1. IBhayibhile idla ngokukuchaza njani ukuqeqesha?

UCINGA ntoni xa usiva igama elithi “ingqeqesho”? Mhlawumbi ukhawuleza ucinge ngesohlwayo, kodwa ukuqeqesha akupheleli nje kwisohlwayo. EBhayibhileni kuthethwa kakuhle ngokuqeqesha, ngamanye amaxesha kubalwa kunye nolwazi, ubulumko, uthando nobomi. (IMize. 1:2-7; 4:11-13) Kaloku uThixo usiqeqesha kuba esithanda kwaye efuna sifumane ubomi obungenasiphelo. (Heb. 12:6) Nangona ngamanye amaxesha uThixo xa esiqeqesha eye asohlwaye, akasixhaphazi ibe akakhohlakalanga. Nyhani ke, eyona nto ithethwa ligama elithi “ingqeqesho” kukufundisa, njengaxa umzali ekhulisa umntwana wakhe amthandayo.

2, 3. Kutheni ingqeqesho isenokuthetha ukufundisa nokohlwaya? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

² Nanku umzekelo: Inkwenkwana ekuthiwa nguJohnny idlala ibhola endlwini. Umama wakhe uyamnqanda athi: “Johnny uyayazi ibhola ayidlalwa endlwini! Uza kophula izinto zam.” UJohnny akamhoyi umama wakhe, uyaqhubeka edlala aze ophule ivazi. Umama wakhe uza kumqeqesha njani? Ukumqeqesha kunokuthetha ukumfundisa nokumohlwaya. Xa emfundisa, usenokumbonisa ukuba kutheni le nto  ayenzileyo imbi. Umbonisa ukuba kububulumko ukuthobela abazali, amcacisele ukuba imithetho ayibekileyo iyafuneka kwaye ayinzimanga. Ukuze ayibethelele le nto amfundisa yona, usenokumohlwaya ngendlela emfaneleyo. Ngokomzekelo usenokuyithatha ibhola kaJohnny, amnike ngenye imini. Loo nto inokumenza abone ukuba ukungathobeli kunemiphumo.

³ Njengamalungu ebandla lamaKristu, nathi siyinxalenye yendlu kaThixo. (1 Tim. 3:15) Ngoko siyayamkela into yokuba uYehova unegunya lokusibekela imithetho nelokusohlwaya xa singayithobeli. Ngaphezu koko, xa izenzo zethu ziye zanemiphumo emibi, ingqeqesho yakhe isikhumbuza indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukummamela uBawo wethu osezulwini. (Gal. 6:7) UThixo usithanda kakhulu ibe akafuni sive kabuhlungu.—1 Pet. 5:6, 7.

4. (a) Yingqeqesho enjani uYehova ayisikelelayo? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyifunda kweli nqaku?

⁴ Xa siqeqesha ngeBhayibhile, singakwazi ukufundisa umntwana okanye isifundo seBhayibhile indlela yokuba ngumlandeli kaKristu. ILizwi LikaThixo, lisesona sixhobo sifundisa ngaso, esisinceda ‘siqeqeshe’ kakuhle. Ngoko umntwana okanye isifundo seBhayibhile sinokuncedwa siqonde ibe ‘sizigcine zonke izinto uYesu asiyalele zona.’ (2 Tim. 3:16; Mat. 28:19, 20) UYehova uyayisikelela le ndlela yokuqeqesha kuba iyazinceda izifundo nazo zikwazi ukwenza abanye abafundi bakaKristu. (Funda uTito 2:11-14.) Ngoku masiphendule le mibuzo mithathu ibalulekileyo: (1) Ingqeqesho kaThixo ibonisa njani ukuba uyasithanda? (2) Sifunda ntoni kwabo baye baqeqeshwa nguThixo? (3) Sinokumxelisa njani uYehova noNyana wakhe xa siqeqesha abanye?

5. Indlela asiqeqesha ngayo uYehova ibonisa njani ukuba uyasithanda?

⁵ Ngenxa yokuba esithanda, uYehova uyasilungisa, asifundise aze asiqeqeshe kuba efuna sihlale sisondele kuye size siphile ngonaphakade. (1 Yoh. 4:16) Akasihlazi okanye asithuke, asenze sizive singeyonto. (IMize. 12:18) Endaweni yoko, uYehova usiphatha ngesidima, asicenge ukuba senze izinto ngendlela eyiyo, aze alihlonele ilungelo lethu lokuzikhethela. Ngaba yindlela wena oyijonga ngayo ingqeqesho kaThixo, enoba usebenzisa iLizwi lakhe, iincwadi zentlangano, abazali okanye abadala? Xa abadala bezama ukusilungisa ngomoya omhle nangothando xa ‘siqutyulwe sisiphoso,’ mhlawumbi singazi, sukube uYehova ebonisa ukuba uyasithanda.—Gal. 6:1.

6. Sibona njani ukuba uThixo uyasithanda xa umntu ebekelwa imiqathango ebandleni?

⁶ Ngamanye amaxesha ingqeqesho ayipheleli nje ekubeni unqandwe kwinto oyenzayo. Xa umntu enze isono esinzulu unokuyekiswa ezinye izinto ebezenza ebandleni. Naxa kunjalo, loo ngqeqesho ibonisa indlela asithanda ngayo uThixo. Ngokomzekelo, xa umntu eyekisiwe, loo nto inokumnceda abone ukuba kubalulekile ukuba abe nexesha elingakumbi lokufunda iBhayibhile, acingisise ngezinto azifundileyo aze athandaze. Ngoko unokutsho asondele ngakumbi kuThixo. (INdu. 19:7) Emva kwexesha, loo misebenzi ebeyiyekisiwe unokuphinda ayenze. Nokususwa kubudlelane kubonisa ukuba uYehova uyasithanda, kuba kukhusela ibandla kwifuthe elibi. (1 Kor. 5:6, 7, 11) UThixo usiqeqesha ngendlela efanelekileyo, ngoko xa umntu esusiwe unokutsho aqonde indlela esinzulu ngayo isono sakhe aze aguquke.—IZe. 3:19. 

7. Wayengubani uShebhena, ibe yintoni eyayimbi ngaye?

⁷ Ukuze siqonde indlela ebaluleke ngayo ingqeqesho, siza kuthetha ngabantu ababini uYehova awabaqeqeshayo. Owokuqala nguShebhena, owayephila ngexesha likaKumkani uHezekiya, omnye ngumzalwana ogama linguGraham. Kubonakala ngathi uShebhena wayephethe indlu kaHezekiya, ngoko wayenegunya. (Isa. 22:15) Okubuhlungu kukuba, waziphakamisa waza wafuna abantu bacinge ukuba ubalulekile. Wazenzela ingcwaba elinexabiso eliphezulu, ibe wayekhwela “iinqwelo zozuko”!—Isa. 22:16-18.

8. UYehova wamqeqesha njani uShebhena, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?

⁸ Ngenxa yokuba uShebhena wayefuna ukuzukiswa, uThixo ‘wamsusa kwisigxina sakhe’ waza endaweni yakhe wabeka uEliyakim. (Isa. 22:19-21) Le nto yenzeka xa uKumkani uSenaribhe waseAsiriya wayelungiselela ukuhlasela iYerusalem. Kamva lo kumkani wathumela abameli bakhe nomkhosi omkhulu eYerusalem, ukuze atyhafise amaYuda aze oyikise uHezekiya ukuze anikezele. (2 Kum. 18:17-25) UEliyakim wathunywa ukuba aye kuthetha nabo bameli, kodwa wayengahambi yedwa. Wayehamba nabantu ababini, omnye wabo inguShebhena, ngoku owayengunobhala. Ngaba oku akubonisi ukuba uShebhena akazange abe nenzondo kwaye aqumbe, kodwa wazithoba, wamkela eminye imisebenzi ephantsi? Sifunda ntoni kuloo nto? Nazi izinto ezintathu esizifundayo.

9-11. (a) Zeziphi izinto ezibalulekileyo esizifunda kwinto eyenzeka kuShebhena? (b) Ikukhuthaza njani indlela uYehova awamphatha ngayo uShebhena?

⁹ Okokuqala, uShebhena wathotywa kwisikhundla awayekuso. Ngoko le nto yenzeka kuye iyasilumkisa ukuba “ikratshi liphambi kokuwa, yaye umoya wekratshi uphambi kokukhubeka.” (IMize. 16:18) Ukuba unikwe isikhundla ebandleni, mhlawumbi esikwenza waziwe ngabazalwana, ngaba uza kuzijonga njengomntu obalulekileyo? Ngaba uza kuzukisa uYehova ngazo naziphi iziphiwo onazo okanye izinto ozenzileyo? (1 Kor. 4:7) Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Ndixelela wonk’ ubani apho phakathi kwenu ukuba angazicingeli ngaphezu koko amelwe kukuzicingela ngako; kodwa makacinge khon’ ukuze abe nengqondo ephilileyo.”—Roma 12:3.

¹⁰ Okwesibini, xa uYehova wayesohlwaya uShebhena ngendlela eqatha, wayengamthathi njengomntu  oncanyiweyo. (IMize. 3:11, 12) Ininzi into enokufundwa ngabazalwana abaye bathotywa kwizikhundla abebekuzo ebandleni likaThixo! Kunokuba babe nomsindo okanye baqumbe, mabaqhubeke bekhonza uThixo kangangoko imeko yabo ibavumela, basithathe eso sohlwayo njengendlela uYehova ababonisa ngayo ukuba uyabathanda. Masikhumbule ukuba, uBawo wethu soze asijonge njengabantu bokuncanywa ukuba siyazithoba kuye. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:6, 7.) Ingqeqesho yindlela uYehova asibumba ngayo, ngoko masihlale sithambile ezandleni zakhe.

¹¹ Okwesithathu, indlela uYehova awamphatha ngayo uShebhena ibafundisa okuthile abo banikwe igunya lokohlwaya, njengabazali nabadala. Yintoni leyo? Ibonisa ukuba nangona uYehova esicaphukela isono, uyamcingela nomoni. Ukuba ungumzali okanye ungumdala, kwaye kufuneka wohlwaye umntu, funda kuYehova. Caphukela isono, kodwa uzibone nezinto ezintle kumntwana wakho okanye umzalwana wakho.—Yude 22, 23.

12-14. (a) Abanye abazalwana baye benze ntoni xa bohlwaywe nguThixo? (b) Omnye umzalwana watshintshwa njani liLizwi LikaThixo, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?

¹² Abanye abazalwana abayeki ukuba buhlungu kwaye bayabhekela kuThixo nakubantu bakhe emva kokuba bohlwayiwe. (Heb. 3:12, 13) Ngaba loo nto ithetha ukuba abanakuncedakala? Ngokomzekelo, uGraham wasuswa kubudlelane, ethubeni wabuyiselwa, waza emva koko waphola. Emva kweminyaka ethile, wacela ukufundelwa ngomnye umdala owayeye wazisondeza kuye, waba ngumhlobo wakhe.

¹³ Lo mdala uthi: “UGraham wayenekratshi. Wayegxeka abadala ababechophele ityala lakhe baza bamsusa kubudlelane. Ngenxa yoko, safunda iZibhalo ezithetha ngekratshi kunye nemiphumo yalo. UGraham waqalisa ukuzibona umntu anguye kwiLizwi LikaThixo elisisipili, ibe wafuna ukutshintsha! Umphumo wokuzihlola kwakhe wawumangalisa! Emva kokuyamkela into yokuba wayephazanyiswa ‘ngumqadi’ olikratshi nokuba eyona ngxaki yayikukuthanda kwakhe ukugxeka, watshintsha ngoko nangoko. Waqalisa ukuya qho kwiintlanganiso, wafunda iLizwi LikaThixo, waza wathandaza yonke imihla. Wazenza nezinto ekwakufanele ukuba uyazenza njengentloko-ntsapho, ibe loo nto yayivuyisa inkosikazi nabantwana bakhe.”—Luka 6:41, 42; Yak. 1:23-25.

¹⁴ Lo mdala uphinda uthi: “Ngenye imini, uGraham wandixelela into endingasoze ndiyilibale. Wathi kum, ‘Kudala ndisenyanisweni, ibe ndikhe ndanguye novulindlela. Kodwa ngoku ndimthanda nyhani uYehova.’ Kungekudala wacelwa ukuba ahambise imibhobho yesandisi-lizwi kwiHolo YoBukumkani, ibe wayivuyela nyhani loo nto. Imeko yakhe yandifundisa ukuba, xa umntu ezithoba kuThixo ngokuthi asamkele isohlwayo, zivele zizehlele nje iintsikelelo kuye!”

15. Yintoni esimele siyenze ukuze sifikelele iintliziyo zabantu xa sibaqeqesha?

¹⁵ Ukuze umntu afundise kakuhle, kufuneka naye abe kanti ungumfundi ophume izandla. (1 Tim. 4:15, 16) Ngokufanayo ke, abantu abanikwe nguYehova igunya lokuqeqesha abanye bamele baqhubeke bemthobela nabo. Xa bezithoba kuye, batsho bahlonelwe kwaye babe nenkululeko yokuthetha xa beqeqesha okanye belungisa abantu. Siza kuyibona loo nto kumzekelo kaYesu.

16. Yintoni esiyifunda kuYesu ngendlela efanelekileyo yokuqeqesha nokufundisa abantu?

 ¹⁶ UYesu wayesoloko emthobela uYise naxa kunzima kakhulu. (Mat. 26:39) Wayebaxelela abantu ukuba izinto azifundisayo nobulumko anabo ubunikwe nguYise. (Yoh. 5:19, 30) Ngenxa yokuba wayethobekile kwaye ethobela, wathandeka kubantu abanyanisekileyo, ibe wayenovelwano nobubele xa efundisa abantu. (Funda uMateyu 11:29.) Amazwi akhe akhuthazayo abaqinisa abantu ababefana nengcongolo eyaphukileyo nomsonto wesibane seoli esisele siza kucima. (Mat. 12:20) UYesu wayesiba nobubele nothando naxa abantu besenza izinto ezimcaphukisayo. Loo nto siyibona xa wayelungisa abapostile bakhe ababezicingela bodwa nababethanda izikhundla.—Marko 9:33-37; Luka 22:24-27.

17. Yintoni eza kunceda abadala baphumelele xa besalusa umhlambi kaThixo?

¹⁷ Wonke umntu onikwe igunya lokuqeqesha abantu ngeZibhalo uya kuba ulumkile xa esenza ngendlela awenza ngayo uKristu. Loo nto iya kubonisa ukuba uyafuna ukubunjwa nguThixo nanguNyana wakhe. Umpostile uPetros wabhala wathi: “Waluseni umhlambi kaThixo eniwunyamekelayo, kungengakunyanzelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela; kungekhona ngokuthanda inzuzo yokunganyaniseki, kodwa ngentumekelelo; ningabi ziinkosi phezu kwabo balilifa likaThixo, kodwa yibani yimizekelo emhlambini.” (1 Pet. 5:2-4) Nyhani ke, abadala abamthobela bevuya uThixo noKristu, intloko yebandla, abancedi bona bodwa, banceda nabo bangaphantsi kwabo.—Isa. 32:1, 2, 17, 18.

18. (a) UYehova ufuna benze ntoni abazali? (b) Ubanceda njani bayenze loo nto?

¹⁸ Le migaqo iyasebenza nasentsatsheni. Iintloko-ntsapho zixelelwa le nto: “Musani ukubacaphukisa abantwana benu, kodwa qhubekani nibakhulisela kwingqeqesho nasekweyiselweni kwengqondo kuYehova.” (Efe. 6:4) Ibaluleke kangakanani le nto? IMizekeliso 19:18 iyabachazela abazali ukuba ‘bambethe unyana wabo ngoxa kusekho ithemba’ ukuze bangabekwa tyala ngokufa kwakhe. Abazali abangamaKristu baya kuba netyala kuYehova ukuba abamqeqeshi umntwana wabo! (1 Sam. 3:12-14) Kodwa ke, uYehova uyabanika abazali ubulumko namandla abawadingayo xa bethandaza kuye baze bamcele, naxa befuna ukukhokelwa liLizwi lakhe nangumoya oyingcwele.—Funda uYakobi 1:5.

19, 20. (a) Usikelelwa ngantoni umntu xa evuma ukuqeqeshwa nguThixo? (b) Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁹ Zininzi kakhulu iintsikelelo esizifumanayo xa sisamkela ukuqeqeshwa nguThixo naxa siqeqesha abanye abantu ngendlela kaYehova nekaYesu. Kubakho uxolo ezintsatsheni nasemabandleni. Abazalwana noodade baye babone iintsikelelo zexesha elizayo, bazive bethandwa, bexatyiswa, kwaye bekhuselekile. (INdu. 72:7) Ngokwenene asibaxi xa sisithi ingqeqesho kaYehova isifundisa indlela yokuhlala ngoxolo nangemvisiswano, siyintsapho enye ephantsi kwakhe njengotata. (Funda uIsaya 11:9.) Xa siyijonga ngolu hlobo ingqeqesho kaThixo, kuza kuba lula ukuba siyibone iyile nto kanye iyiyo: ubugqina bokuba uThixo usithanda ngeyona ndlela!

²⁰ Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuthetha ngezinye iinkalo zengqeqesho, entsatsheni nasebandleni. Siza kuthetha nangendlela yokuziqeqesha nangeyona nto inkulu ngaphezu kwentlungu ebangelwa kukohlwaywa.