1, 2. UJehova uzibheka kanjani izinceku zakhe ezisemhlabeni?

LAPHO abazali bebuka izingane zabo zidlala, ngokuvamile ayabamangaza amakhono ezizalwa nawo. Ingabe nawe usuke wakubona lokhu? Enye ingane ingase ibonakale inekhono elingokwemvelo kwezemidlalo, kuyilapho enye ibonakala ibukhali emidlalweni edlalelwa ebhodini noma emisebenzini yezobuciko noma yezandla. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izingane zabo zinaziphi iziphiwo, kuyabajabulisa abazali ukubona amakhono azo.

² UJehova naye unesithakazelo esikhulu ezinganeni zakhe ezisemhlabeni. Ubheka izinceku zakhe zesikhathi samanje ‘njengezinto ezifiselekayo zazo zonke izizwe.’ (Hag. 2:7) Ziyigugu kuye ngokukhethekile ngenxa yokholo nokuzinikela kwazo. Nokho, kungenzeka uqaphelile ukuthi oFakazi esikanye nabo namuhla banamakhono amaningi angefani. Abanye abazalwane banesiphiwo sokunikeza izinkulumo zeningi, kanti abanye banekhono elihle kakhulu lokuhlela izinto. Odade abaningi banekhono lokufunda ezinye izilimi futhi bazisebenzise enkonzweni, kanti abanye bayizibonelo ezinhle kakhulu zokusekela labo abadinga isikhuthazo noma zokunakekela abagulayo. (Roma 16:1, 12) Asikwazisi yini ukuba sebandleni namaKristu anjalo?

3. Imiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

³ Nokho, kungenzeka ukuthi abanye esikholwa nabo, kuhlanganise  abazalwane abasebasha noma abasanda kubhapathizwa, abakazizwa benendawo ebandleni. Singabasiza kanjani ukuba bawasebenzise ngokugcwele amakhono abo? Kungani kufanele silwele ukubheka okuhle kubo, ngaleyo ndlela sibabheke ngendlela uJehova ababheka ngayo?

4, 5. Ukulandisa okusencwadini yabaHluleli 6:11-16 kubonisa kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyalibona ikhono elisezincekwini zakhe?

⁴ Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuningi kukwenza kucace ukuthi uJehova akaboni okuhle kuphela ezincekwini zakhe kodwa namakhono ezingawafinyelela. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uGideyoni ekhethwa ukuba akhulule abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekucindezelweni abakwaMidiyani, kumelwe ukuba kwammangaza kakhulu lapho ingelosi imbingelela ngokuthi: “UJehova unawe, wena muntu oyiqhawe, onamandla.” Kusobala ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi, uGideyoni wayengazizwa neze ‘enamandla.’ Wakuvuma ukungabaza ayenakho nomuzwa wokuzizwa engelutho. Kodwa njengoba singabona engxoxweni yabo eyalandela, ngokuqinisekile uJehova wayebheka le nceku yakhe ngendlela engcono kakhulu kunendlela yona eyayizibheka ngayo.—Funda abaHluleli 6:11-16.

⁵ UJehova wayemethemba uGideyoni ukuthi uzowakhulula ama-Israyeli ngoba wayewabonile amakhono akhe. Phakathi kokunye, ingelosi kaJehova yayibone indlela uGideyoni ayebhule ngayo ukolweni ngamandla akhe wonke. Kunokunye ingelosi eyakuphawula. Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, abalimi babevame ukubhula okusanhlamvu endaweni evulekile ukuze umoya uwaphephule amakhoba. Kepha uGideyoni wayebhula ukolweni ngasese esikhamweni sewayini ukuze asivikele leso sivuno sakhe esincane kwabakwaMidiyani. Kwakuyicebo elihlakaniphile ngempela! Akumangazi-ke ukuthi emehlweni kaJehova, uGideyoni wayengeyena nje umlimi oqaphile—wayeyindoda ehlakaniphile. Yebo, uJehova walibona ikhono ayenalo futhi wasebenza naye.

6, 7. (a) Umbono kaJehova ngomprofethi u-Amose wawuhluke kanjani kowamanye ama-Israyeli? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi u-Amose wayengeyena umuntu ongafundile?

⁶ Ngokufanayo, indaba yomprofethi u-Amose yenza sibone ukuthi uJehova waliqaphela ikhono lenye yezinceku zakhe, ngisho noma kwabaningi yayingase ibonakale ingelutho noma iphansi. U-Amose wazichaza ngokuthi ungumalusi wezimvu nomqhumbuzi wamakhiwane emisikhamori—uhlobo lwamakhiwane ayedliwa abampofu. Ngesikhathi uJehova emisa u-Amose ukuba aprofethe ngokumelene nombuso wakwa-Israyeli wezizwe eziyishumi okhonza izithombe, kungenzeka ukuthi amanye ama-Israyeli ayecabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu ukhethe umuntu ongafaneleki.—Funda u-Amose 7:14, 15.

⁷ U-Amose wayevela emzaneni ocezile, kodwa ulwazi ayenalo ngamasiko nababusi bangesikhathi sakhe lwanikeza ubufakazi bokuthi wayazi ngokwakuqhubeka ezweni. Cishe wayezazi kahle izimo zakwa-Israyeli, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi ulwazi ayenalo ngezizwe ezingomakhelwane waluthola ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabahwebi. (Amose 1:6, 9, 11, 13; 2:8; 6:4-6) Ezinye izazi zeBhayibheli namuhla ziyamncoma u-Amose ngokuthi wayenekhono elihle lokubhala. Lo mprofethi akagcinanga nje ngokukhetha amagama alula futhi anamandla, kodwa wasebenzisa kahle ukuqhathanisa nobuciko bokudlala ngamagama. Ngempela, indlela enesibindi u-Amose asabela ngayo kumpristi okhohlakele u-Amaziya yakufakazela ukuthi uJehova wayekhethe umuntu ofanele futhi wakwazi ukusebenzisa amakhono ka-Amose ayekade engabonakali.—Amose 7:12, 13, 16, 17.

8. (a) UJehova wamqinisekisa ngani uDavide? (b) Kungani amazwi eHubo 32:8 ebakhuthaza labo okungenzeka abazethembi noma abanawo amakhono?

⁸ Ngempela, uJehova uyalibona ikhono encekwini yakhe ngayinye. Waqinisekisa iNkosi uDavide ukuthi uyohlale eyiqondisa,  ‘iso laKhe liyibhekile.’ (Funda iHubo 32:8.) Uyabona yini ukuthi kungani lokho kufanele kusikhuthaze? Ngisho noma singase singazethembi, uJehova angasisiza ukuba senze okungale kokulinganiselwa esicabanga ukuthi sinakho futhi sifinyelele imigomo ebesingacabangi ukuthi singayifinyelela. Njengoba nje nomqeqeshi embukisisa umqwali wamadwala oyimfundamakhwela ukuze amsize athole izindawo ezingcono kakhulu zokubambelela, uJehova ukulungele ukusiqondisa njengoba sithuthuka ngokomoya. UJehova angase futhi asebenzise esikholwa nabo ukuze asisize siwasebenzise ngokugcwele amakhono ethu. Kanjani?

9. Singasisebenzisa kanjani isikhuthazo sikaPawulu sokuba ‘sikhathalele’ inhlalakahle yabanye?

⁹ UPawulu wakhuthaza wonke amaKristu ukuba ‘akhathalele’ inhlalakahle yalabo akholwa nabo. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 2:3, 4.) Umongo weseluleko sikaPawulu uwukuthi kufanele sibheke iziphiwo abanye abanazo futhi sizazise. Sizizwa kanjani lapho othile ebonisa isithakazelo entuthukweni yethu? Ngokuvamile, sishukumiseleka ukuba sithuthuke ngokwengeziwe, siwasebenzise ngokugcwele amakhono ethu. Ngokufanayo, lapho sikwazisa ukubaluleka kwesikholwa nabo, siyabasiza ukuba bakhule futhi bathuthuke ngokomoya.

10. Obani ngokukhethekile abangase badinge ukunakwa?

¹⁰ Obani ngokukhethekile abangase badinge ukunakwa? Yiqiniso ukuthi sonke siyakudinga ukunakwa ngezikhathi ezithile. Noma kunjalo, abazalwane abasebasha noma abasanda kubhapathizwa bakudinga kakhulu ukuzizwa benengxenye emisebenzini yebandla. Lokhu kuyobasiza baqonde ukuthi banendawo phakathi kwethu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukungabancomi laba bazalwane lapho kufaneleka, kungasinciphisa isifiso sabo sokufinyelela imithwalo yemfanelo eyengeziwe, okuyinto iZwi likaNkulunkulu elibakhuthaza ukuba bayenze.—1 Thim. 3:1.

11. (a) Umdala othile wamsiza kanjani umzalwane osemusha ukuba anqobe amahloni? (b) Isiphi isifundo osithola endabeni kaJulien?

¹¹ ULudovic, umdala okwamzuzisa ukunakwa lapho esemncane, uthi: “Lapho ngibonisa umzalwane isithakazelo esiqotho, uthuthuka ngokushesha.” Ngokuphathelene noJulien, umzalwane osemusha owayenamahloni, uLudovic uthi: “Ngenxa yokuthi ngezinye izikhathi uJulien wayezama mawala ukuba aqashelwe, indlela yakhe yokwenza izinto yayiphuma eceleni. Kodwa ngangibona ukuthi yena empeleni unomusa nokuthi wayefuna ukusiza abanye ebandleni. Ngenxa yalokho kunokuba ngingabaze izisusa zakhe, ngagxila emikhubeni yakhe emihle, ngizama ukumkhuthaza.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJulien wakufanelekela ukuba yinceku ekhonzayo, futhi manje uyiphayona elivamile.

12. Iyiphi imfanelo ebalulekile edingekayo ukuze sisize othile asebenzise ikhono lakhe ngokugcwele? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹² Kuyaqondakala ukuthi uma sifuna ukusiza abanye bawasebenzise ngokugcwele amakhono abo, kudingeka ukuqonda. Njengoba indaba kaJulien ibonisa, kungase kudingeke sibheke ngalé kobuthakathaka bomuntu ukuze sibone izimfanelo zakhe ezinhle namakhono angase athuthukiswe. Yile ndlela noJesu abheka ngayo umphostoli uPetru. Nakuba ngezinye izikhathi uPetru ayebonakala engagxilile, uJesu wabikezela ukuthi wayeyoba njengedwala elingenakunyakaziswa.—Joh. 1:42.

13, 14. (a) UBarnaba wakubonisa kanjani ukuqonda ngokuphathelene noMarku osemusha? (b) Umzalwane osemusha wazuza kanjani osizweni olufana nalolo olwatholwa uMarku? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

¹³ UBarnaba wabonisa ukuqonda ngendlela efanayo endabeni kaJohane, osibongo sakhe sesiRoma singuMarku. (IzE. 12:25) UMarku ‘wakhonza’ uPawulu phakathi nohambo lwakhe lokuqala njengesithunywa sevangeli enoBarnaba, mhlawumbe  enakekela izidingo zabo ezingokwenyama. Nokho, lapho befika ePhamfiliya, uMarku wabashiya kungazelelwe abangane bakhe. Kwadingeka bahambe ngaphandle kwakhe baye enyakatho endaweni eyayidume ngokuba nezigcwelegcwele. (IzE. 13:5, 13) Nokho, kubonakala sengathi uBarnaba akazange agxile kuleso senzo sokuguquguquka kukaMarku futhi kamuva wazinika ithuba lokumqeqesha ngokwengeziwe. (IzE. 15:37-39) Lokhu kwayisiza le nsizwa ukuba ibe isikhonzi sikaJehova esivuthiwe. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi uMarku wayeseRoma noPawulu owayeboshiwe ngaleso sikhathi futhi wahlanganyela ekuthumeleni imikhonzo kumaKristu asebandleni laseKolose, futhi lo mphostoli wakhuluma kahle ngaye. (Kol. 4:10) Cabanga nje ngomuzwa wokwaneliseka okumelwe ukuba uBarnaba waba nawo ngesikhathi uPawulu ecela usizo lukaMarku.—2 Thim. 4:11.

¹⁴ U-Alexandre, osanda kuba umdala, ukhumbula indlela okwamzuzisa ngayo ukuqonda komzalwane othile: “Ngesikhathi ngisemusha, kwakuyinkinga enkulu kimi ukuthandaza eningini. Umdala othile wangibonisa indlela yokulungiselela ukuthandaza ukuze ngikhululeke. Kunokuba angabe esangabela ukuthandaza, wanginika amathuba engeziwe okuthandaza njalo emihlanganweni yenkonzo yasensimini. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqala ukuzethemba.”

15. UPawulu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabazisa abazalwane bakhe?

¹⁵ Lapho siphawula imfanelo enhle komunye umKristu, ingabe siyamtshela indlela esiyazisa ngayo leyo mfanelo? KweyabaseRoma isahluko 16, uPawulu wancoma akholwa nabo abangaphezu kuka-20 ngenxa yezimfanelo ababenazo ezamenza wabathanda. (Roma 16:3-7, 13) Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu wavuma ukuthi u-Anidroniku noJuniya babekhonze uKristu isikhathi eside kunaye, egcizelela ukukhuthazela kwabo enkambweni yobuKristu. UPawulu wakhuluma kahle kakhulu nangonina kaRufu, mhlawumbe ebhekisela othandweni ayembonise lona ngaphambili.

16. Ungaba yini umphumela wokuncoma othile osemusha?

¹⁶ Kungase kube nemiphumela emihle lapho sincoma abanye ngobuqotho. Cabanga ngoRico, umfanyana waseFrance owayedangele ngoba uyise owayengakholwa wayemelene nokubhapathizwa kwakhe. URico wacabanga ukuthi kuzodingeka alinde aze afinyelele iminyaka yobudala engokomthetho ukuze akwazi ukukhonza uJehova ngokugcwele. Kwakumdabukisa nokuthi wayebhekana nokugconwa esikoleni. UFrédéric, umdala webandla owayecelwe ukuba amfundele lo mfanyana, uyalandisa: “Ngamncoma uRico ngoba ukuphikiswa ayebhekene nakho kwakubonisa ukuthi wayebe nesibindi sokukhuluma ngokholo lwakhe.” La mazwi okumncoma aqinisa ukuzimisela kukaRico ukuqhubeka eyisibonelo futhi amsiza ukuba asondelane noyise. URico wabhapathizwa eneminyaka engu-12.

17. (a) Singabasiza kanjani abazalwane bethu ukuba bathuthuke? (b) Esinye isithunywa sevangeli sabakhathalela kanjani abazalwane abasebasha, futhi waba yini umphumela?

¹⁷ Isikhathi ngasinye lapho sidlulisela ukubonga ngezabelo ezisingathwe kahle noma ngezenzo ezikufanelekelayo ukunconywa,  senza abafowethu babe nogqozi lokukhonza uJehova ngokwengeziwe. USylvie, * osekuyiminyaka eminingi ekhonza eBethel yaseFrance, waphawula ukuthi odade bangaba nendima enhle ekuncomeni abazalwane. Waphawula nokuthi abesifazane bangase babone futhi bancome nezinye izici ezihlukile noma imizamo yabazalwane. Ngaleyo-ndlela, “amazwi abo akhuthazayo angenezela kulokho okushiwo abazalwane abanokuhlangenwe nakho.” Wenezela: “Kimina, ukuncoma kuyisibopho.” (IzAga 3:27) UJérôme, isithunywa sevangeli eFrench Guiana, usesize izinsizwa eziningi ukuba zifanelekele inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli. Uthi: “Ngiye ngaphawula ukuthi lapho ngincoma abazalwane abasebasha ngezici ezithile zenkonzo yabo yasensimini, noma ngezimpendulo zabo ezicatshangelwe kahle, ukuzethemba kwabo kuyakhula. Ngenxa yalokho, bayawathuthukisa amakhono abo.”

18. Kungani kuzuzisa ukusebenza nabazalwane abasebasha?

¹⁸ Nathi singakwazi ukukhuthaza abafowethu ukuze bathuthuke ngokomoya ngokusebenza nabo. Umdala angase acele umzalwane osemusha onolwazi lwama-computer ukuba aprinte ukwaziswa okuthile engosini yethu ethi jw.org okungakhuthaza asebekhulile abangenawo ama-computer. Noma, uma wenza umsebenzi othile eHholo LoMbuso, kungani ungaceli umzalwane osemusha ukuba asebenze nawe? Ukuthatha lezi zinyathelo kuzokunika ithuba lokubabuka abasebasha bese ubancoma futhi ubone nemiphumela okuba nayo.—IzAga 15:23.

19, 20. Kungani kufanele sisize abanye ukuba bathuthuke?

¹⁹ Lapho uJehova emisa uJoshuwa ukuba ahole ama-Israyeli, wayala noMose ukuba ‘akhuthaze’ futhi ‘aqinise’ uJoshuwa. (Funda uDuteronomi 3:28.) Siyanda isibalo sabantu abazihlanganisa nathi ebandleni lomhlaba wonke. Wonke amaKristu anokuhlangenwe nakho—hhayi abadala kuphela—angabasiza abazalwane abasebasha nabasanda kuhlanganyela ukuba basebenzise amakhono abo ngokugcwele. Ngaleyo ndlela abaningi bayongenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, futhi abaningi ‘bayokufanelekela ngokwanele ukuba nabo bafundise abanye.’—2 Thim 2:2.

²⁰ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sisebandleni elizinzile noma siseqenjini elincane elithuthukela ukuba libe ibandla, asakhele ikusasa. Into eyosisiza kule ndaba ukuba silingise uJehova, ohlale ebheka okuhle ezincekwini zakhe.