1, 2. (a) Yeyiphi ingxaki abazali ababa nayo, yaye banokumelana njani nayo? (b) Zeziphi izinto ezine esiza kuthetha ngazo?

ESINYE isibini saseFransi sathi: “Siyakholelwa kuYehova, kodwa loo nto ayithethi kuthi nabantwana bethu baza kukholelwa kuye. Ukholo asiyonto uyifumana njengelifa kubazali bakho. Abantwana bethu baba nalo kancinane kancinane.” Omnye umzalwana waseOstreliya wabhala wathi: “Ukunceda umntwana wakho abe nokholo yeyona nto yakha yanzima. Umele usebenzise nantoni na efumanekayo ukuze umncede. Usenokucinga ukuba uwuphendule kakuhle umbuzo wakhe. Kodwa asuke akubuze kwaloo mbuzo mnye! Iimpendulo omnika zona umntwana wakho zinokumanelisa namhlanje kodwa ngomso abuye enganelisekanga. Kusenokufuneka umcacisele kwakhona ezinye izinto.”

² Ukuba ungumzali, ngaba uzibona ungenakukwazi ukufundisa nokunqwanqwada abantwana bakho ukuze babe ngamadoda namabhinqa anokholo? Yinyaniso kona ukuba, ukuba besinokuzama ngeendlela zethu, besiya kukha phantsi isitya sigcwele! (Yer. 10:23) Kodwa sinako ukuphumelela ukuba sifuna ukukhokelwa nguThixo. Nazi izinto ezine ezinokukunceda xa unceda abantwana bakho babe nokholo: (1) Bazi kakuhle. (2) Bafundise into oyikholelwayo nawe. (3) Sebenzisa imizekeliso efanelekileyo. (4) Yiba nomonde uze uthandaze.

3. Abazali banokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo kaYesu wokufundisa?

³ UYesu wayengoyiki ukubuza abafundi bakhe oko bakukholelwayo. (Mat. 16:13-15) Nawe mxelise. Xa uhleli nabantwana bakho nizipholele, bacele ukuba bachaze indlela abavakalelwa ngayo ngezinto. Loo nto iquka izinto abangaqinisekanga ngazo nabazithandabuzayo. Omnye umzalwana waseOstreliya oneminyaka eyi-15 wabhala wathi: “UTata usoloko ethetha nam ngeenkolelo zam aze andincede ndiqiqe. Udla ngokubuza athi: ‘Ithini iBhayibhile?’ ‘Ngaba uyakukholelwa oko ikutshoyo?’ ‘Kutheni ukukholelwa?’ Udla ngokufuna ndiphendule ngamazwi am, ndingaphindi into ethethwe nguye okanye nguMama. Njengokuba ndikhula, bekufuneka ndicacise ngakumbi.”

4. Kutheni abazali bengamele bayithathe kancinci imibuzo yabantwana babo? Chaza imizekelo.

⁴ Ukuba umntwana uyayithandabuza imfundiso ethile, mus’ ukumngxolisa okanye ukuzama ukuzithethelela. Mngcambazise de ayibone loo nto. Omnye utata wathi: “Ungayithathi kancinci imibuzo yomntwana wakho. Sukuyibetha ngoyaba ngokungathi yinto engabalulekanga, yaye sukuphepha ukuthetha ngento kuba nje ikwenza uzive ungakhululekanga.” Phofu, kuyanceda ukuqonda ukuba imibuzo yomntwana wakho ibonisa ukuba uyakhathala yaye ufuna ukuqonda. NoYesu wabuza imibuzo enzima xa wayeneminyaka eyi-12 ubudala. (Funda uLuka 2:46.) Omnye umfana waseDenmark oneminyaka eyi-15 ubudala ukhumbula oku: “Xa ndathi kubazali bam andiqondi ukuba sikunqulo lokwenyaniso, baye bazola, nakubeni besenokuba babothukile. Bayiphendula yonke imibuzo yam ngeBhayibhile.”

5. Abazali banokubonisa njani ukuba abalubethi ngoyaba ukholo lwabantwana babo?

⁵ Bazi kakuhle abantwana bakho—indlela abacinga ngayo, iimvakalelo zabo, nezinto ezibaxhalabisayo. Sukuvele ucinge ukuba banalo ukholo kuba nje besiya nawe ezintlanganisweni zamaKristu nasentsimini. Yiba neencoko zeBhayibhile nabo xa nisenza imisebenzi ethile kunye. Thandaza nabo uze ubathandazele. Zama ukwazi izinto ezivavanya ukholo lwabo, uze ubancede bamelane nazo.

6. Xa abazali beyifundisisa iBhayibhile, loo nto ibanceda njani bafundise abantwana babo?

⁶ UYesu wayengumfundisi owayefikelela iintliziyo kuba wayemthanda uYehova, iLizwi lakhe nabantu. (Luka 24:32; Yoh. 7:46) Xa abazali bebonisa uthando olufanayo, baya kutsho bakwazi ukufikelela iintliziyo zabantwana babo. (Funda iDuteronomi 6:5-8; Luka 6:45.) Ngoko bazali, yifundisiseni iBhayibhile neencwadi zethu ezisekelwe kuyo. Zimiseleni ukuyazi indalo nize nifunde ngayo nakumanqaku akwiincwadi zethu. (Mat. 6:26, 28) Xa nisenza ngaloo ndlela, ulwazi lwenu luya kukhula, nimxabise ngakumbi uYehova, nize nikwazi ukufundisa abantwana benu.—Luka 6:40.

7, 8. Xa umzali eyibethelele entliziyweni yakhe inyaniso, uya kufuna ukwenza ntoni? Zekelisa.

⁷ Xa inyaniso uyibethelele entliziyweni yakho, uya kufuna ukuncokola ngayo nentsapho. Ncokola nayo nangaliphi na ixesha, kungekhona xa nilungiselela iintlanganiso okanye kunqulo lwentsapho kuphela. Ezo ncoko azimele zinyanzeliswe kodwa zimele zizenzekele, zibe yinto yamihla le. Esinye isibini saseMerika sisoloko sithetha ngoYehova xa intsapho yaso ibona indalo okanye isitya kunye. Sithi: “Siye sibakhumbuze abantwana bethu ngendlela uYehova asithanda ngayo nangendlela asikhathalele ngayo ngokusinika ezo zinto.”  Xa esinye isibini saseMzantsi Afrika silima igadi kunye nabantwana baso, siye sibaxelele ngendlela imbewu eye ikhule ngayo ngokungummangaliso ibe sisityalo. Sithi: “Siye sizame ukuzenza zizixabise iintombi zethu izinto eziphilayo nendlela ezintsonkothe ngayo.”

⁸ Wathi unyana womnye utata waseOstreliya akuba malunga neminyaka elishumi, wasiwa nguyise emyuziyam ukuze omeleze ukholo lwakhe kuThixo nakwindalo. Uthi lo tata: “Apho sabona izilwanyana zaselwandle zakudala. Yasothusa into yokuba kanti zazintle kangako ezi zilwanyana zingasekhoyo, zazintsonkothile yaye zigqibelele ngendlela efanayo nezanamhlanje. Ngoko ke, ukuba izinto eziphilayo zivele kwizinto ekulula ukuziqonda zaza zatshintsha zantsonkotha, kutheni ke zona ezi zilwanyana zakudala zazisele zintsonkothile? Oko sakufundayo kwasishiya sibambe ongezantsi nonyana wam.”

9. Kutheni imizekeliso ifundisa, ibe omnye umama wayisebenzisa njani?

⁹ UYesu wayesoloko esebenzisa imizekeliso eyayibangela umntu acinge, eyayifikelela intliziyo, neyayikhumbuleka. (Mat. 13:34, 35) Abantwana bayathanda ukuba nombono wezinto abazicingayo. Ngoko bazali, sebenzisani imizekeliso kangangoko kunokwenzeka xa nibafundisa. Omnye umama waseJapan wasebenzisa yona. Xa oonyana bakhe ababini babeneminyaka esibhozo nelishumi, wabafundisa ngeegesi ezisemoyeni nangendlela uYehova aye wazenza kakuhle ngayo. Ukuze abafundise oko, wabanika ubisi, iswekile nekofu waza wacela ngamnye kubo ukuba bamenzele ikofu. Uthi: “Bayenza ngocoselelo. Xa ndababuza ukuba kutheni beyenza ngaloo ndlela, bathi sifuna ibe kanye ngendlela oyithanda ngayo. Ndabacacisela ukuba uYehova wazixuba kakuhle iigesi ezisemoyeni ukuze zilungele thina.” Loo mzekeliso wawuqondakala kubantwana abalingana nabo, yaye wabenza banomdla, nto leyo mhlawumbi ebingenakwenzeka ukuba ndandibafundise ngaphandle kwawo. Ngokuqinisekileyo, zange bayilibale into abayifundayo!

10, 11. (a) Yeyiphi imizekeliso onokuyisebenzisa ukuze uncede umntwana wakho abe nokholo kuThixo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yeyiphi imizekeliso oyisebenzisileyo yaza yakunceda?

¹⁰ Usenokusebenzisa imiyalelo yendlela yokubhaka ukuze uncede umntwana abe nokholo kuThixo. Unokuyisebenzisa njani? Xa ugqib’ ukubhaka, usenokucacisa ukuba ikuncede njani loo miyalelo xa ububhaka. Emva koko mnike isiqhamo, mhlawumbi iapile uze umbuze: “Ngaba ubusazi ukuba ikho indlela yokulenza eli apile?” Lisike phakathi uze umnike ipeta yalo. Unokumxelela ukuba imiyalelo yokulenza yabhalwa kwipeta yalo, kodwa yona ayifani nemiyalelo yokubhaka ekulula ukuyiqonda. Usenokumbuza uthi: “Ukuba kukho umntu oze nemiyalelo yendlela yokubhaka, ngubani oze nendlela entsonkothe  kangaka yokwenza iapile?” Umntwana omdadlana, unokumcacisela ukuba indlela yokwenza iapile, phofu umthi wonke elikhule kuwo, ithathwe kwinkcazelo ekwiDNA. Unokufunda nomntwana wakho eminye imizekeliso ekwincwadana enomxholo othi, The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking kwiphepha 10 ukuya ku-20.

¹¹ Abazali abaninzi bayakuthanda ukuncokola nabantwana babo ngamanqaku akuVukani! anomxholo othi, “Ngaba Yadalwa?” Abanye bawasebenzisa ukuze bafundise abantwana babo abancinci izinto ezilula. Ngokomzekelo, esinye isibini saseDenmark safanisa inqwelo-moya nentaka. Sathi: “Inqwelo-moya iyafana nentaka. Kodwa ngaba inokukwazi ukubeka iqanda kuze kuphume inqwelo-moya encinane kulo? Ngaba intaka kufuneka ibe nendlela ethile yokuhla njengenqwelo-moya? Ubunokukhetha eyiphi, ingxolo yenqwelo-moya okanye ukuntyiloza kwentaka? Ngubani oyena ukrelekrele, ngumenzi wenqwelo-moya okanye nguMdali wentaka?” Ukuthetha ngolo hlobo nomntwana nokumbuza imibuzo, kuya kukhulisa ‘amandla akhe okucinga’ kuze kumenze akholelwe kuThixo.—IMize. 2:10-12.

12. Imizekeliso inokubanceda njani abantwana bayikholelwe iBhayibhile?

¹² Imizekeliso efanelekileyo inokumenza umntwana akholelwe ukuba iBhayibhile ichanile. Ngokomzekelo, jonga uYobhi 26:7. (Mfunde.) Unokumnceda njani abone ukuba esi sibhalo siphefumlelwe? Kulula ukusuka umxelele nje. Kodwa kutheni ungamncedi azibonele ngokwakhe? Mxelele ukuba ngexesha aweyephila ngalo uYobhi zazingekho iiteleskopu neenqwelo ezihamba emajukujukwini. Umntwana wakho makabonise indlela ekunokuba nzima ngayo ukuba, into enkulu njengomhlaba ikwazi ukuma emoyeni ingaxhaswa nto. Usenokusebenzisa ibhola okanye ilitye ukubonisa ukuba izinto ezinobunzima azikwazi ukuma nje emoyeni, kungabikho nto izixhasayo. Eso sifundo siya kubethelela emntwaneni wakho ukuba uYehova wakuxela oku kwakudala eBhayibhileni, ngaphambi kokuba abantu beze nobungqina.—Neh. 9:6.

13, 14. Abazali banokuyibethelela njani indlela enceda ngayo imigaqo yeBhayibhile kubantwana babo?

¹³ Kubaluleke kakhulu ukubethelela indlela enceda ngayo imigaqo yeBhayibhile kubantwana bakho. (Funda iNdumiso 1:1-3.) Zininzi iindlela onokukwenza ngayo oku. Ngokomzekelo, masithi abantwana bakho kufuneka baye kwisiqithi esisemagqagaleni, ibe kufuneka bakhethe abantu abaza kuhlala nabo apho. Babuze, “Zeziphi iimpawu umntu ngamnye amele abe nazo ukuze bahlale ngoxolo nakakuhle?” Unokuncokola nabo nangomyalelo wobulumko ochazwe kwabaseGalati 5:19-23.

¹⁴ Loo mzekeliso unokubafundisa izinto ezimbini ezibalulekileyo. Eyokuqala, imigaqo kaThixo yenza kubekho uxolo lokwenene nemvisiswano. Okwesibini, uYehova usifundisa ngoku ukuze sikwazi ukuphila kwihlabathi elitsha. (Isa. 54:13; Yoh. 17:3) Unokuqwela ngokukhetha amava kwenye yeencwadi zethu. Inokuba lelinye lamanqaku athi “IBhayibhile Iyabutshintsha Ubomi Babantu,” akwiMboniselo. Okanye ukuba kukho umntu ebandleni lakho oye wabutshintsha ubomi bakhe kuba efuna ukukholisa uYehova, ungammema ukuze anibalisele amava akhe. Imizekelo enjalo iyenza iphile imigaqo yeBhayibhile!—Heb. 4:12.

15. Yintoni ofanele ufune ukuyiphumeza xa ufundisa abantwana bakho?

¹⁵ Ingongoma yile: Xa ufundisa abantwana bakho, sukusebenzisa indlela enye  eza kubadika. Cinga nangezinye iindlela onokuzisebenzisa. Benze bacinge, ubalinganisele ngokobudala babo. Yenza kube mnandi ukufunda, komeleze nokholo lwabo. Omnye utata wathi: “Qhubeka ukhangela iindlela ezintsha zokubafundisa imibandela ekudala nithetha ngayo.”

16. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba nomonde xa ufundisa abantwana? Zekelisa.

¹⁶ Kufuneka umoya kaThixo ukuze ube nokholo oluqinileyo. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Njengesiqhamo, luthatha ixesha ukuze lukhule. Ngoko kuza kufuneka ube nomonde kwaye ungancami xa ufundisa abantwana bakho. Omnye utata waseJapan onabantwana ababini wathi: “Mna nomkam sasibahoye ngeyona ndlela abantwana bethu. Besebancinci, ndandibafundela kangangemizuzu eyi-15 mihla le, ngaphandle kwaxa ilusuku lokuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Kwakungeyonto inzima kuthi nakubo ukubafundela imizuzu eyi-15.” Omnye umveleli wesiphaluka wabhala wathi: “Xa ndandifikisa, ndandinemibuzo namathandabuzo amaninzi endandingathethi ngawo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, emininzi yayo yaphendulwa ezintlanganisweni, kunqulo lwentsapho nakufundisiso lobuqu. Yiloo nto kubalulekile ukuba abazali baqhubeke nje bona bebafundisa abantwana babo.”

17. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba ngumzali ongumzekelo, yaye esinye isibini sazimisela njani iintombi zaso loo mzekelo?

¹⁷ Enye yezinto ezibalulekileyo kukuba ngumzekelo kubantwana bakho. Abantwana bakho baya kuyibona into oyenzayo, yaye baya kwenza kakuhle ukuba ubamisela umzekelo omhle. Ngenxa yoko, njengomzali qhubeka uqinisa ukholo lwakho. Mababone ukuba uYehova unguThixo ophilayo kuwe. Xa isibini saseBermuda sikhathazwa yinto, sithandaza nabantwana baso kuYehova sicele ukhokelo, size sibakhuthaze nabo ukuba bathandaze. Esi sibini sithi: “Sidla ngokuthi kwintombi yethu enkulu, ‘Mthembe ngokupheleleyo uYehova, xakeka ngumsebenzi wokushumayela, uze ungaxhalabi kakhulu.’ Xa ibona umphumo, iye iqonde ukuba uYehova uyasinceda. Loo nto iyenze yakholelwa ngakumbi kuThixo naseBhayibhileni.”

18. Yintoni ebalulekileyo abazali abamele bayiqonde?

¹⁸ Kodwa ke, ekugqibeleni abantwana kuza kufuneka bazimele ngenkqayi elangeni. Abazali bangatyala baze bankcenkceshele. Kodwa nguThixo kuphela okhulisayo. (1 Kor. 3:6) Ngoko thandazela umoya wakhe, uze usebenze nzima uqeqesha abantwana bakho. Xa usenza oko, uYehova uya kukusikelela.—Efe. 6:4.