Yini Engalungile Ngokuthanda Imali?

UPAUL noMary babenesitolo esithengisa ukudla emphakathini ompofu waseAfrika. * Ngokusebenza kanzima ubusuku nemini, bazuza imali eningi kakhulu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uMary wayengaqhosha ngendlu enkulu entsha egcwaliswe ngefenisha kanokusho. Ngokuqondene noPaul, wakwazi ukuhamba ngemoto kanokusho.

Ngolunye usuku uPaul wathelekelwa iqembu elimelene nohulumeni. Lamcindezela: “Sifuna ukuba ibhizinisi lakho linikele ngo-R250 ngenyanga ukuze lisisekele.” Bengafuni ukuthatha uhlangothi emzabalazweni wezombangazwe, uPaul noMary benqaba ngesibindi. Ngenxa yokuma kwabo kokungathathi-hlangothi, kwasolwa ukuthi babethola ukusekelwa ngokwezimali kuhulumeni. Ngenye impela-sonto, ngesikhathi uPaul noMary bengekho edolobheni, isitolo sabo saphangwa, futhi imoto yabo nendlu enhle kwashiswa.

Indaba edabukisayo ngempela, kodwa ingabe singafunda kuyo? Abaningi abaye basebenza kanzima ukuze bacebe kungenzeka abazange bahlangabezane nenhlekelele eyabaphuca ingcebo yabo, kodwa kuthiwani ngekusasa? Kungani iBhayibheli lithi “abafuna ukuceba bayela ekulingweni, nasesihibeni, nasezinkanukweni eziningi zobuwula ezilimazayo, ezishonisa abantu ekufeni nasekubhujisweni”?—1 Thimothewu 6:9.

Umbono Olinganiselayo Ngemali

NgokweBhayibheli, umKristu weqiniso kumelwe anakekele izidingo zezinto ezibonakalayo zamalungu omkhaya wakhe athembele kuye. Izimo, ezinjengokuphelelwa umsebenzi noma izinkinga zempilo, zingase ngezinye izikhathi zenze lokhu kube nzima. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umKristu ongakunaki ngamabomu ukunakekela umkhaya wakhe “ukulahlile ukukholwa, mubi kunongakholwayo.”—1 Thimothewu 5:8.

Kweminye imiphakathi yasemaphandleni, abantu baphila ngokuzilimela ukudla kwabo siqu nangokufuya. Abanye banesidingo esincane kakhulu semali, bathola izidingo zokuphila ngokushintshana ngezimpahla nangezinkonzo. Nokho, indlela evamé kakhulu abondli abanakekela ngayo imikhaya yabo kungokwenza umsebenzi othile ukuze bahole. Basebenzisa imali abayitholile ukuze bathenge ukudla nezinye izinto ezisekela inhlala-kahle yemikhaya yabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imali elondolozwe kahle inganikeza isivikelo esithile ngezikhathi zobunzima noma inhlekelele. Ngokwesibonelo, ingasetshenziselwa ukuhlangabezana  nezindleko zokwelapha noma ukulungisa izinto ezithile ezibalulekile ekhaya lomuntu. Kungakho iBhayibheli liqinisile uma libonisa ukuthi ‘imali ingumthunzi’ nokuthi “iyimpendulo yakho konke.”—UmShumayeli 7:12, NW; 10:19.

Ngenxa yokuthi imali ifeza okuningi kangaka, kunengozi yokuba nombono ongewona ngamandla ayo. UmKristu udinga ukuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwayo uma iqhathaniswa nezinye izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli liqhathanisa amandla emali nokuhlakanipha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu, lithi: “Kusemthunzini wokuhlakanipha njengasemthunzini wemali, kepha inzuzo yokwazi ingeyokuba ukuhlakanipha kulondoloza ukuphila kwalowo onakho.” (UmShumayeli 7:12) Kungayiphi indlela ukuhlakanipha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu kunalenzuzo ngaphezu kwemali?

Isifundo Ezibonelweni Zangaphambili

Izenzakalo ezenzeka eJerusalema ngonyaka ka-66 C.E. zibonisa inzuzo yokuhlakanipha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu ngaphezu kwemali. Ngemva kokuxosha amabutho amaRoma ahlaselayo, amaJuda eJerusalema ngokusobala akholelwa ukuthi amathemba ebhizinisi manje ayesemahle. Empeleni, aqala ukukhiqiza eyawo imali egubha umkhosi wenkululeko yawo ayesanda kuyithola. Imali yawo yethusi yagxivizwa, izinkulumo zesiHeberu, ezinjengokuthi “Eyenkululeko yaseSiyoni” nethi “IJerusalema Elingcwele.” Unyaka ngamunye omusha, ayenza imali entsha enemibhalo eyibonisa njengemali “yonyaka wesibili,” “yonyaka wesithathu,” “neyonyaka wesine.” Abavubukuli baye bavumbulula ngisho nemali embalwa engavamile yethusi enombhalo othi “unyaka wesihlanu,” okuvumelana nonyaka ka-70 C.E. Ingabe amaKristu angamaJuda abheka imali entsha yamaJuda njengophawu oluqinile lwenkululeko ehlala njalo?

Cha. Ngenxa yokuthi ayekhumbula amazwi okuhlakanipha eNkosi yawo. UJesu wayebikezele ngokuhlasela kwamaRoma okwenzeka ngo-66 C.E. Wayeluleke abalandeli bakhe ukuthi lapho kwenzeka, kwakufanele ‘baphume eJerusalema.’ (Luka 21:20-22) Umlando uyakufakazela ukuthi amaKristu angamaJuda enza lokho kanye. Ngokusobala ayezimisele ukulahlekelwa yimpahla, namathuba ezebhizinisi ngenxa yokushiya iJerusalema. Eminyakeni emine kamuva, amabutho amaRoma abuyela emuva futhi awuvimbezela umuzi.

Ngokwesazi-mlando esingufakazi wokuzibonela, uJosephus, “kwakunegolide eliningi kuloMuzi.” Kodwa izizumbulu zemali zazingenakulisindisa iJerusalema endlaleni, “eyaqhubeka idlanga” kancane kancane futhi “yashwabadela amakhaya nemindeni.” Ezinye izakhamuzi zagwinya imali yazo yegolide futhi zazama ukubaleka kulomuzi. Kodwa zabulawa  izitha zazo, ezazidabula izisu ukuze zithathe imali. “Ngabantu abacebile,” kuchaza uJosephus, “ukuhlala kulowoMuzi kwakumane kuyingozi njengokuwushiya; ngoba abantu abaningi babulawelwa imali yabo ngezaba zokuthi babewushiyile.”

Esikhathini esingaphansi kwezinyanga eziyisithupha kusukela ekuvinjezelweni kwalo, iJerusalema labhujiswa, futhi abantu balo abangaphezu kwesigidi babulawa yindlala, izifo, nezinkemba. Ukuthanda imali kwakuphuce abaningi ukuhlakanipha, kwabacwilisa ekubhujisweni nasekonakaleni, kuyilapho ukusebenzisa amazwi okuhlakanipha kwakuye kwenza amaKristu angamaJuda akwazi ukubaleka.

Leso kwakungesona isenzakalo okuwukuphela kwaso emlandweni lapho imali ingazange ibe usizo khona kubantu ngesikhathi sosizi. Yeka ukuthi ukuthanda imali kungaba inkosi enonya kanjani! (Mathewu 6:24) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ingakuphuca nenjabulo yamanje.

Izinjabulo Imali Engenakuzithenga

Isifiso sokuceba singavimbela umuntu ukuba aqaphele izinjabulo eziningi ezingadingi imali eningi. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngobuhlobo obujabulisayo bomkhaya, abangane beqiniso, izimangaliso zemvelo, ukushona kwelanga okuwumbukwane, ukuduma kwezulu okuhlaba umxhwele, amazulu anezinkanyezi, imikhuba yezilwane yokudlala, noma izimbali nezihlahla ehlathini elingonakalisiwe.

Yiqiniso, abantu abathile abacebile banesikhathi esengeziwe sokujabulela lezinjabulo ezingenhla, kodwa iningi labo limatasa ngokweqile lizama ukulondoloza noma ukwandisa ingcebo yalo. Kungase kubonakale kumangaza, kodwa, injabulo ngokuvamile ilahlekela ngisho nalabo abanesikhathi sokuphumula. Lokhu kuyabamangaza abacwaningi banamuhla. “Kumelwe silichaze kanjani iqiniso lokuthi okuthile okufiswa abantu abaningi kangaka, futhi okukholelwa ukuthi uma kuye kwatholwa kuwuhlobo olwelapha izifo zonke, kuthi lapho sekutholiwe kube nohide lwemiphumela ehlukahlukene esukela ekudumazekeni kuya enhlekeleleni?” kubuza uThomas Wiseman encwadini yakhe ethi The Money Motive—A Study of an Obsession.

Enye into engaphuca umuntu ocebile injabulo ubunzima bokwazi ukuthi bangobani abangane bakhe bangempela. INkosi ecebile uSolomoni yaba nokuhlangenwe nakho kokuthi “lapho okuhle kwanda, nabakudlayo bayanda.” (UmShumayeli 5:11) Abantu abaningi abacebile futhi babhekana nezinkathazo emzamweni wokulondoloza noma wokwandisa ukuba yigugu kwengcebo yabo. Lokhu ngokuvamile kubaphuca ubuthongo obumnandi. IBhayibheli liyachaza: “Ubuthongo besisebenzi bumnandi, noma sidla okuyingcosana noma okuningi, kepha ukusutha kocebileyo akumvumeli ukuba alale.”—UmShumayeli 5:12.

Ukuthanda imali kungabona ubuhlobo phakathi komkhaya nabangane ngoba kungase kulingele othile ezenzweni zokungethembeki nobugebengu. Abathandi bemali ngokuvamile baphendukela ekugembuleni. Ngokudabukisayo, ukulangazelela ukugembula okukodwa nje kuphela kuholela abaningi ezikweletini. “Ngesikhathi abeza ngaso kimi,” kusho isazi sezifo zengqondo saseNingizimu Afrika, “[abalawulwa ukugembula] basuke bengasenakushintshwa noma basizwe, sebelahlekelwe imisebenzi, amabhizinisi, amakhaya, futhi ngokuvamile nemikhaya yabo isuke isibashiyile.” Yeka iqiniso lesixwayiso seBhayibheli: “Umuntu othembekileyo uyakuvama izibusiso, kepha oshesha ukuceba akayikuyekwa.”—IzAga 28:20.

‘Kuyenza Amaphiko Kundize’

Esinye isizathu esenza ukuba uthando lwemali lube yingozi kangaka ukuthi ohulumeni babantu baye bazibonisa behluleka ukubambisana ngokugcwele noma ukuqinisekisa ukuthi amandla emali awaguquki emhlabeni wonke; futhi abakwazanga ukuvimbela ukwehla komnotho, nokuwa kwezimakethe. Ukukhwabanisa, ukweba, nokwehla kwamandla emali nakho kugcizelela iqiniso lamazwi aphefumlelwe: “Ungakhandlekeli ukuceba; kuyeke ngokuqonda kwakho. Amehlo akho ayandizela kulokho, kepha akusekho, ngokuba kuyazenzela impela  amaphiko njengokhozi olundizela ezulwini.”—IzAga 23:4, 5.

Ukuwa kwamandla emali. Ngokuqinisekile leyonkinga ayigxilile emazweni ampofu. Ngasekuqaleni kwalelikhulu leminyaka, ukuwa kwamandla emali okwanda ngokushesha kuye kwagadla ezizweni ezikhiqizayo zaseYurophu ephakathi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I, i-mark yaseJalimane yayicishe ilingane nosheleni waseBrithani, i-franc yaseFrance, noma i-lira yaseNtaliyane. Eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva, usheleni, i-franc, ne-lira kwakucishe kulingane nama-mark angu-1 000 000 000 000. Kunaliphi ithonya ukuwa kwamandla emali okwandayo kubantu abahlala emiphakathini ecebile? “Uma lokho okwenzeka kuyi-Central Powers eyanqotshwa ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1920 kungaba yinto esinganquma ngayo” kusho uAdam Fergusson encwadini yakhe ethi When Money Dies, “khona-ke [ukuwa kwemali] kudedela ubugovu, ubudlova, ukuntuleka kwenjabulo, nenzondo, ikakhulu okuwumphumela wokwesaba ukuthi akukho mphakathi ongasala ungalimele futhi ungashintshiwe.”

Ngo-1923, iJalimane yakhuphula kabusha imali yayo ngokubulala o-zero abangu-12 ukuze ama-mark amadala angu-1 000 000 000 000 ngokushesha alingane ne-mark eyodwa entsha. Lokhu kwavimba ukuwa kwamandla emali kodwa kwaba neminye imiphumela eyinhlekelele. UFergusson uyachaza: “Ukumiswa kabusha okusimeme ngokwezimali, okwawisa izinkulungwane ngokwezimali, kwaphanga izigidi izindlela zazo zokuziphilisa, futhi kwabulala amathemba ezigidi ezengeziwe, kwaphoqelela izwe ngokungaqondile ukuba likhokhe inani elithusa kakhulu.” Ngokusobala, ‘lelinani elithusayo’ lomlobi ayenalo engqondweni kwakuwukuqalisa kobuNazi neMpi Yezwe II.

Ukuthi izizumbulu zezimali ezisemabhange azizange zibe usizo kubantu abaningi esikhathini esedlule kufanele kube isixwayiso esiphaphamisayo kulezikhathi zokungasimami komnotho wezwe. INdodana kaNkulunkulu ngokwayo yaxwayisa ngokuthi imali yayingeke ibe usizo, njengoba ingazange ibe yilo ngempela ezikhathini eziningi. (Luka 16:9) Kodwa ukungabi usizo kwemali okukhulu kakhulu nokusakazekile kuyoza lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu ekhipha isahlulelo phezu kwalelizwe elibi. “Ingcebo ayisizi ngosuku lolaka, kepha ukulunga kophula ekufeni.”—IzAga 11:4.

Khona-ke, yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba ngamunye wethu alwele ukulondoloza ukuma okuhle nabaNgane bethu beqiniso, uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu!

Umthombo Wenjabulo Ehlala Njalo

UPaul noMary, okukhulunywe ngabo ekuqaleni, babengoFakazi BakaJehova. Iminyaka eminingi babeye bahlanganyela emsebenzini wesikhathi esigcwele wokushumayela ivangeli. Nokho, isifiso sabo sokuceba sababangela ukuba bayeke ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla lobuKristu, futhi bayeka ukuhlanganyela ukholo lwabo nabanye enkonzweni yasobala. Kodwa baphaphama ngokomoya. “Manje ngiyabona indlela okwakungenangqondo ngayo ukuchitha sonke isikhathi sami namandla kokuthile okunganyamalala ngemizuzu embalwa,” kusho uMary ngemva kokuba bephucwe ababenakho futhi ikhaya lakhe lonakalisiwe. Ngokujabulisayo, lombhanqwana wafunda isifundo ngaphambi kokuba kwephuze kakhulu. Yebo, ingozi enkulu kakhulu uthando lwemali olungayibangela yileyo yokuphuca umuntu ubuhlobo obamukelekayo kuJehova uNkulunkulu nakuJesu Kristu. Ngaphandle kwalabaNgane, yiliphi ithemba esingaba nalo lokusinda esiphelweni salelizwe elibi sisindele ezweni elisha lokulunga elithenjisiwe?—Mathewu 6:19-21, 31-34; 2 Petru 3:13.

Ngakho kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uzibheka njengocebile noma ompofu, xwaya ukuba nothando lwemali. Sebenzela ukuthola nokulondoloza ingcebo enkulu kakhulu—ukuma okwamukelekayo kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Lokhu ungakwenza ngokugxilisa ukunakekela kulesimemo esiphuthumayo: “UMoya nomlobokazi bathi: Woza! Nozwayo makathi: Woza! Nowomileyo makeze; othandayo makathabathe amanzi okuphila ngesihle.”—IsAmbulo 22:17.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Womabili amacala emali anombhalo othi “unyaka wesibili” eyenziwa phakathi nokuhlasela kwamaJuda

[Umthombo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.