1. U-1 Petros 5:2 uthi ngowuphi umsebenzi obalulekileyo onikwe abadala?

 ABADALA abangamaKristu banikwe umsebenzi wokuhoya izimvu zikaYehova azithandayo. La madoda azinikeleyo ayambulela uYehova ngokubanika lo msebenzi wokukhonza abazalwana noodade, futhi basebenza nzima ukuze babe ‘ngabalusi abaza kuzalusa nyhani’ izimvu zakhe. (Yer. 23:4; funda eyoku-1 Petros 5:2.) Sibulela nyhani ngokuba nala madoda emabandleni ethu.

2. Zeziphi ezinye iingxaki abaye babe nazo abanye abadala?

² Zininzi iingxaki ababa nazo abadala xa besenza umsebenzi abawunikiweyo. Kaloku kufuneka basebenze nzima ukuze bakwazi ukulikhathalela ibandla. Omnye umdala waseUnited States, uTony, kwakufuneka afunde ukuthobeka kakhulu ukuze azazi ukuba ngumsebenzi ongakanani amele avume ukuwenza. Uthi: “Xa kwakuqala ikhorona ndazama ukwenza imisebenzi emininzi ukuze kubekho iintlanganiso, kushunyayelwe nokushunyayelwa. Kodwa nokuba ndandisebenza kangakanani kwakubakho ezinye izinto ekwakufuneka zenziwe. Ndandixakeke gqitha, ndingenalo nexesha elaneleyo lokufunda iBhayibhile, lokufundisisa nelokuthandaza.” Yena uIlir umdala waseKosovo, wayenenye ingxaki. Xa wayekwindawo eyayinemfazwe kwaba nzima ukuthobela imiyalelo yentlangano. Uthi: “Kwaba nzima ukuba nesibindi xa iofisi yesebe yandinika umsebenzi wokunceda abazalwana noodade ababekwindawo eyayiyingozi. Ndandisoyika, nemiyalelo endandiyifumana yayibonakala ngathi ayizukusebenza.” UTim ongumthunywa wevangeli eAsia, kwakuba nzima kuye ukwenza zonke izinto ekwakufuneka  azenze ngosuku. Uthi: “Ngamanye amaxesha ndandiye ndidinwe kakhulu, ndingakwazi ukukhathalela abazalwana noodade.” Yintoni enokunceda abadala abaneengxaki ezifana nezi?

3. Kunokusinceda njani ukufunda ngoGidiyon?

³ Abadala banokufunda kuMgwebi uGidiyon. (Heb. 6:12; 11:32) Wayekhokela abantu bakaThixo futhi ebakhusela. (ABagwe. 2:16; 1 Kron. 17:6) Nabadala bayafana noGidiyon, banikwe umsebenzi wokukhathalela abantu bakaThixo ngexesha elinzima kakhulu. (IZe. 20:28; 2 Tim. 3:1) Ikhona into esinokuyifunda kwindlela awayethobeke nawayethobela ngayo. Imisebenzi awayeyenza yayisenza kube nzima ukunyamezela. Nokuba singabadala okanye asingabo, singafunda ukubaxabisa aba bazalwana. Sinokuwanceda la madoda asebenza nzima nasikhathaleleyo.​—Heb. 13:17.

4. UGidiyon wabonisa njani ukuba uthobekile?

⁴ UGidiyon wayeyindoda ethobekileyo. b Xa ingelosi kaYehova yamxelela ukuba ukhethiwe ukuba asindise amaSirayeli kumaMidiyan anamandla wathi: “Isizwana sam sesona sincinci kwaManase, yaye nam ndingoyena ungabalulekanga endlini katata.” (ABagwe. 6:15) Wayezibona engafaneleki ukuba awenze lo msebenzi, kodwa uYehova wayemthembile. Nangoku wamnceda, wawenza kanye ngendlela awayefanele awenze ngayo.

5. Yintoni enokwenza kube nzima ukuba umdala athobeke?

⁵ Abadala bazama ngamandla abo onke ukuthobeka. (Mika 6:8; IZe. 20:18, 19) Abaqhayisi ngezinto abazenzileyo okanye abakwaziyo ukuzenza, bengacingi nokuba akukho yabo ngenxa yeempazamo abazenzayo. Kodwa zikhona izinto ezinokwenza kube nzima ukuba umdala athobeke. Ngokomzekelo, usenokuvuma ukwenza imisebenzi emininzi kodwa angakwazi ukuyenza yonke. Okanye kusenokuba nzima ukuthobeka xa abanye abantu beyigxeka indlela awenze ngayo omnye umsebenzi okanye xa bemncoma ngendlela awenze ngayo omnye. Yintoni enokufundwa ngabadala kuGidiyon enokubanceda xa kusenzeka izinto ezinje?

6. Yintoni abanokuyifunda abadala kuGidiyon ngokuthobeka? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

⁶ Cela abanye bakuncede. Umntu othobekileyo uyazi ukuba zikhona izinto angenakukwazi  ukuzenza. UGidiyon wabonisa ukuba uthobekile ngokuthi acele abanye abantu bamncedise. (ABagwe. 6:27, 35; 7:24) Yiloo nto abayenzayo nabadala abalumkileyo. UTony ekuthethwe ngaye ekuqaleni uthi: “Ngenxa yendlela endikhuliswe ngayo, ndandiye ndivume ukwenza imisebenzi emininzi nangona ndandingakwazi ukuyenza yonke. Ngoko ndagqiba ukuba sithethe ngophawu lokuthobeka kunqulo lwentsapho, ndatsho ndeva nokuba umfazi wam undibona ndinjani. Ndabukela neVidiyo ethi Qeqesha Abanye, Ubathembe Uze Ubanike Amandla NjengoYesu eku-jw.org.” UTony waqalisa ukucela abanye bamncedise kwimisebenzi ayenzayo. Yamnceda njani loo nto? Uthi: “Imisebenzi yebandla iyenziwa, nam ndinexesha elaneleyo lokuqinisa ukholo lwam.”

7. Abadala banokumlinganisa njani uGidiyon xa begxekwa? (Yakobi 3:13)

⁷ Sukucaphuka xa ugxekwa. Enye into eyenza kube nzima ukuba abadala bathobeke kuxa begxekwa. Nakule into kungabanceda ukufunda kuGidiyon. Wayezazi ukuba uyazenza iimpazamo, ngoko zange acaphuke xa wayegxekwa ngamaEfrayim. (ABagwe. 8:1-3) Zange awaphendule enomsindo. Wazithoba, wazimamela izikhalazo zawo waza wathetha nawo ngomoya ophantsi, watsho wehla umsindo wawo. Abadala abalumkileyo balinganisa uGidiyon ngokumamela kakuhle nangokuphendula ngomoya ophantsi xa begxekwa. (Funda uYakobi 3:13.) Le nto yenza kubekho uxolo ebandleni.

8. Afanele enze ntoni amadoda amiselweyo xa enconywa? Yenza umzekelo.

⁸ Lonke uzuko maluye kuYehova. Xa uGidiyon wayezukiswa ngenxa yokuba oyise amaMidiyan, wafuna ukuba abantu bazukise uYehova. (ABagwe. 8:22, 23) Amadoda amiselweyo anokumlinganisa njani uGidiyon? Anokwenza kucace ukuba nguYehova owancede akwazi ukwenza zonke izinto azenzileyo. (1 Kor. 4:6, 7) Ngokomzekelo, xa umdala kunconywa indlela afundisa ngayo, unokuchaza ukuba izinto ebezifundisa zisuka kwiLizwi likaThixo okanye atsho ukuba uncedwe zizinto azifundiswe yintlangano kaYehova. Abadala basenokuzibuza ukuba indlela abafundisa ngayo ayibatsalel’ amehlo na. Cinga ngento eyenzeka komnye umdala ekuthiwa nguTimothy. Xa wayesand’ ukumiselwa wayekuthanda ukwenza iintetho zesidlangalala. Uthi: “Ndandiye ndenze iintshayelelo nemizekelo enzima nemide. Le nto yayisenza kunconywe mna kunokuba kunconywe iBhayibhile kuze kuzukiswe uYehova.” Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uTimothy wabona ukuba makayitshintshe indlela afundisa ngayo ukuze angazitsaleli amehlo. (IMize. 27:21) Kwenzeka ntoni? Uthi: “Abantu abahlukahlukeneyo baye bandixelele indlela ebancede ngayo intetho yam bakwazi ukunyamezela ingxaki abebenayo, okanye bamthanda kakhulu uYehova. Ezi zinto zindivuyisa kakhulu kunezincomo endandizifumana kwiminyaka edlulileyo.”

9. Ziintoni ezazisenza kube nzima ukuba uGidiyon athobele aze abe nesibindi? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁹ Emva kokuba kuthiwe uGidiyon makakhokele amaSirayeli, kwafuneka ukuba athobele aze abe nesibindi. Wathunywa ukuba enze umsebenzi oyingozi wokutshabalalisa isibingelelo sikaBhahali esasakhiwe ngutata wakhe. (ABagwe. 6:25, 26) Ekuhambeni kwexesha waqokelela umkhosi kodwa uYehova wamxelela kwade kwakabini ukuba awuphungule. (ABagwe. 7:2-7) Ekugqibeleni waxelelwa ukuba ayokuhlasela inkampu yeentshaba ezinzulwini zobusuku.​—ABagwe. 7:9-11.

10. Kuxa kutheni apho kusenokuba nzima ukuba umdala athobele?

 ¹⁰ Abadala bamele ‘bakulungele ukuthobela.’ (Yak. 3:17) Umdala othobelayo ukulungele ukwenza into ethethwa zizibhalo neyalelwa yintlangano kaThixo. Xa esenza loo nto bayafunda nabanye. Kodwa kusenokuba nzima ukuba athobeke. Ngokomzekelo, kusenokuba nzima ukuba athobele imiyalelo ayifumanayo ngenxa yokuba imininzi okanye ikhawuleza itshintshe. Ngamanye amaxesha usenokuzibuza ukuba isengqiqweni na eminye imiyalelo ayifumanayo. Okanye usenokucelwa ukuba enze umsebenzi onokumenza avalelwe. Abadala banokuyilinganisa njani indlela awayethobela ngayo uGidiyon xa kusenzeka ezi zinto?

11. Yintoni enokunceda abadala bathobele?

¹¹ Yimamele kakuhle imiyalelo uze uyithobele. UThixo wamxelela uGidiyon ukuba makasitshabalalise njani isibingelelo sikatata wakhe, asakhe phi esitsha aze abingelele ngesiphi isilwanyana. UGidiyon zange alibale kukuyithandabuza le nto wayeyixelelwa, wavele wayenza. Namhlanje, intlangano kaYehova ithetha nabadala ngeeleta, izaziso nemiyalelo esinceda sihlale sikhuselekile futhi singabahlobo bakaYehova. Siyabathanda aba badala kuba bayathembeka xa besenza izinto abazixelelwa yintlangano. Lonke ibandla liyancedakala.​—INdu. 119:112.

12. Abadala banokuwasebenzisa njani amaHebhere 13:17 xa intlangano ibaxelela ukuba mabatshintshe indlela ezenziwa ngayo izinto?

¹² Kulungele ukutshintsha. Khumbula kaloku, xa uYehova wathi kuGidiyon makagoduse phantse wonke umkhosi wakhe, uGidiyon wayenza loo nto. (ABagwe. 7:8) Kungenzeka ukuba wayezibuza, ‘kunyanzelekile ukuba ndiyenze na le nto? Iza kusebenza bethu?’ Sekunjalo, uGidiyon wathobela. Namhlanje abadala bamlinganisa ngokuyithobela intlangano xa isithi mabatshintshe indlela abazenza ngayo izinto. (Funda amaHebhere 13:17.) Ngokomzekelo, ngo-2014 iQumrhu Elilawulayo layitshintsha indlela efumaneka ngayo imali yokwakha iiHolo zoBukumkani nezeeNdibano. (2 Kor. 8:12-14) Ekuqaleni, amabandla ayeyibolekwa yintlangano imali kuze kufuneke ayibhatale. Kodwa ngoku intlangano yayiza kusebenzisa iminikelo esuka kuwo onke amabandla asemhlabeni ukuze kwakhiwe iiHolo zoBukumkani nezeeNdibano naphi na apho zazifuneka khona, nokuba incinci kakhulu imali elinokunikela ngayo ibandla laloo ndawo idinga iholo. Wathi akuyiva loo nto uJosé, wathandabuza ukuba iza kusebenza esithi: ‘Soze kwakhiwe nenye iHolo yoBukumkani. Azenziwa njalo izinto kule ndawo sihlala kuyo.’ Wancedwa yintoni? Uthi: “IMizekeliso 3:5, 6 yandikhumbuza ukuba ndithembele ngoYehova. Utshintsho olwenziwe yintlangano luye lwasebenza kakuhle kakhulu. Ngaphandle kokwakha iiHolo zoBukumkani ezininzi, siye  safunda nokunikela ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ukuze onke amabandla afumane izinto ngokulinganayo.”

13. (a) Yintoni angazange ayithandabuze uGidiyon? (b) Abadala banokumlinganisa njani uGidiyon? (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

¹³ Yiba nesibindi sokwenza izinto ezithandwa nguYehova. UGidiyon wayemthobela uYehova naxa umsebenzi athi makawenze uyingozi, esoyika nokoyika. (ABagwe. 9:17) Zange athandabuze ukuba uza kubakhusela abantu bakaYehova emva kokuba uYehova emenze waqiniseka. Abadala abahlala kwiindawo ovaliweyo kuzo umsebenzi wethu balinganisa uGidiyon. Baba nesibindi sokuqhuba iintlanganiso nokukhokela entsimini nangona besenokubanjwa, baphekwe besophulwa ngemibuzo, baphelelwe yimisebenzi okanye babethwe. c Ngentlungu engathethekiyo kuza kufuneka babe nesibindi sokuthobela imiyalelo abayinikwayo nokuba isenokubafaka engozini. Loo miyalelo isenokuba yeyendlela yokushumayela ngomyalezo ofana nesichotho neyendlela esinokusinda ngayo xa kuhlasela uGogi wakwaMagogi.​—Hez. 38:18; ISityhi. 16:21.

14. Yintoni eyenza kwanzima kuGidiyon ukuba anyamezele?

¹⁴ Xa uGidiyon wayengumgwebi kwafuneka asebenze nzima. Waleqa amaMidiyan ezinzulwini zobusuku ukusuka kwintlambo iYizereli ukuya kutsho kuMlambo iYordan, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wawujikelezwe yimithi emininzi. (ABagwe. 7:22) Ngaba wema kulo mlambo? Zange eme. Ngoxa yena namadoda akhe ayi-300 babediniwe, bawuwela baqhubeka bewaleqa amaMidiyan. Bada bawafumana baza bawoyisa.​—ABagwe. 8:4-12.

15. Yintoni enokwenza kube nzima kumdala ukunyamezela?

¹⁵ Ngamanye amaxesha umdala usenokuziva edinwe kakhulu ngenxa yokuhoya ibandla nentsapho yakhe. Xa kunjalo abadala banokumlinganisa njani uGidiyon?

16-17. Yintoni eyanceda uGidiyon wakwazi ukunyamezela? Banokuqiniseka ngantoni abadala? (Isaya 40:28-31) (Jonga nomfanekiso.)

 ¹⁶ Mthembe uYehova ukuba uza kukupha amandla. UGidiyon wayemthembile uYehova ukuba uza kumpha amandla. UYehova zange amphoxe. (ABagwe. 6:14, 34) Ngenye imini uGidiyon namadoda akhe awayehamba ngeenyawo baleqa ookumkani ababini bamaMidiyan, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba babehamba ngeenkamela. (ABagwe. 8:12, 21) Kodwa uYehova wabanceda babafumana, batsho boyisa kwelo dabi. Nabadala banokuthembela ngoYehova kuba yena “akaze adinwe; engaze atyhafe.” Uza kubanika amandla abawadingayo.​—Funda uIsaya 40:28-31.

¹⁷ Khawuve into ayenzayo uMatthew okwiKomiti Yokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele. Uncedwa yintoni ukuze anyamezele? Uthi: “Ndiyibone apha kum into ethethwa kumaFilipi 4:13. Amaxesha amaninzi xa ndiphelile kukudinwa ndiye ndithandaze, ndicele uYehova andiphe amandla endiwadingayo ukuze ndikwazi ukunceda abazalwana noodade. Ngaloo maxesha ndiye ndibone ukuba umoya kaYehova undipha amandla okundinceda ndinyamezele.” NjengakuGidiyon akusoloko kulula kubadala bethu abasebenza nzima besalusa umhlambi. Bamele bathobeke, baqonde ukuba abazukwazi ukwenza yonke into abafuna ukuyenza. Banokumthemba uYehova ukuba uza kubeva xa becela ukuba abancede aze abanike amandla okunyamezela.​—INdu. 116:1; Fil. 2:13.

18. Kweli nqaku kuthiwe abadala banokumlinganisa njani uGidiyon?

¹⁸ Zininzi izinto abanokuzifunda abadala kuGidiyon. Kufuneka bathobeke, bazazi ukuba banokwenza umsebenzi ongakanani, bathobeke naxa abantu bebagxeka okanye bebancoma. Ekubeni sisondele isiphelo seli hlabathi, kufuneka bathobele babe naso nesibindi. Bamele baqiniseke ukuba uYehova uza kubanika amandla okumelana nayo nayiphi na ingxaki abasenokuba nayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo siyabathanda aba balusi basebenza nzima futhi ‘sihlala sibaxabisa.’​—Fil. 2:29.