1. (a) Yintoni ebisoloko isaziwa ngabantu bakaThixo ngokuqeqesha abantu, ibe loo nto isebenza njani kule mihla yethu? (b) Nguwuphi umbuzo esiza kuwuphendula kweli nqaku?

ABANTU bakaThixo bebesoloko besazi ukuba, ukuze umntu aphumelele, kufuneka aqeqeshwe. Ngokomzekelo, uAbram waphumelela ekuhlanguleni uLote, esebenzisa “amadoda akhe aqeqeshiweyo.” (Genesis 14:14-16) Ngomhla kaKumkani uDavide, iimvumi ‘zaziqeqeshelwe’ ukudumisa uYehova ngeengoma. (1 Kronike 25:7) Namhlanje, kufuneka silwe noSathana neli hlabathi lakhe. (Efese 6:11-13) Kwakhona, sizama kangangoko sinako ukudumisa uYehova ngokuthetha nabantu ngegama lakhe. (Hebhere 13:15, 16) Njengokuba kwakunjalo kubakhonzi bakaThixo bamandulo, kufuneka siqeqeshwe ukuze siphumelele. Ebandleni, uYehova unike abadala imbopheleleko yokuqeqesha abazalwana. (2 Timoti 2:2) Abanye abadala baye babaqeqesha njani abazalwana ukuze bakwazi ukunyamekela abantu bakaYehova?

2. Yintoni enokwenziwa ngumdala ngaphambi kokufundisa umzalwana izinto ezintsha, yaye ngoba?

² Umdala unokufaniswa nomlimi. Ngaphambi kokuba  atyale imbewu, umlimi usenokugalela umgquba emhlabeni ukuze izityalo zikhule kakuhle, zingancothuki lula. Ngendlela efanayo, ngaphambi kokuba umdala afundise umzalwana izinto ezintsha, unokumbonisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile eza kumnceda azisebenzise izinto azifundayo.—1 Timoti 4:6.

3. (a) Umdala angawasebenzisa njani amazwi kaYesu akuMarko 12:29, 30 xa encokola nomfundi? (b) Ukuthandaza nomfundi kunokumnceda njani?

³ Kubalulekile ukwazi ukuba inyaniso iyichaphazela njani indlela acinga navakalelwa ngayo umzalwana. Loo nto iza kufuna umbuze ukuba ukuzahlulela kwakhe kuYehova kumenze wenza ziphi izigqibo ebomini bakhe. Umbuzo onjalo ungakunceda ukwazi ukuncokola naye ngendlela esinokumkhonza ngayo uYehova ngentliziyo yonke. (Funda uMarko 12:29, 30.) Usenokude uthandaze kunye naye, ucele uYehova ukuba amnike umoya oyingcwele oza kumnceda xa eqeqeshwa. Xa lo mzalwana ekuva umthandazela, unokutsho azimisele ngakumbi!

4. (a) Chaza iindinyana zeBhayibhile ezinokunceda umzalwana enze inkqubela. (b) Imele ibe yintoni injongo yabadala xa beqeqesha abazalwana?

⁴ Xa uqalisa ukuqeqesha umzalwana, kuya kukunceda ukuthetha ngeZibhalo eziya kumenza abone indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba lulutho, ukuthembeka nokuthobeka. (1 Kumkani 19:19-21; Nehemiya 7:2; 13:13; IZenzo 18:24-26) Ezi mpawu zifana nomgquba ogalelwa emhlabeni. Ziya kumnceda umzalwana akhule, akhawuleze ukwenza inkqubela. UJean-Claude, ongumdala waseFransi, uthi injongo yakhe ephambili xa eqeqesha umzalwana, kukumnceda enze izigqibo zobulumko ezisekelwe kwimigaqo yeBhayibhile. Uthi: “Ndiye ndifune amathuba okufunda isibhalo naye ukuze ‘avuleke amehlo,’ abone ‘izinto ezimangalisayo’ eziseLizwini likaThixo.” (INdumiso 119:18) Ziziphi ezinye iindlela zokomeleza umzalwana?

5. (a) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukubuza umzalwana oqeqeshwayo ngosukelo analo? (b) Kutheni abadala befanele babaqeqeshe beselula abazalwana? (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.)

⁵ Buza umzalwana ukuba ziintoni afuna ukumenzela zona uYehova. Ukuba akukho nto acinga ngayo, mncede azibekele usukelo anokulufikelela.  Mbalisele unehlombe ngosukelo owawunalo nangendlela owavuya ngayo ukulufikelela kwakho. Le yindlela elula kodwa esebenzayo yokumkhuthaza. UVictor, ongumdala novulindlela kwelinye ilizwe laseAfrika uthi: “Xa ndandisakhula, omnye umdala wandibuza ngosukelo endinalo. Imibuzo yakhe yandenza ndacingisisa ngobulungiseleli bam.” Abadala abanamava bathi kubalulekile ukuqeqesha abazalwana beselula, mhlawumbi xa befikisa. Ninokubanika umsebenzi obalingeneyo ebandleni. Xa abazalwana beqeqeshwa beselula, loo nto inokubanceda bahlale becinga ngosukelo lwabo njengoko bekhula naxa kuvela iziphazamiso.—Funda iNdumiso 71:5, 17. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

6. UYesu wabaqeqesha njani abapostile bakhe?

⁶ Ukuze ukhuthaze umzalwana ukuba azimisele ebandleni, awumele uphelele nje ekumxeleleni into amakayenze. Mxelele nesizathu sokuba ibalulekile loo nto. UYesu, uMfundisi Omkhulu,  waxelela abapostile bakhe ukuba baye kushumayela. Kodwa waqala wabanika isizathu sokuba bemele bamthobele. Wathi: “Linikwe mna lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni. Hambani ke ngoko niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke.” (Mateyu 28:18, 19) Ungayixelisa njani le ndlela kaYesu yokuqeqesha?

7, 8. (a) Abadala bangayixelisa njani indlela awayeqeqesha ngayo uYesu? (b) Kubaluleke kangakanani ukumncoma umzalwana omqeqeshayo? (c) Ngawaphi amacebiso anokunceda abadala baqeqeshe abazalwana? (Jonga ibhokisi ethi “ Indlela Yokuqeqesha Abazalwana.”)

⁷ Xa unika umzalwana isabelo esithile, sebenzisa iBhayibhile ukuze umbonise isizathu sokuba sibalulekile. Ngaloo ndlela, umfundisa ukwenza izinto eqhutywa yimigaqo yeBhayibhile, kunemithetho nje kuphela. Ngokomzekelo, xa ucela umzalwana ukuba awugcine ucocekile umnyango weHolo yoBukumkani, unokumbonisa uTito 2:10. Mcacisele ukuba lo msebenzi uza kusenza sibe nomtsalane isigidimi soBukumkani. Mcele acinge nangendlela ukwenza lo msebenzi okuya kubanceda ngayo abantu abadala ebandleni. Ukuthetha naye ngezo zinto kuya kumnceda abone ukuba abantu babaluleke ngaphezu kwemithetho. Xa ebona indlela abancedakala ngayo abazalwana noodade ngulo msebenzi wakhe, uya kukuvuyela ukubakhonza.

⁸ Kwakhona, mncome umzalwana xa ewasebenzisa amacebiso akho. Kubaluleke kangakanani ukuyenza loo nto? Kanye njengokuba amanzi esenza sichume isityalo, ukumncoma umzalwana kumnceda enze inkqubela ekukhonzeni uYehova.—Thelekisa noMateyu 3:17.

9. (a) Kutheni kusenokuba nzima ukuba abadala abakwamanye amazwe afumileyo baqeqeshe abazalwana? (b) Yintoni ebangela ukuba ukukhonza uThixo kungabi yeyona nto iphambili kwabanye abazalwana abaselula?

⁹ Abadala abakumazwe afumileyo basenokukufumanisa kunzima ukukhuthaza abazalwana ababhaptiziweyo abakwiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-20 neyi-30 ukuba bazimisele ebandleni. Abadala abanamava bamazwe amalunga nayi-20 baye basixelela ukuba bacinga ukuba kutheni abazalwana abaselula bengazimiselanga ebandleni. Abaninzi kubo baye bathi xa abanye baba bazalwana babesakhula, abazali babo abazange babakhuthaze ukuba bazibekele usukelo enkonzweni kaYehova. Yaye abanye babo bathe bekufuna ukuzimisela, babe abazali bebakhuthaza ukuba bafune imfundo ephakamileyo nemisebenzi ehlawulayo! Ngoko ukukhonza uThixo ibingeyiyo eyona nto iphambili ebomini babo.—Mateyu 10:24.

10, 11. (a) Umdala angamnceda njani umzalwana akufune ukwenza izabelo ebandleni? (b) Angasebenzisa ziphi izibhalo ukuze akhuthaze umzalwana, yaye ngoba? (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁰ Ukuba umzalwana ubonakala engazimiselanga, unako ukuyitshintsha indlela acinga ngayo, kodwa kuza kufuneka umncekelele uze ube nomonde. Ezinye izityalo zifuna ukuxhaswa ukuze zikhule zithe nkqo. Nawe ke, unokumnceda umzalwana ngokuthe ngcembe ukuba akufune ukwenza izabelo ebandleni. Njani?

¹¹ Yiba ngumhlobo wakhe. Mxelele ukuba ibandla liyamdinga. Xa sele niqhelene, mbonise izibhalo ezinokumnceda  akhumbule ukuzahlulela kwakhe kuYehova. (INtshumayeli 5:4; Isaya 6:8; Mateyu 6:24, 33; Luka 9:57-62; 1 Korinte 15:58; 2 Korinte 5:15; 13:5) Zama ukumfikelela intliziyo ngemibuzo enjengale: ‘Xa wawuzahlulela kuYehova, wamthembisa ntoni? Ucinga ukuba wavakalelwa njani uYehova ukubhaptizwa kwakho?’ (IMizekeliso 27:11) ‘USathana yena?’ (1 Petros 5:8) Ezi zibhalo zinokuba namandla yaye zimfikelele intliziyo.—Funda amaHebhere 4:12. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

12, 13. (a) Wayenjani uElisha? (b) UYehova wamvuza ngantoni uElisha?

¹² Bazalwana abaselula, ibandla liyanidinga! Yintoni ke eza kuninceda niphumelele ekukhonzeni uYehova? Ukuze uphenduleke lo mbuzo, makhe sithethe ngezinto ezenzeka kuElisha, naye owakha waqeqeshwa.

¹³ Kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-3 000 eyadlulayo, umprofeti uEliya wacela uElisha owayeselula ukuba amncedise kumsebenzi wakhe. UElisha wavuma zisuka, waza wathembeka nangona wayesenza umsebenzi ophantsi. (2 Kumkani 3:11) UEliya wamqeqesha iminyaka emalunga nemithandathu. Kwathi ke xa uEliya wayesele eza kuwugqiba umsebenzi awayewenza kwaSirayeli, wamkhulula uElisha ekubeni ngumkhonzi wakhe. Kodwa uElisha wamphendula kathathu esithi: “Andiyi kukushiya.” Wayezimisele ukuhlala nalo mqeqeshi wakhe kangangoko kunokwenzeka. UYehova wamvuza uElisha ngokunyaniseka nokuthembeka kwakhe ngokumvumela ukuba abe khona xa uEliya wayethathwa sisaqhwithi somoya.—2 Kumkani 2:1-12.

14. (a) Abazalwana abaselula bangamxelisa njani uElisha? (b) Kutheni kubaluleke kangaka ukuba umzalwana oselula azenze ngokuthembeka izabelo zakhe?

¹⁴ Ukuba ungumzalwana oselula, ungamxelisa njani uElisha? Zamkele zisuka izabelo, nezona zibonakala ziphantsi. Khumbula ukuba umdala okuqeqeshayo, ngumhlobo wakho. Mxelele ukuba uyayixabisa le nto akwenzela yona, uze umbonise ukuba ufuna ukuqhubeka ufunda kuye. Ngaphezu kwento yonke, zenze ngokuthembeka izabelo zakho. Ngoba? Kaloku xa ungumntu ongasoloko eqhutywa ngasemva nothembekileyo, abadala banokutsho babone ukuba uYehova ufuna unikwe izabelo ezingakumbi ebandleni.—INdumiso 101:6; funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 2:2.

15, 16. (a) UElisha wabonisa njani ukuba uyamhlonela umqeqeshi wakhe? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yintoni eyenza abanye abaprofeti bamthemba uElisha?

¹⁵ Umzekelo kaElisha usibonisa nendlela ekubaluleke ngayo namhlanje ukuba abazalwana babahlonele abadala abanamava. Emva kokuba uEliya noElisha betyelele iqela labaprofeti eYeriko, la madoda mabini aya kuMlambo iYordan. Emva koko, “uEliya wathabatha umnweba wakhe wawusonga waza wabetha amanzi, aza ahlukana.” Bawela iYordan kwindawo eyomileyo, “behamba bethetha.” UElisha wamamela yonke into eyayithethwa nguEliya,  waqhubeka efunda kuye. Akazange azixelele ukuba wazi yonk’ into. Emva koko, uEliya wathathwa sisaqhwithi somoya, waza uElisha wabuyela kuMlambo iYordan. Ukufika kwakhe apho, wabetha amanzi omlambo ngesambatho sikaEliya waza wathi: “Uphi na uYehova uThixo kaEliya?” Amanzi aphinda ahlukana.—2 Kumkani 2:8-14.

¹⁶ Ngaba uphawule ukuba ummangaliso kaElisha wokuqala ufana twatse nokaEliya wokugqibela? Isifundisa ntoni loo nto? UElisha akazange acinge ukuba, ekubeni inguye ngoku ophetheyo, umele enze izinto ngokwahlukileyo kuEliya. Kunoko, ukuxelisa kwakhe uEliya kwabonisa ukuba wayemhlonela umqeqeshi wakhe, nto leyo eyenza abanye abaprofeti bamthemba. (2 Kumkani 2:15) UElisha waba ngumprofeti iminyaka eyi-60, yaye uYehova wamnika amandla okwenza imimangaliso emininzi kunaleyo yenziwa nguEliya. Bangafunda ntoni abazalwana abaqeqeshwayo kulo mzekelo?

17. (a) Abazalwana abaqeqeshwayo bangamxelisa njani uElisha? (b) UYehova angabasebenzisa njani ethubeni abazalwana abaqeqeshwayo abathembekileyo?

¹⁷ Xa ufumana igunya elingakumbi ebandleni, ungacingi ukuba kufuneka wenze izinto ngendlela eyahluke mpela kunale ufike kusenziwa ngayo. Ukhumbule ukuba, utshintsho lumele lwenziwe kuphela xa kuyimfuneko ebandleni naxa kukho ulwalathiso oluvela kwintlangano kaYehova. Awunakusuka utshintshe izinto kuba nje ufuna. Xa uElisha engazange atshintshe indlela kaEliya yokwenza izinto, wabonisa ukuba uyamhlonela umqeqeshi wakhe, nabanye abaprofeti batsho bamthemba. Ukuba nawe ke uqhubeka uzisebenzisa iindlela zomqeqeshi wakho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni, ubonisa ukuba uyabahlonela abadala abanamava, yaye abazalwana noodade baza kukuthemba. (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 4:17.) Njengoko usiba namava, uya kutsho ukwazi ukwenza utshintsho oluya kunceda ibandla lilandele intlangano kaYehova, esoloko ihambela phambili. Ethubeni uYehova angakunceda wenze izinto ezinkulu kunabadala abakuqeqeshayo, kanye njengokuba wenzayo kuElisha.—Yohane 14:12.

18. Kutheni kungxamisekile ukuba kuqeqeshwe abazalwana emabandleni?

¹⁸ Sinethemba lokuba la macebiso akweli nqaku nelilandulelayo aza kukhuthaza abadala abangakumbi ukuba baqeqeshe abazalwana. Kwaye sithandazela nokuba abazalwana abangakumbi bavume ukuqeqeshwa nokusebenzisa izinto abazifundayo ukuze banyamekele abantu bakaYehova. Loo nto iya kuwaqinisa amabandla ehlabathini lonke ize incede ngamnye wethu ukuba ahlale ethembekile kula maxesha abangela imincili.