1, 2. Yintoni efunwa nguThixo kubanquli bakhe, enoba baselula okanye badala?

NGABA ungumntu oselula? Ukuba unguye, siyakuqinisekisa ukuba uyinxalenye exabisekileyo yebandla likaYehova elisehlabathini liphela. Kumazwe amaninzi, inkoliso yabantu ababhaptizwayo lulutsha. Kukhuthaza ngokwenene ukubona inkungu nelanga yabo baseze ngobuso ezweni besenza isigqibo sokukhonza uYehova!

² Njengomntu oselula, ngaba uyakuthanda ukubuthelana nolunye ulutsha? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uyakuthanda. Kaloku kuba mnandi xa umntu onwabile neentanga zakhe. Kodwa ke, enoba siselula, sibadala okanye sinayiphi na imvelaphi, uThixo ufuna simanyane xa simnqula. Umpostile uPawulos wathi uThixo uthanda ukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.” (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) ISityhilelo 7:9 sisichazela ngabanquli bakaThixo abaphuma “kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi.”

3, 4. (a) Yiyiphi indlela yokucinga exhaphakileyo kulutsha lwale mihla? (b) Yiyiphi indlela yokucinga ehambelana noko kubhalwe kweyabase-Efese 4:25?

³ Ulutsha olukhonza uYehova lwahluke okwempuma kwintshona kulutsha lweli hlabathi siphila kulo! Inkoliso yolo lungamkhonziyo  uYehova ayinaxesha lamntu, eyona nto iphambili yile ifunwa lulo. Abanye bade bathi xa bethetha ngalo ngooNdim Phambili. Indlela oluthetha nolunxiba ngayo ibonisa ukuba alubakhathalele abantu abadala, kwaye lubajonga “njengabashiyekayo.”

⁴ Le ndlela yokucinga ikuyo yonke indawo. Ngenxa yoko, ulutsha olukhonza uYehova lukufumanisa kunzima ukuyiphepha nokwamkela indlela uThixo azijonga ngayo izinto. Kwakunjalo nangenkulungwane yokuqala, kuba uPawulos wabona kuyimfuneko ukuba abongoze amanye amaKristu ukuba aphephe ‘umoya ngoku osebenza koonyana bokungathobeli’ nawayekhe ‘ngaxesha lithile ahamba’ kuwo. (Funda eyabase-Efese 2:1-3.) Simele siluncome ulutsha oluyibonayo imfuneko yokuphepha le ndlela yokucinga nolusebenza ngomanyano kunye nabo bonke abazalwana balo. Ukucinga ngale ndlela kuyahambelana noko kwathethwa nguPawulos esithi “singamalungu omnye elomnye.” (Efe. 4:25) Ukusebenza ngomanyano kuseza kufuneka nangakumbi njengoko isiphelo seli hlabathi sisondela. Makhe sithethe ngeminye imizekelo eseBhayibhileni esinceda sibone ukuba kuyimfuneko ukusebenza ngaxhatha linye, simanyene.

5, 6. ULote neentombi zakhe basifundisa ntoni ngokuhlala sikunye?

⁵ Kumaxesha angaphambili, uYehova wayekuvuyela ukukhusela abantu bakhe xa bencedana ngamaxesha anzima. Abakhonzi bakaThixo bale mihla, abaselula nabadala, banokufunda lukhulu kule mizekelo eseBhayibhileni. Omnye waloo mizekelo yayinguLote.

⁶ ULote nosapho lwakhe babephakathi kwenyama nozipho kuba isixeko ababehlala kuso, iSodom, sasiza kutshatyalaliswa. Iingelosi zikaThixo zabongoza uLote ukuba aphume kweso sixeko, abalekele kummandla weentaba okhuselekileyo, zisithi: “Baleka ngenxa yomphefumlo wakho!” (Gen. 19:12-22) ULote wathobela, kwaye iintombi zakhe ezimbini zaba nentsebenziswano zaza zaphuma naye kweso sixeko. Okulusizi kukuba, abanye ababesondele kuzo abazange benjenjalo. Abafana ababengeje iintombi zikaLote babejonga le ngwevu “njengomntu oqhulayo.” Bafela kuloo nto ke. (Gen. 19:14) Kuphela kwasinda uLote neentombi zakhe, ezahamba naye.

7. Xa amaSirayeli ayephuma eYiputa emanyene, uYehova wawanceda njani?

⁷ Nanku omnye omzekelo. Xa amaSirayeli ayephuma eYiputa, ayengengomaqela athe saa nahamba ngayibonayo. Naxa uMoses ‘wolula isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle’ waza uYehova wahlukanisa ulwandle, akazange awele yedwa okanye nembinana nje yamaSirayeli. Kunoko, ngenxa yokukhuselwa nguYehova, elo bandla lawela lonke. (Eks. 14:21, 22, 29, 30) AmaSirayeli amanyana kwaye ayephelekwa ‘liqela elikhulu elingumxube,’ abantu abangengomaSirayeli ababemi ngakwicala lawo. (Eks. 12:38) Asiyiphuphi nokuyiphupha into yokuba kwabakho imbinana, mhlawumbi ulutsha oluthile, olwathatha indlela oluyithandayo. Ngaba yayingayi kuba bubudenge bentwala ukwenza loo nto luze luphoswe kukukhuselwa nguYehova?—1 Kor. 10:1.

8. Abantu bakaThixo bamanyana njani ngemihla kaYehoshafati?

⁸ Ngemihla kaKumkani uYehoshafati, abantu bakaThixo babejongene notshaba olunamandla, “isihlwele esikhulu” esivela kwimimandla ekufuphi. (2 Kron. 20:1, 2) Okuvuyisayo kukuba, abakhonzi bakaThixo abazange bazame ukoyisa olo tshaba ngezigalo zabo. Kunoko, babhenela kuYehova. (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike  20:3, 4.) Naxa besenjenjalo, umntu wayengenzi ngayibonayo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Bonke abakwaYuda babemi phambi kukaYehova, kwanabantwana, nabafazi babo noonyana babo.” (2 Kron. 20:13) Ukususela koselula ukuya komdala, babesebenzisana ekulandeleni ulwalathiso lukaYehova, kwaye uYehova wabakhusela kolo tshaba. (2 Kron. 20:20-27) Ngaba ayingomzekelo omhle na lo kubantu bakaThixo xa bejongene neengxaki?

9. Yintoni esinokuyifunda ngobunye kwizenzo nakwindlela awayecinga ngayo amaKristu okuqala?

⁹ NamaKristu okuqala ayesaziwa ngokusebenza kunye. Ngokomzekelo, emva kokuba inyambalala yamaYuda kunye nabo babengene ebuYudeni baba ngamaKristu, bazinikela “emfundisweni yabapostile nasekwabelaneni, ngokutya nasemithandazweni.” (IZe. 2:42) Olo manyano lwabonakala nangakumbi ebudeni bentshutshiso, xa ayekufuna ngokukhethekileyo ukuxhaswa ngamanye. (IZe. 4:23, 24) Ngaba akuvumi ukuba kubalulekile ukusebenza kunye ngamaxesha anzima?

10. Kunini apho umanyano luya kubaluleka ngokukhethekileyo?

¹⁰ Kusondela elona xesha lakha lalibi kwimbali yabantu. Umprofeti uYoweli ulichaza ngokuthi “yimini yobumnyama nesithokothoko.” (Yow. 2:1, 2; Zef. 1:14) Kubantu bakaThixo iya kuba lixesha lokumanyana. Khumbulani amazwi kaYesu athi: “Bonke ubukumkani obahlulelene bodwa buyaphanza.”—Mat. 12:25.

11. Inokufaniswa njani imeko yabantu bakaThixo bale mihla noko kuchazwe kwiNdumiso 122:3, 4? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹¹ Kuza kufuneka simanyane ngokwenene kwixesha elizayo eliza kube lizaliswe ngamanzithinzithi ale nkqubo. Umanyano ekuza kufuneka sibe nalo njengamaKristu lunokufaniswa nendlela ezazisondelelene ngayo izindlu kwiYerusalem yamandulo. Ezo zindlu zazisondelelene kangangokuba umdumisi wachaza iYerusalem “njengesixeko esihlanganiswe ndawonye ngobunye.” Loo nto yayisenza abahlali bakwazi ukuncedana nokukhuselana. Ukongezelela koko, ukusondelelana kwazo kwakunokufanekisela umanyano lokomoya lohlanga luphela xa zonke “izizwe zikaYa” zazihlanganisana ukuze zinqule. (Funda iNdumiso 122:3, 4.) Nathi kuza kufuneka sihlale “sihlanganiswe ndawonye ngobunye” kule mihla nakwimihla ezayo yamanqam.

12. Yintoni eya kusinceda sisinde xa kuhlaselwa abantu bakaThixo?

¹² Kutheni kuya kubaluleka ngelo xesha ‘ukuhlanganisana kwethu ndawonye’? UHezekile isahluko 38 uprofeta ngokuhlaselwa kwabantu bakaThixo ‘nguGogi welizwe lakwaMagogi.’ Elo ayiyi kuba lixesha lokuvumela nantoni na isahlule. Ngokuqinisekileyo asiyi kufuna ukuya kucela uncedo ehlabathini. Kunoko, siya kufuna ukuba kufutshane nabazalwana bethu. Kakade ke, asiyi kusindiswa nje kukuba yinxalenye yeqela. UYehova noNyana wakhe baya kusindisa abo babiza egameni lakhe ngelo xesha lentlekele. (Yow. 2:32; Mat. 28:20) Noko ke, ngaba besiya kuba sichanile xa sicinga ukuba abantu abebengoobholel’ ecaleni kumhlambi kaThixo—abo baye bazihambela ngabayibonayo—baya kusinda?—Mika 2:12.

13. Yintoni enokufundwa lulutsha oloyika uThixo koko sele sikuxubushile ukuze kuthi ga ngoku?

¹³ Ngaba ayicacanga ke into yokuba akubobulumko ukulandela iindlela zolutsha oluye lwazikhetha? Sele lisondele ixesha lokuba siludinge uncedo lwamanye amaKristu. Siza kudingana sonke, kungakhathaliseki ukuba sibangakanani ngeminyaka! Ngokwenene eli lixesha lokuba sisebenze kunye, sakhe  umanyano oluya kusinceda kakhulu kwimihla ezayo.

14, 15. (a) UYehova ubaqeqesha ngayiphi injongo abantu abaselula nabadala namhlanje? (b) Ngawaphi amacebiso esiwanikwa nguYehova ukuze simanyane?

¹⁴ UYehova uyasinceda ukuba ‘simkhonze ngaxhatha linye.’ (Zef. 3:8, 9) Uyasiqeqesha ukuze sikwazi ukuba yinxalenye yenjongo yakhe kanaphakade. Iquka ntoni loo njongo? Ufuna ukuba “kuhlanganiselwe zonke izinto kwakhona kuKristu.” (Funda eyabase-Efese 1:9, 10.) Ewe, ufuna ukumanyanisa zonke izidalwa ezivumayo kuyo yonke indalo, kwaye uza kuyenza loo nto. Njengomntu oselula, ngaba le nto ayikuncedi ubone imfuneko yokusebenza ngomanyano nentlangano kaYehova?

¹⁵ UYehova usifundisa ukuba simanyane ngoku, ukuze silugcine ngonaphakade olo manyano. IZibhalo ziyithetha ziyithethile into yokuba simele ‘sinyamekelane,’ sibe “nomsa omnye komnye,” ‘sithuthuzelane,’ kwaye ‘sakhane.’ (1 Kor. 12:25; Roma 12:10; 1 Tes. 4:18; 5:11) UYehova uyazi ukuba amaKristu awafezekanga, kwaye loo nto yenza kube nzima ukumanyana, ngoko kufuneka sizame ‘ukuxolelana ngesisa.’—Efe. 4:32.

16, 17. (a) Yiyiphi enye yeenjongo zeentlanganiso zamaKristu? (b) Ulutsha lunokufunda ntoni kumzekelo kaYesu xa wayeselula?

¹⁶ UYehova usinike neentlanganiso zamaKristu ukuze sihlale sikunye. Siqhelene namazwi akhuthazayo akumaHebhere 10:24, 25. Enye yeenjongo zeentlanganiso ‘kukunyamekelana, ukuvuselelana eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle.’ Noko ke, kuyaphawuleka ukuba iintlanganiso zenzelwe ukuba ‘sikhuthazane, ngokungakumbi njengoko sibona ukuba imini iyasondela.’

¹⁷ Xa uYesu wayeselula, waba ngumzekelo omhle wokuxabisa amalungiselelo alolu hlobo. Xa wayeneminyaka eyi-12, waya kwenye indibano enkulu kunye nabazali bakhe. Ngaxa lithile wanyamalala, kodwa ke engayanga kubuthela olunye ulutsha. Kunoko, uYosefu noMariya bamfumana encokola ngezinto zokomoya nabafundisi etempileni.—Luka 2:45-47.

18. Imithandazo yethu inokuba negalelo njani kumanyano lwethu?

¹⁸ Kwakhona sinokomeleza umanyano  lwethu ngokuthandazela amanye amaKristu, sicele uYehova ukuba awancede. Xa singqala kwizinto esizicelela abazalwana bethu kuYehova, sitsho sikhumbule indlela esikhathalelana ngayo. Le nto ayimele iphelele kumaKristu akhulileyo. Ukuba uselula, ngaba uyawasebenzisa la mathuba okukhulisa ubuhlobo kunye nentsapho yakho yokomoya? Ukwenjenjalo kuya kukunceda uqiniseke ukuba awutshabalali xa kupheliswa eli hlabathi.

19-21. (a) Yiyiphi indlela ephawulekayo esibonisa ngayo ukuba “singamalungu elowo elomnye”? Zekelisa. (b) Ufunda ntoni kwindlela abanye abazalwana abaye basabela ngayo kwiintlekele?

¹⁹ Abantu bakaYehova sele bephila ngomgaqo ofumaneka kweyabaseRoma 12:5, othi: “Singamalungu elowo elomnye.” Loo nto sinokuyibona xa kuhle intlekele. NgoDisemba ka-2011, isiqithi seePhilippines esiyiMindanao safikelwa sisaqhwithi esadala izikhukula. Ngobusuku nje obunye, imizi eyi-40 000 yangenwa ngamanzi, kuquka izindlu ezininzi zabazalwana bethu. Noko ke, iofisi yesebe ithi “kwanangaphambi kokuba iikomiti zokunceda zisebenze, abazalwana abakwezinye iindawo babethumela izinto zokunceda.”

²⁰ Kanti naxa inyikima enkulu kunye netsunami eyalandelayo zantlitha impuma yeJapan, abazalwana noodade abaninzi balahlekelwa zizinto ezininzi. Abanye babesele nezo mpahla bazinxibileyo. UYoshiko, owayengasenakhaya, wayehlala kwiikhilomitha eziyi-40 ukusuka kwiHolo yoBukumkani. Uthi: “Kamva sothuswa kukufumanisa ukuba, ngosuku olulandela loo nyikima, umveleli wesiphaluka nomnye umzalwana babeze kusikhangela.” Encume olukablankethi, wongezelela athi: “Siyixabisa ngokwenene into yokuba iimfuno zethu zokomoya zihoywe kakuhle kangaka libandla. Ukongezelela koko, safumana iidyasi, izihlangu, iibhegi neempahla zokulala.” Elinye ilungu lekomiti yokunceda lithi: “Bonke abazalwana baseJapan babemanyene, bezama ukuncedana. Kwakukho nabazalwana abasuka eUnited States beze kunceda. Xa babebuzwa ukuba kutheni bede basuka kude kangaka, bathi, ‘Simanyene nabazalwana bethu baseJapan, kwaye bayaludinga uncedo.’” Ngaba awuzidli na wena ngokuba yinxalenye yentlangano ewakhathalela kangaka amalungu ayo? Unokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uvuya nyhani xa ebona umanyano olunjalo.

²¹ Ukuba nalo ngoku olu manyano kuya kusinceda sijongane namanzithinzithi exesha elizayo ngobunye, kwanokuba siyahlukaniswa nabazalwana bethu abakweminye imimandla yehlabathi. Eneneni, umanyano lusiqeqeshela iingxaki ezisenokusivelela xa kupheliswa le nkqubo indala. UFumiko, owayelixhoba lesaqhwithi eJapan, uthi: “Isiphelo sisemnyango. Kufuneka siqhubeke sibanceda abazalwana bethu njengoko silinde ixesha apho kungasayi kubakho zintlekele.”

22. Ukumanyana namanye amaKristu kuya kusinceda njani kwixesha elizayo?

²² Ulutsha nabantu abadala abalusebenzela ngoku umanyano bazilungiselela ukusinda xa kupheliswa eli hlabathi lingendawo neliziintlaba-zahlukane. Njengesiqhelo, uThixo wethu uza kubasindisa abantu bakhe. (Isa. 52:9, 10) Ungalibali ke ukuba unako ukuba phakathi kwabasindiswayo ukuba usebenzela ekubeni yinxalenye yabantu bakaThixo abamanyeneyo. Enye into eza kusinceda kukuzixabisa ngakumbi izinto esisele sinazo. Siza kuthetha ngaloo nto kwinqaku elilandelayo.