Zuza Emandleni Esejwayezi

LE NDODA yayike yahlala emaphethelweni edolobha lase-Athens iminyaka engu-12. Nsuku zonke yayihamba ngendlela eyodwa lapho iphuma emsebenzini. Yabe isithuthela kwenye ingxenye yedolobha. Ngolunye usuku ngemva kokushayisa emsebenzini, yaqonda ekhaya. Yaze yaqala ukubona ukuthi yayihambe ngendlela okungeyona lapho isizithola isisendaweni eyayihlala kuyo kuqala. Ngenxa yamandla esejwayezi, yayiye emzini wayo omdala!

Akumangazi ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi amandla esejwayezi abizwa ngokuthi yizenzo ezizenzekelayo ngaphandle kokucabanga, okuyithonya elithinta ukuphila kwethu ngezindlela ezinamandla. Ngalo mqondo, izejwayezi zingafaniswa nomlilo. Umlilo ungaba ukukhanya okujatshulelwayo endaweni emnyama futhi ungafudumeza imizimba nokudla kwethu. Kodwa umlilo futhi ungaba isitha esinonya esibulala ukuphila futhi sishise izimpahla zethu. Kungokufanayo nangezejwayezi. Uma zihlakulelwa ngokufanele, zingazuzisa kakhulu. Kodwa zingabuye futhi zilimaze.

 Ngokuqondene nendoda okukhulunywe ngayo ekuqaleni, amandla esejwayezi ayenza yalahlekelwa isikhathi esithile esiminyaminyeni sezimoto. Lapho kuziwa ezintweni ezibaluleke kakhulu, izejwayezi zingasiphumelelisa noma zisiholele enhlekeleleni. Cabangela izibonelo zangempela ezitholakala eBhayibhelini ezibonisa indlela izejwayezi ezingasiza noma zithiye ngayo inkonzo yethu eya kuNkulunkulu nobuhlobo bethu naye.

Izibonelo ZeBhayibheli Zezejwayezi Ezinhle Nezimbi

UNowa, uJobe noDaniyeli bonke babebusiswe ngobuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli liyabadumisa ngenxa ‘yokulunga kwabo.’ (Hezekeli 14:14) Ngokuphawulekayo, indlela yokuphila yawo womathathu la madoda ibonisa ukuthi ayenezejwayezi ezinhle.

UNowa watshelwa ukuba akhe umkhumbi, umkhumbi owawumude kunenkundla yebhola futhi uphakeme kunesakhiwo esinezitezi ezinhlanu. Noma yimuphi umakhi womkhumbi wasendulo wawuyomethusa lo msebenzi omkhulu kangaka. UNowa nomkhaya wakhe wamalungu ayisikhombisa bawakha lo mkhumbi bengasizwa nayimishini yesimanje. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uNowa waqhubeka eshumayela kubantu ayephila nabo. Singaqiniseka ukuthi wayenakekela futhi nezidingo ezingokomoya nezingokwenyama zomkhaya wakhe. (2 Petru 2:5) Ukuze afeze konke lokhu, kumelwe ukuba uNowa wayenezejwayezi ezinhle zokusebenza. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwalotshwa ngaye uNowa emlandweni weBhayibheli njengalowo ‘owahamba noNkulunkulu weqiniso. . . . UNowa wabe esenza njengakho konke uJehova ayemyale ngakho.’ (Genesise 6:9, 22; 7:5) Njengoba eBhayibhelini kuthiwa ‘wayengenacala’ kumelwe ukuba waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu ngemva kukaZamcolo ngisho nangemva kokuqubuka kokuvukela uJehova eBabele. Ngempela, uNowa waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe eneminyaka engu-950.—Genesise 9:29.

Izejwayezi ezinhle zikaJobe zamsiza zamenza indoda ‘engenasici, elungile.’ (Jobe 1:1, 8; 2:3) Ngokwenkambiso yakhe, noma njengokwenjwayelo, wayeba njengompristi womkhaya enikelela izingane zakhe iminikelo ngemva kwedili lazo ngalinye, uma kungenzeka ukuthi “‘zonile, zathuka uNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zazo.’ Wenze njalo uJobe imihla yonke.” (Jobe 1:5, omalukeke sizenzele.) Emkhayeni kaJobe, amasiko ayesekelwe ekukhulekeleni uJehova ngokungangabazeki ayesobala.

UDaniyeli wakhonza uJehova “njalo” kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe. (Daniyeli 6:16, 20) Yiziphi izejwayezi ezinhle ezingokomoya uDaniyeli ayenazo? Phakathi kokunye, wayethandaza njalo kuJehova. Naphezu komyalo wasebukhosini owawenqabela lo mkhuba, “kathathu ngosuku [uDaniyeli] wayeguqa ngamadolo ethandaza futhi edumisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu wakhe, njengoba ayevame ukwenza.” (Daniyeli 6:10, omalukeke sizenzele.) Wayengenakusiyeka isejwayezi sakhe sokuthandaza kuNkulunkulu, ngisho noma lokho kwakusongela ukuphila. Akungabazeki ukuthi lesi sejwayezi samqinisa uDaniyeli enkambweni yokuphila yobuqotho obuphawulekayo kuNkulunkulu. Ngokusobala, uDaniyeli wayenesejwayezi esihle sokutadisha nokuzindla ngokujulile ngezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ezijabulisayo. (Jeremiya 25:11, 12; Daniyeli 9:2) Lezi zejwayezi ngokuqinisekile zamsiza ukuba akhuthazele kuze kube sekugcineni, egijima umncintiswano wokuphila ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba sekugcineni kwawo.

Ngokuphambene, uDina wangena enkingeni ngenxa yesejwayezi esibi. ‘[“Wayevame,” NW] ukuphuma ayobona amadodakazi alelo zwe’ ayengebona abakhulekeli bakaJehova. (Genesise 34:1) Lesi sejwayezi esasibonakala singenacala saholela enhlekeleleni. Okokuqala, woniwa nguShekemi, insizwa ‘eyayinodumo kunabo bonke  abendlu kayise.’ Kwabe sekuba ukuphindisa kwabafowabo ababili okwaholela ekutheni babulale bonke abesilisa emzini wonke. Yeka umphumela omubi!—Genesise 34:19, 25-29.

Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi izejwayezi zethu ziyosizuzisa zingasilimazi?

Ukusebenzisa Izejwayezi Zethu

“Izejwayezi ziwukudalelwa,” kubhala isazi sefilosofi esithile. Kodwa akudingeki kube njalo. IBhayibheli libonisa ngokucacile ukuthi singakhetha ukushintsha izejwayezi zethu ezimbi sihlakulele ezinhle.

Uma sinezejwayezi ezinhle, indlela yobuKristu yokuphila iyashelela futhi kube lula ukuyigcina. U-Alex, umKristu waseGreece uthi: “Isejwayezi sokunamathela esimisweni ukuze ngifeze imisebenzi ethile singongela isikhathi esiyigugu.” UTheophilus, umdala ongumKristu, uphawula ukuthi ukuhlela kuyisejwayezi esimsiza ukuba aphumelele. Uthi: “Ngiqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi bengingeke ngikwazi ukusingatha imisebenzi yami yobuKristu ngokuphumelelayo ngaphandle kwesejwayezi esihle sokuhlela.”

NjengamaKristu, sinxuswa ukuba ‘siqhubeke sihamba ngokuhlelekile ngalomkhondo ofanayo.’ (Filipi 3:16) Umkhondo uhlanganisa “ukujwayela ukwenza okuthile okuhleliwe.” Izejwayezi ezinjalo ezinhle ziyasizuzisa ngoba akudingeki sichithe isikhathi sicabanga singaqedi ngesinyathelo ngasinye—sesiye saba nesimiso esihle kakade esisilandelayo ngenxa yamandla esejwayezi. Izejwayezi ezinamandla cishe zivele zizenzekele. Njengoba nje nesejwayezi sokushayela kahle singase siqondise umshayeli ukuba enze izinqumo ezisheshayo zokusindisa ukuphila lapho ebhekene nezingozi emgwaqweni, izejwayezi ezinhle zingasisiza senze izinqumo ezifanele ngokushesha njengoba sihamba emkhondweni wokuphila kobuKristu.

Njengoba umbhali oyiNgisi uJeremy Taylor ekubeka: “Izenzo zizala izejwayezi.” Uma izejwayezi zethu zizinhle, singenza izinto ezinhle ngaphandle kobunzima. Ngokwesibonelo, uma njengezikhonzi ezingamaKristu, sijwayele ukuhlanganyela njalo emsebenzini wokushumayela, kuba lula futhi kujabulisa kakhulu ukuya enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngokuphathelene nabaphostoli, sifunda ukuthi “nsuku zonke ethempelini nasendlini ngendlu baqhubeka ngaphandle kokuyekethisa befundisa futhi bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu, uJesu.” (IzEnzo 5:42; 17:2) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma sihlanganyela enkonzweni ngezikhathi ezithile kuphela, singase sizizwe sikhathazekile, sidinga isikhathi esengeziwe sokungena egiyeni ngaphambi kokuba sizizwe siqiniseka kulo msebenzi obalulekile wobuKristu.

Kunjalo nangezinye izici zesimiso sobuKristu. Izejwayezi ezinhle zingasisiza ukuba njalo ‘sifunde iZwi likaNkulunkulu imini nobusuku.’ (Joshuwa 1:8; IHubo 1:2) Omunye umKristu ujwayele ukufunda iBhayibheli imizuzu engu-20 kuya kwengu-30 ngaphambi kokulala. Ngisho nalapho ekhathele kakhulu, uthola ukuthi uma elala engafundanga, akalali kahle. Kumelwe avuke anakekele leso sidingo esingokomoya. Lo mkhuba omuhle uye wamsiza futhi ukuba alifunde lonke iBhayibheli kanye ngonyaka iminyaka eminingana.

ISibonelo sethu, uJesu Kristu, wayejwayele ukuya emihlanganweni lapho kwakuxoxwa khona ngeBhayibheli. “Ngokwenkambiso yakhe ngosuku lwesabatha, wangena esinagogeni, futhi wasukuma ukuba afunde.” (Luka 4:16) UJoe, umdala osebenza amahora amaningi nonomkhaya omkhulu, ukwejwayela kuye kwamsiza kwakha kuye isidingo nesifiso sokuya emihlanganweni njalo. Uthi: “Lesi sejwayezi siyangikhuthaza, singinikeze amandla angokomoya adingeka kakhulu ukuze  ngikwazi ukubhekana nezinselele nezinkinga ngokuphumelelayo.”—Heberu 10:24, 25.

Izejwayezi ezinjalo azinakusilela emncintiswaneni wobuKristu wokuphila. Umbiko wezwe lapho abantu bakaJehova beye bashushiswa khona waphawula: “Labo abanezejwayezi ezinhle ezingokomoya nabalazisa ngokujulile iqiniso abanankinga yokuma beqinile lapho kufika uvivinyo, kodwa labo abalahlekelwa imihlangano ‘ngenkathi evumayo,’ abangaphumi njalo enkonzweni yasensimini futhi bayekelele ezintweni ezincane ngokuvamile bakhala ngaphansi lapho bengaphansi kovivinyo olunzima.”—2 Thimothewu 4:2.

Gwema Izejwayezi Ezimbi, Sebenzisa Ezinhle

Kuye kwathiwa ‘umuntu kufanele ahlakulele kuphela lezo zejwayezi alungele ukuba zimbuse.’ Izejwayezi ezimbi ngempela ziyinkosi ecindezelayo. Noma kunjalo, zingase ziyekwe.

UStella wake waba ngumlutha we-TV isikhathi esithile. Uyavuma: “Kuzo zonke izejwayezi ezimbi eziye zanginqoba ngokuvamile kuba khona isizathu ‘esihle.’” Kwakunjalo ngesejwayezi sakhe sokubukela i-TV ngokweqile. Wayezitshela ukuthi ngizobukela nje “ukuze ngiphumule kancane” noma “ukuze ngenze okuhlukile.” Kodwa isejwayezi sakhe asizange silawuleke, samgcina egqolozele ithelevishini amahora amaningi. Uthi: “Lesi sejwayezi esibi salibazisa intuthuko yami engokomoya.” Ngomzamo wokuzimisela, ekugcineni wasinciphisa isikhathi asichitha ebukela i-TV waba ngokhetha kakhudlwana. UStella uthi: “Njalo ngizama ukukhumbula ukuthi kungani ngangifuna ukuyeka lesi sejwayezi, futhi ngincika kuJehova ukuba ngenze ngokuvumelana nesinqumo sami.”

UmKristu okuthiwa uCharalambos uphawula isejwayezi esibi esamthiba ekwenzeni intuthuko engokomoya—ukuhlehlisa izinto. “Lapho ngiqaphela ukuthi isejwayezi sokuhlehlisa izinto sasingilimaza, ngaqala ukusebenzela ukushintsha ukuphila kwami. Lapho ngibeka imigomo, ngangihlela ngokuqondile ukuthi ngizoqala nini futhi kanjani ukuze ngiyifinyelele. Ukwenza njengoba nginqumile nangendlela engihlele ngayo njalo kwaba yikhambi, futhi kusalokhu kuyisejwayezi esihle kuze kube manje.” Ngempela, akukho okudlula izejwayezi ezinhle ekuthatheni isikhundla sezejwayezi ezimbi.

Abangane bethu nabo bangasibangela ukuba sibe nezejwayezi ezithile, ezinhle noma ezimbi. Izejwayezi ezinhle ziyathelelwana njengoba nje nezimbi zinjalo. Njengoba nje “ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba enosizo,” abangane abahle bangasinikeza izibonelo zezejwayezi ezinhle esingazilingisa. (1 Korinte 15:33) Okubaluleke kakhulu, izejwayezi zingaqinisa noma zenze buthakathaka ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu. UStella uthi: “Uma izejwayezi zethu zizinhle, zenza umzabalazo wethu wokukhonza uJehova ube lula. Uma zilimaza, zithiya imizamo yethu.”

Yiba nezejwayezi ezinhle, uzivumele zikuqondise. Ziyoba ngamandla azuzisayo ekuphileni kwakho.

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

Njengomlilo, izejwayezi zingazuzisa noma zonakalise

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Kwakuyinkambiso kaJesu ukuba sesinagogeni ngeSabatha ukuze afunde iZwi likaNkulunkulu

[Izithombe ekhasini 22]

Izejwayezi ezinhle ezingokomoya ziqinisa ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu