1, 2. Kungani ubungane bukaJonathani noDavide buyisibonelo esiphawulekayo sobuqotho?

KUMELWE ukuba yammangaza uJonathani indlela uDavide ayenesibindi ngayo. UDavide wayebulale umdondoshiya onguGoliyati wabe eseletha ‘ikhanda lalowo mFilisti’ kuyise kaJonathani, iNkosi uSawule yakwa-Israyeli. (1 Samuweli 17:57) UJonathani wayengangabazi neze ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenoDavide, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, uJonathani noDavide baba abangane abakhulu. Bathembisana ukuthi babezohlale beqotho komunye nomunye. (1 Samuweli 18:1-3) Kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe, uJonathani wayeqotho kuDavide.

² UJonathani wahlala eqotho kuDavide nakuba uJehova ayekhethe uDavide ukuba abe yinkosi elandelayo yakwa-Israyeli, hhayi uJonathani. Futhi lapho uSawule ezama ukubulala uDavide, uJonathani wayekhathazekile ngomngane wakhe. Wayazi ukuthi uDavide wayesehlane laseHoreshi, ngakho  waya lapho ukuze amkhuthaze ukuba aqhubeke ethembele kuJehova. UJonathani wathi kuDavide: “Ungesabi; ngoba isandla sikaSawule ubaba ngeke sikuthole, futhi wena ngokwakho uzoba yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli, mina ngokwami ngibe ngowesibili ukusuka kuwe.”—1 Samuweli 23:16, 17.

3. Yini eyayibaluleke kakhulu kuJonathani kunokuba qotho kuDavide, futhi sikwazi kanjani lokho? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

³ Ngokuvamile siyabazisa abantu abaqotho. Kodwa ingabe uJonathani simazisa ngoba nje ayeqotho kuDavide? Cha, ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu yikona okwakubaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kukaJonathani. Eqinisweni, yileso isizathu esenza waba qotho kuDavide futhi akangamdlela mona, nakuba uDavide ayezoba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe. UJonathani waze ngisho wamsiza uDavide ukuba ancike kuJehova. Womabili la madoda ahlala eqotho kuJehova nakomunye nomunye. Asigcina isithembiso ayesenzile, esithi: “Kwangathi uJehova angaba phakathi kwami nawe naphakathi kwenzalo yami nenzalo yakho kuze kube [phakade].”—1 Samuweli 20:42.

4. (a) Yini ezosijabulisa ngempela futhi isanelise? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

⁴ Nathi kumelwe sibe qotho emndenini wethu, kubangane nakubafowethu nodadewethu ebandleni. (1 Thesalonika 2:10, 11) Kodwa okubaluleke kunakho konke, kumelwe sibe qotho kuJehova. Nguye owasinika ukuphila! (IsAmbulo 4:11) Lapho siba qotho kuye, sijabula ngempela futhi siyaneliseka. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi kumelwe sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu ngisho nangezikhathi ezinzima. Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngokuthi isibonelo sikaJonathani singasisiza kanjani sihlale siqotho kuJehova ngaphansi kwezimo ezine: (1) lapho sinomuzwa wokuthi othile osegunyeni akakufanelekeli ukuba simhloniphe, (2) lapho kufanele sikhethe ukuthi sizoba qotho kubani, (3) lapho umfowethu oholayo engasiqondi kahle noma esiphatha ngokungenabulungisa, (4) nalapho sikuthola kunzima ukugcina isithembiso.

5. Kungani kwakunzima kuma-Israyeli ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu ngesikhathi kubusa uSawule?

⁵ UJonathani nama-Israyeli babebhekene nesimo esinzima. INkosi uSawule, uyise kaJonathani, yayingasalaleli, ngakho uJehova wayilahla. (1 Samuweli 15:17-23) Noma kunjalo, uNkulunkulu wamvumela uSawule ukuba aqhubeke ebusa iminyaka eminingi. Ngakho, kwakunzima kubantu ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu lapho inkosi eyayikhethiwe ukuba ihlale “esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova” yenza izinto ezimbi kakhulu.—1 IziKronike 29:23.

6. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uJonathani wahlala eqotho kuJehova?

⁶ UJonathani wahlala eqotho kuJehova. Cabanga ngalokho uJonathani akwenza ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba uSawule eqale ukungamlaleli uNkulunkulu. (1 Samuweli 13:13, 14) Ngaleso sikhathi, ibutho elikhulu lamaFilisti leza nezinqola zempi ezingu-30 000 lizohlasela ama-Israyeli. USawule wayenamasosha angu-600 nje kuphela futhi nguye noJonathani kuphela ababenezikhali. Kodwa uJonathani wayengesabi. Wayekhumbula amazwi omprofethi uSamuweli, athi: “UJehova ngeke abalahle abantu bakhe ngenxa yegama lakhe elikhulu.” (1 Samuweli  12:22) UJonathani wathi kwelinye isosha: “Akukho okuthiya uJehova ukuba asindise ngabaningi noma ngabambalwa.” Ngakho yena nalelo sosha bahlasela ibutho lamaFilisti futhi babulala abangaba ngu-20 kulo. UJonathani wayenokholo kuJehova, futhi uJehova wambusisa. UJehova wenza kwaba nokuzamazama komhlaba futhi amaFilisti esaba. Abe esehlaselana wodwa futhi abulalana, ama-Israyeli ayinqoba kanjalo impi.—1 Samuweli 13:5, 15, 22; 14:1, 2, 6, 14, 15, 20.   

7. UJonathani wamphatha kanjani uyise?

⁷ Nakuba uSawule aqhubeka engamlaleli uJehova, uJonathani waqhubeka emlalela uyise lapho kungenzeka. Ngokwesibonelo, balwa ndawonye ukuze bavikele abantu bakaJehova.—1 Samuweli 31:1, 2.

8, 9. Kungayiphi indlela siqotho kuNkulunkulu lapho sihlonipha labo abanegunya?

⁸ NjengoJonathani, singaba qotho kuJehova ngokulalela imithetho kahulumeni wezwe esihlala kulo noma nini lapho kungenzeka. UJehova uyawavumela la ‘magunya aphakeme’ ukuba asibuse, futhi ufuna ukuba siwahloniphe. (Funda eyabaseRoma 13:1, 2.) Yingakho kufanele sisihloniphe isiphathimandla sikahulumeni ngisho noma singathembekile futhi sinomuzwa wokuthi asikufanelekeli ukuhlonishwa. Empeleni, kufanele sibahloniphe bonke labo uJehova abanike igunya.—1 Korinte 11:3; Hebheru 13:17.

 ⁹ U-Olga, udade waseNingizimu Melika, wabonisa ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova ngokuhlonipha umyeni wakhe ngisho noma ayemphatha kabi. ^[1] (Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.) Ngezinye izikhathi umyeni wakhe wayengafuni ukumkhulumisa noma akhulume amazwi ahlabayo ngenxa yokuthi u-Olga wayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Waze wamtshela nokuthi uzomshiya athathe izingane ahambe nazo. Kodwa u-Olga akazange ‘abuyisele okubi ngokubi.’ Wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze abe yinkosikazi enhle. Wayemphekela, emwashela izingubo zokugqoka futhi enakekela nabanye emndenini wakhe. (Roma 12:17) Futhi lapho engase akwazi, wayehamba naye lapho eyovakashela umndeni wakhe nabangane. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho efuna ukuya kwelinye idolobha emngcwabeni kayise, walungiselela yonke into ababezoyidinga kulolo hambo. Lapho sebesemngcwabeni, wamlinda ngaphandle kwesakhiwo sesonto. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, umyeni ka-Olga waqala ukumphatha kangcono ngoba wayembekezelele futhi embonise inhlonipho ngaso sonke isikhathi. Manje useyamkhuthaza ukuba aye emihlanganweni futhi uyamyisa kuyo. Ngezinye izikhathi uze ngisho ahambe nomkakhe baye emihlanganweni.—1 Petru 3:1.

10. UJonathani wazi kanjani ukuthi ubani okwakufanele abe qotho kuye?

¹⁰ Lapho uSawule ethi uzombulala uDavide, uJonathani kwadingeka enze isinqumo esinzima. Wayefuna ukuba qotho kuyise, kodwa futhi wayefuna ukuba qotho nakuDavide. UJonathani wayazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenoDavide hhayi uSawule, ngakho wakhetha ukuba qotho kuDavide. Waxwayisa uDavide ukuba acashe, wabe esekhuluma kahle ngaye kuSawule.—Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 19:1-6.   

11, 12. Uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu lusisiza kanjani sinqume ukuba qotho kuye?

¹¹ U-Alice, udade wase-Australia, kwadingeka anqume ukuthi wayezoba qotho kubani. Lapho eqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli, wayewuxoxela umndeni wakhe ngezinto ezinhle ayezifunda. Wawutshela nokuthi wayengeke esawugubha uKhisimusi futhi wachaza nesizathu. Ekuqaleni amalungu omndeni wakhe adumala, kodwa kamuva amthukuthelela kakhulu. Wawucabanga ukuthi u-Alice wayengasenandaba nawo. Unina wabe esethi akafuni ukuphinde ambone u-Alice. U-Alice wathi: “Ngashaqeka futhi ngaphatheka kabi kakhulu ngoba ngangiwuthanda umndeni wami. Noma kunjalo, nganquma ukuthi uJehova neNdodana yakhe bazoza kuqala enhliziyweni yami futhi ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni owalandela.”—Mathewu 10:37.

¹² Akumelwe sivumele ukuba qotho kunoma yini enye, njengeqembu lezemidlalo, isikole noma izwe, kubaluleke kakhulu kithi kunokuba qotho kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, uHenry wayekuthanda ukudlala i-chess eqenjini lesikole sakhe futhi wayefuna ukusiza isikole sakhe siphumelele emqhudelwaneni walo mdlalo. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wayedlala i-chess njalo ngezimpelasonto, wayengenaso isikhathi esanele senkonzo noma imihlangano. UHenry wathi ukuba qotho esikoleni kwase kuphenduke into ebaluleke kakhulu kuye kunokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho wanquma ukuyeka ukudlala i-chess.—Mathewu 6:33.

13. Ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu kungasisiza kanjani sikwazi ukubhekana nezinkinga zomndeni?

 ¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi kungaba nzima ukuba qotho emalungwini omndeni ahlukahlukene ngasikhathi sinye. Ngokwesibonelo, uKen uthi: “Ngangifuna ukumvakashela njalo umama wami osekhulile futhi ngimlande azohlala nathi ngezinye izikhathi. Kodwa umama nomkami babengashayisani kahle.” Uyaqhubeka: “Ngangingenakukwazi ukujabulisa omunye ngaphandle kokudumaza omunye.” UKen wacabanga ngalokho okushiwo yiBhayibheli futhi waqonda ukuthi kulesi simo, kwakufanele ajabulise umkakhe futhi abe qotho kuye. Ngakho wathola ikhambi elamjabulisa umkakhe. Wabe esemchazela ukuthi kungani kufanele abe nomusa lapho esebenzelana noninazala. Wachazela nonina ukuthi kungani kufanele amhloniphe umalokazana wakhe.—Funda uGenesise 2:24; 1 Korinte 13:4, 5.

14. USawule wamphatha kanjani uJonathani ngokungenabulungisa?

¹⁴ Singaba qotho kuJehova nalapho umfowethu oholayo esiphatha ngokungenabulungisa. INkosi uSawule yayibekwe uNkulunkulu, kodwa yayiphatha kabi indodana yayo. Yayingaqondi ukuthi kungani uJonathani ethanda uDavide. Ngakho lapho uJonathani ezama ukusiza uDavide, uSawule wathukuthela kakhulu futhi wayilulaza indodana yakhe phambi kwabantu. Kodwa uJonathani waqhubeka emhlonipha  uyise. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, wahlala eqotho kuJehova nakuDavide, owayekhethwe uNkulunkulu ukuba abe inkosi elandelayo yakwa-Israyeli.—1 Samuweli 20:30-41.

15. Uma umfowethu esiphatha ngokungenabulungisa, kufanele sisabele kanjani?

¹⁵ Emabandleni ethu namuhla, abafowethu abaholayo bazama ukuphatha wonke umuntu ngobulungisa. Kodwa laba bafowethu bayawenza amaphutha. Ngenxa yalokho, kungenzeka bangaqondi ukuthi kungani senze into ethile. (1 Samuweli 1:13-17) Ngakho uma kwenzeka sahlulelwa ngokungeyikho noma siqondwa ngokungeyikho, masihlale siqotho kuJehova.

16. Yiziphi izimo okumelwe sibe qotho kuzo kuNkulunkulu futhi sigweme ukuzicabangela thina kuphela?

¹⁶ USawule wayefuna kube uJonathani inkosi elandelayo kunokuba kube uDavide. (1 Samuweli 20:31) Kodwa uJonathani wayemthanda uJehova futhi eqotho kuye. Ngakho kunokuba abe azicabangele yena, uJonathani waba umngane kaDavide futhi wasigcina isithembiso ayesenze kuye. Empeleni, noma ubani othanda uJehova futhi oqotho kuye ngeke ahoxe esithembisweni asenzile, ngisho noma kukubi kuye. (IHubo 15:4) Ngenxa yokuthi siqotho kuNkulunkulu, sizozigcina izithembiso zethu. Ngokwesibonelo, uma senza isithembiso kwezebhizinisi, sizokufeza lokho esikuthembisile, ngisho noma kuba nzima. Futhi uma sinezinkinga emshadweni wethu, sizobonisa uthando ngoJehova ngokuhlale siqotho kubayeni bethu nakomkethu.—Funda uMalaki 2:13-16.

17. Sikusize kanjani lesi sifundo?

¹⁷ Sifuna ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu ngisho nalapho sibhekene nobunzima, njengoJonathani. Ngakho masihlale siqotho kubafowethu nodadewethu lapho besidumaza. Khona-ke, siyoyijabulisa inhliziyo kaJehova, futhi yilokho okusijabulisa kakhulu. (IzAga 27:11) Singaqiniseka ngokuthi uyohlale esenzela okungcono kakhulu futhi asinakekele. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizohlola ukuthi yini esingayifunda kwabanye bangosuku lukaDavide ababeqotho nakwabanye ababengathembekile.