1. Abantu abaningi bazidela ngaziphi izindlela, futhi kungani?

ABANTU bazidela ngokuzithandela ngenxa yezinto ezibalulekile kubo. Abazali banikela ngesikhathi, imali, namandla abo ukuze kuzuze izingane zabo. Ngesikhathi ontanga bedlala futhi bezijabulisa, intsha efuna ukumelela amazwe akubo emidlalweni yama-Olympic ichitha amahora amaningi nsuku zonke iprakthiza futhi iziqeqesha ngokuzikhandla. NoJesu wazidela ngenxa yezinto ezazibalulekile kuye. Akazange afune ukunethezeka, futhi akazange abe nezingane. Kunalokho, wakhetha ukugxila ekuthuthukiseni izithakazelo zoMbuso. (Math. 4:17; Luka 9:58) Nabalandeli bakhe badela okuningi ukuze basekele uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Inqubekela phambili yalowo Mbuso yayibaluleke kakhulu kubo, futhi bazidela ukuze bahlanganyele ngokugcwele ngangokunokwenzeka ekuwusekeleni. (Math. 4:18-22; 19:27) Ngakho, singazibuza, ‘Yini ebalulekile ekuphileni kwami?’

2. (a) Ikuphi ukuzidela okuyisidingo kuwo wonke amaKristu eqiniso? (b) Abanye bazidela ngaziphi izindlela ezengeziwe?

² Ukuzidela okuthile kuyisidingo kuwo wonke amaKristu eqiniso futhi kubalulekile ekuhlakuleleni nasekulondolozeni ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Ukuzidela okunjalo kuhlanganisa ukunikela isikhathi namandla ethu ekuthandazeni, ekufundeni iBhayibheli, ekukhulekeleni komkhaya, ekuyeni emihlanganweni nasenkonzweni yasensimini. * (Josh. 1:8; Math. 28:19, 20; Heb. 10:24, 25) Ngenxa yokuzikhandla kwethu nesibusiso sikaJehova, umsebenzi wokushumayela uqhubekela phambili futhi abantu abaningi bathuthelekela ‘entabeni yendlu kaJehova.’ (Isaya 2:2) Ukuze basekele imisebenzi yoMbuso, abaningi bayazidela bakhonze eBethel, basize ekwakheni amaHholo OMbuso naweMihlangano,  bahlele imihlangano noma benze umsebenzi wokusiza ngesikhathi sezinhlekelele zemvelo. Lo msebenzi owengeziwe awuyona imfuneko ekutholeni ukuphila kodwa ubalulekile ekusekeleni izithakazelo zoMbuso.

3. (a) Sizuza kanjani lapho sizidela ngenxa yoMbuso? (b) Imiphi imibuzo okufanele sixoxe ngayo?

³ Isidingo sokusekela uMbuso ngenkuthalo sikhulu kakhulu kunangaphambili. Kuyajabulisa ukubona abaningi bezidela ngokuzithandela ngenxa kaJehova. (Funda iHubo 54:6.) Umoya onjalo wokupha usilethela injabulo enkulu njengoba silindele ukufika koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Dut. 16:15; IzE. 20:35) Nokho, sonke kufanele sizihlolisise. Zikhona yini izindlela esingazidela ngazo ngokwengeziwe ngenxa yoMbuso? Sisisebenzisa kanjani isikhathi, imali, amandla namakhono ethu? Iziphi izixwayiso okumelwe sixoxe ngazo? Ake sibukeze isibonelo esingasilingisa ukuze nathi sizidele ngokuzithandela ngaleyo ndlela, kanjalo sandise injabulo yethu.

4. Azuza kanjani ama-Israyeli ngokwenza imihlatshelo?

⁴ Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, ukwenza imihlatshelo kwakuyisisekelo sokuthola intethelelo yezono. Imihlatshelo yayidingeka ukuze abantu bathole umusa kaJehova. Eminye yayo yayiyimfuneko; eminye kungeyokuzithandela. (Lev. 23:37, 38) Babengenza iminikelo yokushiswa ephelele njengeminikelo yokuzithandela, noma izipho ezinikwa uJehova. Iminikelo eyenziwa ngesikhathi kuvulwa ithempeli osukwini lukaSolomoni iyisibonelo esivelele.—2 IziKr. 7:4-6.

5. Iliphi ilungiselelo uJehova alenzela abantu ababeswele?

⁵ Ngothando, uJehova wayeqonda ukuthi akuyena wonke umuntu owayenganikela ngokulinganayo, futhi wayelindele ukuba umuntu ngamunye anikele ngokwamandla akhe. Umthetho kaJehova wawufuna ukuba igazi lesilwane lichitheke, futhi lokhu kwakuyoba ‘isithunzi sezinto ezinhle ezazizokuza’ ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu. (Heb. 10:1-4) Nokho, uJehova wayengaqinile endleleni okwakumelwe lowo mthetho usebenze ngayo. Ngokwesibonelo, uNkulunkulu wayewamukela umnikelo wamahobhe uma umuntu engenamandla okunikela ngemvu noma ngenkomo. Ngakho, ngisho nabampofu babengayithola injabulo yokwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo. (Lev. 1:3, 10, 14; 5:7) Nakuba babengenza  imihlatshelo ngezilwane ezingafani, kunezinto ezimbili ezazidingeka kumuntu ngamunye owenza imihlatshelo yokuzithandela.

6. Yini eyayilindeleke kumuntu ngamunye lapho enza imihlatshelo, futhi kwakubaluleke kangakanani ukulandela lezo zimfuneko?

⁶ Okokuqala, umuntu kwakumelwe anikele ngokuhle kunakho konke ayenakho. UJehova watshela isizwe ukuthi noma imuphi umnikelo kwakumelwe ube ophilile ukuze ‘ubatholele ukwamukelwa.’ (Lev. 22:18-20) Uma isilwane sasinesici, sasingeke sibhekwe njengomhlatshelo owamukelekayo kuJehova. Okwesibili, umuntu owenza umhlatshelo kwakumelwe abe ohlanzekile nongangcolile. Uma umuntu ayengahlanzekile, kwakudingeka aqale ngokwenza umnikelo wesono noma wecala ukuze alungise ukuma kwakhe phambi kukaJehova ngaphambi kokwenza umnikelo wokuzithandela. (Lev. 5:5, 6, 15) Lena kwakuyindaba engathí sina. UJehova wathi uma umuntu ongahlanzekile edla umhlatshelo wenhlanganyelo, owawuhlanganisa neminikelo yokuzithandela kwakumelwe anqunywe phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Lev. 7:20, 21) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lapho umuntu owenza umhlatshelo enokuma okuhle noJehova futhi umnikelo wakhe ungenasici, lowo muntu wayengajabula futhi aneliseke.—Funda eyoku-1 IziKronike 29:9.

7, 8. (a) Iyiphi injabulo abaningi abayithola ngokuzidela ngenxa yoMbuso? (b) Iziphi izinto esinazo esingazisebenzisa?

⁷ Namuhla, abaningi bazimisele ngokufanayo ukuzikhandla enkonzweni kaJehova futhi uJehova uyakujabulela lokho. Ukukhonza abafowethu kunomvuzo. Umzalwane othile ohlanganyela ekwakheni amaHholo OMbuso nasekusizeni labo abehlelwe izinhlekelele zemvelo uthi kunzima ukuchaza ukwaneliseka akutholayo ngokukhonza ngalezi zindlela. Uthi, “Ukubona injabulo nokwazisa kwabafowethu nodadewethu bakuleyo ndawo lapho sebeseHholo labo LoMbuso elisha, noma lapho sebethole usizo ngemva kwenhlekelele yemvelo, kwenza wonke lowo msebenzi nokuzikhandla kufaneleke.”

⁸ Inhlangano kaJehova yanamuhla ibilokhu ifuna izindlela zokusekela umsebenzi kaJehova. Ngo-1904, uMfoweth’ uC. T. Russell wabhala: “Ngamunye kithi kumelwe azibheke njengomiswe iNkosi ukuba abe umphathi wesikhathi sakhe, ithonya analo, imali yakhe nokunye anakho, futhi ngamunye kufanele afune ukusebenzisa lezi zinto ngendlela engcono  kakhulu ukuze adumise iNkosi.” Nakuba sithola izibusiso eziningi, ukwenzela uJehova imihlatshelo kudinga ukuba silahlekelwe okuthile. (2 Sam. 24:21-24) Singakwazi yini ukuzisebenzisa kangcono izinto esinazo?

9. Ngokuphathelene nendlela yokusebenzisa isikhathi sethu, iziyalezo zikaJesu ezikuLuka 10:2-4 zisiphathele siphi isimiso esingasisebenzisa?

⁹ Isikhathi sethu. Kudinga isikhathi nokuzikhandla ukuhumusha nokunyathelisa izincwadi zethu, ukwakha izindawo zokukhulekela, ukuhlela imihlangano emikhulu, ukusiza ngezikhathi zezinhlekelele nokuhlanganyela kweminye imisebenzi edingekayo. Sinamahora alinganiselwe kuphela ngosuku. UJesu wasinikeza isimiso esingasisiza. Lapho ethuma abafundi bakhe ensimini, wabatshela ukuthi lapho ‘bebingelela endleleni bangangi muntu.’ (Luka 10:2-4) Kungani anikeza iziyalezo ezinjengalezi? Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sithi: “Abantu baseMpumalanga babengabingelelani ngokugoba kancane noma ngokuxhawulana njengoba senza thina, kodwa babangana kaningi futhi bekhothamisa amakhanda baze balale caba phansi. Konke lokhu kwakudinga isikhathi esiningi.” UJesu wayengakhuthazi abalandeli bakhe ukuba bangahloniphi. Kunalokho, wayebasiza ukuba babone ukuthi babenesikhathi esilinganiselwe futhi kwakudingeka basisebenzisele izinto ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe. (Efe. 5:16) Singasisebenzisa yini lesi simiso ukuze sibe nesikhathi esengeziwe sokusiza emsebenzini woMbuso?

10, 11. (a) Iziphi ezinye zezindlela iminikelo yethu yomsebenzi womhlaba wonke esetshenziswa ngazo? (b) Isiphi isimiso esikweyoku-1 Korinte 16:1, 2 esingasisiza?

¹⁰ Imali yethu. Kudingeka imali eningi ukuze kusekelwe imisebenzi yoMbuso. Unyaka ngamunye kusetshenziswa amashumi ezigidi zamaRandi kunakekelwa ababonisi abajikelezayo, amaphayona akhethekile nezithunywa zevangeli. Kusukela ngo-1999, kuye kwakhiwa amaHholo OMbuso angaphezu kwangu-24 500 emazweni ampofu. Noma kunjalo, kusadingeka amaHholo OMbuso acishe abe ngu-6 400. Inyanga ngayinye kunyatheliswa amakhophi angaba izigidi eziyikhulu e-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Konke lokhu kwenziwa ngeminikelo yenu yokuzithandela.

¹¹ Umphostoli uPawulu wasinikeza isimiso esingasilandela lapho sicabanga ngeminikelo. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 16:1, 2.) Ephefumulelwe, wakhuthaza abafowabo eKorinte ukuba bangalindi kuze kuphele isonto ukuze babone ukuthi basalelwe imali engakanani, kunalokho, kwakufanele babekele eceleni imali ekuqaleni kwesonto ngokuvumelana nalokho ababenamandla okukwenza. Njengasekhulwini lokuqala, namuhla abafowethu nodadewethu bahlela kusengaphambili ukuze banikele ngokuvumelana nezimo zabo. (Luka 21:1-4; IzE. 4:32-35) UJehova uyawazisa umoya onjalo wokupha.

12, 13. Yiziphi izinto ezenza abanye bazigodle ekunikeleni ngamandla namakhono abo, kodwa uJehova uyobasiza kanjani?

¹² Amandla namakhono ethu. UJehova uyasisekela emizamweni yethu yokusebenzisa amandla namakhono ethu ngenxa yoMbuso. Uthembisa ukusisiza lapho sikhathala. (Isaya 40:29-31) Ingabe sinomuzwa wokuthi asinawo amakhono anele okusiza kulo msebenzi? Ingabe siye sicabange ukuthi bakhona abanye abafaneleka kangcono? Khumbula ukuthi uJehova angawathuthukisa amakhono emvelo noma imuphi umuntu anawo, njengoba nje enza kuBhezaleli no-Oholiyabe.—Eks. 31:1-6; bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.

¹³ UJehova usikhuthaza ukuba simnike okungcono kakhulu futhi singazigodli. (IzAga 3:27) Lapho kwakhiwa kabusha ithempeli, uJehova watshela amaJuda ayeseJerusalema ukuba azindle ngalokho ayekwenza ekusekeleni umsebenzi wokwakha. (Hag. 1:2-5) Ayesephazamisekile  futhi esegxile kwezinye izinto. Senza kahle ngokucabanga ngezinto eziza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu ukuthi ziyavumelana yini nezinto eziza kuqala kuJehova. Ingabe ‘singazibeka izinhliziyo zethu ezindleleni zethu’ ukuze sibe nengxenye ethé xaxa emsebenzini woMbuso kulezi zinsuku zokugcina?

14, 15. (a) Isibonelo sabafowethu abampofu sisikhuthaza kanjani? (b) Yisiphi isifiso okufanele sibe naso?

¹⁴ Abaningi baphila ezindaweni lapho kudlange khona ubunzima noma ubumpofu. Inhlangano yethu izama ‘ukuqeda’ ukuntula kwabafowethu abahlala kulawo mazwe. (2 Kor. 8:14) Noma kunjalo, ngisho nabazalwane abampofu kakhulu bayalazisa ilungelo lokupha. Kuyamjabulisa uJehova ukubona abampofu beshukumiseleka ukuba baphe ngokwenama.—2 Kor. 9:7.

¹⁵ Kwelinye izwe elimpofu kakhulu e-Afrika, abanye abazalwane babekela eceleni ingxenye encane engadini yabo bese besebenzisa imali abayithola kwabakuthengisayo okuphuma kuleyo ngxenye ukuze basekele umsebenzi woMbuso. Kulo lelo zwe, kwahlelwa ukuba kwakhiwe iHholo LoMbuso elalidingeka kakhulu. Abazalwane nodade bendawo babefuna ukusiza. Kodwa ukwakhiwa kwalo kwakuzoqondana nenkathi yokutshala. Babezimisele ukusiza, ngakho babesebenza eHholo LoMbuso emini bese betshala kusihlwa. Yeka umoya wokuzidela! Lokhu kusikhumbuza abazalwane baseMakedoniya yangekhulu lokuqala. ‘Babempofu kakhulu,’ noma kunjalo bacela ilungelo lokusiza ngesimo esasikhona. (2 Kor. 8:1-4) Kwangathi ngamunye kithi ngokufanayo ‘anganikela ngokulingana nesibusiso uJehova amnike sona.’—Funda uDuteronomi 16:17.

16. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi imihlatshelo yethu iyamukeleka kuJehova?

¹⁶ Nokho, kudingeka siqaphe. Njengoba kwakunjalo ngama-Israyeli asendulo, kumelwe siqiniseke ukuthi imihlatshelo yethu yokuzithandela iyamukeleka kuNkulunkulu. Kumelwe silinganisele ukuze sikwazi ukunakekela imithwalo yethu yemfanelo eyinhloko yokondla imikhaya yethu nokukhulekela uJehova. Ukunikela ngesikhathi nangezinto esinazo ekusizeni abanye akufanele kusenze sidebeselele ingokomoya noma inhlalakahle yemikhaya yethu. Empeleni, ukwenza lokho bekungaba ukuphana ngalokho esingenakho. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 8:12.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kumelwe silondoloze nelethu ingokomoya. (1 Kor. 9:26, 27) Nokho, singaqiniseka ukuthi uma siphila ngezindinganiso zeBhayibheli, imihlatshelo yethu iyosilethela injabulo nokwaneliseka okukhulu, futhi ‘iyokwamukeleka ngokukhethekile’ kuJehova.

17, 18. Sizizwa kanjani ngabo bonke labo abazidelayo ngenxa yoMbuso, futhi yini okufanele sonke siyicabangele?

¹⁷ Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi ‘bazithulula njengeminikelo yokuphuzwa’ ngomsebenzi wabo wokusekela imisebenzi yoMbuso edingekayo. (Fil. 2:17) Sibazisa ngokujulile labo ababonisa umoya wokupha onjalo. Amakhosikazi nezingane zabazalwane abaholayo emisebenzini yoMbuso nabo kumelwe banconywe ngomoya wabo wokupha nokuzidela.

¹⁸ Kudingeka umsebenzi omningi onzima ekusekeleni izithakazelo zoMbuso. Kwangathi sonke singakucabangela ngomthandazo ukuthi singaba kanjani nengxenye enkulu ngangokunokwenzeka. Ungaqiniseka ukuthi uyothola izibusiso ezinkulu manje nokuthi ziyoba nkulu nakakhulu “esimisweni sezinto esizayo.”—Marku 10:28-30.