1, 2. Kungani uNkulunkulu abheka uDaniyeli ‘njengomuntu ofiseleka kakhulu,’ futhi singenzani ukuze sibe abantu abalalelayo njengoDaniyeli?

LAPHO amaJuda eyiswa eBhabhiloni, afikela emzini ogcwele izithombe nabantu ababekhulekela imimoya emibi. Noma kunjalo, amaJuda athembekile, njengoDaniyeli nabangane bakhe abathathu, enqaba ukulolongwa abantu baseBhabhiloni ukuze afane nabo. (Daniyeli 1:6, 8, 12; 3:16-18) UDaniyeli nabangane bakhe bamukela uJehova njengoMbumbi wabo futhi baqhubeka nokukhulekela yena kuphela. Nakuba uDaniyeli achitha isikhathi esiningi sokuphila kwakhe phakathi kwabantu abanemikhuba emibi, ingelosi kaNkulunkulu yathi ‘wayengumuntu ofiseleka kakhulu.’—Daniyeli 10:11, 19.

² Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, umbumbi wayengase agxishe ubumba efolomeni ukuze lwakheke ngendlela ethile. Namuhla, abakhulekeli beqiniso bayazi ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi wendawo yonke nokuthi unegunya lokubumba izizwe. (Funda uJeremiya 18:6.) UNkulunkulu unanegunya lokubumba ngamunye wethu. Noma kunjalo, uJehova akaphoqi muntu ukuba ashintshe. Kunalokho, ufuna ukuba sivume  ngokuzithandela ukuba asibumbe. Kulesi sihloko, sizofunda ukuthi singahlala kanjani sifana nobumba oluthambile ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu. Sizoxoxa ngemibuzo emithathu elandelayo: (1) Singakugwema kanjani ukubonisa izimfanelo ezingasenza senqabe iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu futhi sifane nobumba oluqinile? (2) Singazihlakulela kanjani izimfanelo ezisisiza ukuba sihlale silalela futhi sifana nobumba oluthambile? (3) Abazali abangamaKristu bangasebenzisana kanjani noNkulunkulu lapho beqeqesha izingane zabo?

3. Yiziphi izimfanelo ezingayenza lukhuni inhliziyo yakho? Nikeza isibonelo.

³ IzAga 4:23 zithi: “Ngaphezu kwakho konke okumelwe kuqashelwe, qapha inhliziyo yakho, ngoba imithombo yokuphila ivela kuyo.” Ukuze sivikele izinhliziyo zethu ukuba zingabi lukhuni, kumelwe sigweme izimfanelo ezingezinhle njengokuqhosha, ukwenza isono ngokuphindaphindiwe nokuntula ukholo. Uma singaqaphile, lokhu kungasenza singalaleli futhi sivukele. (Daniyeli 5:1, 20; Hebheru 3:13, 18, 19) Yilokho okwenzeka eNkosini yakwaJuda u-Uziya. (Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 26:3-5, 16-21.) Ekuqaleni, u-Uziya wayelalela futhi enobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu, ngakho uNkulunkulu wamnika amandla. Kodwa “kwathi nje lapho esenamandla, inhliziyo yakhe yazidla.” Wayesekhukhumele kangangokuba wazama ukushisa impepho ethempelini nakuba kwakungabapristi kuphela ababevunyelwe ukwenza kanjalo. Lapho abapristi bemkhuza, u-Uziya wathukuthela kakhulu! UJehova wayithobisa le nkosi eyayizidla futhi yaba nochoko yaze yashona.—IzAga 16:18.

4, 5. Yini engenzeka uma singahluleka ukugwema ukuzidla? Nikeza isibonelo.

⁴ Uma singakugwemi ukuzidla, singase siqale ukucabanga ukuthi singcono kunabanye futhi siqale ukwenqaba iseluleko esisinikezwayo esivela eBhayibhelini. (IzAga 29:1; Roma 12:3) Yilokho okwenzeka kumdala okuthiwa uJim. Wayengavumelani nabanye abadala ebandleni ngendaba ethile. UJim uthi, “Ngatshela abafowethu ukuthi babengenalo uthando ngase ngiphuma ngawushiya phansi umhlangano.” Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kamuva, wathuthela kwelinye ibandla kodwa akazange amiswe njengomdala. UJim wadumala kakhulu. Wayeqiniseka kakhulu ngokuthi wayengekho ephutheni kangangokuba wayeka ukukhonza uJehova kwaze kwaphela iminyaka eyishumi. Useyavuma ukuthi wayenenkinga yokuzidla futhi waqala ukusola uJehova ngalokho okwakwenzeka. Kwaphela iminyaka abafowethu bemvakashela bezama ukumsiza, kodwa uJim walenqaba usizo lwabo.

⁵ UJim uthi, “Ngangilokhu ngicabanga ngendlela laba abanye ababebonakala benephutha ngayo.” Isibonelo sakhe sisibonisa ukuthi ukuzidla kungasenza sithethelele ukuziphatha kwethu okungalungile. Lapho lokho kwenzeka, sisuke singasefani nobumba oluthambile. (Jeremiya 17:9) Ukhona yini umfowethu noma udadewethu owake wakucasula? Ingabe wake wadumala ngenxa yokulahlekelwa amalungelo? Wenzenjani? Ingabe wazidla noma waqonda ukuthi ukwenza ukuthula nokulondoloza ubuqotho kuJehova yikona okubaluleke kakhulu?—Funda iHubo 119:165; Kolose 3:13.

6. Yini engenzeka uma senza isono ngokuphindaphindiwe?

⁶ Lapho umuntu ephikelela esonweni futhi  aze ngisho akufihle lokho akwenzayo, kungaba nzima ukuba amukele iseluleko esivela kuNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho kungaba lula ukwenza isono. Omunye umfowethu wathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukuziphatha kwakhe okungalungile kwakungasamkhathazi nhlobo. (UmShumayeli 8:11) Kanti omunye umfowethu, owayenomkhuba wokubukela izithombe zobulili, kamuva wathi, “Ngathola ukuthi ngase ngiqala ukuba nombono ongemuhle ngabadala.” Lo mkhuba wakhe wabulimaza ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova. Lapho abanye bezwa ngale nkinga yakhe, bamtholela usizo kubadala. Yiqiniso ukuthi sonke asiphelele. Kodwa uma sigxeka labo abaselulekayo noma sibeka izaba lapho senza okungalungile esikhundleni sokucela uNkulunkulu ukuba asithethelele futhi asisize, inhliziyo yethu ingaba lukhuni.

7, 8. (a) Ama-Israyeli asendulo abonisa kanjani ukuthi ukuntula ukholo kungayenza lukhuni inhliziyo? (b) Yini esiyifundayo kulokhu?

⁷ Lapho uJehova ekhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe, ambona enza izimangaliso eziningi. Noma kunjalo, njengoba esesondele eZweni Lesithembiso, izinhliziyo zawo zaba lukhuni. Kungani? Ayengenalo ukholo kuNkulunkulu. Kunokuba athembele kuJehova, esaba futhi akhononda ngoMose. Ayefuna ngisho nokubuyela eGibhithe, lapho ayeyizigqila khona! UJehova wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu futhi wathi: “Kuyoze kube nini laba bantu bengangihloniphi?” (Numeri 14:1-4, 11; IHubo 78:40, 41) Lawo ma-Israyeli afela ehlane ngenxa yezinhliziyo zawo ezilukhuni nokuntula kwawo ukholo.

⁸ Namuhla, sesisonqenqemeni lwezwe elisha, kanti ukholo lwethu luyavivinywa. Ngakho kudingeka sihlolisise izinga lokholo lwethu. Singaqiniseka kanjani ngokuthi luqinile? Singahlola amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 6:33. Zibuze: ‘Ingabe imigomo yami nezinqumo zami kubonisa ukuthi ngiwakholelwa ngempela amazwi kaJesu? Ngingayeka yini ukuya emihlanganweni noma enkonzweni yasensimini ukuze ngenze imali eyengeziwe? Yini engiyoyenza uma umsebenzi wami usufuna ukuthatha isikhathi sami esengeziwe namandla? Ngiyolivumela yini leli zwe ukuba lingilolonge futhi mhlawumbe lize ngisho lingiyekise ukukhonza uJehova?’

9. Kungani kufanele ‘siqhubeke sihlola’ ukuthi sisokholweni yini futhi lokho singakwenza kanjani?

⁹ Uma singenzi ngokuvumelana nalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngabangane ababi, abasusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni noma ezokuzijabulisa, inhliziyo yethu ingaba lukhuni. Yini okufanele uyenze uma lokhu sekuqala ukwenzeka kuwe? Kudingeka uhlole ukholo lwakho ngokushesha! IBhayibheli lithi: “Qhubekani nihlola ukuthi nisokholweni yini, qhubekani nihlola lokho nina ngokwenu eniyikho.” (2 Korinte 13:5) Ungazikhohlisi, futhi ngaso sonke isikhathi sebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze ulungise ukucabanga kwakho.

10. Yini engasisiza sibe njengobumba oluthambile ezandleni zikaJehova?

¹⁰ Ukuze asisize sihlale sinjengobumba  oluthambile, uNkulunkulu usinikeze iZwi lakhe, ibandla lobuKristu nenkonzo. Lapho sifunda iBhayibheli futhi sizindla ngalo nsuku zonke, siyothamba ezandleni zikaJehova futhi uyokwazi ukusibumba. UJehova wayala amakhosi akwa-Israyeli ukuba azibhalele ikhophi yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu bese ewufunda nsuku zonke. (Duteronomi 17:18, 19) Abaphostoli babazi ukuthi ukufunda imiBhalo nokuzindla ngayo kwakubaluleke kakhulu ukuze baphumelele enkonzweni. Basebenzisa izingcaphuno zemiBhalo yesiHebheru izikhathi ezibalelwa emakhulwini lapho bebhala ezabo izincwadi, kanti nalapho beshumayela kubantu babebakhuthaza ukuba nabo bayisebenzise imiBhalo. (IzEnzo 17:11) Ngokufanayo, nathi siyabona ukuthi kubalulekile ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke futhi sizindle ngalo. (1 Thimothewu 4:15) Lokhu kusisiza sihlale sithobekile, ngaleyo ndlela uJehova uyokwazi ukusibumba.

11, 12. UJehova angalisebenzisa kanjani ibandla lobuKristu ukuze asibumbe ngokuvumelana nezidingo zethu ngabanye? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹¹ UJehova uyazi ukuthi ngamunye wethu udingani, futhi usebenzisa ibandla lobuKristu ukuze asibumbe. UJim, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, waqala ukushintsha isimo sakhe sengqondo lapho umdala othile ebonisa ukumkhathalela. UJim wathi: “Akakaze nakanye angisole ngenxa yesimo engangikuso noma angigxeke. Kunalokho, wayelokhu enombono omuhle futhi wabonisa isifiso esiqotho sokungisiza.” Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu, lo mdala wamemela uJim emhlanganweni. UJim uthi ibandla lamamukela ngomusa futhi uthando lwalo lwamsiza  washintsha umbono wakhe. Waqala ukubona ukuthi imizwa yakhe yayingeyona into ebaluleke kakhulu. Abadala basebandleni likaJim kanye nomkakhe bamkhuthaza, futhi kancane kancane waphinde waqala ukukhonza uJehova. UJim wazuza nangokufunda isihloko esithi “UJehova Akumelwe Asolwe” nesithi “Khonza UJehova Ngokwethembeka,” ezitholakala kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ka-November 15, 1992.

¹² Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJim waphinde waba umdala. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, usesize abanye abafowethu ukuba baxazulule izinkinga ezifanayo futhi baqinise ukholo lwabo. Uthi wayecabanga ukuthi wayenobuhlobo obuqinile noJehova kodwa empeleni kwakungenjalo! Uyazisola ngokuthi wavumela ukuzidla kwamenza wagxila emaphutheni abanye abantu kunokuba agxile ezintweni ezibaluleke kakhulu.—1 Korinte 10:12.

13. Inkonzo yasensimini ingasisiza sihlakulele ziphi izimfanelo, futhi kube naziphi izinzuzo?

¹³ Inkonzo yasensimini nayo ingasilolonga futhi isisize sibe ngabantu abangcono. Kanjani? Lapho sishumayela izindaba ezinhle, kumelwe sibonise izimfanelo ezinjengokuthobeka nezici ezihlukahlukene zezithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Cabanga ngezimfanelo ezinhle inkonzo yasensimini ekusize ukuba uzihlakulele. Lapho silingisa uKristu, umyalezo esiwushumayelayo uyabakhanga abantu futhi bangase bashintshe indlela abasibheka ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, oFakazi ababili e-Australia bazama ukushumayeza owesifazane kwakhe, kodwa wathukuthela kakhulu futhi wakhuluma nabo ngendelelo. Nokho, lab’ oFakazi bamlalela ngenhlonipho. Kamuva, lona wesifazane wazisola ngokuziphatha kwakhe wabe esebhalela ihhovisi legatsha incwadi. Waxolisa ngendlela aziphatha ngayo. Wathi: “Ngenza into ewubuwula ngokuma phambi kwabantu ababili abashumayela iZwi likaNkulunkulu bese ngizama ukubaxosha ngaleya ndlela.” Kule ndaba, siyakubona ukubaluleka kokuba nesizotha lapho sishumayela. Inkonzo yethu ngempela iyabasiza abanye, kodwa iyasisiza nathi ukuba sithuthukise ubuntu bethu.

14. Yini abazali okumelwe bayenze uma befuna ukuphumelela ngempela lapho beqeqesha izingane zabo?

¹⁴ Izingane ezincane eziningi zithobekile futhi ziyakulangazelela ukufunda. (Mathewu 18:1-4) Ngakho, kuwukuhlakanipha ngabazali ukuba basize izingane zabo zifunde iqiniso futhi zilithande ngesikhathi zisencane. (2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15) Ukuze baphumelele, abazali kumelwe bona ngokwabo bathande iqiniso bese besebenzisa lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ekuphileni kwabo. Lapho abazali benza lokhu, kuba lula ngezingane zabo ukuthanda iqiniso. Kanti izingane ziyoqonda nokuthi iseluleko ezisinikwa abazali bazo sibonisa ukuthi bayazithanda nokuthi uJehova uyazithanda.

15, 16. Abazali bangabonisa kanjani ukuthi bayamethemba uNkulunkulu lapho ingane yabo isuswa ekuhlanganyeleni?

 ¹⁵ Ngisho noma abazali bezifundisa izingane zabo iqiniso, ezinye izingane ziyamshiya uJehova noma zisuswe ekuhlanganyeleni. Uma lokho kwenzeka, umndeni uzwa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Omunye udade waseNingizimu Afrika wathi: “Lapho umfowethu esuswa ekuhlanganyeleni, kwaba sengathi wayefile. Kwakubuhlungu kakhulu!” Kodwa yini yena nabazali bakhe abayenza? Balandela iziqondiso ezitholakala eBhayibhelini. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 5:11, 13.) Abazali babazi ukuthi ukulalela iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu kwakuzozuzisa wonke umuntu. Kanti baqonda nokuthi ukususwa komuntu ekuhlanganyeleni kuyiseluleko sothando esivela kuJehova. Ngakho babexhumana nendodana yabo kuphela uma kudingeka ngempela ukuze kunakekelwe indaba ethinta umndeni.

¹⁶ Yazizwa kanjani indodana yabo? Kamuva yathi, “Ngangazi ukuthi umndeni wami wawungangizondi, kodwa wawulalela uJehova nenhlangano yakhe.” Yabuye yathi, “Lapho uzithola uphoqeleka ukuba uncenge uJehova ukuba akusize futhi akuthethelele, uyaqaphela ukuthi umdinga kangakanani.” Cabanga ngenjabulo umndeni owaba nayo lapho le nsizwa ibuyela kuJehova! Ngempela, siyojabula futhi siphumelele lapho silalela uNkulunkulu ngaso sonke isikhathi.—IzAga 3:5, 6; 28:26.

17. Kungani ukuzithoba kuJehova kufanele kube yindlela yethu yokuphila, futhi lokhu kuyosizuzisa kanjani?

¹⁷ Umprofethi u-Isaya wabikezela ukuthi amaJuda ayeseBhabhiloni ayeyophenduka futhi athi: “O Jehova, wena unguBaba wethu. Thina siwubumba, wena unguMbumbi wethu; thina sonke siwumsebenzi wesandla sakho.” Ayezophinde ancenge uJehova: “Ungasikhumbuli kuze kube phakade isiphambeko sethu. Bheka, manje, siyakucela: thina sonke singabantu bakho.” (Isaya 64:8, 9) Uma sithobekile futhi silalela uJehova njalo, siba yigugu kakhulu kuye, njengoba kwakunjalo ngoDaniyeli. UJehova uzoqhubeka esibumba esebenzisa iZwi lakhe, umoya wakhe nenhlangano yakhe ukuze esikhathini esizayo sibe “abantwana bakaNkulunkulu” abaphelele.—Roma 8:21.