1. Kutheni kungekho xesha elifana neli kwimbali yabantu?

AKUZANGE kubekho ixesha elifana neli kwimbali yabantu. Njengoko iBhayibhile yaprofetayo, uYehova uhlanganisa “isihlwele esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi.” Esi sihlwele ‘siluhlanga olunamandla’ olwenziwe ngabantu abonwabileyo abangaphezu kwezigidi ezisibhozo, ‘abanikela inkonzo engcwele kuThixo imini nobusuku.’ (ISityhi. 7:9, 15; Isa. 60:22) Akuzange kwabakho abantu abaninzi kangaka abathanda uThixo nabanye abantu.

2. Bathanda ntoni abantu abangamkhonziyo uThixo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

² Kodwa ke, iZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zaprofeta nokuba kule mihla yethu, abantu abangamkhonziyo uThixo baza kubonakala ngokuba nothando olugqwethekileyo—uthando olubenza bazicingele bodwa. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Ngemihla yokugqibela . . . abantu baya kuba ngabazithandayo, abathandi bemali . . . abathandi beziyolo kunokuba bathande uThixo.” (2 Tim. 3:1-4) Olu hlobo lothando luyangqubana nothando analo amaKristu; lwahluke mpela kulo. Abantu abafuna ukulungelwa bodwa baye bacinge ukuba baza konwaba, kodwa kungabi njalo. Kungenxa yabo le nto ihlabathi esiphila kulo ‘kunzima ukujamelana nalo.’

3. Siza kufunda ngantoni kweli nqaku, yaye ngoba?

 ³ UPawulos wabona ukuba into yokuba bebaninzi abantu abazithandayo nabazicingela bodwa iza kuba yingozi kumaKristu. Yiloo nto wawalumkisa ukuba ababaleke abantu abanothando olugqwethekileyo. (2 Tim. 3:5) Kodwa ke asikwazi ukubabaleka kwaphela. Sinokwenza njani ke ukuze sahluke kubantu abangamkhonziyo uThixo esiphila nabo size sizame ukuvuyisa uYehova, uThixo onothando? Makhe sibone umahluko phakathi kothando uThixo afuna sibe nalo, nothando oluchazwe kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:2-4. Loo nto iza kusinceda sizihlole size siphucule ukuze sibe nothando olwanelisa nyhani nolusenza sonwabe.

4. Kutheni kungaphosakelanga ukuzithanda ngendlela efanelekileyo?

⁴ Umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale ukuba “abantu baya kuba ngabazithandayo.” Ngaba kuphosakele ukuzithanda? Hayi, akuphosakelanga, kufuneka sizithande ngendlela efanelekileyo. UYehova wasidala sanjalo. UYesu wathi: “Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.” (Marko 12:31) Ukuba asizithandi, asinakukwazi ukuthanda abamelwane bethu. Kwakhona, iBhayibhile ithi: “Amadoda afanele abathande abafazi bawo njengemizimba yawo. Lowo umthandayo umfazi wakhe uyazithanda, kuba akukho mntu wakha wayithiya eyakhe inyama; kodwa uyayondla aze ayiphathe ngononophelo.” (Efe. 5:28, 29) Ngoko kuyafuneka ukuba sizithande ngendlela efanelekileyo.

5. Banjani abantu abazithanda ngokugqithiseleyo?

⁵ Olu thando kuthethwa ngalo kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:2 aluyonto uThixo asidale ukuba sibe nayo, ibe alulunganga. Luthando olujijekileyo, olusenza sizicingele sedwa. Abantu abazithanda ngokugqithiseleyo bazicingela kakhulu. (Funda eyabaseRoma 12:3.) Eyona nto iphambili kubo ziziqu zabo. Abanaxesha lamntu. Xa izinto zingahambi kakuhle, baye batyhole abanye abantu kunokuba bavume ukuba ngabo ababangele ingxaki. Enye incwadi ecacisa iBhayibhile ifanisa abantu abazithandayo nesilwanyana ekuthiwa ‘yintloni esithi sakuchukunyiswa sizisonge sibe ngathi yibhola, eli cala lithambileyo, linoboya obufudumeleyo siligcina ngaphakathi kuso, lize eli lihlabayo libe sebantwini.’ Abantu abanje abonwabi nyhani.

6. Siba njani xa simthanda uThixo?

⁶ Abaphengululi bacinga ukuba umpostile uPawulos ukubeke ekuqaleni ukuzithanda kolu ludwe lweempawu ezingathandekiyo ngenxa yokuba ezinye iimpawu zidalwa kuko. Abantu abathanda uThixo bona bavelisa isiqhamo esahluke ngokupheleleyo. IBhayibhile ithi xa uthanda uThixo uyavuya, uba noxolo, umonde, ububele, ulunge, ube nokholo, ubulali kwaye ukwazi ukuzibamba. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Umdumisi wabhala wathi: “Banoyolo abantu abaThixo wabo unguYehova!” (INdu. 144:15) UYehova nguThixo owonwabileyo, nabantu bakhe bonwabile. Ukongezelela koko, kunokuba abakhonzi bakaYehova bazithande kwaye basoloko befuna ukwenzelwa izinto, bavuyiswa kukwenzela abantu izinto ezintle.—IZe. 20:35.

7. Yiyiphi imibuzo eya kusinceda sibone ukuba simthanda kangakanani uThixo?

⁷ Ungabona njani ukuba akusamthandi ncam uThixo, uthanda isiqu sakho? Khawuve ukuba ithini eyabaseFilipi 2:3, 4: “Ningenzi nanye into ngokusukuzana okanye ngokuzigwagwisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo, nibagqala abanye  njengabongamileyo kunani, ninyamekela, kungekuphela nje izilangazelelo zobuqu, kodwa kwanezilangazelelo zabanye.” Zibuze: ‘Ngaba ndiyayenza le nto? Ngaba nyhani-nyhani ndifuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo? Ngaba ndiyabanceda abazalwana nabantu entsimini?’ Akusoloko kulula ukwenza ezi zinto. Kufuneka sisebenze nzima kwaye sincame ezinye izinto. Kodwa ayikho into eya kusonwabisa ngaphezu kokwazi ukuba uYehova uyavuyiswa yinto esiyenzileyo!

8. Yintoni eye yenziwa ngabanye abazalwana noodade ngenxa yokuba bemthanda uThixo?

⁸ Abanye abazalwana noodade baye bancama imisebenzi ebhatalayo, bangena kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kuba bemthanda uThixo. UEricka ngudade waseMerika, ibe ungugqirha. Kunokuba aleqe izikhundla eziphezulu kwezonyango, waba nguvulindlela othe ngxi, ibe yena nomyeni wakhe baye bakhonza kumazwe aliqela. Uthi xa ebalisa: “Ubomi bethu buye baphuculwa kakhulu ngamava esiwafumene xa besincedisa kwintsimi yolwimi lwasemzini, nangabahlobo esiye sazenzela bona. Ndisengugqirha nangoku, kodwa into endivuyisayo nendanelisayo kukukwazi ukusebenzisa elona xesha lininzi namandla am ukuze ndincede abantu basondele kuYehova kwaye ndincedise nasebandleni.”

9. Kutheni engonwabi nje umntu othanda imali?

⁹ UPawulos wathi abantu baza ‘kuthanda imali.’ Kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo, omnye uvulindlela washumayeza indoda ethile ngoThixo. Le ndoda yakhupha isipaji sayo, yathi rhuthu imali engamaphepha kuso, yambonisa yona, yaza ngekratshi yathi, “Nanku ke uthixo wam!” Nangona abantu abaninzi bengenakude bayithethe phandle ngolu hlobo le nto, baninzi abantu abathanda imali nezinto abanokuzithenga ngayo. Kodwa ke nasi isilumkiso esivela eBhayibhileni: “Umthandi nje wesilivere akayi kwaneliswa yisilivere, nabani na othanda indyebo akaneliswa yingeniso.” (INtshu. 5:10) Abantu abathanda imali basoloko befuna enye, befuna ukuyiqokelela ibe ninzi, kodwa bazibizela ‘iintlungu ezininzi.’—1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

10. Wathini uAgure ngokuba sisityebi nangokuba lihlwempu?

¹⁰ Sonke siyayidinga imali bazalwana. Iyasikhusela ngandlel’ ithile. (INtshu. 7:12) Kodwa ngaba umntu angonwaba nyhani xa enemali eyanele nje izinto azidingayo? Nangoku! (Funda iNtshumayeli 5:12.) UAgure, unyana kaYake, wabhala wathi: “Musa ukundinika ubuhlwempu okanye ubutyebi. Mandidle ukutya endikumiselweyo.” Sizicacele isizathu sokuba angafuni ukuba lihlwempu. Kaloku wathi wayengafuni kulingeka ukuba ebe, kuba loo nto yayiza kumhlazisa uThixo. Kodwa yintoni eyayimenza acele ukuba angabi sisityebi? Wabhala wathi: “Ukuze ndingabi nakwanela ndize ndikukhanyele ndithi: ‘Ngubani na uYehova?’” (IMize. 30:8, 9) Mhlawumbi nawe unabantu obaziyo abathembe ubutyebi babo kunokuba bathembe uThixo.

11. UYesu wacebisa ntoni ngemali?

¹¹ Soze ukwazi ukumvuyisa uThixo ukuba uthanda imali. UYesu wathi: “Akukho bani unokukhonza iinkosi ezimbini; kuba usenokuyithiya enye aze ayithande enye, okanye anamathele kwenye aze ayidele enye. Aninakukhonza uThixo nobuTyebi.” Ngaphambi kokuba athethe la mazwi wayethe: “Musani ukuziqwebela ubuncwane emhlabeni, apho kudla khona inundu nomhlwa, nalapho amasela  aqhekeza khona ebe. Kunoko, ziqwebeleni ubuncwane ezulwini, apho inundu nomhlwa zingadliyo khona, nalapho amasela angaqhekeziyo ebe.”—Mat. 6:19, 20, 24.

12. Ukuphila ngezinto ezimbalwa kwenza njani ukuba kube lula ukukhonza uThixo? Yenza umzekelo.

¹² Abazalwana abaninzi bafumanise ukuba ukuphila ngezinto ezimbalwa kubenza bonwabe, kwaye babe nexesha elingakumbi lokukhonza uYehova. UJack, umzalwana waseMerika, wathengisa umzi wakhe omkhulu neshishini awayenalo ukuze abe nguvulindlela nenkosikazi yakhe. Ubalisa athi: “Kwakunzima kona ukushiya umzi wethu omhle. Kodwa kangangeminyaka ndandigoduka ndingonwabanga ngenxa yeengxaki zasemsebenzini. Inkosikazi yam yayinguvulindlela othe ngxi, isoloko yonwabile. Yayidla ngokuthi, ‘Akakho umqeshi obhetele kunalo ndimsebenzelayo!’ Ngoku nam ndinguvulindlela, ibe sobabini sisebenzela uMntu omnye, uYehova.”

13. Singayihlola njani indlela esiyijonga ngayo imali?

¹³ Ukuze sihlole indlela esiyijonga ngayo imali, makhe sibone ukuba singayiphendula njani le mibuzo: ‘Ngaba ndiyayikholelwa into ethethwa yiBhayibhile ngemali, kwaye ndiyayenza? Ngaba eyona nto iphambili kum kukwenza imali? Ngaba ukuba nezinto kubaluleke ngaphezu koYehova nabantu? Ngaba ndimthembile uYehova ukuba uza kundinika izinto endizidingayo?’ Siqinisekile ukuba soze abaphoxe abantu abathembele ngaye.—Mat. 6:33.

14. Ngaba kubi ukuzonwabisa?

¹⁴ Njengokuba kwakuchaziwe, namhlanje abantu abaninzi ‘bathanda iziyolo.’ Njengokuba kungekho nto imbi ngokuzithanda ngendlela efanelekileyo nangokuyibeka kwindawo yayo imali, akukho nto imbi ngokuzonwabisa ngendlela engabaxwanga. UYehova akafuni sizivimbe ubumnandi. IBhayibhile ithetha nabantu abathembekileyo xa isithi: “Yiya, utye ukutya kwakho unemihlali uze usele iwayini yakho unentliziyo elungileyo.”—INtshu. 9:7.

15. Ngabantu abanjani ekuthethwa ngabo kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:4?

 ¹⁵ Eyesibini kuTimoti 3:4 ithetha ngabantu abathanda iziyolo, bangabi naxesha likaThixo. Phawula ukuba le vesi ayithi abantu baza kuthanda iziyolo ngaphezu koThixo, ngokungathi iza kube isekho indawana yokumthanda kubo. Ithi bathanda zona “kunokuba bathande uThixo.” Omnye umphengululi wachaza ukuba le vesi “ayithethi kuthi bayamthanda uThixo ngandlel’ ithile. Itheth’ ukuthi abamthandi nje tu kwaphela.” Mabalumke ke abo basathanda ubumnandi ngokugqithiseleyo! Amazwi athi “abathandi beziyolo” abachaza kakuhle abantu ‘abathabatheka ziziyolo zobu bomi.’—Luka 8:14.

16, 17. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kuYesu ngobumnandi?

¹⁶ UYesu wayebujonga ngeyona ndlela ifanelekileyo ubumnandi. Waya ‘kwitheko lomtshato,’ waphinda waya ‘kwitheko elikhulu lolwamkelo.’ (Yoh. 2:1-10; Luka 5:29) Emtshatweni, wenza ummangaliso, wajika amanzi aba yiwayini. Ngeny’ imini wazithethelela kubantu ababemgxeka kuba esitya kwaye esela.—Luka 7:33-36.

¹⁷ Kodwa uYesu wayengaphileli ubumnandi. Wayethanda uYehova nokunceda abanye abantu ngaphezu kwezinye izinto. Wavuma ukubulawa kabuhlungu ukuze kuphile abantu abaninzi. Xa wayethetha nabantu ababeza kuba ngabalandeli bakhe, wathi: “Ninoyolo nina xa abantu beningcikiva, benitshutshisa, bethetha ngani lonke uhlobo lwento engendawo bexoka, ngenxa yam. Yibani nemihlali nixhume ngovuyo, ngokuba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini; kuba babatshutshisa ngaloo ndlela abaprofeti ababengaphambi kwenu.”—Mat. 5:11, 12.

18. Yiyiphi imibuzo enokusinceda sibone ukuba sibuthanda kangakanani ubumnandi?

¹⁸ Unokubona njani ukuba ubuthanda gqitha ubumnandi? Le mibuzo ingakunceda: ‘Ngaba ndiqala ngobumnandi ndize ndigqibelise ngeentlanganiso nentsimi? Ngaba ndikulungele ukuncama ezinye izinto ukuze ndikhonze uThixo? Xa ndiza konwaba, ngaba ndiqala ndizibuze ukuba uYehova uthini ngendlela endiza kuzonwabisa ngayo?’ Ukuba simthanda nyhani uThixo, asiyi kubaleka izinto angazithandiyo nje kuphela, siya kubaleka nezo sikrokrela ukuba akazithandi.—Funda uMateyu 22:37, 38.

19. Ngabantu abanjani abangasoze bonwabe nyhani?

¹⁹ Emva kweminyaka eyi-6 000 abantu bephila kabuhlungu, ihlabathi likaSathana sele liza kuphela. Umhlaba uzaliswe ngabantu abazithandayo, abathanda imali nobumnandi ngokugqithiseleyo. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kubo kukuba baza kufumana ntoni, kwaye baphilela iminqweno yabo kuphela. Abantu abanje soze bonwabe nyhani. Kwelinye icala, umdumisi wabhala wathi: “Unoyolo lowo unoncedo olunguThixo kaYakobi, othemba lakhe likuYehova uThixo wakhe.”—INdu. 146:5.

20. Ukuthanda uThixo kukwenze njani wonwaba?

²⁰ Abantu bakaYehova baya bemthanda nangakumbi, kwaye bayanda unyaka nonyaka. Le nto ibonisa ukuba uBukumkani BukaThixo buyalawula kwaye kungekudala buza kwenza izinto ezintle apha emhlabeni, esingazange sazicinga. Xa sisenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, kwaye sisazi ukuba siyamvuyisa, siza kuhlala sivuya. Abantu abathanda uYehova baya kuvuya ixesha elingenasiphelo! Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kufunda ukuba baba njani abantu abazicingela bodwa size sibathelekise nabantu bakaYehova.