1. Isimo sengqondo somgijimi othile singakufanekisa kanjani ukuzimisela kwethu ukungalilahli ithemba?

KUSUKELA esemusha, uMary Decker wayedume ngokuba umgijimi osezingeni eliphezulu. Nguye okwakubhekwe ukuthi uzothatha indondo yegolide emncintiswaneni wamanqamu webanga elingamamitha angu-3 000 kuma-Olympic Asehlobo Ka-1984. Kodwa, akafikanga entanjeni. Wakhutshwa umlenze womunye umgijimi wawa washayeka phansi ngekhanda. Walimala futhi kwadingeka ukuba akhishwe enkundleni ekhala. Kodwa akazange alilahle ithemba. Kungakapheli ngisho nonyaka, wayesegijima futhi wephula irekhodi lomhlaba lebanga labesifazane elingamamitha angaba ngu-1 500 ngo-1985.

2. AmaKristu eqiniso asemncintiswaneni ngamuphi umqondo, futhi yini okumelwe sigxile kuyo?

² NjengamaKristu, sisemncintiswaneni wokugijima ongokomfanekiso. Kufanele sigxile ekuwuphumeleleni. Umncintiswano wethu akuwona owokusubatha odinga ijubane elikhulu ukuze siwuphumelele. Akuwona futhi nowokugijima nje kokuvivinya umzimba osivumela ukuba sibuye sime ngezinye izikhathi. Kunalokho, ungafaniswa nomncintiswano webanga elide odinga ukukhuthazela ukuze siwuphumelele. Lapho ebhalela amaKristu ahlala eKorinte, umuzi owawudume ngemincintiswano yezemidlalo, umphostoli uPawulu wangathekisa ngomgijimi osemncintiswaneni. Wabhala: “Anazi yini ukuthi emncintiswaneni abagijimi bagijima bonke, kodwa munye kuphela owamukela umklomelo? Gijimani ngendlela yokuba niwufinyelele.”—1 Kor. 9:24.

3. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba bonke abagijimi bathole umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade?

³ IBhayibheli lithi siwungenele lo mncintiswano ongokomfanekiso. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 9:25-27.) Umklomelo uwukuphila okuphakade ezulwini kumaKristu agcotshiwe noma emhlabeni kubo bonke abanye abawugijimayo. Ngokungafani nemincintiswano yokugijima eminingi, bonke abawungenelayo lo mncintiswano futhi bakhuthazele kuze kube sekupheleni bayawuthola umklomelo. (Math. 24:13) Abagijima kulo mncintiswano balahlekelwa  ithuba lokuthola umklomelo kuphela uma bengagijimi ngokuvumelana nemithetho yawo noma bengawuqedi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lona ukuphela komncintiswano onomklomelo wokuphila okuphakade.

4. Yini eyenza umncintiswano wethu wokuthola ukuphila okuphakade ube yinselele?

⁴ Akulula neze ukufika entanjeni. Kudingeka ukuzithiba nokuba nenjongo. Uyedwa kuphela umuntu—uJesu Kristu—owake wafika entanjeni engazange akhubeke nakanye. Kodwa umfundi wakhe uJakobe wabhala ukuthi abalandeli bakaKristu ‘bonke bayakhubeka izikhathi eziningi.’ (Jak. 3:2) Yeka ukuthi kuyiqiniso kanjani lokho! Amaphutha ethu kuhlanganise nawabanye asithinta sonke. Ngakho ngezinye izikhathi singase sikhubeke, siyendayende lehle ijubane lethu. Singawa ngisho nokuwa, kodwa siyasukuma siqhubeke nokugijima. Abanye baye bawa kabuhlungu kangangokuthi kuye kwadingeka ukuba basizwe ukuze basukume baphinde bagijime baphokophele entanjeni. Ngakho, kungenzeka sikhubeke noma siwe okwesikhashana, ngisho nangokuphindaphindiwe.—1 AmaKh. 8:46.

5, 6. (a) Kushiwo ngamuphi umqondo ukuthi ‘akunasikhubekiso’ kumKristu futhi yini eyomsiza ukuba ‘avuke’? (b) Kungani abanye bengasukumi ngemva kokukhubeka?

⁵ Kungenzeka uke wasebenzisa amagama athi “ukukhubeka” noma “ukuwa” ngendlela efanayo ukuze uchaze isimo esingokomoya. Ngezinye izikhathi, la magama asetshenziswe eBhayibhelini angase adlulisele umqondo ofanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, phawula amazwi akuzAga 24:16: “Olungile angawa ngisho nakasikhombisa, kodwa ngokuqinisekile uyovuka; kodwa ababi bayokwenziwa ukuba bakhutshwe yinhlekelele.”

⁶ UJehova ngeke avume ukuba labo abathembela kuye bakhutshwe noma bawiswe—ubunzima noma isimo esidumazayo ekukhulekeleni kwabo—bangabe besakwazi ukuphinde baphakame. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosisiza ukuba ‘sivuke’ ukuze siqhubeke sizinikela ngokugcwele enkonzweni yakhe. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kududuza kanjani kubo bonke abathanda uJehova ngokusuka enhliziyweni! Ababi abanaso isifiso  esifanayo sokusukuma. Abalufuni usizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu nolwabantu bakhe, noma bayalwenqaba ngisho belunikwa. Ngokuphambene, kulabo ‘abathanda umthetho kaJehova,’ akunasikhubekiso esingabakhipha ngokuphelele emncintiswaneni wokuphila.—Funda iHubo 119:165.

7, 8. Umuntu ‘angawa’ kanjani kodwa aqhubeke amukeleka kuNkulunkulu?

⁷ Abanye bawela ezonweni ezincane—ngisho nangokuphindaphindiwe—ngenxa yobuthakathaka obuthile. Kodwa bayaqhubeka belungile emehlweni kaJehova uma beqhubeka ‘bevuka,’ okuwukuthi, bephenduka ngobuqotho bazabalazele ukuphindela enkambweni yenkonzo yokwethembeka. Singakubona lokhu endleleni uNkulunkulu asebenzelana ngayo nama-Israyeli asendulo. (Isaya 41:9, 10) Kunokuba igqamise ubuthakathaka bethu ‘bokuwa,’ incwadi yezAga 24:16 ecashunwe ekuqaleni, igxila kakhulu kokuhle—‘ukuvuka’ kwethu ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu wethu onesihe. (Funda u-Isaya 55:7.) Ngomusa, uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu basikhuthaza ukuba ‘sivuke,’ okubonisa ukuthi bayasethemba.—IHu. 86:5; Joh. 5:19.

⁸ Ngisho noma umgijimi osemncintiswaneni webanga elide engakhubeka noma awe, angaba naso isikhathi sokusukuma futhi awuqede umncintiswano uma enza ngomuzwa wokuphuthuma. Emncintiswaneni wethu wokuphila okuphakade, asilwazi ‘usuku nehora’ umncintiswano oyophela ngalo. (Math. 24:36) Noma kunjalo, lapho sigwema ukukhubeka, siba sethubeni elingcono lokuqhubeka sigijima kahle, siqhubeke sisemncintiswaneni futhi siwuqede ngokuphumelelayo. Singakugwema kanjani-ke ukukhubeka?

9. Iziphi izinto ezingaba izikhubekiso esizoxoxa ngazo?

⁹ Ake sikhulume ngezinto ezinhlanu ezingaba izikhubekiso—ubuthakathaka bomuntu siqu, izinkanuko zenyama, ukungabi nabulungisa kwesikholwa nabo, usizi noma ukushushiswa kanye nokungapheleli kwabanye. Nokho, uma siye sakhubeka, masikhumbule ukuthi uJehova akeve enesineke. Akasheshi asibheke njengabantu abangathembekile.

10, 11. UDavide walwa nabuphi ubuthakathaka?

¹⁰ Ubuthakathaka bomuntu siqu bungafaniswa namatshe asenkundleni yomncintiswano. Uma sibheka izenzakalo zokuphila kweNkosi uDavide nokomphostoli uPetru, singaphawula izinhlobo ezimbili zobuthakathaka obunjalo—ukuhluleka ukuzithiba nokwesaba abantu.

¹¹ INkosi uDavide yabonisa ubuthakathaka endabeni yokuzithiba, njengoba kubonakala ezenzweni zayo ezihilela uBhati-sheba. Nalapho ethukwa uNabali, uDavide wayesezothatha izinto ngamawala. Yebo, wantula ukuzithiba, kodwa akazange ayeke ukuqhubeka ezama ukujabulisa uJehova. Ngosizo lwabanye, wakwazi ukuphinde alungise ingokomoya lakhe.—1 Sam. 25:5-13, 32, 33; 2 Sam. 12:1-13.

12. Waqhubeka kanjani uPetru esemncintiswaneni naphezu kokukhubeka?

¹² UPetru wabonisa ukwesaba abantu futhi wakhubeka kabi ngezikhathi ezithile; nokho, waqhubeka eqotho kuJesu nakuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, waphika iNkosi yakhe obala, hhayi kanye nje, kodwa izikhathi ezintathu. (Luka 22:54-62) Kamuva, uPetru wahluleka ukwenza ngendlela yobuKristu, waphatha amakholwa angabeZizwe njengokungathi adlulwa amaKristu asokiwe angamaJuda. Nokho, umphostoli uPawulu wayibona ngokucacile le ndaba—ukuhlukanisa abantu ngokwezigaba kwakungenayo neze indawo ebandleni. Sasingalungile neze isimo sengqondo sikaPetru. Ngaphambi kokuba ukwenza kukaPetru konakalise abazalwane, uPawulu wameluleka ngokuqondile, ubuso nobuso. (Gal. 2:11-14) Ingabe uPetru waphoxeka kangangokuba wawuyeka umncintiswano wokuphila? Cha. Wacabangisisa ngeseluleko sikaPawulu, wasisebenzisa futhi waqhubeka nomncintiswano.

13. Ubuthakathaka bempilo bungaba kanjani isikhubekiso?

¹³ Ngezinye izikhathi ubuthakathaka bomuntu  siqu bungaba yinkinga yempilo. Nalokhu kungaba isikhubekiso. Kungase kukhinyabeze ijubane lethu elingokomoya futhi kuze kubangele nokuba siyendayende bese siphelelwa amandla. Ngokwesibonelo, udade othile waseJapane waba nenkinga yempilo ngemva kweminyaka engu-17 ebhapathiziwe. Waba matasa ezama ukuzelapha kangangokuba waze waba buthaka ngokomoya. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waphola. Abadala ababili bamvakashela. Ekhuthazwe amazwi abo anomusa, waqala futhi ukuya emihlanganweni. Uyakhumbula, “Ngakhala izinyembezi ngenxa yokuthi abafowethu bangibingelela ngenkulu imfudumalo.” Lo dadewethu usebuyele emncintiswaneni.

14, 15. Isiphi isinyathelo esiqatha esidingekayo lapho ufikelwa izinkanuko ezimbi? Bonisa.

¹⁴ Izinkanuko zenyama ziye zakhuba abaningi. Lapho silingwa ngale ndlela, kufanele sithathe isinyathelo esiqatha ukuze sihlale sihlanzekile engqondweni, ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya. Khumbula iseluleko sikaJesu ‘sokulahla’ ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso noma yini engasikhuba, ngisho neso noma isandla sethu. Ingabe lokho akunakuhlanganisa ukulahla imicabango engcolile nezenzo eziye zabangela abaningi ukuba baphume emncintiswaneni?—Funda uMathewu 5:29, 30.

¹⁵ Omunye umzalwane owakhulela emkhayeni wamaKristu wabhala ukuthi selokhu kwathi nhlo, ubelokhu elwa nokuthambekela kobungqingili. Wathi: “Ngangihlale ngingakhululekile. Kwakubonakala sengathi angizazi ukuthi ngiwela kuluphi uhlangothi.” Waba iphayona elivamile futhi wamiswa njengenceku ekhonzayo ebandleni eneminyaka engu-20. Wabe esekhubeka kabi, wathola isiyalo esingokomBhalo nosizo lwabadala. Ngokuthandaza, ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu nangokugxila ekusizeni abanye, wasukuma waqhubeka egijima ngokomoya. Nakuba sekudlule iminyaka, uyavuma: “Ngezinye izikhathi ngiba nayo leyo mizwa, kodwa angiyivumeli ukuba inginqobe. Ngiye ngafunda ukuthi uJehova ngeke akuvumele ukuba ulingwe ngaphezu kwamandla akho. Ngakho ngikholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu ucabanga ukuthi nginganqoba.” Lo mzalwane uphetha ngokuthi: “Konke ukukhuthazela kwami nokulwa naleyo mizwa kuyovuzwa ezweni elisha. Ngiyawufuna lowo mvuzo! Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, ngizoqhubeka ngilwa.” Uzimisele ukuqhubeka esemncintiswaneni.

16, 17. (a) Yini eyasiza umzalwane othile owayenomuzwa wokuthi uphathwe ngendlela engenabulungisa? (b) Ukuze sigweme ukukhubeka, yini okudingeka sigxile kuyo?

¹⁶ Ukungabi nabulungisa kwesikholwa nabo kungaba yisikhubekiso. EFrance, umzalwane othile owake wakhonza njengomdala wayekholelwa ukuthi wayebe isisulu sokungabi nabulungisa, futhi waba nentukuthelo ngaphakathi. Ngenxa yalokho, wayeka ukuzihlanganisa nebandla waphola. Abadala ababili bamvakashela futhi bamlalela ngozwela ngaphandle kokumphazamisa njengoba ayelandisa uhlangothi lwakhe lwendaba. Bamkhuthaza ukuba aphonse umthwalo wakhe kuJehova futhi bagcizelela nokuthi into ebaluleke kakhulu ukumjabulisa. Wasabela kahle futhi ngokushesha wayesebuyele emncintiswaneni, esematasa futhi emisebenzini yebandla.

¹⁷ Wonke amaKristu kufanele agxile eNhlokweni yebandla emisiwe, uJesu Kristu, hhayi kubantu abangaphelele. UJesu, onamehlo ‘anjengelangabi lomlilo,’ ubona yonke into njengoba injalo, ngakho ubona okungaphezu kwalokho esiyoke sikubone thina. (IsAm. 1:13-16) Ngokwesibonelo, ubona nalokho okungase kubonakale kithi kuwukungabi nabulungisa, okungenzeka ukuthi empeleni kumane kuwukwahlulela kabi noma ukungaqondi kwethu. UJesu uyozisingatha ngendlela efanele izidingo zebandla ngesikhathi esifanele. Ngakho akufanele sivumele izenzo noma izinqumo zanoma imuphi umKristu esikanye naye zibe isikhubekiso kithi.

18. Singamelana kanjani ngokuphumelelayo novivinyo noma izimo ezisikhathazayo?

¹⁸ Ezinye izinto ezimbili eziyisikhubekiso usizi noma ukushushiswa kanye nokungapheleli kwabanye ebandleni. Emfanekisweni wakhe womhlwanyeli, uJesu wathi ukuba ‘nosizi  noma ukushushiswa’ ngenxa yezwi kwakuyobangela ukukhubeka kwabathile. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyini umthombo wokushushiswa—umndeni, omakhelwane noma ohulumeni—kungamkhinyabeza umuntu ‘ongenazimpande,’ ongagxilile ngokomoya. (Math. 13:21) Nokho, uma siqhubeka sinenhliziyo elungile, imbewu yoMbuso iyosisiza ukuba sihlakulele izimpande ezijulile eziyoqinisa ukholo lwethu. Lapho ubhekene noshushiso, lwela ukuzindla nokuthandaza ngezinto ezikufanelekelayo ukudunyiswa. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:6-9.) Ngamandla kaJehova, siyokwazi ukumelana novivinyo, singazivumeli izimo ezisikhathazayo zibe yisikhubekiso.

19. Singakugwema kanjani ukukhutshwa ukucasulwa othile?

¹⁹ Kuyadabukisa ukuthi njengoba iminyaka ihamba, abanye baye bavumela ukungapheleli kwabanye ukuba kubakhiphe emncintiswaneni. Ukungafani kwemibono ezindabeni zikanembeza kuye kwaba yisikhubekiso kubo. (1 Kor. 8:12, 13) Uma othile esicasula, ingabe siyokuvumela lokho ukuba kube yinto enkulu? IBhayibheli linxusa amaKristu ukuba ayeke ukwahlulela, abathethelele abanye, futhi agweme ukulwela amalungelo awo ngaso sonke isikhathi. (Luka 6:37) Lapho ubhekene nesimo esingase sibe isikhubekiso, zibuze: ‘Ingabe ngahlulela abanye ngokwalokho okuthandwa yimi? Njengoba ngazi ukuthi abafowethu abaphelele, ingabe ngiyovumela ukungapheleli kothile kungenze ngiphume emncintiswaneni wokuphila?’ Uthando lwethu ngoJehova lungasisiza sizimisele ukuba singavumeli lutho lusivimbe ukuba sifike entanjeni.

20, 21. Yini ozimisele ukuyenza emncintiswaneni wokuphila?

²⁰ Ingabe uzimisele ‘ukugijima ibanga uze uyoqeda’? (2 Thim. 4:7, 8) Uma kunjalo, kumelwe nakanjani ube nesifundo somuntu siqu. Sebenzisa iBhayibheli nezincwadi zethu ezingokwasezulwini ukuze ukwazi ukucwaninga, ukuzindla nokubona izinto ezingase zibe yisikhubekiso. Cela umoya ongcwele kuNkulunkulu ukuba ukunike amandla okukhuthazela owadingayo. Khumbula, akekho umgijimi ongahluleka emncintiswaneni ngenxa nje yokuthi ukhubekile noma uwe kanye nje kuphela. Angavuka aqhubeke nomncintiswano. Angaze asebenzise ngisho nezinto ezingaba isikhubekiso njengezitebhisi, afunde izifundo ezibalulekile kunoma yikuphi ukuvivinywa kokholo lwakhe.

²¹ IBhayibheli lichaza ukuthi ukuhlanganyela kulo mncintiswano wokuphila okuphakade kudinga izenzo, hhayi ukugoqa izandla. Akufani nokungena ebhasini eliya empumelelweni bese uhlala nje. Kumelwe siwugijime ngokwethu umncintiswano wokuphila. Njengoba senza kanjalo, “ukuthula okuchichimayo” okuvela kuJehova kuyoba njengomoya osisunduzela phambili. (IHu. 119:165) Singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyoqhubeka esibusisa manje nokuthi bonke abawuqedayo umncintiswano bayothola izibusiso ezingapheli esikhathini esizayo.—Jak. 1:12.