1, 2. Kungani ubungane bukaJonathani loDavide buyisibonelo esihle sobuqotho?

KUMELE ukuthi uJonathani wasala etshe amathe lapho ebona umfana omncane uDavida ehlasela ingqwele yamaFilisti uGoliyathi. Ngesikhatshana nje uDavida wayesephambi kukaSawuli iNkosi yako-Israyeli “ephethe ikhanda lomFilisti.” (1 Sam. 17:57) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi isibindi sikaDavida senza uJonathani wamthanda kakhulu. Kwaba segcekeni ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayemsekela njalo “uJonathani waba moya munye loDavida.” Ngakho “wenza isivumelwano loDavida ngoba wayemthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe.” (1 Sam. 18:1-3) UJonathani wahlala eqotho kuDavida okwempilo yakhe yonke.

² Lanxa uNkulunkulu wayesekhethe uDavida ukuthi athathe isikhundla sikaSawuli abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli, uJonathani waqhubeka eqotho kuye. Langesikhathi uSawuli eceba ukubulala uDavida, uJonathani watshengisa ukuthi uyamkhathalela umngane wakhe. Waya enkangala yaseJudiya eHoreshi ukuze ayemqinisa. IBhayibhili lithi uJonathani wamsiza uDavida “ukuba athole amandla kuNkulunkulu.”  Wamtshela wathi: “Ungesabi. . . . . Wena uzakuba yinkosi yako-Israyeli, njalo mina ngizakuba ngumsekeli wakho.”​—1 Sam. 23:16, 17.

3. Kuyini okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kuJonathani ukwedlula ukuba qotho kuDavida, njalo sikwazi njani lokhu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

³ Sonke siyabathanda abantu abaqotho. Kodwa ukuba qotho kukaJonathani kuDavida kayisikho kodwa okumele sicabange ngakho. Okuqakatheke kakhulu okumele sicabange ngakho yikubaqotho kwakhe kuNkulunkulu. Kuyini vele okwakusenza ukuthi uJonathani amthande uDavida kulokuthi ambone eyisitha sakhe? Kusegcekeni ukuthi kukhona okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kuJonathani ukwedlula isikhundla ayengasithola. Khumbula ukuthi wasiza uDavida “ukuba athole amandla kuNkulunkulu.” Ngakho-ke ukuba qotho kuJehova yikho okwakuqakatheke kakhulu kuJonathani. Lokhu yikho okwakumenza abe qotho kuDavida. Amadoda la womabili anamathela kulokho ayekuvumelene: “UJehova ungufakazi phakathi kwami lawe, laphakathi kwenzalo yakho leyami nini lanini.”​—1 Sam. 20:42.

4. (a) Kuyini okuzasenza sisuthiseke futhi sithokoze? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁴ Kuyasithokozisa ukubona abantu beqotho kodwa lathi siqotho kwabanye bethu, kungaba ngamalunga emuli yethu, abangane kanye lalabo esikhonza labo. (1 Thes. 2:10, 11) Lanxa kunjalo okumele sibe qotho kuye ukwedlula loba ngubani ngulowo owasinika ukuphila. (Isam. 4:11) Ukuhlala siqotho kuye kusenza sisuthiseke futhi sithokoze. Kodwa ukuze kukhanye ukuthi siqotho kuNkulunkulu kumele sinamathele kuye ngitsho lalapho siphakathi kobunzima. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi isibonelo sikaJonathani singasinceda njani ukuthi sibeqotho kuJehova lanxa kunzima ukwenza njalo. Sizahlola izinto ezine ezingasisiza endabeni le; (1) nxa umuntu okhokhelayo esenza izinto ezimbi, (2) nxa sekumele sikhethe ukuthi sizakuba qotho kubani, (3) nxa abantu bengasizwisisi kumbe besiphatha kubi, (4) nxa sesikuthola kunzima ukunamathela esivumelwaneni esisenzileyo.

5. Kungani kwakunzima ukuthi abantu bako-Israyeli babe qotho kuNkulunkulu ngesikhathi kubusa uSawuli?

⁵ UNkulunkulu wayegcobe uSawuli uyise kaJonathani ukuthi abe yinkosi, kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi waqalisa ukuhlamuka futhi uJehova wamlahla. (1 Sam. 15:17-23) Njengoba uNkulunkulu engazange ahle amthathele ubukhosi masinyane, izinto ezimbi uSawuli ayezenza zaba yisilingo ebantwini ayebakhokhela labanye ababeseduze kwakhe. Kwabanzima ukuthi babeqotho kuJehova ngapha bekhokhelwa yinkosi eyayisenza izinto ezimbi.​—1 ImiLan. 29:23.

6. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJonathani wahlala eqotho kuJehova?

⁶ Lapho uSawuli eqalisa ukuba yisiqholo, indodana yakhe uJonathani kayizange yenze njengaye yaqhubeka iqotho kuJehova. (1 Sam. 13:13, 14) Umphrofethi uSamuyeli wayethe: “Ngenxa yebizo lakhe elikhulu uJehova kayikubalahla abantu bakhe.” (1 Sam. 12:22) Kwakhanya ukuthi uJonathani wayewakholwa amazwi la lapho ibutho lamaFilisti elalilenqola zempi ezingu-30 000 lifuna ukuhlasela abako-Israyeli. USawuli yena wayelamasotsha angu-600, futhi nguye loJonathani kuphela ababelezikhali zokulwa! Kodwa uJonathani waphuma wayahlasela inkamba yamaFilisti ehamba lesotsha elalithwala izikhali zakhe kuphela. Wathi: “Akulalutho olungavimbela uJehova ekukhululeni, loba kungabanengi kumbe abalutshwana.” UJonathani lesotsha ayelalo babulala amadoda angu-20 enkambeni yamaFilisti. Ngemva kwalokho “iphansi lanyikinyeka. Kwakuyikuthuthumela okwakulethwe nguNkulunkulu.” Lokhu kwenza amaFilisti aba phakathi kwesiyaluyalu aqalisa ukugalelana ngezinkemba zawo. Sibili ukholo lukaJonathani lwenza abantu bakaNkulunkulu banqoba!​—1 Sam. 13:5, 15, 22; 14:1, 2, 6, 14, 15, 20.

7. UJonathani wamphatha njani uyise?

 ⁷ Lanxa uSawuli wayengasamlaleli uNkulunkulu, uJonathani kazange amlahle uyise wayebambisana laye nxa kuvuma. Ngokwesibonelo wamncedisa lapho esilwa lezitha ezazifuna ukuhlasela abantu bakaNkulunkulu.​—1 Sam. 31:1, 2.

8, 9. Ukuhlonipha abakhokhelayo kutshengisa njani ukuthi siqotho kuNkulunkulu?

⁸ Lathi njengoJonathani singatshengisa ukuthi siqotho kuJehova ngokuhlonipha ohulumende bamazwe esihlala kuwo. UJehova ubavumele “ababusayo” ukuthi babuse phezu kwethu njalo ukhangelele ukuthi sibahloniphe. (Bala uRoma 13:1, 2.) Ngakho-ke kumele sibaphathe ngenhlonipho ababusayo lanxa bengabe bengathembekanga. Sonke siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siqotho kuJehova nxa sibahlonipha labo abanikwe amandla okuba ngabakhokheli.​—1 Khor. 11:3; Heb. 13:17.

⁹ Udade odabuka eSouth America okuthiwa ngu-Olga ^[1] watshengisa ukuthi uqotho kuJehova ngokuhlala emhlonipha umkakhe, ngitsho lalapho emphatha kubi. Kwathatha iminyaka eminengi umkakhe emdlisa imbuya ngoluthi ngenxa yokuba nguFakazi kaJehova. Wayehlala emtshela amazwi ahlabayo, emthethisa, engamkhulumisi njalo esitsho lokuthi uzathatha abantwana ahambe amtshiye. Kodwa u-Olga kazange abuyisele okubi ngokubi. Waqhubeka engumfazi olesimilo, wayemnakekela umkakhe, emphekela, emlungisela izigqoko njalo enakekela labakwabozala. (Rom. 12:17) Kwezinye izikhathi wayehamba laye nxa esiyavakatshela izihlobo kumbe abangane bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo lapho umkakhe efelwe nguyise u-Olga wenza wonke amalungiselelo okuthi imuli yonke ilungele uhambo lokuya emngcwabeni. Bathi befika esontweni yena wamelela umkakhe emnyango kwaze kwaphela konke okwakusenziwa. Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi ubaba lo waqalisa ukuncibilika ngenxa yenhlonipho lokubekezela kuka-Olga. Khathesi nguye osemthwala nxa esiya eWolu yoMbuso njalo nguye osemkhuthaza ukuthi aye emihlanganweni futhi kwezinye izikhathi bahamba bonke.—1 Phet. 3:1.

10. UJonathani wakwazi njani ukuthi ngubani okwakumele abe qotho kuye?

¹⁰ Lapho sekusegcekeni ukuthi uSawuli  wayesezimisele ukubulala uDavida, uJonathani kwasekumele akhethe ukuthi uzakuba qotho kubani. Lanxa uJonathani wayenze isivumelwano loDavida, wayelokhu emlalela uyise. Kodwa wayekwazi ukuthi isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu sasesihlezi kuDavida hatshi kuSawuli. Ngakho uJonathani watshengisa ukuthi uqotho kuDavida hatshi kuyise uSawuli. Watshela umngane wakhe uDavida ukuthi ayecatsha waphinda wamkhulumela kuhle kuyise uSawuli.​—Bala u-1 Samuyeli 19:1-6.

11, 12. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kusinceda njani ukuthi sikhethe ukuba qotho kuye?

¹¹ Ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu kwanceda omunye udade wase-Australia okuthiwa ngu-Alice ukuthi akhethe ukuthi ngubani azamfaka kuqala endabeni yobuqotho. Lapho eqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili wayexoxela abangakibo izinto ezinhle ayezifunda. Ngokuya kwesikhathi wabatshela ukuthi yena wayengasananzi ikhisimusi. Wasebachasisela lezizathu zakhe kodwa bona bazonda kakhulu. Bacabanga ukuthi wayesefuna ukuhlamuka emulini. U-Alice uthi: “Ekucineni umama wangitshela ukuthi usengikhalala. Lokhu kwangimangalisa kakhulu njalo kwangizwisa ubuhlungu ngoba ngangibathanda abangakithi. Lanxa kunjalo ngazimisela ukuba qotho kuJehova leNdodana yakhe futhi ngabhaphathizwa emhlanganweni owalandelayo.”​—Mat. 10:37.

¹² Nxa singananzelelanga singacina sesinamathela kakhulu elizweni lakithi, esikolo esifunda kuso kumbe eqenjini lezemidlalo esilithandayo sikhohlwe ngokuba qotho kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo uHenry uyakuthanda ukudlala umdlalo okuthiwa yi-chess. Isikolo ayefunda kuso sasihlala sithatha inkezo emdlalweni lo njalo uHenry wayezimisele ukwenza ukuthi isikolo sakhe sinqobe. Kodwa uthi: “Kancane kancane ngasengiqakathekisa ukudlalela isikolo sami ukwedlula ukuba qotho kuJehova. Imidlalo eyayisenziwa ngempelaviki yayisenza ukuthi ngingasangeni eminye imihlangano futhi ngingasatshumayeli kuhle. Yikho ngakhetha ukuthi ngiphume eqenjini le-chess.”​—Mat. 6:33.

13. Ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu kungasinceda njani ukuthi silungise izinhlupho emulini?

¹³ Emulini kungaba nzima ukukhetha ukuthi uzakuba qotho kubani. Ngokwesibonelo uKen uthi: “Umama wayesekhululile njalo ngangifuna ukuhlala ngimvakatshela, ngifisa lokuthi ake azohlala lathi kwezinye izikhathi. Kodwa umama lomkami babengazwanani. Ngaqala ngiswela ukuthi ngenzeni ngoba nxa ngangisenzela omunye okuhle, omunye wayezonda. Ngananzelela ukuthi endabeni le okwakumele ngibe qotho kuye kuqala ngumkami. Yikho ngenza icebo elalihambelana lalokho okwakufunwa nguye.” Ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu lokuhlonipha iLizwi lakhe kwanika uKen isibindi sokuthi achasisele umkakhe ukuthi kungani kumele abe lomusa kumamazala wakhe lokuthi kungani kumele unina amhloniphe umalukazana wakhe.​—Bala uGenesisi 2:24 lo-1 Khorinte 13:4, 5.

14. USawuli wamphatha njani uJonathani?

¹⁴ Kungaba nzima ukuthi sibe qotho kuJehova nxa abasikhokhelayo besiphatha kubi. UJonathani laye wahlangana lobunzima obunjalo. INkosi uSawuli eyayigcotshwe nguNkulunkulu yayikwazi ukuthi indodana yayo yayingumngane kaDavida kodwa yayingazwisisi ukuthi kungani babezwanana. USawuli wamyangisa uJonathani futhi wamvukela ngolaka. Kodwa uJonathani kazange amhlamukele uyise. Waqhubeka elokhu eqotho kuNkulunkulu lakuDavida owayezacina eseyinkosi yako-Israyeli.​—1 Sam. 20:30-41.

15. Kumele senzeni nxa umzalwane othile engasizwisisi?

¹⁵ Lamuhla akwandanga ukuthi ebandleni likaJehova abantu basiphathe kubi. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi labo abasikhokhelayo balesono njengathi bangehluleka ukuzwisisa ukuthi kungani senze okuthile. (1 Sam. 1:13-17) Nxa lokhu kungenzakala  kasizimiseleni ukuhlala siqotho kuJehova.

16. Kunini lapho okumele sibe qotho khona kuNkulunkulu lanxa kungabe kunzima ukwenza njalo?

¹⁶ USawuli wayefuna ukuthi uJonathani kube nguye ozakuba yinkosi hatshi uDavida. (1 Sam. 20:31) Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uJonathani wayeqotho kuNkulunkulu kazange aqakathekise lokhu okwakufunwa nguye, wanamathela kuDavida. Sonke sifuna ukulingisela uJonathani ngokungazifuneli okwethu futhi kumele sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova uthanda labo ‘abagcina isifungo sabo loba kubuhlungu ukwenzenjalo.’ (Hubo. 15:4) UJonathani ‘wagcina isifungo sakhe’ asenza loDavida, lathi sifuna ukwenza njalo. Ngokwesibonelo nxa sesikuthola kunzima ukugcina isivumelwano sebhizimusi esasenzayo, ukuba qotho kuNkulunkulu lokuhlonipha lokhu esikufunda eBhayibhilini kumele kusifuqe ukuthi sime kulokho esakuvumelanayo. Kuthiwani nxa emtshadweni kusiba lezinhlupho ebesingazilindelanga? Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kumele kusifuqe ukuthi sibe qotho kulowo esitshade laye.​—Bala uMalaki 2:13-16.

17. Isihloko lesi sikuncede njani?

¹⁷ Ukucabangisisa ngesibonelo sikaJonathani kuzasifuqa ukuthi lathi sibe qotho kuNkulunkulu njengaye. Kasingaqakathekisi okufunwa yithi kuphela. Kodwa njengoJonathani kasitshengiseni ukuthi siqotho kuJehova ngokuba qotho kubafowethu ngitsho lanxa besiphoxa. Ukuba qotho kuJehova uNkulunkulu lanxa siphakathi kobunzima kwenza inhliziyo yakhe ithokoze futhi ukwazi lokhu kusenza sisuthiseke. (Zaga. 27:11) Singahlala siqotho kuJehova sizakubona ukuthi ubenzelani labo abamthandayo. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizahlola izibonelo zabanye ababeqotho labanye abangazange benze njalo abaphila ngesikhathi sikaDavida.