1, 2. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova ajonge uDaniyeli ‘njengendoda enqwenelekayo,’ ibe thina sinokuthobela njani njengoDaniyeli?

XA AMAYUDA athinjelwa eBhabhiloni, afikela kwisixeko esigcwele zizithixo, nesinabantu abanqula imimoya engendawo. Nangona kunjalo, amaYuda athembekileyo njengoDaniyeli nabahlobo bakhe abathathu, awazange avume ukubunjwa ngabantu baseBhabhiloni. (Daniyeli 1:6, 8, 12; 3:16-18) UDaniyeli nabahlobo bakhe bavumela ukubunjwa nguYehova, ibe bahlala benqula yena kuphela. Nakuba uDaniyeli wayephila phakathi kwabantu ababi kangangexesha elide, ingelosi kaYehova yathi ‘uyindoda enqwenelekayo.’—Daniyeli 10:11, 19.

² Ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, umbumbi wayelucubha udongwe alwenze lube yiloo nto ayifunayo. Namhlanje, abanquli bokwenyaniso bayazi ukuba uYehova unguMlawuli wendalo iphela ibe unegunya lokubumba iintlanga. (Funda uYeremiya 18:6.) UThixo unalo negunya lokubumba ngamnye wethu. Sekunjalo, uYehova akanyanzeli nabani na ukuba atshintshe. Kunoko, ufuna ibe sithi abavumayo ukubunjwa nguye. Kweli nqaku, siza kufunda ukuba singahlala  njani siludongwe oluthambileyo ezandleni zikaThixo. Siza kuthetha ngale mibuzo mithathu: (1) Singaziphepha njani iimpawu ezinokusenza singasiphulaphuli isiluleko sikaThixo size sifane nodongwe oluqinileyo? (2) Sinokuba nazo njani iimpawu ezinokusinceda sihlale sithobela size sifane nodongwe oluthambileyo? (3) Abazali abangamaKristu banokusebenza njani noThixo njengoko bebumba abantwana babo?

3. Ziziphi iimpawu ezinokuzenza lukhuni iintliziyo zethu? Zekelisa.

³ IMizekeliso 4:23 ithi: “Ngaphezu kwako konke okunye okumele kulondolozwe, londoloza intliziyo yakho, kuba iphuma kuyo imithombo yobomi.” Ukuze iintliziyo zethu zingabi lukhuni, kufuneka siphephe iimpawu ezimbi ezifana nekratshi, ukuqhelisela isono nokuswel’ ukholo. Ukuba asilumkanga, ezi mpawu zinokusenza singathobeli size sibe nemvukelo. (Daniyeli 5:1, 20; Hebhere 3:13, 18, 19) Yiloo nto kanye eyenzekayo kuKumkani u-Uziya wakwaYuda. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 26:3-5, 16-21.) Ekuqaleni u-Uziya wayethobela ibe wayenobuhlobo obuhle noThixo, ngoko uThixo wamnika amandla. Kodwa “kamsinya nje akomelela, intliziyo yakhe yaba nekratshi.” Waba nekratshi wada wazama ukutshisa isiqhumiso etempileni nangona yayingababingeleli kuphela abafanele benze loo nto. Xa ababingeleli bamxelela ukuba iphosakele loo nto, waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo! UYehova wamthoba loo kumkani unekratshi, ibe waba neqhenqa de wafa.—IMizekeliso 16:18.

4, 5. Yintoni enokwenzeka xa singaliphephi ikratshi? Yenza umzekelo.

⁴ Ukuba asiliphephi ikratshi, sinokuqalisa ukucinga ukuba singcono kunabanye abantu size singaphulaphuli xa silulekwa ngokusuka eBhayibhileni. (IMizekeliso 29:1; Roma 12:3) Kwenzeka kanye loo nto kuJim ongumdala. Wayengavumelani nabanye abadala bebandla ngombandela othile. UJim uthi, “Ndabaxelela abazalwana ukuba abanaluthando, ndaza ndabashiya apho kuloo ntlanganiso.” Kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva wafudukela kwelinye ibandla, kodwa akazange anconyelwe njengomdala apho. UJim waphoxeka kakhulu. Wayezixelele ukuba uchanile wada wayeka ukukhonza uYehova, ibe waphola kangangeminyaka elishumi. Uthi wayenekratshi waza waqalisa ukutyhola uYehova ngako konke oko kwenzekayo. Abazalwana baquqa bebuyelela kangangeminyaka bezama ukumnceda, kodwa uJim wayengafuni nokuva.

⁵ UJim uthi, “Ndandingakwazi tu ukuyeka ukunikela ingqalelo kwindlela endandicinga ukuba abachananga ngayo abanye.” Umzekelo wakhe usibonisa ukuba ikratshi linokusenza sizithethelele izinto ezingafanelekanga esizenzayo. Xa sisenza loo nto, siyayeka ukufana nodongwe oluthambileyo. (Yeremiya 17:9) Ngaba wakhe wakhutyekiswa ngumzalwana okanye ngudade? Ngaba wakhe wabuhlungu ngenxa yokuphulukana nelungelo lenkonzo? Wasabela njani? Ngaba waba nekratshi, okanye waqonda ukuba eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukwenza uxolo nomzalwana wakho nokulondoloza ukunyaniseka kuYehova?—Funda iNdumiso 119:165; Kolose 3:13.

6. Yintoni enokwenzeka xa siqhubeka sisenza isono?

 ⁶ Xa umntu eqhubeka esenza isono aze akufihle oko, kusenokuba nzima ngaye ukwamkela isiluleko sobuthixo. Unokude asiqhele isono. Omnye umzalwana uthi ekuhambeni kwexesha waye akabona nto iphosakeleyo ngehambo yakhe embi. (INtshumayeli 8:11) Omnye yena owayekhe kangangexesha elithile wanomkhwa wokubukela iphonografi uthi, “Ndazibona sele ndithanda ukubagxeka abadala.” Lo mkhwa wonakalisa ubuhlobo bakhe noYehova. Xa yade yabhaqwa le nto wayeyenza, waye wancedwa ngabadala. Yinyaniso ukuba sonke asifezekanga. Kodwa ukuba siqalisa ukugxeka abo basilulekayo, okanye ukuba siyazithethelela izinto ezimbi esizenzayo kunokuba sicele ukuba uThixo asixolele aze asincede, iintliziyo zethu zinokuba lukhuni.

7, 8. (a) Imiphumo emibi yokuswel’ ukholo yabonakala njani kumaSirayeli amandulo? (b) Sifunda ntoni thina?

⁷ AmaSirayeli ayibona imimangaliso emininzi eyenziwa nguYehova xa wayewakhupha eYiputa. Nangona kunjalo, njengokuba ayesondela kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, zaba lukhuni iintliziyo zawo. Ngoba? Ayengenalo ukholo kuThixo. Endaweni yokuba athembele kuYehova, asuka atyhwatyhwa luloyiko aze akhalazela uMoses. Ade afuna ukubuyela eYiputa, ndawo leyo ayengamakhoboka kuyo! Yamkhathaza kakhulu loo nto uYehova waza wathi: “Kuya kude kube nini na singandihloneli esi sizwana?” (Numeri 14:1-4, 11; INdumiso 78:40, 41) Loo maSirayeli afela apho entlango ngenxa yeentliziyo zawo ezilukhuni nokuswel’ ukholo.

⁸ Namhlanje sisondele kakhulu kwihlabathi elitsha, ibe ukholo lwethu luyavavanywa. Ngoko kufuneka sihlolisise ukuba lomelele kangakanani na ukholo lwethu. Singakwenza njani oko? Sinokuhlolisisa amazwi kaYesu afumaneka kuMateyu 6:33. Zibuze: ‘Ngaba izinto endizimisele ukuzenza nezigqibo zam zibonisa ukuba ndiyawakholelwa amazwi kaYesu? Ngaba ndingaphoswa yintsimi okanye iintlanganiso ukuze ndenze imali engakumbi? Ndiza kwenza ntoni xa kufuneka ndichithe ixesha elongezelelekileyo emsebenzini? Ngaba ndiza kuvumela eli hlabathi lindibumbe okanye lide lindiyekise ukukhonza uYehova?’

9. Kutheni simele ‘sihlale sizivavanya’ enoba siselukholweni kusini na, ibe sinokukwenza njani oko?

⁹ Ukuba asikuphulaphuli oko iBhayibhile ikuthethayo ngonxulumano olubi, ukususwa kubudlelane okanye iindlela zokuzonwabisa, iintliziyo zethu zinokuba lukhuni. Umele wenze ntoni xa oku kuqalisa ukwenzeka kuwe? Khawuleza uhlolisise ukholo lwakho! IBhayibhile ithi: “Hlalani nizivavanya enoba niselukholweni kusini na, hlalani nizicikida oko nikuko nina ngokwenu.” (2 Korinte 13:5) Musa ukuziqhatha, kunoko sebenzisa iLizwi likaThixo rhoqo ukuze lilungise indlela ocinga ngayo.

10. Yintoni enokusinceda sibe ludongwe oluthambileyo uYehova akwaziyo ukulubumba?

¹⁰ UYehova usinike iLizwi lakhe, ibandla lamaKristu kunye nentsimi ukuze asincede sihlale sifana nodongwe oluthambileyo. Xa sifunda iBhayibhile size sicamngce ngayo yonke imihla, isinceda sibe ludongwe oluthambileyo uYehova akwaziyo ukulubumba. UYehova wayalela ookumkani bakwaSirayeli ukuba bazikhuphelele incwadi yoMthetho kaThixo baze bayifunde yonke imihla. (Duteronomi 17:18, 19) Abapostile babesazi ukuba ukufunda iZibhalo nokucamngca ngazo kwakuza kubanceda xa beshumayela. Bacaphula kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere izihlandlo ezingamakhulukhulu xa babebhala. Naxa beshumayela, babebakhuthaza abantu ukuba bazisebenzise kakuhle iZibhalo. (IZenzo 17:11) Ngokufanayo, nathi siyazi ukuba kubalulekile ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo nokucamngca ngalo yonke imihla. (1 Timoti 4:15) Oku kusinceda sihlale sithobekile, ibe uYehova utsho akwazi ukusibumba.

11, 12. UYehova unokulisebenzisa njani ibandla lamaKristu ukuze asibumbe? Zekelisa.

¹¹ UYehova ukwazi kakuhle oko kudingwa nguye ngamnye wethu, ibe usebenzisa ibandla lamaKristu ukuze asibumbe. UJim ebesithethe ngaye ngaphambili, waqalisa ukuyitshintsha indlela awayecinga ngayo xa omnye umdala wabonisa umdla kuye. Uthi: “Zange nangemini enye andigxeke okanye andisole  ngemeko endandikuyo. Kunoko wahlala endikhuthaza waza wandibonisa ukuba ufuna nyhani ukundinceda.” Emva kweenyanga ezimalunga nezintathu, lo mdala wamemela uJim ezintlanganisweni. UJim uthi ibandla lamamkela ngobubele, ibe uthando olwalulapho lwamnceda watshintsha indlela awayecinga ngayo. Watsho wabona ukuba indlela avakalelwa ngayo asiyiyo eyona nto ibalulekileyo. Abadala bebandla likaJim kunye nomfazi wakhe bamkhuthaza, ibe waye wabuyela kuYehova. UJim wangenelwa nangokufunda inqaku elithi “UYehova Akabekek’ Ityala” nelithi “Khonza UYehova Ngokunyaniseka,” afumaneka kwiMboniselo kaNovemba 15, 1992.

¹² Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uJim waphinda waba ngumdala. Ukususela ngoko ebeqhubeka enceda yaye esomeleza ukholo lwabanye abazalwana abanale ngxaki wakhe wanayo. Uthi wayecinga ukuba usondelelene noYehova, kanti akukho kwanto injalo! Uyazisola ngokuba wavumela ikratshi lamenza wanikela ingqalelo kwiimpazamo zabanye kunakwizinto ezibaluleke ngakumbi.—1 Korinte 10:12.

13. Ukushumayela kusinceda sibe naziphi iimpawu, ibe singenelwa njani koko?

¹³ Ukushumayela nako kunokusibumba kuze kusincede sibe ngabantu abangcono. Njani? Xa sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, simele sibonise iimpawu ezinjengokuthobeka, neenkalo ezahlukeneyo zesiqhamo somoya. (Galati 5:22, 23) Cinga ngeempawu ezintle ukushumayela okukuncede wanazo. Abantu baba nomdla kumyalezo esiwushumayelayo, ibe banokude bayitshintshe indlela abasijonga ngayo xa sifana noYesu. Ngokomzekelo, amaNgqina amabini eOstreliya azama ukushumayela kwelinye ibhinqa, kodwa lasuka lanomsindo laza lakrwada kubo. Sekunjalo, la maNgqina aliphulaphula ngembeko. Kamva, eli bhinqa lazisola laza labhalela iofisi yesebe ileta. Lacela uxolo ngendlela elabaphatha ngayo. Lathi: “Ndisisidenge ngokuba ndiye ndazama ukugxotha abantu ababini abashumayela iLizwi likaThixo.” La mava asibonisa ukubaluleka kokululama xa sishumayela. Ewe, xa sishumayela sinceda abanye, kodwa siyancedakala nathi kuba ubuntu bethu buyaphucuka.

14. Yintoni abamele bayenze abazali ukuze baphumelele ekuqeqesheni abantwana babo?

¹⁴ Abantwana abaninzi bathobekile ibe bayakuthanda ukwazi. (Mateyu 18:1-4) Ngoko bubulumko ukuba abazali babancede bafunde inyaniso baze bayithande besebancinane. (2 Timoti 3:14, 15) Ukuze baphumelele, abazali bamele bayithande bona kuqala inyaniso baze bakusebenzise oko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile. Xa bekwenza oku, kuye kube lula ukuba abantwana babo nabo  bayithande inyaniso. Kwakhona, abantwana baya kuqonda ukuba xa abazali babo bebaqeqesha babonisa ukuba bayabathanda, ibe noYehova uyabathanda.

15, 16. Abazali banokubonisa njani ukuba bathembele kuThixo xa abantwana babo besusiwe kubudlelane?

¹⁵ Ngamanye amaxesha, abanye abantwana baye bamshiye uYehova okanye basuswe kubudlelane, nangona abazali babo beye babafundisa inyaniso. Xa kusenzeka loo nto, intsapho iba sentlungwini engathethekiyo. Omnye udade waseMzantsi Afrika uthi: “Xa ubhuti wam wasuswayo kubudlelane, ndaba buhlungu kakhulu ngokungathi uswelekile. Yandaphul’ intliziyo loo nto!” Kodwa yintoni awayenzayo yena nabazali bakhe? Balandela ulwalathiso oluseBhayibhileni. (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 5:11, 13.) Abazali bakhe babesazi ukuba ukuthobela isiluleko sikaThixo kwakuza kubanceda bonke. Babeqonda ukuba ukususwa kubudlelane yingqeqesho yothando kaYehova. Ngoko babethetha nonyana wabo kuphela xa kunyanzelekile.

¹⁶ Wavakalelwa njani yena unyana wabo? Uthi, “Ndandisazi ukuba intsapho yasekhaya ayindicaphukeli, kodwa yayithobela uYehova nentlangano yakhe.” Uphinda athi, “Xa unyanzelekile ukuba ucenge uYehova ukuba akuncede aze akuxolele, uye uyiqonde indlela omdinga ngayo.” Hayi indlela eyavuya ngayo loo ntsapho xa lo mfana wabuyela kuYehova! Ewe, siza konwaba size siphumelele xa sisoloko sithobela uThixo.—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6; 28:26.

17. Kutheni simele sizimisele ukuthobela uYehova, ibe iza kusinceda njani loo nto?

¹⁷ Umprofeti uIsaya waxela kwangaphambili ukuba amaYuda awayeseBhabhiloni ayeya kuguquka aze athi: “Yehova, wena unguBawo. Siludongwe, yaye wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke singumsebenzi wesandla sakho.” Ayeya kumbongoza uYehova athi: “Musa ukusikhumbula ngonaphakade isiphoso sethu. Ke kaloku, khawuncede ukhangele: sonke singabantu bakho.” (Isaya 64:8, 9) Xa sithobekile ibe sisoloko simthobela uYehova, siyaxabiseka kuye njengoDaniyeli. UYehova uza kuqhubeka esibumba esebenzisa iLizwi, umoya, nentlangano yakhe ukuze kwikamva sibe ‘ngabantwana bakaThixo’ abafezekileyo.—Roma 8:21.