1, 2. (a) Yini engabangelwa ukwehluleka ukuzithiba? (b) Kungani ukuzithiba kuyindaba esithintayo namuhla?

UKUZITHIBA kuyimfanelo uJehova uNkulunkulu angasisiza siyihlakulele. (Gal. 5:22, 23) UJehova ukwazi ukuzithiba ngendlela ephelele. Nokho ngenxa yokuthi asiphelele, kunzima ngathi ukuzithiba. Izinkinga eziningi abantu ababhekana nazo namuhla zibangelwa ukungakwazi ukuzithiba. Lokho kwehluleka kungenza umuntu ahlehlise ukwenza izinto ezibalulekile futhi angakwazi ukuthola imiphumela emihle esikoleni noma emsebenzini. Ngamafuphi nje, lokhu kungabangela ukuba abantu bakhulume ngendlela elimazayo, badakwe, babe nodlame, badivose, bangene ezikweletini ngokungadingekile, babe yimilutha, baboshwe, bahlukumezeke ngokomzwelo, bathole izifo ezithathelwana ngocansi, bakhulelwe bengahlelile.​—IHu. 34:11-14.

² Kuyacaca ukuthi abantu abahluleka ukuzithiba bazibangela bona nabanye izinkinga futhi le nkinga yokwehluleka ukuzithiba iyaqhubeka yanda. Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1940 kwenziwa ucwaningo ngokuzithiba, kodwa ucwaningo lwamuva luye lwabonisa ukuthi baya beba mbalwa abantu abakwazi ukuzithiba. Lokhu akubamangazi abafundi beZwi likaNkulunkulu ngoba iBhayibheli labikezela ukuthi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ ziyobonakala ngabantu “abangenakho ukuzithiba.”​—2 Thim. 3:1-3.

3. Kungani amaKristu kufanele ahlakulele ukuzithiba?

³ Kungani kufanele sihlakulele ukuzithiba? Nazi izizathu ezimbili ezibalulekile. Esokuqala, kuye kwaphawuleka ukuthi abantu abakwaziyo ukulawula imizwa nemizwelo yabo ngokuvamile baba nezinkinga ezimbalwa. Bazinzile ngokomzwelo, kulula ngabo ukuba nabangane futhi bayakwazi ukugwema ukuthukuthela, ukukhathazeka nokucindezeleka. Esesibili, ikhono lokumelana nesilingo nokulawula isifiso esingafanele lisemqoka ukuze siqhubeke singabangane bakaNkulunkulu. Ukwehluleka kuka-Adamu no-Eva kulifakazela kahle leli qiniso. (Gen. 3:6) Abantu abaningi abaye behluleka ukuzithiba baye babhekana nemiphumela ebuhlungu.

4. Yini engakhuthaza noma ubani okuthola kunzima ukuzithiba?

⁴ Akekho umuntu onesono okwazi ukuzithiba ngokuphelele. UJehova uyazi ukuthi kunzima ngezinceku zakhe ukuba zizithibe futhi ufuna ukuzisiza zinqobe izifiso ezimbi. (1 AmaKh. 8:46-50) NjengoMngane onothando, ukhuthaza futhi asekele ngemfudumalo abantu abaqotho abafuna ukumkhonza kodwa abakuthola kunzima ukuzithiba kwezinye izingxenye zokuphila kwabo. Ake sihlole isibonelo sikaJehova esiphelele. Sizobe sesifunda ezibonelweni ezinhle nezimbi eziseBhayibheli. Sizohlola nezeluleko eziwusizo ezingasisiza sihlakulele ukuzithiba.

5, 6. Isiphi isibonelo sokuzithiba uJehova asibekela sona?

⁵ UJehova uzithiba ngokuphelele, ngoba yonke imisebenzi yakhe iphelele. (Dut. 32:4) Nokho, thina sinesono. Noma kunjalo ukuze siqonde imfanelo yokuzithiba, kudingeka sihlole isibonelo sikaJehova ukuze sikwazi ukumlingisa kangcono. Yiziphi izibonelo uJehova abonisa kuzo ukuzithiba?

⁶ Cabanga ngendlela uJehova abonisa ngayo ukuzithiba ngesikhathi uSathane ehlubuka. Leyo kwakuyinkinga okwakudingeka ilungiswe nakanjani. Inselele eyabekwa uDeveli yenza izingelosi eziqotho kuNkulunkulu zashaqeka futhi zathukuthela. Mhlawumbe nawe uzizwa ngendlela efanayo lapho ucabanga ngakho konke ukuhlupheka okubangelwe uSathane. Nokho, uJehova akazange enze ngokuxhamazela. Wasabela ngendlela efanele. Uye wephuza ukuthukuthela futhi wasingatha ukuvukela kukaSathane ngendlela enobulungisa. (Eks. 34:6; Jobe 2:2-6) Kungani? UJehova uye wavumela ukuba kudlule iminyaka eminingi ngoba akafuni kubhubhe muntu kodwa ‘ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke.’​—2 Pet. 3:9.

7. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaJehova?

⁷ Ukuzithiba kukaJehova kusifundisa ukuthi nathi kumelwe sicabangisise ngaphambi kokukhuluma nokwenza okuthile; akufanele senze ngamawala. Lapho kudingeka wenze isinqumo esibalulekile, zinike isikhathi esanele sokucabanga ukuze wenze ngokuhlakanipha. Thandazela ukuhlakanipha kokusho nokwenza into efanele. (IHu. 141:⁠3) Lapho uthukuthele noma ucasukile, kulula ukulawulwa imizwa yakho. Baningi kithi abaye bazisola ngezinto abazisho noma abazenza becasukile.​—IzAga 14:29; 15:28; 19:2.

8. (a) Singazithola kuphi izibonelo zokuzithiba? (b) Yini eyasiza uJosefa wamelana nesilingo lapho umkaPotifari ezama ukumheha? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁸ Yiziphi izibonelo eziseBhayibhelini eziqokomisa ukubaluleka kokuzithiba? Cishe baningi abantu obakhumbulayo okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhelini abazithiba lapho belingwa. Omunye wabo uJosefa indodana kaJakobe. Wazithiba lapho ekhonza endlini kaPotifari, induna yonogada bakaFaro. UmkaPotifari wakhangwa uJosefa ‘owayenomzimba omi kahle futhi emuhle,’ wabe esezama ukumheha. Yini eyasiza uJosefa wamelana nalesi silingo? Wazinika isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngemiphumela eyayiyoba khona uma evumela ukunqotshwa yisilingo. Lapho umkaPotifari embamba ukuze alale naye, wabaleka. Wathi: “Ngingabenza kanjani lobu bubi obukhulu kangaka ngone kuNkulunkulu?”​—Gen. 39:6, 9; funda izAga 1:10.

9. Ungazilungiselela kanjani ukumelana nesilingo?

⁹ Isibonelo sikaJosefa sisifundisani? Sisifundisa ukuthi kungase kudingeke sisibalekele isilingo esingasenza siphule umthetho kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphambi kokuba abanye kithi babe oFakazi BakaJehova, babeminza, beyizidakwa, bebhema, besebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa, beziphatha kabi ngokocansi benza nokunye okufana nalokhu. Ngisho nangemva kokubhapathizwa, ngezinye izikhathi bangase balingeke ukuba benze izinto ababezenza ngaphambili. Noma kunjalo, uma kwenzeka ulingeka ukuba uphule imithetho kaJehova, zinike isikhathi sokucabanga kahle ngomonakalo ozokwenzeka ebuhlotsheni bakho noJehova uma uvumela ukunqotshwa yisilingo. Ungazama ukucabanga ngezimo ezizokulinga bese unquma ukuthi uzozigwema kanjani. (IHu. 26:4, 5; IzAga 22:3) Lapho kuvela isilingo, cela uJehova akuphe ukuhlakanipha nokuzithiba ukuze umelane naso.

10, 11. (a) Yini intsha eningi ebhekana nayo esikoleni? (b) Yini engasiza intsha engamaKristu ukuba imelane nesilingo zokuziphatha kabi?

¹⁰ Intsha eningi engamaKristu ibhekana nesilingo uJosefa abhekana naso. Cabanga ngoKim. Abafundi ekilasini lakhe babeya ocansini, bese ngeMisombuluko baxoxe ngelikhulu iqholo ngabantu abalale nabo ngempelasonto. UKim wayengenazo izindaba ezinjalo angazixoxa. Uyavuma ukuthi ukuba ohlukile ngezinye izikhathi kwakumenza azizwe “elahliwe futhi eyedwa,” ontanga yakhe babembheka njengesilima ngenxa yokuthi wayengajoli namuntu. Noma kunjalo, uKim wayazi ukuthi isifiso sokuya ocansini sinamandla entsheni eningi. (2 Thim. 2:22) Abafundi babevame ukumbuza ukuthi useyintombi nto yini. Lokho kwakumnika ithuba lokuchaza ukuthi kungani engafuni ukuya ocansini. Siyaziqhenya ngamaKristu asemasha azimisele ukumelana nesilingo sokuziphatha kabi ngokocansi!

¹¹ IBhayibheli linezibonelo eziyisixwayiso zabantu abehluleka ukuzithiba ngokocansi. Lisibonisa nemiphumela ebuhlungu engaba khona lapho sihluleka ukuzithiba. Noma ubani obhekene nesimo esifana nesikaKim, kuyomsiza ukucabanga ngensizwa eyisiwula okukhulunywa ngayo encwadini yezAga isahluko 7. Cabanga nangezinto ezenziwa u-Amnoni nemiphumela ebuhlungu ayithola. (2 Sam. 13:1, 2, 10-15, 28-32) Abazali bangase basize izingane zabo ukuba zihlakulele ukuzithiba nokuhlakanipha lapho kuziwa endabeni yokuthandana ngokuxoxa ngalezi zibonelo ekukhulekeni komkhaya.

12. (a) UJosefa wayilawula kanjani imizwa yakhe lapho ebona abafowabo? (b) Yiziphi izimo okumelwe silawule imizwa yethu kuzo?

¹² Ngesinye isikhathi, uJosefa waphinde wabeka isibonelo esihle sokuzithiba. Ukuze aqonde lokho okwakusezinhliziyweni zabafowabo, uJosefa akabatshelanga ukuthi ungubani lapho befika eGibhithe bezothenga ukudla. Lapho efikelwa yizinyembezi, wasuka kubo wayokhala yedwa ekusithekeni. (Gen. 43:30, 31; 45:1) Uma umKristu esikhonza naye esiphatha kabi, ukuzithiba ngendlela uJosefa enza ngayo kuyosisiza singenzi into esizozisola ngayo kamuva. (IzAga 16:32; 17:27) Uma unezihlobo ezisusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni, ungase udinge ukulawula imizwa yakho ukuze ugweme ukukhuluma nazo ngokungadingekile. Ukuzithiba ezimweni ezinjalo akuzenzakaleli, kodwa kuba lula lapho siqaphela ukuthi izenzo zethu zivumelana nesibonelo sikaNkulunkulu neseluleko asinikeza sona.

13. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli okukhuluma ngeNkosi uDavide?

¹³ EBhayibhelini kunesibonelo esiphawulekayo seNkosi uDavide. Wayenamandla amakhulu kodwa akawasebenzisanga lapho ethukutheliswa uSawule noShimeyi. (1 Sam. 26:9-11; 2 Sam. 16:5-10) Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi uDavide wayehluleka ukuzithiba, njengoba sisazi isono sakhe noBhati-sheba nendlela aqale wasabela ngayo ebugovwini bukaNabali. (1 Sam. 25:10-13; 2 Sam. 11:2-4) Noma kunjalo, singafunda izifundo ezibalulekile kuDavide. Okokuqala, abelusi babantu bakaNkulunkulu kudingeka benze umzamo okhethekile wokuzithiba ukuze bangalisebenzisi kabi igunya abalinikiwe. Okwesibili, akekho okufanele azethembe ngokweqile, ecabanga ukuthi ngeke awele esilingweni.​—1 Kor. 10:12.

14. Chaza okwenzeka komunye umzalwane nokuthi kungani ibalulekile indlela esisabela ngayo ezimweni ezifana nalesi.

¹⁴ Yini ongayenza ukuze uzithibe? Cabanga ngalesi simo esenzeka ngokoqobo. Enye imoto yashayisa imoto kaLuigi ngemuva. Ngisho noma lo mshayeli ayesephutheni, waqala ukuklabalasa futhi wafuna ukulwa noLuigi. ULuigi wathandaza, wacela ukuba uJehova amsize azole futhi azame nokwehlisa umoya walo mshayeli olwayo. Kodwa lo mshayeli waqhubeka eklabalasa. Ngakho uLuigi wabhala imininingwane yomshwalense yalo mshayeli wabe esehamba, wamshiya elokhu eklabalasa. Ngemva kwesonto, waphindela kowesifazane ayeshumayele kuye wathola ukuthi uyinkosikazi yalo mshayeli obeklabalasa! Le ndoda yaba namahloni futhi yaxolisa. Yathi izothinta umshwalense kaLuigi ukuze imoto yakhe ilungiswe ngokushesha. Le ndoda yahlanganyela engxoxweni yeBhayibheli futhi yakuthanda eyakuzwa. ULuigi wabona ukuthi kwamsiza kakhulu ukuhlala uzolile ngemva kwengozi yemoto nokuthi bekuyoba nemiphumela emibi kangakanani ukube wayehluleke ukuzithiba.​—Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 6:3, 4.

15, 16. Ukutadisha iBhayibheli kungakusiza kanjani wena nomndeni wakho ukuba nihlakulele ukuzithiba?

¹⁵ Ukutadisha iBhayibheli njalo ngokuzimisela kungasiza umKristu akwazi ukuzithiba. Khumbula lokho uNkulunkulu akutshela uJoshuwa: “Le ncwadi yomthetho akufanele isuke emlonyeni wakho, futhi kumelwe uyifunde ngezwi eliphansi ubusuku nemini, ukuze uqaphele ukwenza ngokuvumelana nakho konke okulotshwe kuyo; ngoba uma wenza kanjalo uyoyiphumelelisa indlela yakho futhi uyokwenza ngokuhlakanipha.” (Josh. 1:8) Ukutadisha iBhayibheli kungakusiza kanjani uhlakulele ukuzithiba?

¹⁶ Njengoba sibonile, imiBhalo iqukethe ukulandisa okubonisa ngokucacile izinzuzo nemiphumela ebuhlungu yezenzo zethu. UJehova wabangela ukuba lokhu kulandisa kulotshwe ukuze kuzuze thina. (Roma 15:4) Kuwukuhlakanipha ngempela ukufunda lezi zindaba bese sizindla ngazo! Zama ukuqonda ukuthi zisebenza kanjani kuwe nasemndenini wakho. Cela uJehova akusize usebenzise iZwi lakhe. Uma ubona ukuthi kunendawo ongakwazi ukuzithiba kuyo, vuma ukuthi unenkinga. Bese uyayithandazela leyo nkinga, ulwele ukuyilungisa. (Jak. 1:5) Ukucwaninga usebenzisa izincwadi zethu zobuKristu kungakusiza uthole amacebiso awusizo.

17. Abazali bangazisiza kanjani izingane zabo zihlakulele ukuzithiba?

¹⁷ Ungazisiza kanjani izingane zakho zihlakulele ukuzithiba? Abazali bayazi ukuthi izingane azizalwa zinale mfanelo. Njengoba kunjalo ngazo zonke izimfanelo izingane okudingeka zizifunde, abazali kufanele babeke isibonelo. (Efe. 6:4) Ngakho uma ubona ukuthi izingane zakho ziyehluleka ukuzithiba, zibuze: ‘Sinjani isibonelo engisibekela izingane zami?’ Ukuba khona kwakho njalo enkonzweni yasensimini, emihlanganweni yebandla nokuqhuba njalo ukukhulekela komkhaya kunomthelela omkhulu ezinganeni. Ungesabi ukuthi cha esicelweni sezingane zakho uma lokho kudingeka! UJehova wabekela u-Adamu no-Eva imingcele​—imingcele eyayingabafundisa ukuhlonipha igunya laKhe. Ngendlela efanayo, isiyalo sabazali nesibonelo sabo esihle kufundisa izingane ukuzithiba. Ukuthanda igunya likaNkulunkulu nokuhlonipha imithetho ayibekile kuphakathi kwezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu ongasiza ingane yakho ibe nazo.​—Funda izAga 1:5,7, 8.

18. Kungani singaqiniseka ngokuthi abangane abahle baba yisibusiso?

¹⁸ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ungumzali noma cha, kufanele ukhethe abangane bakho ngokuhlakanipha. Funa abangane abazokukhuthaza ukuba uzibekele imigomo emihle, ugweme nezinkinga. (IzAga 13:20) Abangane abesaba uNkulunkulu bayokukhuthaza ukuba wenze izinto ezinhle okuyokushukumisela ukuba ulingise ukuzithiba kwabo. Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuziphatha kwakho okuhle nakho kuyobakhuthaza abangane bakho. Ukuzithiba oyokuzuza kuyobangela ukuba wamukelwe uNkulunkulu, ujabulele ukuphila futhi wenzele abantu obathandayo izinto ezinhle.