungancokoli namakhoboka ayo ngeengcinga neemvakalelo zayo. Kodwa uYesu wayengabaphathi okwamakhoboka abapostile bakhe. Wayebathanda ibe echitha ixesha nabo. Wayethanda ukubaxelela izinto azicingayo nendlela avakalelwa ngayo, ibe wayephulaphula xa bemchazela ezabo iingcinga neemvakalelo. (Marko 6:30-32) Olu nxibelelwano luphakathi kukaYesu nabapostile bakhe lwabenza bangabahlobo bokwenene, ibe lwanceda abapostile balungela umsebenzi ababeza kuwenza.

4. Bazali, ninokuba ngabahlobo njani nabantwana benu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁴ Nangona inguwe olawula abantwana bakho, usenako nokuba ngumhlobo wabo. Abahlobo bahlala bekunye. Mhlawumbi kungakuhle ukunciphisa ixesha olisebenzisa emsebenzini nakwezinye izinto khon’ ukuze ube nexesha elingakumbi nabantwana bakho. Le yinto ofanele uyithandazele uze ucingisise nzulu ngayo. Abahlobo bakwathanda nezinto ezifanayo. Ngoko jonga izinto ezithandwa ngumntwana wakho, njengomculo, iimuvi okanye imidlalo ayithandayo. Kamva zama ukuziqhelanisa nezinto azithandayo. U-Ilaria ohlala eItali uthi: “Abazali bam babonisa umdla kumculo endiwumamelayo. Enyanisweni, utata waba ngumhlobo wam osenyongweni, ibe kwakulula ngam ukuthetha naye ngemicimbi ekungafane kuthethwe ngayo.” Ngokuba ngumhlobo wabantwana bakho uze ubancede babe ngabahlobo bakaYehova, loo nto ayenzi uyeke ukuba nesidima njengomzali. (INdumiso 25:14) Abantwana bakho baya kubona ukuba uyabathanda yaye uyabahlonipha, ibe kuya kuba lula ngabo ukuncokola nawe ngayo nantoni na.

5. Ukwenza umsebenzi kaYehova kwakuza kubanceda njani abafundi bakaYesu bonwabe?

⁵ UYesu wayesazi ukuba xa abafundi bakhe bekuvuyela ukukhonza uYehova baze baxakeke kukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, babenokonwaba nyhani. Ngoko wabakhuthaza ukuba bazimisele kumsebenzi wokushumayela, ibe wabathembisa ukuba uza kubanceda.—Mateyu 28:19, 20.

6, 7. Xa ufundisa abantwana bakho ukuba babe nocwangciso lokukhonza uYehova, loo nto ibabonisa njani ukuba uyabathanda?

⁶ Ufuna abantwana bakho bahlale besondele kuYehova. NoYehova ufuna ubafundise uze ubaqeqeshe. Ukunikile igunya lokuyenza loo nto. (Efese 6:4) Ngoko umele uqiniseke ukuba ubafundisa qho abantwana bakho. Cinga ngale nto: Ufuna abantwana bakho baye esikolweni kuba uyazi ukuba imfundo ibalulekile yaye ufuna bakuthande ukufunda izinto  ezintsha. Ngendlela efanayo ke, uye uqinisekise ukuba babakho esifundweni, kwiindibano nakunqulo lwentsapho. Kaloku imfundo abayifumana kuYehova inokusindisa ubomi babo. Bancede ke bakuthande ukufunda ngoYehova baze babone ukuba unokubafundisa ukuba zizilumko zokwenyani. (IMizekeliso 24:14) Bafundise abantwana bakho ukuba baye qho nasentsimini. Xelisa umzekelo kaYesu ngokubanceda bakuthande ukufundisa abanye iLizwi likaThixo.

⁷ Kubanceda njani abantwana abafikisayo ukuba nocwangciso lokukhonza uYehova, njengokufundisisa, ukuya qho esifundweni nasentsimini? UErin, ohlala eMzantsi Afrika, uthi: “Sisengabantwana sasidla ngokukhwina, sikhalaza kuba singasithandi isifundo seBhayibhile, iintlanganiso nentsimi. Ngamanye amaxesha sasidla ngokusiphazamisa ngabom isifundo sentsapho ukuze siphele. Kodwa abazali bethu abazange basincame.” Uyababulela abazali bakhe kuba beye bamnceda wakubona ukubaluleka kwezi zinto. Ngoku, nanini na kusenzeka aphoswe ziintlanganiso okanye angakwazi ukuya entsimini, uye angxamele ukubuyela kucwangciso lwakhe.

8. (a) UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba uthobekile? (b) Ukuthobeka kukaYesu kwabanceda njani abafundi bakhe?

⁸ Nangona uYesu wayefezekile, wayethobekile yaye waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba uyaludinga uncedo lukaYehova. (Funda uYohane 5:19.) Ngaba le nto yayisenza abafundi bakhe bayeke ukumhlonipha? Hayi. Okukhona babebona ukuba uthembele kuYehova, kokukhona babemthemba. Kamva, bakuxelisa ukuthobeka kwakhe.—IZenzo 3:12, 13, 16.

9. Xa uzivuma iimpazamo zakho uze ucele uxolo, ingamnceda njani loo nto umntwana wakho ofikisayo?

⁹ Ngokungafaniyo noYesu, asifezekanga yaye siyazenza iimpazamo. Ngoko ke thobeka. Yiqonde into yokuba zininzi izinto ongakwaziyo ukuzenza, uze uvume xa wenze impazamo. (1 Yohane 1:8) Xa usenjenjalo, umntwana wakho ofikisayo uya kufunda ukuzivuma nezakhe iimpazamo, aze akuhloniphe nangakumbi. Kaloku zibuze, ngubani oyena mntu umhlonipha ngakumbi? Ngaba ngumqeshi ovumayo xa ephazamile okanye ngongasoze acele uxolo? URosemary, onabantwana abathathu, uthi yena nomyeni wakhe babekulungele ukuvuma iimpazamo zabo. Uthi: “Loo nto yabangela ukuba abantwana bethu bangonqeni ukuthetha nathi xa benengxaki.” Wongez’ esithi: “Sabafundisa abantwana bethu ukuba banokusifumana phi isicombululo seengxaki zabo. Xa befuna uncedo, sasibabonisa iimpendulo kwiincwadi zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni, ibe sasithandaza kunye.”

10. UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba uthobekile naxa wayexelela abafundi bakhe into amabayenze?

¹⁰ UYesu wayenegunya lokuxelela abafundi bakhe into amabayenze. Kodwa ekubeni wayethobekile, wayedla  ngokubaxelela nesizathu sokuba bemele bayenze loo nto. Ngokomzekelo, akazange abaxelele nje ukuba bafune kuqala uBukumkani nobulungisa bukaThixo. Waphinda wathi: “Zonke ezinye izinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” Xa uYesu wabaxelela ukuba bayeke ukugweba abanye, wabacacisela wathi: “Ukuze ningagwetywa; kuba ngogwebo enigweba ngalo, niya kugwetywa kwangalo nani.”—Mateyu 6:31–7:2.

11. Kungamnceda njani umntwana wakho ukumcacisela isizathu sokuba wenze umthetho okanye isigqibo esithile?

¹¹ Cacisela umntwana wakho isizathu sokuba wenze umthetho okanye isigqibo esithile. Xa esiqonda isizathu, kuya kuba lula ukuba afune ukukuthobela. UBarry, owakhulisa abantwana abane, uthi: “Ukubanika isizathu abantwana bakho kubenza bakuthembe.” Abantwana bakho abafikisayo baza kubona ukuba awenzi mithetho okanye izigqibo kuba nje unegunya, kodwa unezizathu. Khumbula ke nokuba abantwana bakho abafikisayo abasekho bancinane. Bafunda ukuzicingela yaye bafuna ukuzenzela izigqibo. (Roma 12:1) UBarry uthi: “Abantwana abafikisayo kufuneka bafunde ukwenza izigqibo ezibhadlileyo besebenzisa ingqondo kuneemvakalelo.” (INdumiso 119:34) Ngoko thobeka, umcacisele umntwana wakho isizathu sokuba wenze isigqibo esithile. Ngaloo ndlela, uya kufunda ukuzenzela izigqibo, ibe uya kutsho azi ukuba uyamhlonipha yaye uyaqonda ukuba uya esiba mdala.

12. Ekubeni uYesu wayenokuqonda, wamnceda njani uPetros?

¹² UYesu wayebaqonda abafundi bakhe, esazi nokuba badinga ukuncedwa njani. Ngokomzekelo, xa uYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba uza kubulawa, uPetros wamxelela ukuba azisizele. UYesu wayesazi ukuba uPetros uyamthanda, kodwa wayesazi nokuba ucinga ngendlela etenxileyo. UYesu wamnceda njani uPetros nabanye abafundi? Okokuqala, wamlungisa uPetros. Emva koko, uYesu wachaza into eyayiza kwenzeka kwabo bangakulungelanga ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova xa kunzima ukukwenza. UYesu waphinda wathi uYehova uza kubavuza abantu abangazicingeli bodwa. (Mateyu 16:21-27) UPetros wasifumana isifundo.—1 Petros 2:20, 21.

13, 14. (a) Yintoni esenokukubonisa ukuba umntwana wakho udinga ukomeleza ukholo lwakhe? (b) Unokulwazi njani uncedo aludingayo unyana okanye intombi yakho?

¹³ Thandaza kuYehova umcele akuncede uqonde ukuba luluphi uncedo aludingayo umntwana wakho ofikisayo. (INdumiso 32:8) Mhlawumbi uyabona ukuba akasonwabanga ngendlela awayeyiyo okanye uyabagxeka abazalwana. Mhlawumbi uvakalelwa kukuba kukho into angakuxeleli yona. Ungakhawulezi ucinge ukuba kukho into umntwana wakho ayifihlayo ephosakeleyo. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) Kodwa ungayibethi ngoyaba ingxaki yakhe okanye ube nethemba nje lokuba iza kudlula. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kufuneka umncede omeleze ukholo lwakhe.

¹⁴ Ukuze wazi indlela onokumnceda ngayo umntwana wakho, mbuze imibuzo ngobubele nentlonelo. Oku kufana nokukha amanzi equleni. Ukuba uwakha  ungxamile, usenokungawafumani ngokwaneleyo. Ngokufanayo, ukuba awunamonde xa uyibuza le mibuzo kumntwana wakho okanye uyamnyanzela ukuba athethe, usenokungakuxeleli kakuhle eyona ndlela avakalelwa ngayo noko akucingayo. (Funda iMizekeliso 20:5.) U-Ilaria ukhumbula ngexesha awayefikisa ngalo ukuba wayekuthanda ukuchitha ixesha nabantwana afunda nabo, nangona wayesazi ukuba oko kwakuphosakele. Abazali bakhe baqaphela ukuba ikho le nto imhluphayo. U-Ilaria uthi: “Ngobunye ubusuku basuka bandixelela ukuba baqaphele ukuba andindim baza bandibuza ukuba ndityiwa yintoni. Ndasuka ndalila, ndabachazela into endihluphayo ndaza ndacela ukuba bandincede. Bandanga, bandixelela ukuba bayayiqonda le nto ndiyithethayo baza bathembisa ukuba baza kundinceda.” Abazali baka-Ilaria bakhawuleza bamnceda wakwazi ukwenza abahlobo abalungileyo ebandleni.

15. Yiyiphi enye indlela uYesu awabonisa ngayo ukuqonda?

¹⁵ UYesu wabonisa ukuqonda ngokuthi aziphawule iimpawu ezintle zabafundi bakhe. Ngokomzekelo, xa uNathaniyeli weva ukuba uYesu ngowaseNazarete, wathi: “Kunganako ukuphuma nantoni na elungileyo eNazarete?” (Yohane 1:46) Ukuba wawulapho, ngaba wawuza kucinga ukuba uNathaniyeli uthand’ ukugxeka okanye ukugweba abantu engabazi, okanye mhlawumbi akanalukholo? Akazange acinge loo nto uYesu. Kunoko, waqonda ukuba uNathaniyeli wayenyanisekile, ngoko wathi: “Yabona, umSirayeli ngokuqinisekileyo, ekungekho nkohliso kuye.” (Yohane 1:47) UYesu wayekwazi ukufunda iintliziyo, ibe loo nto wayisebenzisela ukukhangela iimpawu ezintle ebantwini.

16. Ungamkhuthaza njani umntwana wakho ukuze aphucule?

¹⁶ Nangona ungakwazi ukufunda iintliziyo njengoYesu, unganako ukuqonda.  UYehova angakunceda ukhangele iimpawu ezintle emntwaneni wakho. Kwanaxa umntwana wakho ofikisayo ekuphoxa, ungaze umbize ngokuba ngumntu ombi okanye uzel’ inkathazo. Ungayicingi nokuyicinga loo nto ngaye. Kunoko, mxelele ukuba uyazibona iimpawu zakhe ezintle yaye uqinisekile ukuba ufuna ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo. Ziqaphele izinto aphuculayo kuzo, uze umncome. Mncede asebenzele kwiimpawu zakhe ezintle ngokumnika eminye imisebenzi xa kunokwenzeka. Wenza loo nto uYesu kubafundi bakhe. Kunyaka onesiqingatha emva kokudibana noNathaniyeli (okwabizwa ngokuba nguBhartolomeyu), uYesu wamnika umsebenzi obalulekileyo. Wammisela ukuba abe ngumpostile, ibe uNathaniyeli wawenza ngokuthembeka umsebenzi awayewunikwe nguYesu. (Luka 6:13, 14; IZenzo 1:13, 14) Ngoko ke, kunokuba umenze umntwana wakho azive engento yanto, mncome uze umkhuthaze. Menze avakalelwe kukuba angakuvuyisa wena noYehova, nokuba unokusebenzisa iziphiwo anazo ekumkhonzeni.

17, 18. Ukuba uhlala umfundisa umntwana wakho ofikisayo ukukhonza uYehova, uya kuba yintoni umphumo?

¹⁷ Mhlawumbi uvakalelwa njengompostile uPawulos. Wayenexhala ngabantu awayebajonga njengabantwana bakhe. Ngabantu awayebancede bafunda ngoYehova, ibe wayebathanda kakhulu. Yayimkhathaza ke into yokuba abanye babo besenokuyeka ukukhonza uYehova. (1 Korinte 4:15; 2 Korinte 2:4) UVictor, owakhulisa abantwana abathathu, uthi: “Kwakunzima xa babefikisa. Sekunjalo, amaxesha amnandi ayemaninzi kuneengxaki. UYehova wasinceda sakwazi ukuba ngabahlobo babantwana bethu.”

¹⁸ Bazali, nisebenza nzima nifundisa abantwana benu kuba nibathanda gqitha. Ningabancami. Cinga nje ukuba niya konwaba kangakanani xa abantwana benu besenza isigqibo sokukhonza uThixo baze baqhubeke bethembekile kuye.—3 Yohane 4.