“Bunabathozamileyo Ubulumko”

‘Yintoni ayibizayo kuwe uYehova ngaphandle kokuthozama ekuhambeni noThixo wakho?’—MIKA 6:8.

1, 2. Yintoni ukuthozama, yaye kwahluke njani ekukhukhumaleni?

 UMPOSTILE othile obalaseleyo akavumi kutsalela ingqalelo kwisiqu sakhe. Umgwebi okhaliphileyo wakwaSirayeli uthi ungoyena mncinane kwindlu kayise. Oyena mntu ubalaseleyo owakha waphila uyavuma ukuba igunya analo lilinganiselwe. Ngamnye kula madoda ubonakalisa ukuthozama.

² Ukuthozama sisichasi sokukhukhumala. Umntu othozamileyo ukugqala ngokusengqiqweni oko anako ukukwenza nokubaluleka kwakhe kwaye akanakratshi okanye impakamo. Kunokuba azingce, aqhayise okanye abe namabhongo, umntu othozamileyo usoloko ekuqonda ukulinganiselwa kwakhe. Ngenxa yoko, uyazihlonela aze azigqale iimvakalelo kunye neembono zabanye.

3. Kungayiphi indlela obuthi ubulumko ‘bube nabathozamileyo’?

³ Ngesizathu esifanelekileyo iBhayibhile ithi: “Bunabathozamileyo ubulumko.” (IMizekeliso 11:2) Umntu othozamileyo usisilumko kuba ulandela ikhondo elikholisa uThixo, kwaye uyawuphepha umoya wokukhukhumala okhokelela kwihlazo. (IMizekeliso 8:13; 1 Petros 5:5) Isibakala sokuba ukuthozama kububulumko singqinwa likhondo lobomi labakhonzi bakaThixo abaninzi. Makhe siqwalasele imizekelo emithathu ecatshulwe kwisiqendu sokuqala.

UPawulos—‘Wayengongaphantsi’ Yaye ‘Eligosa’

4. Ngawaphi amalungelo akhethekileyo awafunyanwa nguPawulos?

⁴ UPawulos wayebalasele kumaKristu okuqala, kwaye siyaqondakala ke phofu isizathu soko. Ebudeni bobulungiseleli bakhe, wahamba amawaka eekhilomitha elwandle nasemhlabeni, kwaye wamisela amabandla amaninzi. Ukongezelela koko, uYehova wamsikelela uPawulos ngemibono nangesiphiwo sokuthetha iilwimi zasemzini. (1 Korinte 14:18; 2 Korinte 12:1-5) Kwakhona waphefumlela uPawulos ukuba abhale iincwadi ezili-14 ngoku eziyinxalenye yeZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Kucacile ukuba imisebenzi kaPawulos yayiyigqwesa eyabanye abapostile.—1 Korinte 15:10.

5. UPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba wayenembono ethozamileyo ngesiqu sakhe?

⁵ Ekubeni uPawulos wayephambili kumsebenzi wamaKristu, bambi basenokulindela ukuba abe wayengumntu othanda amawonga, de acel’ injezu  ngegunya analo. Noko ke, uPawulos akazange enjenjalo kuba wayethozamile. Wazibiza ngokuba “ngoyena mncinane kubapostile,” esongezelela: “Andikufanelekelanga ukubizwa ngokuba ngumpostile, ngenxa yokuba ndalitshutshisa ibandla likaThixo.” (1 Korinte 15:9) Ekubeni wayefudula etshutshisa amaKristu, uPawulos akazange alibale ukuba kwakungobubele obungasifanelanga kuphela awathi wakwazi ukuba nolwalamano noThixo, singasathethi ke ngokufumana amalungelo akhethekileyo enkonzo. (Yohane 6:44; Efese 2:8) Ngenxa yoko, uPawulos akazange avakalelwe ukuba izinto ezingaqhelekanga awaziphumeza kubulungiseleli zazimenza abongamele abanye.—1 Korinte 9:16.

6. UPawulos wakubonisa njani ukuthozama kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabaseKorinte?

⁶ Ukuthozama kukaPawulos kwakubonakala ngokukhethekileyo kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabaseKorinte. Kuyabonakala ukuba abanye babo babechukumisekile ngabanye ababecinga ukuba bangabaveleli ababalaseleyo, ababequka uApolo, uKefas noPawulos ngokwakhe. (1 Korinte 1:11-15) Kodwa uPawulos akazange akucele oko kunconywa ngabaseKorinte engazange kananjalo axhamle elo cham lokuthandwa ngabo. Xa wayebatyelela, akazange athethe “ngakugqithisela kwantetho okanye kwabulumko.” Kunoko, uPawulos wathetha wenjenje ngaye siqu noogxa bakhe: “Makenjenjalo ke umntu ukusigqala njengabangaphantsi kukaKristu namagosa eemfihlelo ezingcwele zikaThixo.” *—1 Korinte 2:1-5; 4:1.

7. UPawulos wakubonakalisa njani ukuthozama kwanaxa wayenikela isiluleko?

⁷ UPawulos wada wabonakalisa ukuthozama xa kwakufuneka anikele isiluleko esiqatha nolwalathiso. Wawabongoza amanye amaKristu “ngeemfesane zikaThixo” ‘nangothando’ kunokuba asebenzise igunya lakhe lobupostile. (Roma 12:1, 2; Filemon 8, 9) Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos enze oko? Kungenxa yokuba ngokwenene wayezigqala ‘njengomsebenzi olidlelane’ nabazalwana bakhe, kungekhona ‘inkosi phezu kokholo lwabo.’ (2 Korinte 1:24) Alithandabuzeki elokuba yayikukuthozama kukaPawulos okwamenza wathandwa kunene ngamabandla amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala.—IZenzo 20:36-38.

 Ukuwagqala Ngokuthozama Amalungelo Ethu

8, 9. (a) Kutheni sifanele sibe nembono ethozamileyo ngeziqu zethu? (b) Abo banomlinganiselo othile wembopheleleko banokukubonakalisa njani ukuthozama?

⁸ UPawulos wamisela umzekelo omhle kumaKristu anamhlanje. Kungakhathaliseki ukuba ziziphi na iimbopheleleko esiziphathisiweyo, akukho namnye kuthi omele azive emkhulu kunabanye. UPawulos wabhala: “Ukuba ubani ucinga ukuba unguthile xa engeyonto, ukhohlisa ingqondo yakhe.” (Galati 6:3) Ngoba? Kaloku “bonke bonile baza basilela kuzuko lukaThixo.” (Roma 3:23; 5:12) Ewe, singaze silibale ukuba sonke siye sasizuz’ ilifa isono nokufa kuAdam. Amalungelo akhethekileyo akasinyusi kubugxwayiba besono esikubo. (INtshumayeli 9:2) Njengoko kwakunjalo ngemeko kaPawulos, kungobubele obungasifanelanga kuphela abanokuthi abantu bakhe ulwalamano noThixo, singasathethi ke ngokufumana amalungelo athile.—Roma 3:12, 24.

⁹ Akuyiqonda loo nto, umntu othozamileyo akazigwagwisi ngamalungelo anawo engaqhayisi kananjalo ngezinto aziphumezileyo. (1 Korinte 4:7) Xa enikela isiluleko okanye ulwalathiso, ukwenza oko njengomsebenzi olidlelane—kungekhona inkosi. Ngokuqinisekileyo bekuya kuba yinto ephosakeleyo ukuba ubani onesandla kwimisebenzi ethile afune ukunconywa okanye alisebenzise kakubi ilungelo lokubukwa ngamanye amakholwa. (IMizekeliso 25:27; Mateyu 6:2-4) Okona kunconywa kuxabisekileyo koko kusuka kwabanye—kwaye kufanele kuzizele kungacelwanga. Kwanaxa kusiza, asifanele sikuvumele kusenze sizicingele ngaphezu kokuba kuyimfuneko.—IMizekeliso 27:2; Roma 12:3.

10. Chaza indlela abanye abasenokubonakala bephantsi abasenokuthi kanti ‘bazizityebi elukholweni.’

¹⁰ Xa siphathiswe umlinganiselo othile wembopheleleko, ukuthozama kuya kusinceda siphephe ukugxininisa kwiziqu zethu ngokungeyomfuneko, kude kube ngathi ibandla lisenza inkqubela nje kungenxa yemigudu namandla ethu kuphela. Ngokomzekelo, sisenokuba nesiphiwo esikhethekileyo sokufundisa. (Efese 4:11, 12) Noko ke, ukuba sithozamile siya kuqonda ukuba ezinye zezona zifundo zibalaseleyo ezifundwa kwintlanganiso yebandla aziveli eqongeni. Ngokomzekelo, akukhuthazeki na xa ubona umzali ongenaqabane oza rhoqo kwiHolo yoBukumkani nabantwana bakhe? Okanye othile odandathekileyo oza ngokuthembeka ezintlanganisweni phezu kwazo nje iimvakalelo zokungabi nto yanto? Okanye oselula owenza inkqubela ngokomoya phezu kwazo nje iimpembelelo ezonakeleyo esikolweni nakwezinye iindawo? (INdumiso 84:10) Aba bantu basenokungaveleli. Iimvavanyo zengqibelelo abajamelana nazo zidla ngokungabonwa ngabanye. Ukanti, basenokuba ‘bazizityebi elukholweni’ kanye njengabo babalaseleyo. (Yakobi 2:5) Ngapha koko, ekugqibeleni iba kukuthembeka okwenza ubani afumane inkoliseko kaYehova.—Mateyu 10:22; 1 Korinte 4:2.

UGidiyon—“Oyena Mncinane” Endlwini Kayise

11. Yiyiphi indlela uGidiyon awabonakalisa ngayo ukuthozama xa wayethetha nengelosi kaThixo?

¹¹ UGidiyon, umfana oselula nokhaliphileyo wesizwe sakwaManase, wayephila ngexesha elalizaliswe zizaqunge kwimbali yakwaSirayeli. Kangangeminyaka esixhenxe, abantu bakaThixo babecinezelwe ngamaMidiyan. Noko ke, ngoku kwakufike ixesha lokuba uYehova abahlangule abantu bakhe. Ngenxa yoko, kwabonakala ingelosi kuGidiyon yaza yathi: “UYehova unawe, kroti, elinamandla.” UGidiyon wayethozamile, ngoko akazange asele enyathelela phezulu ngenxa yoko kunconywa kungalindelekanga. Kunoko, ngentlonelo wathi kwingelosi: “Ndiyangxengxeza, nkosi yam, kodwa ukuba uYehova unathi, kutheni ke ngoko ukuba sifikelwe koku konke?” Ingelosi yawandlala umcimbi yaza yaxelela uGidiyon oku: “Ngokuqinisekileyo  uya kumsindisa uSirayeli entendeni kaMidiyan.” Wathini uGidiyon? Kunokuba asithi hlasi ngokunyoluka eso sabelo aze asijonge njengethuba lokuzenza iqhawe lesizwe, uGidiyon waphendula: “Ndiyangxengxeza, Yehova. Ndiya kumsindisa ngantoni na uSirayeli? Khangela! Iwaka lam lelona lincinane kwaManase, yaye nam ndingoyena mncinane endlwini kabawo.” Okunjani kona ukuthozama!—ABagwebi 6:11-15.

12. UGidiyon wakubonakalisa njani ukuqonda ekuphumezeni isabelo sakhe?

¹² Ngaphambi kokuba uYehova athumele uGidiyon edabini, wamvavanya. Njani? UGidiyon waxelelwa ukuba achithe isibingelelo sikayise esasenzelwe uBhahali aze ashenxise isibonda esingcwele esasimi ecaleni kwaso. Esi sabelo sasiza kufuna ubani akhaliphe, kodwa uGidiyon wabonakalisa ukuthozama nokuqonda kwindlela awasiphumeza ngayo. Kunokuba acel’ injezu, uGidiyon wasebenza ngobusuku, xesha elo awayengenakubonwa ngalo. Ngaphezu koko, uGidiyon wasenza ngononophelo olufanelekileyo isabelo sakhe. Wahamba nabakhonzi abalishumi—ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wayesenzela ukuba abanye babe liliso ngoxa abanye babemncedisa ekutshabalaliseni isibingelelo kunye nesibonda esingcwele. * Enoba kwakutheni na, ngentsikelelo kaYehova, uGidiyon wasiphumeza isabelo sakhe, waza ethubeni wasetyenziswa nguThixo ukuba akhulule uSirayeli kumaMidiyan.—ABagwebi 6:25-27.

Ukubonakalisa Ukuthozama Nokuqonda

13, 14. (a) Sinokukubonakalisa njani ukuthozama xa sinikwa ilungelo lenkonzo? (b) UMzalwan’ uA. H. Macmillan wawumisela njani umzekelo omhle wokuthozama?

¹³ Kuninzi esinokukufunda ngokuthozama kukaGidiyon. Ngokomzekelo, sisabela njani xa sinikwa ilungelo lenkonzo? Ngaba into ethi qatha kuqala sisikhundla okanye iwonga esiza kulifumana ngenxa yalo? Okanye ngaba siye sicingisise ngokuthozama nangomthandazo enoba  sinako na ukuzifikelela izinto ezifunwa seso sabelo? UMzalwan’ uA. H. Macmillan, owagqiba ikhondo lakhe lasemhlabeni ngowe-1966, wamisela umzekelo omhle xa kufikwa kulo mba. UC. T. Russel, umongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, wakha wacela uluvo lukaMzalwan’ uMacmillan ngokuphathelele ubani anokumshiya nomsebenzi xa engekho. Kwingxubusho eyalandelayo, uMzalwan’ uMacmillan akazange nakanye azincomele yena siqu, nangona iimeko zazimvumela ukuba enjenjalo. Ekugqibeleni, uMzalwan’ uRussell wacela uMzalwan’ uMacmillan ukuba acinge ngokusamkela eso sabelo. Kwiminyaka ethile kamva uMzalwan’ uMacmillan wabhala: “Ndema apho ndimatshekile. Ndakha ndayicingisisa nzulu loo nto, ndaza ndayithandazela ngaphambi kokuba ndimxelele ukuba ndiya kukuvuyela ukwenza nantoni na endinokuyenza ukuze ndimncede.”

¹⁴ Kungekudala emva koko, uMzalwan’ uRussell waya kulala kobandayo, eshiya isikhundla somongameli weWatch Tower Society singenabani. Ekubeni yayinguMzalwan’ uMacmillan owayebambe iintambo ebudeni bokhenketho lokugqibela lokushumayela lukaMzalwan’ uRussell, omnye umzalwana wathi kuye: “Uyabona ke Mac, ngoku ithuba lelakho lokuba uzibambele nawe. Kaloku ubuyintonga esekhosi kaMzalwan’ uRussell xa emkile, ibe sonke ebesixelela ukuba senze nantoni na othi siyenze. Kodwa uye wemka waza akabuya. Kubonakala ngathi nguwe indoda emele ithabath’ apho ebeyeke khona.” UMzalwan’ uMacmillan waphendula wathi: “Mzalwana, leyo asiyondlela ifanelekileyo yokuwujonga lo mba. Kaloku ngumsebenzi weNkosi lo yaye ekuphela kwesikhundla osifumanayo kwintlangano yeNkosi seso iNkosi ikubona kufanelekile ukukunika sona; kwaye mna ndiqinisekile ukuba andiwufanelekeli lo msebenzi.” Emva koko uMzalwan’ uMacmillan wancomela mntu wumbi kweso sikhundla. Wayenembono ethozamileyo ngesiqu sakhe njengoGidiyon—mbono leyo esiya kuba siyatyapha ukuyilandela.

15. Ziziphi iindlela eziluncedo esinokusebenzisa kuzo ukuqonda xa sishumayela kwabanye?

¹⁵ Nathi sifanele sithozame kwindlela esisiphumeza ngayo isabelo sethu. UGidiyon wasebenzisa ukuqonda, kwaye walwela ukuba angabaphathi emanyeni ngokungeyomfuneko abachasi bakhe. Nathi, kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, sifanele sithozame yaye sisebenzise ukuqonda kwindlela esithetha ngayo nabanye. Kuyinyaniso ukuba, sibandakanyeke kwimfazwe yokomoya yokubhukuqa ‘izinto ezinqatyisiweyo’ ‘neengcinga.’ (2 Korinte 10:4, 5) Kodwa ke asifanele sibadelele abanye xa sithetha nabo okanye sibanike isizathu esibambekayo sokukhutyekiswa sisigidimi sethu. Kunoko, sifanele sizihlonele iimbono zabo, sigxininise koko sivumelana ngako nabo, size sijolise ingqalelo kwiinkalo ezakhayo zesigidimi sethu.—IZenzo 22:1-3; 1 Korinte 9:22; ISityhilelo 21:4.

 UYesu—Umzekelo Ophakamileyo Wokuthozama

16. UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba unembono ethozamileyo ngesiqu sakhe?

¹⁶ Owona mzekelo mhle wokuthozama ngokaYesu Kristu. * Phezu kwalo nje ulwalamano olusenyongweni awayenalo noYise, uYesu akazange alibazise ukuvuma ukuba ezinye izinto zazingekho phantsi kwegunya lakhe. (Yohane 1:14) Ngokomzekelo, xa unina kaYakobi noYohane wayecela ukuba oonyana bakhe bobabini bahlale ecaleni kwakhe ebukumkanini bakhe, uYesu wathi: “Ukuhlala ngasekunene kwam nangasekhohlo kwam asikokwam ukunikisa ngako.” (Mateyu 20:20-23) Ngesinye isihlandlo, uYesu wavuma lula nje esithi: “Andinakwenza nanye into ngokwam . . . ndifuna, kungekhona ukuthanda kwam, kodwa ukuthanda kwalowo undithumileyo.”—Yohane 5:30; 14:28; Filipi 2:5, 6.

17. UYesu wakubonakalisa njani ukuthozama kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabanye?

¹⁷ UYesu wayengaphezulu kunabantu abangafezekanga, kwaye wayenikwe igunya elingenakuthelekiswa nanto nguYise, uYehova. Noko ke, uYesu wayethozamile kwindlela awayeqhubana ngayo nabalandeli bakhe. Akazange abagagamele ngokubangxixha ngolwazi oluninzi. Waba novelwano nemfesane waza wanolwazelelo ngeentswelo zabo njengabantu. (Mateyu 15:32; 26:40, 41; Marko 6:31) Ngaloo ndlela, nangona uYesu wayefezekile, wayengengomntu uthanda izinto ezigqibeleleyo kuphela. Akazange afune okungakumbi kunoko kwakunokunikelwa ngabafundi bakhe, kwaye akazange abathwalise okungakumbi kunoko babenokukuthwala. (Yohane 16:12) Akumangalisi ngoko ukuba abaninzi bamfumanise ehlaziya!—Mateyu 11:29.

Xelisa Umzekelo KaYesu Wokuthozama

18, 19. Sinokukuxelisa njani ukuthozama kukaYesu (a) kwindlela esizijonga ngayo thina (b) nakwindlela esibaphatha ngayo abanye?

¹⁸ Ukuba oyena mntu ubalaseleyo wakha waphila wathozama, sifanele sibekele phi ke thina. Abantu abangafezekanga badla ngokuyamkela nzima into yokuba igunya labo lilinganiselwe. Noko ke, exelisa uYesu, amaKristu azabalazela ukuthozama. Akazingci kakhulu kangangokuba angabaniki imbopheleleko abo bakufanelekelayo ukuyifumana; kananjalo akaphakamanga kwaye akanankani kangangokuba angalwamkeli ulwalathiso oluvela kwabo banegunya lokulunikela. Ebonakalisa umoya wentsebenziswano, avumela zonke izinto ebandleni ukuba zenzeke “ngokundilisekileyo nangolungelelwano.”—1 Korinte 14:40.

¹⁹ Kwakhona ukuthozama kuya kusishukumisela ukuba sibe nolindelo olusengqiqweni kwabanye yaye sibe nolwazelelo ngeemfuno zabo. (Filipi 4:5) Sisenokuba sinobuchule kunye namandla abanye abangenawo. Kodwa ke ukuba sithozamile, asiyi kusoloko silindela ukuba abanye benze ngendlela esifuna benze ngayo. Ekubeni sisazi ukuba mntu ngamnye unezinto alinganiselweyo kuzo, ngokuthozama siya kulindela ukuba nabanye babe neentsilelo. UPetros wabhala: “Ngaphezu kwezinto zonke, yibani nothando olunzulu omnye ngomnye, kuba uthando lugubungela inkitha yezono.”—1 Petros 4:8.

20. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze seyise naluphi utyekelo lokuzingca?

²⁰ Njengoko sele sifundile, bunabathozamileyo ubulumko. Noko ke, kuthekani ukuba ufumanisa ukuba unotyekelo lokuzingca okanye lokukhukhumala? Ungadimazeki. Kunoko, landela umzekelo kaDavide, owathandaza esithi: “Nakwizenzo zokukhukhumala mnqande umkhonzi wakho; musa ukuzivumela zindilawule.” (INdumiso 19:13) Ngokuxelisa ukholo lwamadoda anjengoPawulos, uGidiyon kunye—ngaphezu kwabo bonke—noYesu Kristu, siya kuzibonela ngokwethu ubunyaniso bamazwi athi: “Bunabathozamileyo ubulumko.”—IMizekeliso 11:2.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Usakhumbula?

• Yintoni ukuthozama?

• Sinokukuxelisa njani ukuthozama kukaPawulos?

• Yintoni esinokuyifunda ngokuthozama kumzekelo kaGidiyon?

• UYesu wamisela umzekelo ophakamileyo wokuthozama ngayiphi indlela?

[Imibuzo YeSifundo]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Ukuthozama kukaPawulos kwamenza wathandwa ngamanye amaKristu

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

UGidiyon wasebenzisa ukuqonda xa wayephumeza ukuthanda kukaThixo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

UYesu, uNyana kaThixo, ubonakalisa ukuthozama kuko konke akwenzayo