1-2. Ngokweyoku-1 Petru 4:7, 8, yini ezosisiza sikwazi ukukhuthazelela ubunzima?

NJENGOBA sesingene shi “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” singase sibhekane nobunzima obukhulu. (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngokwesibonelo, ezweni elithile laseNtshonalanga Afrika, kwaba nezinxushunxushu nodlame ngemva komkhankaso wokhetho. Kwaphela izinyanga ezingaphezu kweziyisithupha abafowethu nodadewethu bengakwazi ukunyakaza ngenxa yezimpi. Yini eyabasiza babhekana nalesi simo esinzima? Abanye babalekela emizini yabafowabo ababehlala ezindaweni eziphephile. Omunye umzalwane wathi: “Ngakujabulela ukuba nabangane ngaleso sikhathi. Sasikhuthazana.”

² Lapho kugqashuka “usizi olukhulu,” siyokujabulela ukuba nabangane abasithandayo. (IsAm. 7:14) Ngakho kuyaphuthuma ukuba sakhe ubungane obuqinile manje. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 4:7, 8.) Kuningi esingakufunda kulokho okwenzeka kuJeremiya, owasizwa abangane bakhe ngesikhathi iJerusalema selizobhujiswa. * Singamlingisa kanjani uJeremiya?

3. (a) Yini eyayingase ibangele uJeremiya ukuba abe unkom’ idla yodwa? (b) Yini uJeremiya ayitshela unobhala wakhe uBharuki, futhi lokho kwaba namuphi umphumela?

³ Kwaphela iminyaka engaba ngu-40 uJeremiya ehlala nabantu abangathembekile, ababehlanganisa omakhelwane nezihlobo zakhe ezazihlala edolobheni lakubo e-Anathoti. (Jer.  11:21; 12:6) Noma kunjalo, akazange abe unkom’ idla yodwa. Empeleni, waveza indlela ayezizwa ngayo kunobhala wakhe othembekile uBharuki futhi nathi siyafunda ngayo. (Jer. 8:21; 9:1; 20:14-18; 45:1) Kumelwe ukuba njengoba uBharuki ayebhala indaba kaJeremiya, bobabili basondelana futhi bahloniphana kakhulu.—Jer. 20:1, 2; 26:7-11.

4. Yini uJehova acela uJeremiya ukuba ayenze, futhi leso sabelo sabuqinisa kanjani ubungane bukaJeremiya noBharuki?

⁴ Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi uJeremiya ngesibindi exwayisa ama-Israyeli ngalokho okwakuzokwenzeka eJerusalema. (Jer. 25:3) Lapho uJehova ephinde ezama ukusiza abantu baphenduke, wacela uJeremiya ukuba abhale izixwayiso zaKhe emqulwini. (Jer. 36:1-4) Njengoba uJeremiya noBharuki babesebenza ndawonye kulesi sabelo ababesinikwe uNkulunkulu, okungenzeka sathatha izinyanga eziningana, akungabazeki ukuthi babeba nezingxoxo eziqinisa ukholo.

5. UBharuki waba kanjani umngane omuhle kuJeremiya?

⁵ Lapho sebeqedile ukubhala umqulu, uJeremiya kwadingeka acele umngane wakhe uBharuki ukuba afundele abantu umlayezo ovela kuJehova. (Jer. 36:5, 6) UBharuki wasifeza ngesibindi lesi sabelo esiyingozi. Kumelwe ukuba uJeremiya waziqhenya ngoBharuki lapho eya ethempelini eyofundela abantu umqulu njengoba ayemcelile! (Jer. 36:8-10) Izikhulu zakwaJuda zezwa ngalokho uBharuki ayekwenzile futhi zayala ukuba azifundele nazo umqulu! (Jer. 36:14, 15) Zanquma ukutshela iNkosi uJehoyakimi ngalokho uJeremiya ayekushilo. Zicabangela uBharuki, zathi kuye: “Hamba, uzifihle, wena noJeremiya, kungabikho muntu noyedwa owaziyo ukuthi nikuphi.” (Jer. 36:16-19) Sabasiza ngempela leso sixwayiso!

6. Yini uJeremiya noBharuki abayenza lapho bephikiswa?

 ⁶ INkosi uJehoyakimi yathukuthela lapho izwa amazwi ayebhalwe uJeremiya kangangokuba yawushisa umqulu futhi yayala ukuba uJeremiya noBharuki baboshwe. Nokho, lokho akuzange kumethuse uJeremiya. Wathatha omunye umqulu wawunika uBharuki, wamtshela umlayezo kaJehova okwakufanele awubhale kuwo, futhi uBharuki wabhala “wonke amazwi okuqala abesemqulwini wokuqala, uJehoyakimi inkosi yakwaJuda [ayewushisile].”—Jer. 36:26-28, 32.

7. Yini cishe eyenzeka ngesikhathi uJeremiya noBharuki besebenza ndawonye?

⁷ Abantu ababhekana nobunzima bendawonye ngokuvamile bayasondelana. Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi njengoba babesebenza ndawonye ukuze babhale kabusha omunye umqulu, uJeremiya noBharuki bazana kangcono futhi baba abangane abakhulu. Singazuza kanjani esibonelweni salawa madoda amabili athembekile?

8. Yini engasivimbela ukuba sibe nabangane, futhi kungani kungafanele siyeke ukuzama ukwakha ubungane?

⁸ Kungase kube nzima ukuthululela abanye isifuba ngoba kungenzeka ukuthi othile wasizwisa ubuhlungu esikhathini esidlule. (IzAga 18:19, 24) Noma singase sibe nomuzwa wokuthi asinasikhathi namandla okwakha ubungane. Nokho, akufanele siphele amandla. Uma sifuna abafowethu basisekele lapho kufika izinkinga, kumelwe sifunde ukubethemba manje, sibatshele esikucabangayo nendlela esizizwa ngayo. Lokhu kubalulekile uma sifuna ukuba nabangane beqiniso.—1 Pet. 1:22.

9. (a) UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabethemba abangane bakhe? (b) Ukukhuluma ngendlela ozizwa ngayo kungakusiza kanjani wakhe ubungane obuqinile? Nikeza isibonelo.

⁹ UJesu wabonisa ukuthi uyabethemba abangane bakhe ngokuthi angabafihleli izinto. (Joh. 15:15) Singamlingisa ngokuthi sixoxele abanye izinto ezisijabulisayo, ezisikhathazayo nezisidumazayo. Lalelisisa lapho othile ekhuluma nawe ngoba ungase uthole ukuthi kunezinto eziningi enifana ngazo. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaCindy, udade owevile eminyakeni engu-20. Waba umngane nodade oyiphayona owevile eminyakeni engu-60, uMarie-Louise. UCindy noMarie-Louise babesebenza ndawonye ensimini njalo ngoLwesine ekuseni futhi ziningi izinto ababexoxa ngazo. UCindy uthi, “Ngiyakujabulela  ukukhuluma nabangane bami ngezinto ezibalulekile ngoba lokhu kuyangisiza ngibazi futhi ngibaqonde kangcono.” Lapho nithululelana izifuba nabangane bakho, ubungane benu buyoqina nakakhulu. NjengoCindy, uma uthatha isinyathelo kuqala sokuxoxa nabanye ngokukhululekile, ubungane benu buyokhula.—IzAga 27:9.

10. Ngokwencwadi yezAga 27:17, yini engenzeka lapho sisebenza nabafowethu?

¹⁰ Njengoba kwenzeka kuJeremiya noBharuki, lapho sisebenza nabafowethu futhi sizibonela mathupha izimfanelo zabo esizithandayo, siyafunda kubo futhi sisondelane nabo. (Funda izAga 27:17.) Ngokwesibonelo, uzizwa kanjani lapho nisenkonzweni bese uzwa umngane wakho evikela ukholo lwakhe ngesibindi noma ekhuluma ngokusuka enhliziyweni ngokholo lwakhe kuJehova nangezinjongo zakhe? Cishe uvele umthande nakakhulu.

11-12. Nikeza isibonelo sendlela ukushumayela nabafowethu okungasisiza ngayo siqinise ubungane bethu.

¹¹ Cabangela lezi zibonelo ezimbili ezibonisa indlela ukusebenza ndawonye enkonzweni okungasisiza ngayo siqinise ubungane bethu. U-Adeline, udade oneminyaka engu-23, wacela umngane wakhe uCandice ukuba ahambe naye bayoshumayela endaweni okwakungavamile ukushunyayelwa kuyo. Uthi, “Sasifuna ukushumayela ngentshiseko nokuyijabulela kakhudlwana inkonzo. Sobabili sasidinga into ezosikhuthaza.” Bazuza kanjani ngokusebenza ndawonye? U-Adeline uthi, “Ekupheleni kosuku ngalunye, sasixoxa ngendlela esasizizwa ngayo, ngezinto ezisikhuthazile lapho sixoxa nabantu nangendlela esilubone ngayo usizo lukaJehova enkonzweni yethu. Sasizijabulela sobabili lezi zingxoxo futhi zasisiza sazana kangcono.”

¹² ULaïla noMarianne, odade ababili abangashadile baseFrance, baya koshumayela amasonto amahlanu eBangui, inhloko-dolobha ephithizelayo yaseCentral African  Republic. ULaïla uyakhumbula: “Mina noMarianne sabhekana nobunzima, kodwa ngenxa yokukhulumisana okuhle nothando oluqotho, ubungane bethu baqina nakakhulu. Lapho ngibona indlela uMarianne ayezivumelanisa ngayo nezimo, indlela ayebathanda ngayo abantu nendlela ayeshiseka ngayo enkonzweni, ngamthanda nakakhulu.” Akudingeki uthuthele kwelinye izwe ukuze uthole abangane abahle. Isikhathi ngasinye lapho ushumayela nomzalwane noma udade ensimini yebandla okulo, unethuba lokumazi kangcono nokuqinisa ubungane benu.

13. Iyiphi inkinga esingase sibhekane nayo lapho sisebenza nabangane bethu?

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi lapho sisebenza nabangane bethu, asigcini nje ngokubona izinto ezinhle abazenzayo kodwa sibona namaphutha abawenzayo. Yini engasisiza sibhekane nale nkinga? Nalapho singasizwa isibonelo sikaJeremiya. Yini eyamsiza wabona okuhle kwabanye kunokuba agxile emaphutheni abo?

14. Yini uJeremiya ayifunda ngoJehova, futhi lokho kwamsiza kanjani?

¹⁴ UJeremiya wabhala incwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe futhi kungenzeka wabhala nencwadi yoku-1 neyesi-2 yamaKhosi. Akungabazeki ukuthi leso sabelo samsiza wabona indlela uJehova ababonisa ngayo isihe abantu abanesono. Ngokwesibonelo, wayazi ukuthi lapho iNkosi u-Ahabi iphenduka ebubini bayo, uJehova akazange awubhubhise umndeni wayo wonke isaphila. (1 AmaKh. 21:27-29) Wayazi nokuthi uManase wayemcasule kakhulu uJehova ukwedlula u-Ahabi. Noma kunjalo, uJehova wamthethelela uManase lapho ephenduka. (2 AmaKh. 21:16, 17; 2 IziKr. 33:10-13) Kumelwe ukuba lezo zenzakalo zamsiza uJeremiya wabonisa isineke nesihe njengoba kwenza uJehova lapho esebenzelana nabangane bakhe.—IHu. 103:8, 9.

15. UJeremiya wasibonisa kanjani isineke njengoJehova ngesikhathi uBharuki ephazamiseka?

¹⁵ Cabanga indlela uJeremiya amphatha ngayo uBharuki ngesikhathi ephazamiseka esabelweni sakhe. Kunokuba amlahle umngane wakhe, uJeremiya wamsiza ngokumtshela umlayezo kaNkulunkulu onomusa kodwa oqinile. (Jer. 45:1-5) Singafunda siphi isifundo kule ndaba?

16. Njengoba kuboniswe encwadini yezAga 17:9, yini okudingeka siyenze ukuze ubungane bethu bungapheli?

¹⁶ Kumelwe sikulindele ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu bazowenza amaphutha. Ngakho, lapho sesibakhile ubungane nabanye, kudingeka sizikhandle ukuze sibulondoloze. Lapho abangane bethu benza amaphutha, kungase kudingeke sibanike iseluleko esinomusa kodwa esiqinile esivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu. (IHu. 141:5) Uma besiphatha kabi, kudingeka sibaxolele. Lapho sesibaxolele, kumelwe sigweme ukulokhu sikhuluma ngento abayenzile esiphathe kabi. (Funda izAga 17:9.) Akuve kubalulekile ukuthi phakathi nalezi zikhathi ezinzima sigxile ezintweni ezinhle abafowethu nodadewethu abazenzayo kunokugxila emaphutheni abo! Ukwenza kanjalo kuyosenza sisondelane nakakhulu futhi kufanele sikwenze ngoba sizobadinga phakathi nosizi olukhulu.

17. Kungani singathi uJeremiya wayengumngane weqiniso ngezikhathi ezinzima?

¹⁷ Umprofethi uJeremiya wabonisa ukuthi wayengumngane weqiniso ngezikhathi ezinzima. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokuba isikhulu segceke u-Ebhedi-meleki ekhulule uJeremiya emgodini onodaka, u-Ebhedi-meleki  wesaba ukuthi izikhulu zizomjezisa. Lapho uJeremiya ezwa ngalokho, akazange athule, enethemba lokuthi kuzomlungela umngane wakhe. Nakuba ayeboshiwe, uJeremiya wenza okuthile, watshela u-Ebhedi-meleki umngane wakhe isithembiso esiduduzayo esasivela kuJehova.—Jer. 38:7-13; 39:15-18.

18. Ngokwencwadi yezAga 17:17, yini okufanele siyenze lapho umngane esenkingeni?

¹⁸ Namuhla, abafowethu nodadewethu babhekana nobunzima obuhlukahlukene. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi babhekana nezinhlekelele zemvelo noma izinhlekelele ezibangelwa abantu. Lapho lokhu kwenzeka, abanye kithi bangakwazi ukubakhoselisa emizini yabo. Abanye bangakwazi ukubasiza ngezimali. Kodwa sonke singakwazi ukucela uJehova ukuba abasize abafowethu nodadewethu. Uma sithola ukuthi umfowethu noma udadewethu udikibele, singase singazi ukuthi sithini noma senzeni. Kodwa sonke singakwazi ukumsiza. Ngokwesibonelo, singachitha isikhathi naye. Singalalelisisa lapho ekhuluma. Singaxoxa naye nangemiBhalo esiyithandayo ekhuthazayo. (Isaya 50:4) Okubalulekile ukuthi senze okuthile ukuze sibasize abangane bethu lapho besidinga.—Funda izAga 17:17.

19. Ukwakha ubungane obuqinile manje kungasisiza kanjani esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁹ Kumelwe sizimisele ukwakha nokulondoloza ubungane esinabo nabafowethu nodadewethu manje. Kungani? Yingoba izitha zethu ziyozama ukusehlukanisa ngokuqamba amanga nangokusakaza izindaba ezingelona iqiniso. Ziyozama ukusixabanisa. Kodwa imizamo yazo ngeke iphumelele. Ngeke zikwazi ukusiyekisa ukuthanda abafowethu nodadewethu. Akukho eziyokwenza okuyoqeda ubungane esesibakhile. Empeleni, lobu bungane ngeke buhlale nje kuze kube yilapho kuphela leli zwe, kodwa buyohlala kuze kube phakade!