Siza Abanye Bahambe Ngokufanele UJehova

“[Asiyekanga] ukunithandazela futhi sicela ukuba . . . nihambe ngokufanele uJehova ngenjongo yokumjabulisa ngokugcwele njengoba niqhubeka nithela isithelo kuyo yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—KOLOSE 1:9, 10.

1, 2. Yini ngokukhethekile engaba umthombo wenjabulo nokwaneliseka?

“SIHLALA kumahamba-nendlwana epulazini. Ngokugcina ukuphila kwethu kulula, sinesikhathi esengeziwe sokufinyelela abantu ngezindaba ezinhle. Siye sabusiswa kakhulu ngelungelo lokusiza abaningi ukuba banikezele ukuphila kwabo kuJehova.”—Umbhangqwana oshadile, oyizikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele eNingizimu Afrika.

² Awuvumi yini ukuthi ukusiza abanye kuletha injabulo? Abanye bahlale bezama ukusiza abagulayo, abaswele noma abangabodwa—bethola ukwaneliseka ngokwenza kanjalo. AmaKristu eqiniso ayaqiniseka ukuthi ukuhlanganyela kwawo nabanye ulwazi ngoJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu kuwusizo olukhulu angalunikeza. Yilokhu kuphela okungaholela abanye ekubeni bamukele isihlengo sikaJesu, babe nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu bese beba sethubeni lokuthola ukuphila okumi phakade.—IzEnzo 3:19-21; 13:48.

3. Yiluphi uhlobo losizo okufanelekayo ukuba siluhlole?

³ Nokho, kuthiwani ngokusiza labo asebemkhonza kakade uNkulunkulu, asebeyilandela ‘iNdlela’? (IzEnzo 19:9) Ngokungangabazeki, usenesithakazelo esikhulu kubo njengakuqala, kodwa ungase ungaboni ukuthi ungakwenza kanjani okwengeziwe noma ubasize ngokuqhubekayo. Noma, isimo okuso singase sibonakale siyisithiyo ngokuqondene nokubasiza, senze nokwaneliseka ongakuthola kulinganiselwe. (IzEnzo 20:35) Singafunda okuthile encwadini yabaseKolose ngokuphathelene nazo zombili lezi zici.

4. (a) UPawulu wayengaphansi kwaziphi izimo lapho ebhalela abaseKolose? (b) U-Ephafra wayehileleke kanjani?

⁴ Lapho umphostoli uPawulu ebhalela amaKristu aseKolose, wayeseRoma eboshelwe endlini, nakuba ayekwazi ukuba nezivakashi. Njengoba ubungase ulindele, uPawulu wasebenzisa inkululeko yakhe elinganiselwe ukuze ashumayele ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 28:16-31) Amanye amaKristu ayekwazi ukumvakashela uPawulu, mhlawumbe amanye aze avalelwe naye ngezinye izikhathi. (Kolose 1:7, 8; 4:10) Omunye wawo kwakungumvangeli oshisekayo u-Ephafra wasemzini waseKolose eFrigiya, ezweni eliyinkangala empumalanga ye-Efesu e-Asia Minor (iTurkey yanamuhla). U-Ephafra wayebe nesandla ekwakheni ibandla eKolose, futhi wazikhandla ngenxa yebandla laseLawodikeya nelaseHiyerapholi eseduze. (Kolose 4:12, 13) Kungani u-Ephafra aya kobona uPawulu eRoma, futhi singafundani endleleni uPawulu asabela ngayo?

Usizo Oluphumelelayo KwabaseKolose

5. Kungani uPawulu abhalela abaseKolose lokho ababhalela kona?

⁵ Ukuze abonisane noPawulu ngezimo ebandleni laseKolose, u-Ephafra wathatha uhambo olukhandlayo lokuya eRoma. Wabika ngokholo, uthando nemizamo yalawo maKristu yokushumayela ivangeli. (Kolose 1:4-8) Nokho, kumelwe ukuba wamazisa nangokukhathazeka kwakhe ngamathonya amabi ayesongela ingokomoya labaseKolose. UPawulu wasabela ngencwadi ephefumulelwe eyaphikisa eminye yemibono eyayisakazwa abafundisi bamanga. Wagxila ngokukhethekile endimeni eyinhloko okufanele ifezwe nguJesu Kristu. * Ingabe usizo lwakhe lwaba ukugcizelela amaqiniso ayinhloko eBhayibheli kuphela? Iyiphi enye indlela ayengasiza ngayo abaseKolose, futhi yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda ngokusiza abanye?

6. Yini uPawulu ayigcizelela encwadini ayibhalela abaseKolose?

 ⁶ Ekuqaleni kwencwadi yakhe, uPawulu wacacisa uhlobo losizo esingase singalunaki. Kwakuyindlela yokusiza eyayisebenza ngisho umuntu ekude, njengoba uPawulu no-Ephafra babekude naseKolose. UPawulu wagcizelela: “Siyambonga uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ngaso sonke isikhathi uma sinithandazela [umbhalo wabhansi we-NW, “sinithandazela njalo”].” Yebo, lena kwakuyimithandazo eyayenzelwa amaKristu aseKolose ngokukhethekile. UPawulu wanezela: “Yingakho futhi, kusukela ngosuku esezwa ngalo ngakho, singayekanga ukunithandazela futhi sicela ukuba nigcwale ulwazi olunembile ngentando yakhe kukho konke ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda okungokomoya.”—Kolose 1:3, 9.

7, 8. Imithandazo yethu yangasese neyasebandleni ivame ukuthintani?

⁷ Siyazi ukuthi uJehova ‘uyayizwa imikhuleko,’ ngakho singaqiniseka ukuthi uzimisele ukulalela imithandazo yethu evumelana nentando yakhe. (IHubo 65:2; 86:6; IzAga 15:8, 29; 1 Johane 5:14) Nokho, ngokuqondene nokuthandazela abanye, injani imithandazo yethu?

⁸ Singase sicabange njalo futhi sithandazele ‘yonke inhlangano yabafowethu ezweni.’ (1 Petru 5:9) Noma singase sikhulume noJehova ngamaKristu nabanye abasendaweni eyehlelwe yinhlekelele. Lapho abafundi bekhulu lokuqala kwezinye izindawo bezwa ngendlala yaseJudiya, kumelwe ukuba babathandazela kaningi abafowabo ngisho nangaphambi kokuthumela izimali zokusiza. (IzEnzo 11:27-30) Osukwini lwethu, ukuthandazela bonke abafowethu noma iqembu elikhulu labazalwane kuvamile emihlanganweni yobuKristu, lapho abaningi kudingeka bakuqonde okuthandazelwayo futhi bakwazi ukuthi “Amen.”—1 Korinte 14:16.

Ungagwegwesi Emthandazweni Wakho

9, 10. (a) Yiziphi izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi kuyafaneleka ukuthandazela abantu abathile ngokukhethekile? (b) Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uPawulu athandazelwe ngokukhethekile?

⁹ Nokho, iBhayibheli lisinikeza izibonelo zemithandazo eyenzelwa abanye eyayingagwegwesi, igagula abathile. Cabanga ngamazwi kaJesu akuLuka 22:31, 32. Wayekanye nabaphostoli abangu-11 abathembekile. Bonke babeyodinga ukusekelwa nguNkulunkulu ezikhathini ezinzima ezaziseza, futhi uJesu wabathandazela. (Johane 17:9-14) Noma kunjalo, uJesu wagagula uPetru, wanxusela lowo mfundi yedwa ngokukhethekile. Ezinye izibonelo: U-Elisha wathandazela ukuba uNkulunkulu asize indoda ethile ngokukhethekile, inceku yakhe. (2 AmaKhosi 6:15-17) Umphostoli uJohane wathandazela ukuba uGayu aqhubeke ephilile ngokwenyama nangokomoya. (3 Johane 1, 2) Futhi eminye imithandazo yayigxila emaqenjini athile ngokukhethekile.—Jobe 42:7, 8; Luka 6:28; IzEnzo 7:60; 1 Thimothewu 2:1, 2.

¹⁰ Izincwadi zikaPawulu ziyayigcizelela indaba yemithandazo eqondile. Wacela ukuba kuthandazelwe yena noma yena nabangane bakhe. EyabaseKolose 4:2, 3 ithi: “Phikelelani emthandazweni, nihlale niphapheme kuwo ngokubonga, ngesikhathi esifanayo nisithandazela nathi, ukuba uNkulunkulu asivulele umnyango wokukhuluma, ukuze sikhulume imfihlo engcwele emayelana noKristu, eqinisweni engisetilongweni ngenxa yayo.” Cabanga nangalezi ezinye izibonelo: Roma 15:30; 1 Thesalonika 5:25; 2 Thesalonika 3:1; Heberu 13:18.

11. Lapho eseRoma, u-Ephafra wayethandazela obani?

¹¹ Kwenzeka okufanayo ngomngane kaPawulu eRoma. “U-Ephafra, ovela phakathi kwenu, . . . uyakhonza kini, ngaso sonke isikhathi ezikhandla ngenxa yenu emithandazweni yakhe.” (Kolose 4:12) Igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ezikhandla” lingasikisela “ukuzabalaza” njengomsubathi emidlalweni yasendulo. Ingabe u-Ephafra wayethandaza ngomuzwa ojulile ethandazela nje wonke amakholwa emhlabeni noma mhlawumbe abakhulekeli beqiniso kulo lonke elase-Asia Minor? UPawulu wabonisa ukuthi u-Ephafra wayethandazela ngokukhethekile abeseKolose. U-Ephafra wayesazi isimo sabo. Asibazi bonke ngamagama, futhi asizazi izinkinga ababebhekene nazo, kodwa cabanga okwakungenzeka. Mhlawumbe uLinu  omncane wayelwa kanzima nethonya lamafilosofi ayedlangile, futhi uRufu kungenzeka wayedinga amandla okumelana nokukhanga kwemikhuba yakhe emidala yenkolo yobuJuda. Njengoba ayenomyeni ongakholwa, ingabe uPersisi wayedinga ukukhuthazela nokuhlakanipha ukuze akhulise izingane zakhe eNkosini, futhi ingabe u-Asinkiritu, owayenesifo esibulalayo, wayedinga induduzo engaphezu kwevamile? Yebo, u-Ephafra wayebazi labo ababesebandleni lakubo, futhi wabathandazela ngobuqotho ngoba yena noPawulu babefuna ukuba laba abazinikele bahambe ngokufanele uJehova.

12. Singacacisa kanjani ngokwengeziwe emithandazweni yethu yangasese?

¹² Uyasibona yini isibonelo esisitholayo—indlela esingabasiza ngayo abanye? Njengoba kuphawuliwe, ngokuvamile imithandazo yaseningini emihlanganweni yobuKristu ihlanganisa izici ezivamile, ngenxa yezilaleli ezihlukahlukene. Kodwa imithandazo yethu yangasese noma yemikhaya yethu ingase iqonde ngqó. Nakuba ngezinye izikhathi singase sicele uNkulunkulu ukuba aqondise futhi abusise bonke ababonisi abajikelezayo noma abelusi abangokomoya, asinakubacelela yini abathile ngokuqondile ngezinye izikhathi? Ngokwesibonelo, kungani ungambizi ngegama umbonisi wesifunda ohambele ibandla lenu noma umqhubi weSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla lapho uthandaza? EyabaseFilipi 2:25-28 neyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:23 zibonisa indlela uPawulu ayekhathazeke ngayo ngempilo kaThimothewu neka-Ephafrodithu ngokuhlukana kwabo. Ingabe nathi singasibonisa isithakazelo esinjalo kwabagulayo esibazi ngamagama?

13. Luhlobo luni lwezimo okufanelekayo ukuba sizihlanganise emithandazweni yethu yangasese?

¹³ Kuyavunywa, kumelwe sigweme ukuzigaxa ezindabeni zabanye zangasese, kodwa kuyafaneleka ukuba imithandazo yethu ibonise isithakazelo esiqotho kulabo esibaziyo nesibakhathalelayo. (1 Thimothewu 5:13; 1 Petru 4:15) Umzalwane othile kungenzeka uphelelwe umsebenzi, futhi asinakumnika omunye. Nokho, singambiza ngegama futhi sigxile enkingeni yakhe emithandazweni yethu yangasese. (IHubo 37:25; IzAga 10:3) Ingabe ukhona udade osekhulile esimaziyo ongashadile futhi ongenazingane ngenxa yokuthi uzimisele ukushada “kuphela eNkosini”? (1 Korinte 7:39) Emithandazweni yakho yangasese, kungani ungamceli uJehova ukuba ambusise futhi amsize ukuba aqhubeke ethembekile enkonzweni yakhe? Esinye isibonelo, kungenzeka abadala ababili baye beluleka umzalwane owonile. Kungani ngamunye walaba badala engambizi ngegama emithandazweni yakhe ngezikhathi ezithile?

14. Ukuthandazela abathile ngokukhethekile kuhlobene kanjani nokubasiza?

¹⁴ Maningi kakhulu amathuba okuba emithandazweni yakho ukhulume ngabantu abathile obaziyo abadinga ukusekela, induduzo, ukuhlakanipha nomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu nanoma yiziphi zezithelo zawo. Ngenxa yokuba kude noma ezinye izimo, ungase uzizwe ulinganiselwe mayelana nosizo olungokwenyama noma oluqondile ongalunikeza. Kodwa ungakhohlwa ukuthandazela abafowenu nodadewenu. Uyazi ukuthi bafuna ukuhamba ngokufanele uJehova, nokho kungenzeka baludinga ngempela usizo lokwenza kanjalo ngokuqhubekayo. Isihluthulelo sokusiza yimithandazo yakho.—IHubo 18:2; 20:1, 2; 34:15; 46:1; 121:1-3.

Sebenzela Ukuqinisa Abanye

15. Kungani kufanele sibe nesithakazelo engxenyeni yokugcina yencwadi yabaseKolose?

¹⁵ Yiqiniso, umthandazo onomuzwa ojulile nogagulayo awuyona ukuphela kwendlela yokusiza abanye, ikakhulukazi labo abaseduze nawe futhi  obakhonzile. Incwadi yabaseKolose iyakucacisa lokho. Izazi eziningi zikholwa ukuthi ngemva kokuba uPawulu enikeze isiqondiso ngezimfundiso neseluleko esiwusizo, wanezela nokubingelela nje nemikhonzo kwabathile. (Kolose 4:7-18) Ngokuphambene, sesitholile kakade ukuthi le ngxenye yokugcina yale ncwadi iqukethe iseluleko esiphawulekayo, futhi kuningi okunye esingakufunda kule ngxenye.

16, 17. Singathini ngabazalwane abaphawulwe kweyabaseKolose 4:10, 11?

¹⁶ UPawulu wabhala: “U-Aristarku isithunjwa esikanye nami uyakhonza kini, kanjalo noMarku umzala kaBarnaba, (enamukela imiyalo ngokuphathelene naye ukuba nimamukele uma kwenzeka efika kini,) kanye noJesu obizwa ngokuthi uJustu, laba bengabanye balabo abasokile. Yilaba kuphela abayizisebenzi ezikanye nami ngenxa yombuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi bona kanye laba babe usizo oluqinisayo kimi.”—Kolose 4:10, 11.

¹⁷ UPawulu lapha wabiza ngamagama abazalwane abathile ababefanelwe ukuphawulwa ngokukhethekile. Wathi babephakathi kwabasokile, ababengamaJuda. KwakunamaJuda amaningi asokile eRoma, futhi amanye awo ayesengamaKristu manje. Noma kunjalo, lawo uPawulu awaphawula ayemsizile. Kungenzeka awazange angabaze ukuzihlanganisa namaKristu ayengabeZizwe, futhi kumelwe ukuba akujabulela ukuhlanganyela noPawulu ekushumayeleni kwabeZizwe.—Roma 11:13; Galathiya 1:16; 2:11-14.

18. UPawulu wabatusa wathini abathile ababenaye?

¹⁸ Phawula amazwi kaPawulu: “Bona kanye laba babe usizo oluqinisayo kimi.” Wasebenzisa igama lesiGreki elivela lapha kuphela eBhayibhelini. Abahumushi abaningi balihumusha ngokuthi “induduzo.” Nokho, kunelinye igama lesiGreki (elithi pa·ra·ka·le’o) elivame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “induduzo.” UPawulu walisebenzisa leli gama kwezinye izindawo kuyo le ncwadi kodwa hhayi kweyabaseKolose 4:11.—Mathewu 5:4; IzEnzo 4:36; 9:31; 2 Korinte 1:4; Kolose 2:2; 4:8.

19, 20. (a) Uyini umqondo wamazwi ashiwo uPawulu ngabazalwane ababemsiza eRoma? (b) Yiziphi izindlela okungenzeka labo bazalwane bamsiza ngazo uPawulu?

 ¹⁹ Labo uPawulu ababiza ngamagama kumelwe ukuba babenze okungaphezu kokumduduza ngamazwi. Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “usizo oluqinisayo” kweyabaseKolose 4:11 ngezinye izikhathi lalisetshenziswa emibhalweni yezwe ekubhekiseleni emthini wokudambisa ukucindezeleka. I-New Life Version ithi: “Yeka indlela abaye baba usizo ngayo kimi!” I-Today’s English Version isebenzisa amazwi athi: “Baye baba usizo olukhulu kimi.” Yini okungenzeka babeyenzile labo bazalwane abangamaKristu ababeseduze noPawulu ukuze bamsize?

²⁰ UPawulu wayevunyelwe ukuba nezivakashi, kodwa kunezinto eziningi ayengenakuzenza, njengokuthenga izinto eziyisidingo eziyisisekelo—ukudla nezingubo zasebusika. Wayengayithola kanjani imiqulu yokutadisha noma athenge izinto zokubhala? (2 Thimothewu 4:13) Awucabangi yini ngalabo bazalwane besiza uPawulu ngezidingo zakhe, bemenzela izinto eziyisisekelo njengokuyomthengela emakethe noma ukumyela lapho ebathuma khona? Wayengase afune ukuhlola nokukhuthaza ibandla elithile. Njengoba ayevalelwe, wayengenakukwenza lokho, ngakho labo bazalwane kungenzeka babemyela uPawulu, baphathe imiyalezo, babuyise imibiko. Yeka indlela okwakuqinisa ngayo!

21, 22. (a) Kungani kufanele sibe nesithakazelo emazwini akweyabaseKolose 4:11? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izindlela esingasisebenzisa ngazo isibonelo salabo ababenoPawulu?

²¹ Lokho uPawulu akubhala ngokuba “usizo oluqinisayo” kusenza sibone ukuthi singabasiza kanjani abanye. Kungenzeka bahamba ngokufanele uJehova ngokuqondene nezindinganiso zakhe zokuziphatha, beya emihlanganweni yobuKristu futhi behlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela. Kufanele sibatshele ukuthi siyabazisa ngenxa yalokho. Nokho, thina singakwenza yini okwengeziwe, sibe “usizo oluqinisayo” njengoba baba njalo labo ababenoPawulu?

²² Uma wazi udade othile owanamathela ngokuhlakanipha kweyoku-1 Korinte 7:37 futhi manje ongenawo umkhaya oseduze naye, ungamfaka yini ezintweni ezithile enizenza njengomkhaya, mhlawumbe ummemele ukudla noma ukuba abe nani embuthanweni omncane wabangane  noma izihlobo? Kuthiwani ngokumnxusa ukuba ahambe nomkhaya wenu lapho niya emhlanganweni omkhulu noma eholidini? Noma mcele ukuba akuphelezele ngesikhathi esimvumelayo lapho uyothenga ukudla. Singenza okufanayo nangabafelwa nabafelokazi, noma mhlawumbe labo abangasakwazi ukuzishayelela. Ungakuthola kuvuza ukulalela okuhlangenwe nakho kwabo noma ukuzuza olwazini lwabo lwezinto ezivamile njengokukhetha izithelo noma ukukhetha izingubo zezingane. (Levitikusi 19:32; IzAga 16:31) Kungase kunenze nisondelane ngokwengeziwe. Kanjalo bangase bazizwe bekhululeke kakhudlwana ukucela usizo lwakho uma bedinga umuthi othile ekhemisi, noma into enjalo. Abazalwane ababenoPawulu eRoma kumelwe ukuba babemsiza ngezindlela ezingokoqobo neziqinisayo, njengoba nawe ungase wenze. Kokubili ngaleso sikhathi namanje isibusiso esengeziwe siwukuthi izibopho zothando ziyaqina, futhi siyagxila ekuzimiseleni ukukhonza uJehova ndawonye ngokwethembeka.

23. Kungaba kuhle ukuba ngamunye wethu asisebenzisele ukwenzani isikhathi?

²³ Ngamunye wethu angacabanga ngezimo ezishiwo kulesi sihloko. Zimane ziyizibonelo nje, kodwa zingasikhumbuza izimo ezingokoqobo esingaba kuzo “usizo oluqinisa” ngokwengeziwe kubafowethu nodadewethu. Iphuzu alikona ukuba sibe nesimo sengqondo sabezenhlalakahle. Kwakungewona lowo umgomo wabazalwane abaphawulwe kweyabaseKolose 4:10, 11. ‘Babeyizisebenzi ngenxa yombuso kaNkulunkulu.’ Ukuba usizo oluqinisayo kwakuhlobene ngokuqondile nalokho. Kwangathi kungaba okufanayo nakithi.

24. Yisiphi isizathu esiyinhloko esenza sithandazele abanye futhi sifune ukubaqinisa?

²⁴ Okwenza sibize abanye ngamagama emithandazweni yethu yangasese futhi senze imizamo yokubaqinisa yilokhu: Sikholwa ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu bafuna ‘ukuhamba ngokufanele uJehova ngenjongo yokumjabulisa ngokugcwele.’ (Kolose 1:10) Lelo qiniso lihlobene nokunye futhi uPawulu akuveza lapho ebhala ngemithandazo ka-Ephafra mayelana nabaseKolose, yokuba ‘bame bephelele futhi beqiniseka kuyo yonke intando kaNkulunkulu.’ (Kolose 4:12) Singakufinyelela kanjani lokho thina ngokwethu? Ake sibone.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uphawulile Yini?

• Singasiza kanjani ngokwengeziwe emithandazweni yethu yangasese?

• Amanye amaKristu ‘ayewusizo oluqinisayo’ ngamuphi umqondo kuPawulu?

• Luhlobo luni lwezimo esingaba “usizo oluqinisayo” kuzo?

• Uyini umgomo wethu lapho sithandazela abafowethu nodadewethu futhi sifuna ukubaqinisa?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Ungafaka yini nomunye umKristu ezintweni enizenza njengomkhaya?

[Umthombo]

Courtesy of Green Chimney’s Farm