1-3. (a) Abantu abaningi bazizwa kanjani ngomsebenzi wabo? (b) Yimuphi umbono okhuthazwa iBhayibheli ngomsebenzi, futhi yimiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela kulesi sahluko?

ABANTU abaningi namuhla abawujabuleli neze umsebenzi. Njengoba befukuza amahora amaningi emsebenzini abangawuthandisisi, bayakuzonda ukuya emsebenzini zonke izinsuku. Bangasizwa kanjani ukuba bawuthande umsebenzi wabo—ingasaphathwa-ke eyokuthola ukwaneliseka kuwo?

² IBhayibheli likhuthaza umbono ofanele ngomsebenzi onzima. Lithi umsebenzi nezithelo zawo kuyisibusiso. USolomoni wabhala: “Wonke umuntu [kufanele] adle futhi empeleni aphuze abone okuhle ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe onzima. Kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu.” (UmShumayeli 3:13) UJehova osithandayo nosifunela okuhle ngaso sonke isikhathi, ufuna sithole ukwaneliseka emsebenzini futhi sijabulele nezithelo zomsebenzi wethu. Ukuze sihlale othandweni lwakhe, kudingeka siphile ngokuvumelana nombono wakhe nezimiso zakhe ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi.—UmShumayeli 2:24; 5:18.

³ Kulesi sahluko sizocabangela imibuzo emine: Singakubona kanjani okuhle ngomsebenzi wethu onzima? Yiziphi izinhlobo zomsebenzi amaKristu eqiniso okungafanele azenze? Singaba kanjani abalinganiselayo phakathi komsebenzi wokuziphilisa kanye nezinto ezingokomoya? Futhi imuphi umsebenzi obaluleke kunayo yonke esingawenza? Okokuqala, ake sihlole isibonelo sezisebenzi ezimbili ezivelele  kunazo zonke endaweni yonke—uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu.

4, 5. IBhayibheli likubonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyisisebenzi esikhiqizayo?

⁴ UJehova uyiSisebenzi Esiphakeme Kunazo Zonke. UGenesise 1:1 uthi: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu nomhlaba.” Lapho uNkulunkulu eqeda umsebenzi wokudala emhlabeni, wathi “kwakukuhle kakhulu.” (Genesise 1:31) Ngamanye amazwi, wayeneliseke ngokugcwele ngawo wonke umsebenzi ayewenzile emhlabeni. UJehova, ‘uNkulunkulu ojabulayo,’ ngokungangabazeki kwamjabulisa kakhulu ukuba yisisebenzi esikhiqizayo.—1 Thimothewu 1:11.

⁵ UNkulunkulu wethu okhuthele akayeki ukusebenza. Sekudlule isikhathi eside kwadalwa umhlaba nakho konke okukuwo, uJesu wathi: “UBaba ulokhu esebenza kuze kube manje.” (Johane 5:17) Ubelokhu enzani uBaba? Esendaweni yakhe yasezulwini, ngokuqinisekile ubelokhu ematasa eqondisa futhi enakekela isintu. Uye wenza kwaba khona “indalo entsha,” amaKristu azelwe ngomoya ekugcineni ayobusa noJesu ezulwini. (2 Korinte 5:17) Ubelokhu esebenzela ukufeza injongo yakhe ngabantu—ewukuba abamthandayo bathole ukuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha. (Roma 6:23) Kumelwe ukuba uJehova ujabula kakhulu ngemiphumela yalo msebenzi. Izigidi ziye zasamukela isigijimi soMbuso, zidonswa uNkulunkulu futhi ziguqula ukuphila kwazo ukuze zihlale othandweni lwakhe.—Johane 6:44.

6, 7. UJesu unamuphi umlando omude wokusebenza kanzima?

⁶ UJesu unomlando omude wokusebenza kanzima. Engakabi umuntu, wakhonza ‘njengesisebenzi esiyingcweti’ sikaNkulunkulu ekudalweni kwazo zonke izinto “emazulwini nasemhlabeni.” (IzAga 8:22-31; Kolose 1:15-17) Lapho esemhlabeni, uJesu waqhubeka esebenza kanzima. Esemusha, wafunda  ikhono lokwakha, waze waziwa ngokuthi “umbazi.” * (Marku 6:3) Lo msebenzi uhilela ukusebenza kanzima namakhono ahlukahlukene—kwakunjalo ikakhulukazi ngenkathi zingakabi khona izindawo zokusaha amapulangwe, izitolo zokuthenga amathuluzi, nemishini kagesi. Ungambona ngeso lengqondo uJesu eyozifunela izingodo—mhlawumbe aze agawule imithi ayihudulele lapho ayesebenzela khona? Uyambona akha izindlu—esaha futhi efaka amapulangwe ophahla, akha izicabha, noma enza ngisho nefenisha? Ngokungangabazeki uJesu wayekwazi ukwaneliseka oba nakho ngokwenza umsebenzi onzima ngobunyoninco.

⁷ UJesu wayeyisisebenzi esikhuthele ngokuphawulekayo enkonzweni. Wasebenza iminyaka emithathu nengxenye, egxile ngokuphelele kulo msebenzi obaluleke kakhulu. Efuna ukufinyelela abantu abaningi ngokunokwenzeka, wasisebenzisa ngokugcwele isikhathi sakhe, evuka ekuseni futhi asebenze kuze kuhlwe. (Luka 21:37, 38; Johane 3:2) Wahamba “umuzi ngomuzi nomzana ngomzana, eshumayela futhi ememezela izindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu.” (Luka 8:1) UJesu wahamba amabanga amade, ehamba ngezinyawo emigwaqweni ewubhuqu eyisa isigijimi sezindaba ezinhle kubantu.

8, 9. UJesu wakubona kanjani okuhle ngomsebenzi wakhe onzima?

⁸ Ingabe uJesu wakubona okuhle ngokusebenza kwakhe kanzima enkonzweni? Yebo! Wahlwanyela imbewu yeqiniso loMbuso, eshiya amasimu elungele ukuvunwa. Ukwenza umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu kwanikeza uJesu amandla nokwaneliseka kangangokuba wayezimisele ukudela ukudla ukuze awenze. (Johane 4:31-38) Cabanga ngokwaneliseka okumelwe ukuba waba nakho lapho, ekupheleni kwenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, ebika ngobuqotho kuYise:  “Ngikukhazimulisile emhlabeni, njengoba ngiwuqedile umsebenzi onginike wona ukuba ngiwenze.”—Johane 17:4.

⁹ Ngokuqinisekile uJehova noJesu bayizibonelo eziqavile zabantu ababona okuhle ngomsebenzi wabo onzima. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova lusenza ‘sibe ngabalingisi bakaNkulunkulu.’ (Efesu 5:1) Uthando lwethu ngoJesu lusishukumisela ukuba ‘silandele izinyathelo zakhe eduze.’ (1 Petru 2:21) Ngakho, manje ake sihlole indlela nathi esingakubona ngayo okuhle ngomsebenzi wethu onzima.

10, 11. Yini engasisiza ukuba sihlakulele isimo sengqondo esihle ngomsebenzi wethu?

¹⁰ Umsebenzi wokuziphilisa uyingxenye yokuphila kwamaKristu eqiniso. Sifuna ukuthola ukwaneliseka nezinga elithile lokugculiseka emsebenzini esiwenzayo, kodwa lokhu kungaba inselele yangempela uma senza umsebenzi esingawuthandi. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba sibone okuhle ngomsebenzi wethu ezimweni ezinjalo?

¹¹ Ngokuhlakulela isimo sengqondo esihle. Ngeke sakwazi ukushintsha izimo zethu ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa singasishintsha isimo sethu sengqondo. Ukuzindla ngendlela uNkulunkulu abheka ngayo izinto kungasisiza sihlakulele isimo sengqondo esihle ngomsebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, uma uyinhloko yomkhaya, khumbula iqiniso lokuthi umsebenzi wakho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ubonakala uphansi kangakanani, ukusiza ukuba ukwazi ukunakekela izidingo ezingokwenyama zomkhaya wakho. Ngakho ukunakekela abathandekayo bakho akuyona into encane kuNkulunkulu. IZwi lakhe lithi umuntu ohluleka ukunakekela umkhaya wakhe “mubi kakhulu kunomuntu ongenalo ukholo.” (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Ukuqaphela ukuthi umsebenzi wakho uyindlela yokufeza okuthile—ukwenza ukwazi ukuthwala umthwalo wemfanelo owunikwe uNkulunkulu—kungakusiza uthole izinga elithile lokwaneliseka nenjongo emsebenzini wakho, okuyizinto abangase bangabi nazo abantu osebenza nabo.

12. Kuzuzisa ngaziphi izindlela ukukhuthala nokwethembeka emsebenzini wethu?

 ¹² Ngokuba okhuthele nothembekile. Ukusebenza kanzima nokufunda indlela yokuwenza kahle umsebenzi wakho kungakulethela izibusiso. Izisebenzi ezikhuthele nezinekhono zivame ukwaziswa kakhulu abaqashi bazo. (IzAga 12:24; 22:29) NjengamaKristu eqiniso, kumelwe futhi sethembeke emsebenzini wethu—singantshontshi imali, izinto zasemsebenzini, noma isikhathi somqashi. (Efesu 4:28) Njengoba sibonile esahlukweni esandulele, ukwethembeka kuyazuzisa. Isisebenzi esinedumela lokwethembeka cishe siyokwethenjwa. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umqashi wethu uyaqaphela  ukuthi sisebenza kanzima noma cha, singathola ukwaneliseka okudalwa ukuba “nonembeza othembekile” nokwazi ukuthi sijabulisa uNkulunkulu esimthandayo.—Hebheru 13:18; Kolose 3:22-24.

13. Isibonelo sethu esihle emsebenzini singaba namiphi imiphumela?

¹³ Ngokuqaphela ukuthi ukuziphatha kwethu kungakhazimulisa uNkulunkulu. Lapho silondoloza izindinganiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha kobuKristu emsebenzini, nakanjani abanye bayokuqaphela lokhu. Kube namuphi umphumela? Singase ‘sihlobise imfundiso yoMsindisi wethu, uNkulunkulu.’ (Thithu 2:9, 10) Yebo, ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle kungase kwenze abanye babone ubuhle bendlela yethu yokukhulekela, kuyenze ikhange ngisho nakakhulu kubo. Cabanga nje ukuthi ubungazizwa kanjani uma osebenza naye amukela iqiniso ngenxa yesibonelo sakho esihle emsebenzini! Okubaluleke kunakho konke, cabanga ngalokhu: Yini engazuzisa kakhulu ukwedlula ukwazi ukuthi ukuziphatha kwakho okuhle kukhazimulisa uJehova futhi kwenza inhliziyo yakhe ijabule?—IzAga 27:11; 1 Petru 2:12.

14-16. Lapho sibhekene nezinqumo eziphathelene nomsebenzi, yimiphi imibuzo eyinhloko okufanele siyicabangele?

¹⁴ IBhayibheli alisho ngokuqondile ukuthi yini eyamukelekayo nengamukeleki endabeni yomsebenzi wokuziphilisa. Lokhu akusho ukuthi singenza noma yiluphi uhlobo lomsebenzi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi luhilelani. ImiBhalo ingasisiza ukuba sikhethe umsebenzi ozuzisayo, ozosenza sithembeke, nojabulisa uNkulunkulu, sibe sigwema leyo eyomdumaza. (IzAga 2:6) Lapho sibhekene nezinqumo eziphathelene nomsebenzi, kunemibuzo emibili eyinhloko okufanele siyicabangele.

¹⁵ Ingabe ukwenza lo msebenzi kuyobe kuwukwenza into elahlwa iBhayibheli? IZwi likaNkulunkulu likulahla ngokucacile  ukweba, ukuqamba amanga nokwenza izithixo. (Eksodusi 20:4; IzEnzo 15:29; Efesu 4:28; IsAmbulo 21:8) Siyokwenqaba noma yimiphi imisebenzi efuna senze izinto ezinjalo. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova alusoze lwasivumela ukuba samukele umsebenzi ohilela imikhuba ephula imithetho yakhe.—1 Johane 5:3.

¹⁶ Ingabe ukwenza lo msebenzi kuyongenza ngibe nesandla emkhubeni ongalungile noma ngiwukhuthaze? Cabanga  ngalesi sibonelo. Ukwenza umsebenzi wokuphendula izingcingo akukubi kona ngokwako. Kodwa kuthiwani uma umKristu ethola umsebenzi onjalo emtholampilo wokukhipha izisu? Yiqiniso, lo msebenzi ngeke uhilele ukuba asize ekukhipheni izisu ngokuqondile. Noma kunjalo, ukusebenza kwakhe lapho bekungeke yini kusekele lo mtholampilo wokukhipha izisu—umkhuba ongqubuzana neZwi likaNkulunkulu? (Eksodusi 21:22-24) Njengabathandi bakaJehova, asifuni ukuhlanganiswa nemikhuba engasekelwa yimiBhalo.

17. (a) Yiziphi izinto okufanele sizicabangele lapho senza izinqumo eziphathelene nomsebenzi? (Bheka  ibhokisi ekhasini 177.) (b) Unembeza wethu ungasisiza kanjani ukuba senze izinqumo ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ Izinto eziningi eziphathelene nomsebenzi zingaxazululwa ngokuhlaziyisisa izimpendulo zemibuzo emibili eyinhloko ephakanyiswe esigabeni sika-15 nesika-16. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunezinye izinto esiyobe senza kahle ngokuzicabangela  lapho senza izinqumo eziphathelene nomsebenzi. * Asinakulindela ukuba isigaba senceku ethembekile sibeke imithetho eyosiqondisa kuzo zonke izimo ezingase ziphakame. Yilapho-ke lapho kudingeka sisebenzise khona ukuqonda. Njengoba sifundile eSahlukweni 2, kudingeka sifundise futhi siqeqeshe onembeza bethu ngokufunda ukusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ekuphileni kwethu kwemihla ngemihla. Uma ‘amandla ethu okuqonda’ eseqeqeshwe ‘ngokusetshenziswa’ kanjalo, unembeza wethu ungasisiza senze izinqumo ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu neziyosenza sihlale othandweni lwakhe.—Hebheru 5:14.

18. Kungani kungelula ukuhlala sinombono olinganiselayo ngezinto ezingokomoya?

¹⁸ Ukuhlala sinombono olinganiselayo ngezinto ezingokomoya akulula kulezi “zinsuku zokugcina” ‘nezikhathi zazo ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Kungaba inselele yangempela ukuthola umsebenzi nokuhlala kuwo. NjengamaKristu eqiniso, siyakuqaphela ukubaluleka kokusebenza kanzima ukuze sondle imikhaya yethu. Kodwa uma singaqaphile, izingcindezi zomsebenzi noma ukucabanga kwaleli zwe okuthelelanayo kokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo kungaphazamisa ingokomoya lethu. (1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10) Ake sixoxe ngokuthi singaba kanjani abalinganiselayo, siqiniseke “ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu.”—Filipi 1:10.

19. Kungani uJehova ekufanelekela ukuba simethembe ngokugcwele, futhi ukumethemba kanjalo kusisiza ukuba sigweme ini?

¹⁹ Themba uJehova ngokugcwele. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Akakufanelekele yini ukuba simethembe ngaleyo ndlela? Angithi uyasikhathalela. (1 Petru 5:7) Wazi izidingo zethu kangcono kunathi, futhi isandla sakhe asisifushane neze. (IHubo 37:25)  Ngakho-ke, senza kahle uma silalela lapho iZwi lakhe lisikhumbuza: “Indlela yenu yokuphila mayingabi nalo uthando lwemali, naneliswe izinto ezikhona. Ngoba [uNkulunkulu] uthé: ‘Angisoze ngakushiya noma ngikulahle nganoma iyiphi indlela.’” (Hebheru 13:5) Izinceku eziningi ezisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele zingakufakazela ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukunakekela izidingo zokuphila. Uma simethemba  ngokugcwele uJehova ukuthi uzosinakekela, sizogwema ukhathazeka ngokungafanele ngokunakekela imikhaya yethu. (Mathewu 6:25-32) Ngeke sivumele umsebenzi wokuziphilisa usenze singazinaki izinto ezingokomoya, ezifana nokushumayela izindaba ezinhle nokuya emihlanganweni.—Mathewu 24:14; Hebheru 10:24, 25.

20. Kusho ukuthini ukugcina iso lakho lilihle, futhi ungaligcina kanjani lilihle?

²⁰ Gcina iso lakho lilihle. (Mathewu 6:22, 23) Ukuba neso elihle kusho ukugcina ukuphila kwethu kulula. Iso elilula lomKristu ligxila emgomweni owodwa—ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Uma iso lethu ligxile kokufanele, ngeke sigijimisane nomsebenzi oholela kahle nendlela yokuphila yokubukisa. Singeke futhi sabanjwa iphango elinganeliseki lezinto ezibonakalayo zamuva nezingcono kunazo zonke abakhangisi abasenza sikholwe ukuthi siyazidinga ukuze sijabule. Ungaligcina kanjani iso lakho lilihle? Gwema ukuzethwesa izikweletu ezingadingekile. Musa ukucinanisa ukuphila kwakho ngezinto ezikudlela isikhathi esiningi. Lalela iseluleko seBhayibheli sokwaneliswa ‘ukudla nokokwembatha.’ (1 Thimothewu 6:8) Yenza ukuphila kwakho kube lula ngangokunokwenzeka.

21. Kungani kudingeka sinqume ukuthi yiziphi izinto eziza kuqala, futhi yini okufanele ize kuqala ekuphileni kwethu?

²¹ Yenza izinto ezingokomoya zize kuqala futhi uzigcine zilapho. Ngenxa yokuthi zilinganiselwe izinto esingazenza ekuphileni, kudingeka sinqume ukuthi yiziphi eziza kuqala. Ngale kwalokho, izinto ezingabalulekile kangako zingadla isikhathi sethu esiyigugu, ziminyanise ezibaluleke kakhulu. Yiziphi okufanele zize kuqala ekuphileni kwethu? Abaningi ezweni bagcizelela ukuphishekela imfundo ephakeme ukuze bathole umsebenzi onemali kulesi simiso. UJesu yena wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe ukuba ‘baqhubeke befuna kuqala umbuso.’ (Mathewu 6:33) Yebo, njengamaKristu eqiniso, sibeka uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. Indlela yethu yokuphila—ukukhetha esikwenzayo, imigomo esiyibekayo, nezinto esiziphishekelayo—kufanele ibonise ukuthi  izithakazelo zoMbuso nentando kaNkulunkulu kubaluleke kakhulu ukwedlula izinto ezibonakalayo neminako yezwe.

22, 23. (a) Yimuphi umsebenzi oyinhloko wamaKristu eqiniso, futhi singabonisa kanjani ukuthi lo msebenzi ubalulekile kithi? (Bheka  ibhokisi ekhasini 180.) (b) Yini ozimisele ukuyenza ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi wokuziphilisa?

²² Njengoba sazi ukuthi sesingene sagamanxa esikhathini sokuphela, sihlale sigxile emsebenzini oyinhloko wamaKristu eqiniso—ukushumayela nokwenza abafundi. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20) NjengeSibonelo sethu uJesu, sifuna ukuba matasa kakhulu kulo msebenzi osindisa ukuphila. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi lo msebenzi ubalulekile kithi? Iningi labantu bakaNkulunkulu lizinikela ngenhliziyo yonke emsebenzini wokushumayela njengabamemezeli bebandla. Abanye baye bahlela izimo zabo ukuze babe amaphayona noma izithunywa zevangeli. Beqaphela ukubaluleka kwemigomo engokomoya, abazali abaningi baye bakhuthaza izingane zabo ukuba ziphishekele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ingabe abamemezeli boMbuso abashisekayo bayakubona okuhle ngomsebenzi wabo onzima enkonzweni? Bayakubona isibili! Ukukhonza uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke kuyiyona ndlela yokuthola injabulo, ukwaneliseka, nezibusiso eziningi ekuphileni.—IzAga 10:22.

²³ Iningi lethu lichitha amahora amaningi emsebenzini wokuziphilisa ukuze londle imikhaya ngokwenyama. Khumbula ukuthi uJehova ufuna sibone okuhle ngomsebenzi wethu onzima. Ngokwenza isimo sethu sengqondo nezenzo zethu kuvumelane nombono wakhe nezimiso zakhe, singakuthola ukwaneliseka emsebenzini wethu. Noma kunjalo, masizimisele ukuba singalokothi sivumele umsebenzi wokuziphilisa usithikameze emsebenzini wethu oyinhloko—wokumemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngokwenza lo msebenzi uze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu, sibonisa uthando lwethu ngoJehova futhi ngaleyo ndlela sizigcine othandweni lwakhe.