1-3. (a) AmaKristu aye abonisa njani ukuba ayakuxabisa ukuhlanganisana? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

XA UCORINNA wayeneminyaka eyi-17 ubudala, umama wakhe wabanjwa waza wasiwa kwinkampu ekusetyenzwa nzima kuyo. Kamva naye uCorinna wathathwa wasiwa kude nekhaya lakhe elaliseSiberia. Apho wasebenza efama, waza waphathwa okwekhoboka. Ngamanye amaxesha wayenyanzelwa ukuba asebenze engqeleni eqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo ngaphandle kwempahla eyaneleyo yokumgcina eshushu. Sekunjalo, uCorinna nomnye udade bagqiba kwelokuba babeza kuzama ukwenza konke okusemandleni abo ukufuna indlela yokuya ezintlanganisweni.

² UCorinna wathi: “Sashiya umsebenzi ebusuku saza sahamba saya kwisitishi sikaloliwe esasikumgama oziikhilomitha eziyi-25. Uloliwe wanduluka ngentsimbi yesibini ekuseni, sahamba iiyure ezintandathu ngaphambi kokuba sehle, saza sahamba iikhilomitha ezilishumi ukuya kwiindawo ezaziqhutyelwa kuyo iintlanganiso.” UCorinna wavuya gqitha kuba waye wathatha olo hambo.  Wathi: “Ezintlanganisweni safunda IMboniselo saza sacula iingoma zoBukumkani. Yayingamava amnandi nawomeleza ukholo kuthi lawo.” Emva kweentsuku ezintathu, aba dade babuyela efama, kodwa umnikazi wefama akazange aqaphele nokuba babehambile.

³ Abantu bakaYehova, basoloko bekhangele phambili ekuhlanganisaneni kunye. Ngokomzekelo, amaKristu okuqala ayesoloko ekhangele phambili ekuhlanganisaneni ukuze anqule uYehova aze afunde ngaye. (IZenzo 2:42) Ewe, nawe kusenokwenzeka ukuba uhlala ukhangele phambili ekuyeni ezintlanganisweni. Kodwa, njengabo bonke abazalwana noodade, usenokukufumanisa kunzima ukuya rhoqo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umele usebenze iiyure ezininzi, uxakekile okanye usoloko udiniwe. Ngoko, yintoni enokusinceda senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze siye ezintlanganisweni? ^[1] (Jonga umbhalo osekugqibeleni.) Sinokuzikhuthaza njani izifundo zethu zeBhayibhile nabanye ukuba baye rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zethu? Eli nqaku liza kucacisa ukuba kutheni ukuya ezintlanganisweni (1) kusinceda, (2) kunceda nabanye, yaye (3) kumkholisa uYehova. ^[2]—Jonga umbhalo osekugqibeleni.

4. Ukuhlanganisana kunye kusinceda njani sifunde ngoYehova?

⁴ Iintlanganiso ziyasifundisa. Zonke iintlanganiso zisinceda sifunde okungakumbi ngoYehova. Ngokomzekelo, amabandla amaninzi ebesandul’ ukufunda incwadi ethi Sondela KuYehova, kwiSifundo SeBhayibhile Sebandla. Uye wavakalelwa njani xa besifunda ngeempawu zikaYehova naxa ubusiva indlela abanye abazalwana abavakalelwa ngayo ngaye? Ngokuqinisekileyo, oku kukwenze wamthanda nangakumbi uYehova. Ezintlanganisweni sifunda nangakumbi ngeBhayibhile ngokuphulaphula iintetho nemiboniso, nangokuphulaphula ngenyameko xa kufundwa iBhayibhile. (Nehemiya 8:8) Kwakhona khawucinge ngezinto ezininzi esizifumanayo xa silungiselela ufundo lweBhayibhile, size siphulaphule oko abanye nabo bakufundileyo kulo.

5. Zikuncede njani iintlanganiso ukuba usebenzise oko ukufundileyo eBhayibhileni, uze uphucule indlela oshumayela ngayo?

⁵ Iintlanganiso zisifundisa indlela yokusebenzisa oko sikufundayo eBhayibhileni kubomi bethu. (1 Tesalonika 4:9, 10) Ngokomzekelo, ngaba wakhe waba kwiSifundo SeMboniselo esakwenza wafuna ukwenza okungakumbi kwinkonzo kaYehova, uphucule imithandazo yakho okanye uxolele umzalwana okanye udade? Iintlanganiso zaphakathi evekini zisifundisa indlela yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nendlela yokunceda abanye baqonde iinyaniso zeBhayibhile.—Mateyu 28:19, 20.

6. Zisikhuthaza njani iintlanganiso zethu yaye zisinceda njani sihlale somelele?

⁶ Iintlanganiso ziyasikhuthaza. Ihlabathi likaSathana lizama ukusenza sibe buthathaka elukholweni size sizive sixinezelekile yaye sidimazekile. Kodwa iintlanganiso zethu ziyasikhuthaza yaye  zisinika amandla okuqhubeka sikhonza uYehova. (Funda iZenzo 15:30-32.) Amaxesha amaninzi sixubusha indlela iziprofeto zeBhayibhile eziye zazaliseka ngayo. Oku kusinceda siqiniseke nangakumbi ukuba izithembiso zikaYehova zekamva ziza kuzaliseka. Abazalwana noodade abasikhuthazi kuphela nje xa benikela iintetho, kodwa naxa begqabaza baze badumise uYehova ngokumculela ngokusuka entliziyweni. (1 Korinte 14:26) Yaye xa sithetha nabo ngaphambi nasemva kweentlanganiso, siziva sihlaziyekile kuba sinabahlobo abaninzi abasikhathaleleyo.—1 Korinte 16:17, 18.

7. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuya ezintlanganisweni?

⁷ Xa sisezintlanganisweni sifumana uncedo lomoya oyingcwele kaThixo. UYesu usebenzisa lo moya oyingcwele ukuze akhokele amabandla. Eneneni wathi simele ‘sikuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla.’ (ISityhilelo 2:7) Umoya oyingcwele unokusinceda sixhathise izilingo size sishumayele ngenkalipho. Unako nokusinceda ukuba senze izigqibo ezilungileyo. Yiloo nto simele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibe khona kwiintlanganiso ukuze sifumanane uncedo lomoya oyingcwele kaThixo.

8. Xa abazalwana bethu besibona ezintlanganisweni, ibe besiva sigqabaza yaye sicula, oku kubanceda njani? (Jonga nebhokisi ethi “ Usoloko Eziva Ngcono Emva Kweentlanganiso.”)

⁸ Ezintlanganisweni sinethuba lokubonisa abazalwana noodadewethu ukuba siyabathanda. Abaninzi ebandleni lethu banyamezele ubunzima obukhulu. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Masinyamekelane.” (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Sinokubonisa ukuba sibakhathalele abazalwana bethu ngokuhlanganisana ukuze sikhuthazane. Xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni sibonisa abazalwana bethu ukuba sifuna ukuba kunye nabo, ukuthetha nabo yaye siyikhathalele indlela abavakalelwa ngayo. Siyabakhuthaza naxa sigqabaza yaye sicula ngokusuka entliziyweni.—Kolose 3:16.

9, 10. (a) Cacisa indlela amazwi kaYesu akuYohane 10:16 asinceda ngayo ukuba siqonde ukubaluleka kokuhlanganisana nabazalwana bethu. (b) Ukuba sibakho rhoqo ezintlanganisweni, sinokubanceda njani abo balahlwe ziintsapho zabo?

 ⁹ Xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni, sinceda ibandla ukuba lihlale lisondelelene. (Funda uYohane 10:16.) UYesu wazifanisa nomalusi, yaye abalandeli bakhe wabafanisa nomhlambi weegusha. Khawucinge ngoku: Ukuba iigusha ezimbini zisendulini, ezinye ezimbini zisentlanjeni, ibe yona enye ikwenye indawo, ngaba ezo gusha zintlanu zingumhlambi? Hayi, kuba kaloku umhlambi weegusha uhlala ndawonye yaye ulandela umalusi. Ngendlela efanayo, asimele sihlale kude nabazalwana bethu ngokungazi ezintlanganisweni. Simele sihlanganisane kunye ukuze sibe ‘ngumhlambi omnye’ size silandele ‘umalusi omnye.’

¹⁰ Iintlanganiso zethu zisinceda simanyane njengentsapho enothando. (INdumiso 133:1) Abanye ebandleni baye balahlwa ngamalungu asondeleyo eentsapho zabo, njengabazali, abantakwabo okanye oodadewabo. Kodwa uYesu wathembisa ukubanika intsapho eza kubathanda ize ibanyamekele. (Marko 10:29, 30) Ukuba uya rhoqo ezintlanganisweni, usenokuba ngutata, umama, ubhuti okanye usisi womnye umntu ebandleni. Xa sicinga ngoko, sifuna ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibekho kuzo zonke iintlanganiso.

11. Ukubakho kwiintlanganiso kusinceda njani sinike uYehova oko kumfaneleyo?

¹¹ Ezintlanganisweni sinika uYehova oko kumfaneleyo. Ekubeni enguMdali  wethu, simele simbulele, simzukise, yaye simdumise. (Funda iSityhilelo 7:12.) Sinokukwenza oku ezintlanganisweni xa sithandaza kuYehova, simculela yaye sithetha ngaye. Elinjani lona ithuba, veki nganye, esinalo lokunqula uYehova!

12. Ukuthobela umyalelo kaYehova wokuba sihlanganisane kumchaphazela njani?

¹² NguYehova osidalileyo, ngoko simele simthobele. Usiyalela ukuba siqhubeke sihlanganisana ingakumbi njengoko sisondela kwisiphelo. Ngoko xa sithobela lo myalelo, uYehova uyavuya.(1 Yohane 3:22) Uyaphawula ukuba siyafuna nyhani ukubakho kwiintlanganiso, yaye uyawuxabisa wonke umgudu esiwenzayo ukuze sibekho.—Hebhere 6:10.

13, 14. Sisondela njani kuYehova noYesu xa sisezintlanganisweni?

¹³ Xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni, sibonisa uYehova ukuba sifuna ukusondela kuye noNyana wakhe. Ezintlanganisweni sifunda iBhayibhile, yaye kuyo uYehova usifundisa oko simele sikwenze nendlela esimele siphile ngayo. (Isaya 30:20, 21) Naxa abanye abangamkhonziyo uYehova besiza ezintlanganisweni, baye baqonde ukuba sikhokelwa nguThixo. (1 Korinte 14:23-25) Usikhokela ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele, yaye oko sikufundayo apho kusuka kuye. Ngoko xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni, siphulaphula oko uYehova akutshoyo, sibone indlela asithanda ngayo, yaye sisondela ngakumbi kuye.

¹⁴ UYesu, iNkokeli yebandla, wathi: “Apho kukho ababini okanye abathathu abahlanganisene ndawonye egameni lam, ndilapho phakathi kwabo.” (Mateyu 18:20) IBhayibhile ikwathi uYesu “uhamba phakathi” kwamabandla. (ISityhilelo 1:20–2:1) Kucacile ukuba uYehova noYesu bakunye nathi, yaye bayasikhuthaza xa sisezintlanganisweni. Ucinga ukuba uvakalelwa njani uYehova xa ekubona usenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuze usondele kuye noNyana wakhe?

15. Ukuya kwethu ezintlanganisweni kumbonisa njani uThixo ukuba sifuna ukumthobela?

¹⁵ Xa sisiya ezintlanganisweni, sibonisa uYehova ukuba sifuna ukumthobela. UYehova akasinyanzeli ukuba senze oko akufunayo. (Isaya 43:23) Ngoko xa sikhetha ukuthobela umyalelo wakhe wokuya ezintlanganisweni, simbonisa ukuba siyamthanda yaye sikholelwa ukuba unelungelo lokusixelela oko simele sikwenze. (Roma 6:17) Ngokomzekelo, siya kuthini ukuba umqeshi wethu ulindele ukuba sisebenze kangangokuba singakwazi ukubakho rhoqo ezintlanganisweni? Okanye mhlawumbi urhulumente uthi nabani na ohlanganisanayo ngenjongo yokunqula uYehova, uya kuhlawuliswa, avalelwe entolongweni okanye agwetywe ngokuqatha. Okanye mhlawumbi sikhetha ukwenza enye into  kunokuba siye ezintlanganisweni. Kuzo zonke ezi meko, simele sizikhethele oko sifuna ukukwenza. (IZenzo 5:29) Kodwa sihlandlo ngasinye sikhetha ukuthobela uYehova, simenza avuye.—IMizekeliso 27:11.

16, 17. (a) Sazi njani ukuba iintlanganiso zazibaluleke kakhulu kumaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala? (b) UMzalwana uGeorge Gangas wayevakalelwa njani ngeentlanganiso zamaKristu?

¹⁶ Emva kokuhlanganisana kwawo ngePentekoste yonyaka ka-33, amaKristu ayehlanganisana rhoqo ukuze anqule uYehova. Kwaye ‘aqhubeka ezinikela emfundisweni yabapostile nasekwabelaneni [okanye, ‘ekuhlanganisaneni’].’ (IZenzo 2:42) Awazange ayeke ukuhlanganisana kwanaxa ayetshutshiswa ngurhulumente wamaRoma naziinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda. Nakuba kwakungekho lula, enza konke okusemandleni awo ukuqhubeka ehlanganisana.

¹⁷ Nanamhlanje, abakhonzi bakaYehova bayakuxabisa yaye bayakuvuyela ukuba sezintlanganisweni. UGeorge Gangas, owayelilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo ngaphezu kweminyaka eyi-22, wathi: “Kum, ukuhlanganisana nabazalwana yenye yezona zinto zimnandi ebomini nezindikhuthazayo. Ndiyakuthanda ukuba ngomnye wabantu abafika kuqala eHolweni yoBukumkani, ndize ndibe ngomnye wabokugqibela ukuhamba ukuba kunokwenzeka. Ndiba novuyo xa ndithetha nabantu bakaThixo. Xa ndiphakathi kwabo ndiziva ndisekhaya, kwiparadesi yokomoya.” Wongeza ngelithi: “Eyona nto ndihlala ndiyinqwenela kukuba sezintlanganisweni.”

18. Uvakalelwa njani ngeentlanganiso zethu, yaye uzimisele ukwenza ntoni?

¹⁸ Ngaba nawe uvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela ngokunqula uYehova? Ukuba kunjalo, qhubeka usenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuba kunye nabazalwana bakho ezintlanganisweni, nokuba sele kunzima. Bonisa uYehova ukuba uvakalelwa njengoKumkani uDavide, owathi: “Yehova, ndiyithandile indawo yokuhlala yendlu yakho.”—INdumiso 26:8.