1. Imuphi umbono ovamile oye ushiwo abantu?

ABANTU abaningi baye bezwa kuthiwa: ‘Ukubaluleka kwento ukubona lapho ingasekho.’ Ingabe nawe wake wazizwa ngale ndlela? Umuntu okhule enezinto eziningi, uthambekele ekungazazisini ngokugcwele. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu okhulele emndenini ocebile angase azithathe kalula izinto anazo. Ingenza kanjalo nentsha engakaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi iziphi izinto ezibaluleke ngempela ekuphileni ngenxa yokungabi nokuhlangenwe nakho.

2, 3. (a) Yini intsha engamaKristu okufanele iqikelele ukuthi iyayigwema? (b) Yini engasisiza ukuba sikwazise lokho esinakho?

² Uma usemusha, mhlawumbe uneminyaka ephakathi kwengu-12 nengu-25, yini ebalulekile kuwe? Ukuphila kwabantu abaningi ezweni kugxile ezintweni ezibonakalayo—umholo omuhle, umuzi omuhle noma umshini wamuva wezobuchwepheshe. Nokho, uma kuyilokhu kuphela esikhathazeka ngakho, kukhona okubalulekile okusiphuthelayo—ingcebo engokomoya. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi izigidi zabantu namuhla azikaqali nakuqala ukuyifuna le ngcebo. Nina basha enikhuliswe abazali abangamaKristu kumelwe niqaphele ukuba ningalahlekelwa umbono wokubaluleka kwefa elingokomoya  enilitholile. (Math. 5:3) Ukungalazisi kungaba nemiphumela edabukisayo engathinta ukuphila kwenu konke.

³ Nokho, ningakuvimbela lokho kungenzeki. Yini ezonisiza ukuba nilazise ifa lenu elingokomoya? Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo ezimbalwa eziseBhayibhelini ezingasisiza sibone ukuthi kungani kuwukuhlakanipha ukwazisa ifa lethu elingokomoya. Izibonelo esizoxoxa ngazo ngeke zisize intsha kuphela kodwa wonke amaKristu ukuba ayazise ingcebo engokomoya anayo.

4. Eyoku-1 Samuweli 8:1-5 isitshelani ngamadodana kaSamuweli?

⁴ EBhayibhelini kunezibonelo zabathile abathola ifa elicebile elingokomoya kodwa abangazange balazise. Yilokho okwenzeka emndenini womprofethi uSamuweli owakhonza uJehova kusukela esemncane futhi wazenzela igama elihle noNkulunkulu. (1 Sam. 12:1-5) USamuweli wabeka isibonelo amadodana akhe, uJoweli no-Abhija, okwakuyoba kuhle ukuba asilandele. Nokho, awazange asazise, futhi aba mabi. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ngokungafani noyise, wona ‘ayephendukezela isahlulelo.’—Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 8:1-5.

5, 6. Zawahambela kanjani izinto amadodana kaJosiya nomzukulu wakhe?

⁵ Amadodana eNkosi uJosiya enza okufanayo. UJosiya wabeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu ekukhulekeleni uJehova. Lapho incwadi yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu itholakala futhi ifundelwa uJosiya, wenza umzamo oqotho wokusebenzisa imiyalo kaJehova. Wasebenza ukuze aqede ukukhulekela izithombe nokusebenzelana nemimoya ezweni, futhi wakhuthaza abantu ukuba balalele uJehova. (2 AmaKh. 22:8; 23:2, 3, 12-15, 24, 25) Yeka ifa elingokomoya elicebile amadodana akhe alithola! Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amadodana akhe amathathu nomzukulu wakhe baba amakhosi, kodwa akekho noyedwa kubo owakwazisa lokho okwakudluliselwe kuye.

⁶ UJehowahazi, indodana kaJosiya, waba inkosi ngemva kukayise, kodwa wenza “okubi emehlweni kaJehova.” Wabusa izinyanga ezintathu kuphela ngaphambi kokuba uFaro waseGibhithe amvalele etilongweni, futhi wafela lapho. (2 AmaKh. 23:31-34) Kwase kulandela uJehoyakimi umfowabo owabusa iminyaka engu-11. Naye akazange akwazise ayekuthole kuyise. Ngenxa yenkambo embi kaJehoyakimi, uJeremiya waprofetha ngaye wathi: “Uyongcwatshwa ngendlela okungcwatshwa ngayo imbongolo.” (Jer. 22:17-19) Abanye ababusa ngemva kukaJosiya—indodana yakhe uZedekiya nomzukulu wakhe uJehoyakini—benza okufanayo; akekho kubo owalandela izindlela zikaJosiya ezilungile.—2 AmaKh. 24:8, 9, 18, 19.

7, 8. (a) USolomoni wadlala kanjani ngefa lakhe elingokomoya? (b) Singafundani ezibonelweni eziseBhayibhelini zabantu abadlala ngefa labo elingokomoya?

⁷ USolomoni wayeyinkosi eyathola okuningi kuyise uDavide. Nakuba ayenesizinda esingokomoya esivelele futhi aqala kahle, kamuva akabange esayazisa indlela efanele. “Ngesikhathi sokuguga kukaSolomoni abafazi bakhe base beyichezukisile inhliziyo yakhe ukuba ilandele abanye onkulunkulu; futhi inhliziyo yakhe ayizange ibe ephelele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe njengenhliziyo kaDavide uyise.” (1 AmaKh. 11:4) Ngenxa yalokho uSolomoni walahlekelwa umusa kaJehova.

⁸ Akuve kudabukisa ukubona ukuthi laba bantu ababenesizinda esihle kangaka futhi benethuba lokwenza okufanele badlala ngalo. Nokho, akubona bonke abasha ezikhathini zeBhayibheli nanamuhla abenza kanjalo. Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo  ezimbalwa ezikhuthazayo zentsha amaKristu asemasha angazilingisa.

9. Isiphi isibonelo esihle kakhulu esabekwa amadodana kaNowa? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁹ Amadodana kaNowa abeka isibonelo esihle kakhulu. Uyise wanikwa umyalo wokwakha umkhumbi futhi angenise abendlu yakhe kuwo. Ngokusobala, amadodana kaNowa asibona isidingo sokwenza intando kaJehova. Kumelwe ukuba abambisana noyise. Amsiza ekwakheni umkhumbi abe esengena kuwo. (Gen. 7:1, 7) Ngayiphi injongo? UGenesise 7:3 uthi angenisa izilwane emkhunjini ukuze ‘alonde inzalo yazo ebusweni bawo wonke umhlaba.’ Nabantu basindiswa. Ngenxa yokuthi amadodana kaNowa akwazisa lokho ayekuthole ngoyise, aba nelungelo lokusiza ekulondolozeni uhlanga lwesintu nasekumiseni kabusha ukukhulekela kweqiniso emhlabeni ohlanziwe.—Gen. 8:20; 9:18, 19.

10. Abafana abane abangamaHebheru eBhabhiloni bakubonisa kanjani ukwazisa ngamaqiniso ababewafundile?

¹⁰ Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, abafana abane abangamaHebheru babonisa ukuthi babazi ukuthi yini ebaluleke ngempela. UHananiya, uMishayeli, u-Azariya noDaniyeli bathunjelwa eBhabhiloni ngo-617 B.C.E. Babebahle, bekhaliphile futhi bengashintshela kalula endleleni yokuphila yaseBhabhiloni. Kodwa abazange. Izenzo zabo zikwenza kube sobala ukuthi babelikhumbula ifa labo, lokho ababekufundisiwe. Babusiswa ngokucebile ngokunamathela ezifundweni ezingokomoya abazifunda besebancane.—Funda uDaniyeli 1:8, 11-15, 20.

11. Isizinda sikaJesu esingokomoya sabazuzisa kanjani abanye?

¹¹ Ingxoxo yethu ngezibonelo ezinhle ngeke iphelele singakaxoxi ngoJesu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Wathola okuningi kuYise futhi wakwazisa ngempela. Lokho kwazisa ngayekufundisiwe kubonakala kula mazwi akhe: “Lezi zinto ngizikhuluma njengoba nje uBaba angifundisa.” (Joh. 8:28) Wayefisa ukuba abanye bazuze kulokho ayekutholile. Watshela izixuku: “Nakweminye imizi kumelwe ngishumayele izindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu, ngoba yilokhu engathunyelwa kona.” (Luka 4:18, 43) Wasiza ayekhuluma nabo ukuba babone isidingo sokungabi “ingxenye yezwe,” ngokuvamile elingazazisi izinto ezingokomoya.—Joh. 15:19.

12. (a) Eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:14-17 isebenza kanjani entsheni eningi namuhla? (b) Imiphi imibuzo intsha engamaKristu okufanele iyicabangele?

¹² Njengentsha esixoxe ngayo, kungenzeka ukuthi nawe ukhuliswe abazali abazinikele kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Uma kunjalo, lokho imiBhalo ekushoyo ngoThimothewu kungenzeka kufanelane nesimo sakho. (Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:14-17.) ‘Wafunda’ kubazali bakho ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso nangendlela yokumjabulisa. Kungenzeka abazali bakho baqala ukukufundisa usewusana. Ngokuqinisekile, lokhu kube nengxenye enkulu ekukwenzeni ‘uhlakaniphele insindiso ngokholo olumayelana noKristu Jesu’ nokukusiza ‘uyihlomele ngokuphelele’ inkonzo kaNkulunkulu. Manje umbuzo obalulekile uthi, Uyokubonisa yini ukwazisa ngokutholile? Kungadingeka wenze ukuzihlola okuthile. Cabangela imibuzo enjengale: ‘Ngizizwa kanjani ngokuba yingxenye yohlu olude lofakazi abathembekile? Ngizizwa kanjani ngokuba phakathi kwabantu abambalwa ngokuqhathaniswa abaziwa uNkulunkulu? Ngiyaqaphela yini ukuthi kuyilungelo elikhulu neliyingqayizivele ukwazi iqiniso?’

13, 14. Isiphi isilingo enye intsha engamaKristu ebhekana naso, kodwa kungani kungaba ubuwula ukuzinikela kuso? Nikeza isibonelo.

 ¹³ Enye intsha ekhuliswe abazali abangamaKristu ingase ingawuboni umehluko omkhulu okhona phakathi kwepharadesi lethu elingokomoya lamanje nezwe likaSathane elimnyama. Enye iye yafikelwa ngisho nayisilingo sokufuna ukubona ukuthi kunjani ukuphila ezweni. Kodwa ungagijimela yini phambi kwemoto ehambayo ukuze nje ubone ukuthi kubuhlungu kangakanani—nokuthi kuyabulala yini—ukushayiswa imoto? Ngeke! Ngokufanayo, asikho isidingo sokunambitha ‘inkambo yokuzitika ngamanyala’ yaleli zwe ukuze nje sibone ukuthi ingasizwisa ubuhlungu obungakanani.—1 Pet. 4:4.

¹⁴ UGener, ohlala e-Asia, wakhulela emndenini wamaKristu. Wabhapathizwa eneminyaka engu-12. Nokho, kamuva wakhangwa izindlela zaleli zwe. Uthi: “Ngangifuna ukunambitha ‘inkululeko’ etholakala ezweni.” Waqala ukuphila ukuphila okumbaxambili. Lapho eneminyaka engu-15, wayesenza ezinye zezinto ezenziwa abangane bakhe ababi. Wayephuza futhi ethuka inhlamba njengabo. Wayevame ukubuya ebusuku ekhaya, ngemva kokudlala nabangane bakhe imidlalo enjenge-snooker neminye imidlalo yama-computer enobudlova. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waqala ukuqaphela ukuthi izinto ezikhangayo zaleli zwe azanelisi ngempela. Kwakuyindlela yokuphila eyize. Nakhu akushoyo ngokubuya kwakhe ebandleni: “Kunezinselele eziningi engisabhekene nazo, kodwa izibusiso ezivela kuJehova zizidlula kude.”

15. Yini okufanele nentsha engakhuliswanga abazali abangamaKristu icabange ngayo?

¹⁵ Yebo, kunenye intsha engakhuliswanga abazali abangamaKristu ezihlanganisa nebandla. Uma ungomunye wayo, cabanga ngelungelo elimangalisayo olijabulelayo kwamanje ngenxa yokuthi wazi futhi ukhonza uMdali! Kunezinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu emhlabeni. Ngakho, kuyisibusiso ngempela ukuba phakathi kwalabo uJehova aye wabadonsela kuye ngomusa futhi wabembulela iqiniso leBhayibheli. (Joh. 6:44, 45) Umuntu oyedwa kuphela kubantu abayinkulungwane abaphilayo emhlabeni onolwazi olunembile lweqiniso, futhi ungomunye wabo. Akufanele yini lokhu kusenze sonke sijabule, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi silithole kanjani iqiniso? (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 2:12.) UGener uthi: “Kuhlasimula umzimba lapho ngicabanga ngakho. Ngingubani  mina ukuba ngaziwe uJehova, uMnikazi wezulu nomhlaba?” (IHu. 8:4) Udade othile ongumKristu wasezweni elifanayo wathi: “Izingane zesikole ziqhosha impela uma nje uthisha ezazi ngegama. Kuyilungelo elingakanani-ke ukwaziwa uJehova, uMfundisi Omkhulu!”

16. Yini ewukuhlakanipha intsha engamaKristu engayikhetha namuhla?

¹⁶ Ngenxa yokuthi unikwe ilungelo elimangalisa kangaka, kungani ungazimiseli nakakhulu ukuba phakathi kwalabo bantu abambalwa ngokuqhathaniswa abaye basebenzisa ukuphila kwabo ngendlela efanele? Uma wenza kanjalo, ungaba phakathi kohlu olude lwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile. Akuve kuwukuhlakanipha ukwenza kanjalo kunokumane ulandele iningi lentsha elihambisana naleli zwe lilibangise ekubhujisweni, njengokungathi lidakiwe.—2 Kor. 4:3, 4.

17-19. Yini engakusiza ube nombono onokulinganisela ngokuhluka ezweni?

¹⁷ Yebo, lokho akusho ukuthi kuyohlale kulula ukuba ohlukile ezweni. Nokho, uma ucabanga ngakho, uyobona ukuthi kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba sihluke. Ngokwesibonelo: Cabanga ngomsubathi wama-Olympic. Kusobala ukuthi kudingeka ahluke ukuze afinyelele kulelo zinga. Cishe kudingeka azincishe izinto eziningi ezingadla isikhathi nokunaka kwakhe, zinciphise isikhathi sokuziqeqesha. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuzimisela kwakhe ukuba ohlukile kontanga kuyomnika isikhathi esengeziwe sokuziqeqesha futhi afinyelele umgomo wakhe.

¹⁸ Izwe linombono omfushane ngokuphila. Uma uba nombono wesikhathi eside ngokuphila, uhluke kuleli zwe futhi udede ezenzweni zalo ezonakalisa ukuziphatha nengokomoya, ‘uyokubambisisa ukuphila kwangempela.’ (1 Thim. 6:19) Udade okukhulunywe ngaye ngenhla uthi: “Uma ukumelela okukholelwayo, uyoba nomuzwa ojulile wokwaneliseka. Kuyobonisa ukuthi unamandla okumelana noquqaba lwezwe likaSathane. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, kuba njengokungathi uyambona uJehova uNkulunkulu eziqhenya ngawe futhi ekumomothekela! Uyithola ngaleso sikhathi-ke injabulo yokuba ohlukile!”

¹⁹ Ukuphila kuyize uma umuntu egxile kuphela kulokho angase akuthole manje. (UmSh. 9:2, 10) Uma usemusha futhi ucabanga nzulu ngenjongo yokuphila nangobude besikhathi ongase usiphile, kungebe yini ukuhlakanipha ukugwema ‘ukuhamba njengoba nje izizwe zihamba’ futhi esikhundleni salokho uphile ukuphila okunenjongo ngempela?—Efe. 4:17; Mal. 3:18.

20, 21. Uma senza izinqumo ezinhle, sizibeka ohlwini lokutholani, kodwa yini elindeleke kithi?

²⁰ Uma senza izinqumo ezinhle, singaba nokuphila okwanelisayo kwamanje futhi sizibeke ohlwini ‘lwabayokudla ifa lomhlaba’—lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Silindelwe izibusiso ezinhle eziningi kangangokuba asinakukwazi ngisho nokuzicabanga zonke. (Math. 5:5; 19:29; 25:34) Kuyavunywa, uNkulunkulu akasiphi izinto ngokuzenzakalelayo. Kukhona afuna sikwenze. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 5:3, 4.) Kodwa ngeke neze sizisole ngokumkhonza ngokwethembeka manje!

²¹ Yeka ukuthi kuyilungelo elikhulu kangakanani ukuthi uNkulunkulu usinike izinto eziningi kangaka! Sinolwazi olunembile lweZwi lakhe nokuqonda okucacile kweqiniso ngaye nezinjongo zakhe. Sinelungelo lokubizwa ngegama lakhe nokuba oFakazi bakhe. UNkulunkulu usithembisa ukuthi ungakithi. (IHu. 118:7) Kwangathi sonke, abasha nabadala, singabonisa ukwazisa kwethu ngokuphila ngendlela ebonisa ukuthi sinesifiso esijulile sokunika uJehova ‘inkazimulo phakade.’—Roma 11:33-36; IHu. 33:12.