1. Ngobusuku bokugqibela bangaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wathetha ngantoni nabafundi bakhe?

NGOBUSUKU bokugqibela nabafundi bakhe, uYesu wathetha ngothando izihlandlo eziphantse zibe yi-30. Eyona nto wayebaxelela yona kukuba bamele ‘bathandane.’ (Yoh. 15:12, 17) Babeza kubonakala ngokuthandana ukuba bangabalandeli bakhe nyhani. (Yoh. 13:34, 35) Uthando awayethetha ngalo uYesu ayilothando nje, kodwa lolokuba abalandeli bakhe bade bafelane ukuba kunokwenzeka. Wathi: “Akukho bani unothando olukhulu kunolu, lokuba uthile anikezele umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe. Ningabahlobo bam ukuba nenza oko ndiniyalela kona.”​—Yoh. 15:13, 14.

2. (a) Baziwa njani abakhonzi bakaThixo? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

² Namhlanje abakhonzi bakaYehova baziwa ngolu thando nomanyano. (1 Yoh. 3:10, 11) Kungakhathaliseki ukuba ngabaluphi uhlanga, bathetha luphi ulwimi okanye bavela phi, bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova bayathandana! Kodwa sisenokuzibuza: ‘Kutheni lubaluleke kangaka olu thando namhlanje?  UYehova noYesu basikhuthaza njani beqhutywa luthando? Sinokulubonisa njani olu thando xa sithuthuzela naxa sisomeleza abazalwana bethu?’​—1 Kor. 8:1.

3. La ‘maxesha amanqam’ abangela ukuba abantu benze ntoni?

³ Kweli ‘xesha lamanqam’ abantu abaninzi basezintlungwini ngenxa yokuba ubomi ‘buneengxaki neenkathazo.’ (INdu. 90:10; 2 Tim. 3:1-5) Abantu abaninzi bade bacinge ngokuzibulala. Kuqikelelwa ukuba nyaka ngamnye abantu abangaphezu kwe-800 000 bayazibulala. Qho ngemizuzwana eyi-40 umntu omnye uyazibulala. Okubuhlungu kukuba, namanye amaKristu aye azibulala ngenxa yezi ntlungu.

4. Ngoobani abakhonzi bakaYehova ababefuna ukufa?

⁴ Abanye abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaThixo bakha baneengxaki ezinzima kangangokuba bade bafuna ukufa. Ngokomzekelo, uYobhi owayegcuma ziintlungu wathi: “Ndibugatyile [ubomi bam]; andiyi kuphila ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (Yobhi 7:16; 14:13) UYona waphoxeka kakhulu yindlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo kangangokuba wathi: “Khawuncede, Yehova, uwuthabathe kum umphefumlo wam, kuba kulunge ngakumbi ukufa kum kunokuphila.” (Yona 4:3) Kanti nomprofeti othembekileyo uEliya wakha waziva engento yanto kangangokuba wade wacela ukufa. Wathi: “Kwanele! Owu Yehova, wuthabathe umphefumlo wam.” (1 Kum. 19:4) Sekunjalo, uYehova wayebathanda aba bakhonzi bakhe bathembekileyo, ibe wayengafuni bafe. Endaweni yokuba abohlwaye ngenxa yendlela ababeziva ngayo, wabanceda bayeka ukufuna ukufa waza wabakhuthaza ngothando ukuze baqhubeke bemkhonza ngokuthembeka.

5. Kutheni abazalwana noodadewethu befuna ukukhuthazwa, ingakumbi kula maxesha?

⁵ Kwanokuba abazalwana noodadewethu abade bafune ukufa, kodwa abaninzi baneengxaki ezinkulu ezifuna ukuba sibakhuthaze siqhutywa luthando. Abanye banyamezele intshutshiso nokuhlekwa. Abanye bayagxekwa emisebenzini okanye kuxokwe ngabo. Mhlawumbi badiniwe ngenxa yokusebenza nzima, okanye kuba befuna ukuwugqiba ngexesha umsebenzi. Abanye baneengxaki ezinkulu zomtshato. Mhlawumbi batshate nabantu abangengomaNgqina abasoloko bebagxeka. Ezi zinto nezinye, zibangela ukuba abaninzi ebandleni bazive bengenamandla kwaye bephantsi. Ngubani onokubakhuthaza?

6. UYehova ubakhuthaza njani abakhonzi bakhe?

⁶ UYehova ukhuthaza abakhonzi bakhe ngokubaqinisekisa ukuba akasoze ayeke ukubathanda. Amele ukuba awakhuthaza nyhani amaSirayeli la mazwi kaYehova: “Uxabisekile yaye ubekekile emehlweni am, mna ke ndikuthandile. . . . Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe”! (Isa. 43:4, 5) Nawe mkhonzi kaYehova, qiniseka ukuba uYehova ukuthanda kakhulu. * Ilizwi lakhe lithembisa bonke abantu abamnqula ngokunyanisekileyo lisithi: “NjengaLowo unamandla,  uya kusindisa. Uya kugcoba ngawe enemihlali.”​—Zef. 3:16, 17.

7. Indlela uYehova asithanda ngayo ifana njani neyomama oncancisayo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

⁷ UYehova uthembisa ukuba kuzo zonke izilingo abadibana nazo abantu bakhe, uza kubaxhasa aze abathuthuzele. Uza kubancancisa, abafunqule ababeke esinqeni, uza kubakhathalela kanobom, njengomama othuthuzela unyana wakhe. (Isa. 66:12, 13) Khawucinge indlela usana oluziva lukhuseleke ngayo xa umama elufunqule okanye edlala nalo. UYehova uyibonisa kakuhle indlela abathanda nabakhusela ngayo abakhonzi bakhe. Ungaze uyithandabuze into yokuba uYehova uyakuthanda.​—Yer. 31:3.

8, 9. Uthando lukaYesu lunokusomeleza njani?

⁸ Nasi esinye isizathu esibangela ukuba amaKristu aqiniseke ukuba uThixo uyawathanda: “Walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani obonisa ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yoh. 3:16) UYesu wabonisa ukuba uyasithanda ngokunikela ngobomi bakhe ngenxa yethu. Uthando lwakhe lusikhuthaza kakhulu. ILizwi LikaThixo lisithembisa ukuba akukho ‘mbandezelo okanye inkxwaleko’ eya kuze ‘isahlule eluthandweni lukaKristu.’​—Roma 8:35, 38, 39.

⁹ Xa sizamazamana nezilingo ezisigqib’ amandla neziphelisa uvuyo lwethu ekukhonzeni uYehova, uthando lukaKristu lunokusinika amandla okunyamezela. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 5:14, 15.) Uthando lukaYesu lunamandla okusomeleza nokusenza singanikezeli xa sisehlelwa ziintlekele, sitshutshiswa, siphoxeka okanye sifunyenwe ngamaxhala obu bomi.

10, 11. Ngubani omele akhuthaze abazalwana noodade abaziva bephantsi? Cacisa.

¹⁰ Ibandla yenye yeendlela uYehova asikhuthaza ngazo eqhutywa luthando. Xa sibathanda abazalwana noodadewethu, sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda uYehova. Senza konke okusemandleni  ethu ukuze sibancede baqonde ukuba uYehova uyabathanda. (1 Yoh. 4:19-21) Umpostile uPawulos wathi kumaKristu: “Hlalani nithuthuzelana yaye nisakhana, kanye njengokuba enyanisweni nisenza.” (1 Tes. 5:11) Onke amaKristu asebandleni anokuxelisa uYehova noYesu ngokuthuthuzela nokukhuthaza abazalwana noodade, bangakuyekeli kubadala ukwenza loo nto.​—Funda amaRoma 15:1, 2.

¹¹ Abanye abazalwana noodade abaguliswa ziingxaki zobu bomi, kusenokufuneka badibane noogqirha. (Luka 5:31) Abadala nabanye abasebandleni bayiqonda kakuhle into yokuba abangabo oogqirha bengqondo. Sekunjalo, kufuneka ‘bayithuthuzele imiphefumlo edandathekileyo, baxhase ababuthathaka, bazeke kade umsindo kubo bonke.’ (1 Tes. 5:14) Onke amaKristu kufuneka ayiqonde indlela abaziva ngayo abazalwana noodade, abe nomonde aze abathuthuzele ukuze akhuthaze abaziva bephantsi. Ngaba uyabathuthuzela uze ubakhuthaze abazalwana noodadewenu? Xa usenjenjalo, uya kunceda abaninzi.

12. Khawubalise ngodade owancedwa luthando lwamaKristu asebandleni lakhe.

¹² Uthando lwethu lunokuwakhuthaza njani amaKristu asezintlungwini? Omnye udade waseYurophu uthi: “Ngamanye amaxesha ndikhe ndifune ukuzibulala. Kodwa ibandla endikulo liyandixhasa kangangokuba liye landenza ndayeka ukufuna ukuzibulala. Abazalwana noodade bayandithanda, ngoko basoloko bendikhuthaza. Ngoxa bembalwa abantu abayaziyo into endigula yiyo, kodwa ibandla lisoloko likunye nam. Omnye umama notata abasebandleni, bafana nabazali kum. Bandikhathalele kakhulu, ibe basoloko benam ngamaxesha onke.” Ewe kona, asinguye wonke umntu onokunceda ngolo hlobo. Kodwa sinokwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibaxhase abazalwana noodadewethu abasezintlungwini. *

13. Yintoni ekufuneka uyenze ukuba ufuna ukukhuthaza umzalwana okanye udadewenu?

¹³ Mamela kakuhle. (Yak. 1:19) Kukubonisa uthando ukuba novelwano uze ummamele umzalwana wakho. Ukuze uyiqonde indlela aziva ngayo, mbuze imibuzo ebonisa uvelwano kodwa uyibuze ngobuchule. Ubuso bakho mabubonise ukuba uyavelana naye. Ukuba ufuna ukukuxelela yonke into ngendlela eyenzeka ngayo, yiba nomonde, uzibambe ungamphazamisi. Xa uzipha ixesha ummamele, mhlawumbi uza kuyiqonda indlela aziva ngayo. Loo nto inokumnceda umzalwana okanye udadewenu osentlungwini akuthembe aze akumamele xa uzama ukumkhuthaza. Xa ekubona ukuba umkhathalele nyhani, uza kuthuthuzeleka.

14. Kutheni kufuneka sikulumkele ukumgxeka umntu osentlungwini?

¹⁴ Sukumgxeka. Xa simgxeka umntu osentlungwini sinokongeza kwintlungu anayo size singakwazi ukumnceda. “Kukho othetha engacinganga njengokuhlaba kwekrele, kodwa ulwimi lezilumko luyaphilisa.” (IMize. 12:18) Asinakusuka nje ‘simhlabe’ ngamazwi umntu osentlungwini. Kodwa nokuba  siyenze singaqondanga loo nto, sinokongeza kwintlungu anayo. Ukuze sikwazi ukumkhuthaza, kufuneka sibe novelwano, sizifake ezihlangwini zakhe.​—Mat. 7:12.

15. Yeyiphi eyona ncwadi sinokuyisebenzisa xa sikhuthaza abanye abazalwana?

¹⁵ Bathuthuzele ngeLizwi LikaThixo abantu. (Funda amaRoma 15:4, 5.) Ayikho incwadi ekhuthaza nethuthuzela njengeBhayibhile. Ivela kuThixo “onika unyamezelo nentuthuzelo.” Sinazo neencwadi ezininzi ezisifundisa iBhayibhile. Sinokusebenzisa iWatch Tower Publications Index neSikhokelo Sokuphanda SamaNgqina KaYehova. Ezi ncwadi zinokusinceda sifumane iZibhalo neencwadi esinokubakhuthaza size sibathuthuzele ngazo abazalwana noodadewethu abasezingxakini ezahlukahlukeneyo.

16. Luluphi uphawu ekufuneka sibe nalo xa sikhuthaza umKristu osentlungwini?

¹⁶ Thantamisa. Le yindlela esimbonisa ngayo umntu esimkhuthazayo ukuba siyamthanda. UYehova nguTata “onenceba noThixo wentuthuzelo yonke” kwaye ‘unemfesane’ kubakhonzi bakhe. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 1:3-6; Luka 1:78; Roma 15:13) NoPawulos wakwenza oku kangangokuba wathi: “Saba ngabathantamisayo phakathi kwenu, njengaxa umama oncancisayo ebaphatha ngononophelo abakhe abantwana. Ngokunjalo, ngenxa yokuba sinomsa ngani, kuye kwakholeka kuthi ukuba sininike, kungekuphela nje iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo, kodwa kwanemiphefumlo yethu, ngenxa yokuba naba ziintanda kuthi.” (1 Tes. 2:7, 8) Xa sithantamisa njengoThixo, sisenokuba sisetyenziswa nguye ekuphenduleni umthandazo womzalwana okanye udade osentlungwini.

17. Yintoni esimele siyazi ngabazalwana bethu?

¹⁷ Sukulindela ukuba abazalwana bakho bafezeke. Bazi ukuba abafezekanga. Ukuba ulindele ukuba bazenze kakuhle zonke izinto, uza kuphoxeka. (INtshu. 7:21, 22) UYehova uyabazi abakhonzi bakhe ukuba abafezekanga. Ukuba sixelisa yena, siya kukwazi ukunyamezela iimpazamo abazenzayo. (Efe. 4:2, 32) Kunokuba ubabonise ukuba abenzanga kakuhle, bancome ngento entle abayenzileyo. Loo nto inokubakhuthaza. Xa ubancoma ubonisa ukuba uyabathanda. Unokubanceda babe “nesizathu” sokumkhonza uThixo bevuya. Siya kuba senza kakuhle xa sisenjenjalo kunokuba sibakhathaze ngokubathelekisa nabanye.​—Gal. 6:4.

18. Kutheni sifuna ukubakhuthaza ngothando abanye?

¹⁸ UYehova uzithanda kakhulu zonke izimvu zakhe, kanti noYesu owazincamela ubomi bakhe, uyazithanda. (Gal. 2:20) Nathi sibathanda kakhulu abazalwana noodadewethu, ngoko sifuna ukubathantamisa. Ukuze sibahlaziye, “masisukele izinto ezisingisa eluxolweni nezinto ezakhayo komnye nomnye.” (Roma 14:19) Ingathi ayisafiki iParadesi, apho kungasoze kubekho nto isikhathazayo. Soze kuphinde kubekho bantu bagulayo, iimfazwe, ukufa, intshutshiso, iingxaki zentsapho nokuphoxeka. Emva kweminyaka eliwaka, abantu bonke baza kufezeka. Abantu abaye baluphumelela uvavanyo lokugqibela baya kuba ngoonyana bakaYehova uThixo abasemhlabeni baze babe “nenkululeko ezukileyo yabantwana bakaThixo.” (Roma 8:21) Akwaba sonke singakhuthazana ngothando size sincedane ukuze siphile kwelo hlabathi litsha.