1, 2. Yibuphi ubunzima esiphakathi kwabo lamuhla? (Khangela imifanekiso esekuqaliseni.)

ABEZEMPILAKAHLE abanengi basebenza phakathi kwabantu abagula imikhuhlane ethelelwanayo. Okwenza babanakekele yikuthi bayafisa ukuthi basile. Lanxa kunjalo kuqakathekile ukuthi odokotela labongikazi bazivikele ukuze bangacini behlaselwa yimikhuhlane yezigulane abazelaphayo. Kuyafanana lathi lamuhla, siphila labantu abalemikhuba emibi ephikisana lalokho okufunwa nguNkulunkulu. Kungaba yingozi kithi ukuphila labantu abanjalo.

² Izinsuku zokucina esikuzo zigcwele abantu abaxhwalileyo futhi abangelandaba loNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuluma ngabo ngesikhathi ebhalela uThimothi futhi wachaza ukuthi imikhuba yabo yayizaqhubeka isiba mibi kakhulu njalo imemetheka. (Bala u-2 Thimothi 3:1-5, 13.) Lanxa ububi obenziwa ngabantu laba busimangalisa kumele sinanzelele ngoba lathi singacina sesisenza njengabo. (Zaga. 13:20) Esihlokweni lesi sizabona umahluko okhona phakathi kwabantu laba lalabo abathanda uNkulunkulu. Sizabona lokuthi singazivikela njani ukuze singahlaselwa yimikhuba yabo emibi njengoba sizama ukubasiza ukuthi bafunde iqiniso.

3. Ngobani okukhulunywa ngabo ku-2 Thimothi 3:2-5?

 ³ Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhala wathi “ezinsukwini zokucina kuzakuba lezikhathi ezinzima.” Ngemva kwalokho waqamba izinto ezingu-19 ezazizakwenziwa ngabantu esiphila labo kulezinsuku. Akukhulumayo kuhambelana lalokho akutsho kuRoma 1:29-31 kodwa umehluko okhona yikuthi ngesikhathi ebhalela uThimothi waqamba lezinye izinto ezingatholakaliyo kweminye iMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi. Ngesikhathi uPhawuli elandisa lokho okwakuzakwenziwa ngabantu ngezinsuku zokucina waqala ngokuthi “abantu bazakuba . . . ” Wayengatsho ukuthi bonke abantu bazakuba njalo ngoba amaKhristu wona alezimpawu ezitshiyene kakhulu lalezi.​—Bala uMalaki 3:18.

4. Kuyini okwenziwa ngumuntu ozigqajayo?

⁴ Ngemva kokuqamba abantu abazithandayo labathanda imali, uPhawuli waqhubeka wathi kuzakuba labazikhukhumezayo, labazigqajayo labaziphakamisayo. Izikhathi ezinengi lokhu kubangelwa yikuthi umuntu uyabe ezibona engcono kulabanye ngenxa yesikhundla, imali, isiphiwo alaso kanye lendlela abukeka ngayo. Abantu abanjalo bayakuthanda ukubukwa lokufuna ukuzibonakalisa. Esinye isikhwicamfundo sithi umuntu onjalo “kungani ule-alithare enhliziyweni yakhe lapho afika akhothame khona azikhonze.” Abanye bathi ukuzigqaja kubi okokuthi lomuntu okwenzayo uyakwenyanya nxa esekubona kusenziwa ngabanye.

5. Ngobani abake bahlaselwa yikuzigqaja?

⁵ UJehova uyabazonda abantu abazigqajayo. IBhayibhili lithi uyamzonda umuntu ‘olamehlo atshengisa ukudelela.’ (Zaga. 6:16, 17) Kunzima kakhulu ukuthi umuntu ozigqajayo akhulume loNkulunkulu. Khumbula ukuthi ukuzigqaja yikho okwenza uSathane wahlamuka. (Hubo. 10:4; 1 Tim. 3:6) Okudanisayo yikuthi labanye abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababethembekile bake bahlaselwa ngumkhuba wokuzigqaja. Omunye wabo ngu-Uziya owayeyinkosi yakoJuda. Lanxa wahlala iminyaka eminengi ethembekile iBhayibhili lithi: “Kwathi u-Uziya eselamandla amakhulu, ukuziqhenya kwakhe kwamlethela incithakalo. Kazange athembeke kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe, waze wangena ethempelini likaJehova ukuba ayetshisa impepha e-alithareni lempepha.” INkosi uHezekhiya layo yake yaqalisa ukuzigqaja kodwa okuhle yikuthi yaphanga yawutshiya umkhuba lo.​—2 ImiLan. 26:16; 32:25, 26.

6. Kuyini okwakungenza uDavida azigqaje kodwa yena wenzani?

⁶ Okwenza abanye bazigqaje lamuhla yindlela ababukeka ngayo, udumo abalalo, isiphiwo sokuhlabela, izikhundla kanye lobungcitshi abalabo ekwenzeni imisebenzi ethile. UDavida wayelakho konke lokhu kodwa kazange azigqaje loba nini. Wahlala ethobekile impilo yakhe yonke. Ngokwesibonelo wathi esebulele uGoliyathi, iNkosi uSawuli yamnika indodakazi yayo ukuthi ibe ngumkakhe. Kodwa uDavida wathi: “Ngingubani mina labendlu yakwethu bayini, loba isizwana sikababa ko-Israyeli, ukuba ngibe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi na?” (1 Sam. 18:18) Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi ahlale ethobekile? Wayekwazi ukuthi konke okuhle ayelakho okugoqela impawu ezinhle, iziphiwo kanye lezikhundla wayekuphiwe nguNkulunkulu. (Hubo. 113:5-8) Ukukhumbula lokhu kwamnceda ukuthi ahlale ethobekile.​—Khangela u-1 Khorinte 4:7.

7. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo?

⁷ Lathi lamuhla kumele sizame ukuba ngabantu abathobekileyo njengoDavida. Ukucabangisisa ngesibonelo sikaJehova kungasinceda kakhulu. Khumbula ukuthi lanxa elamandla  amangalisayo futhi emkhulu kulabo bonke uthobekile. (Hubo. 18:35) Kufanele sihlale sikhumbula leseluleko lesi esithi: “Zembeseni ngesihawu, umusa, ukuzithoba, ubumnene kanye lokubekezela.” (Kol. 3:12) Kanti njalo siyakwazi ukuthi uthando “kaluzincomi kaluzigqaji.” (1 Khor. 13:4) Nxa singabantu abathobekileyo sizanceda abanye ukuthi babe ngabangane bakaJehova. IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi ukuzehlisa kwabafazi kungasiza omkabo ukuthi bafunde iqiniso. Ngakho lokuzithoba kwethu kungabanceda abanye ukuthi bamukele iqiniso.​—1 Phet. 3:1.

8. (a) Abanye abantu bathini ngendaba yokulalela abazali? (b) IMibhalo ibakhuthazani abantwana?

⁸ UPhawuli wakhuluma langendlela abantu ababezaphatha ngayo abanye ngezinsuku zokucina. Wathi abantwana bazabe bengasalaleli abazali. Lamuhla inhlelo eziphuma kumaTV, amafilimu lamabhuku kwenza kukhanye angathi akukubi ukuthi abantwana bangalaleli abazali babo. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi ukungalaleli abazali kwenza kungabi lokumanyana ezimulini futhi kuyawuphambanisa umphakathi ngoba ubunjwa yizo izimuli. Lakudala abantu babekwazi ukuthi ukungalaleli abazali kuyawuphambanisa umphakathi. Ngokwesibonelo eGreece umntwana wayethathelwa wonke amalungelo emphakathini nxa angatshaya umzali wakhe. Umthetho wamaRoma lawo wawusithi ukutshaya umzali kulicala elifanana lokubulala. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu likhuthaza abantwana ukuthi bahloniphe abazali babo.​—Eks. 20:12; Efe. 6:1-3.

9. Kuyini okunganceda abasakhulayo ukuthi balalele abazali babo?

⁹ Kuyini okunganceda abantwana ukuthi balalele abazali babo lanxa abanye bengakwenzi lokhu? Okokuqala yikukhumbula okuhle abakwenzelwe ngabazali babo. Lokhu kuzabanceda ukuthi babahloniphe njalo batshengise ukuthi bayababonga. Kufanele bakhumbule lokuthi uBaba wethu uJehova ukhangelele ukuthi balalele abazali babo. Bantwana nxa lingakwenza lokhu futhi lihlale likhuluma kuhle ngabazali benu, lizanceda abanye ukuthi labo bahloniphe abazali babo. Nxa abazali bengelathando kungaba nzima ukuthi abantwana babahloniphe kodwa nxa bebona ukuthi bayathandwa kuba lula ukuthi bakwenze lokhu. Omunye ujaha okuthiwa ngu-Austin uthi: “Izikhathi ezinengi ngangifisa ukwenza okusekhanda lami kodwa abazali bami babengifakela imithetho njalo bengichazela ngomusa izizatho ezazisenza bafake leyomithetho futhi ngangikhululekile ukuxoxa labo. Lokhu kwangifuqa ukuthi ngibalalele lokuthi ngenze izinto ezibathokozisayo ngoba ngangibona ukuthi bayangithanda.”

10, 11. (a) Yiziphi izimpawu ezitshengisa ukuthi abantu abalathando lamuhla? (b) AmaKhristu eqiniso wona atshiyene njani labantu laba?

¹⁰ UPhawuli waphinda waqamba ezinye izinto ezazizatshengisa ukuthi abantu abalathando. Wathi esanda kukhuluma ngabantwana abangalaleli abazali wasekhuluma ngabantu abangabongiyo. Kulengqondo ukuthi imikhuba le ilandelane ngoba umuntu ongabongiyo uyabe etshengisa ukuthi kalandaba lokuhle akwenzelweyo. Wathi kuzakuba labantu abangathembekanga labangathetheleliyo. Waphinda wathi kuzakuba labantu abathukayo labalamacebo amabi abalomkhuba wokuthethisa abanye kanye loNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo wakhuluma langabantu abahlebayo, okutsho abantu abahamba bekhuluma kubi ngabanye abantu loba bebanyundela. *

¹¹ Abantu bakaJehova balothando lweqiniso abafanani labantu abangelathando abagcwele  emhlabeni lamuhla. UJesu wathi ukuthanda uNkulunkulu yiwo umthetho omkhulu kulayo yonke wasesithi owesibili yikuthanda umakhelwane. (Mat. 22:38, 39) Waphinda wathi ukuthanda abanye yikho okwakuzatshengisa ukuthi singamaKhristu eqiniso. (Bala uJohane 13:34, 35.) Uthando esilalo alupheleli kulabo esikhonza labo kuphela kodwa sithanda lalabo abayizitha zethu.​—Mat. 5:43, 44.

12. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathanda abanye?

¹² UJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda abanye. Ngokwesibonelo wabhoda emadolobheni atshiyeneyo efundisa abantu izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo welapha abangaboniyo, abagogekileyo, ababelobulephero labangezwayo endlebeni njalo wavusa abafileyo. (Luk. 7:22) Lanxa abanengi babemzonda uJesu wavuma ukunikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuze akhulule abantu. Konke lokhu ayekwenza kwatshengisa ukuthi uYise ulothando. Lalamuhla oFakazi bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke bazama ngazo zonke izindlela ukutshengisa ukuthi bayabathanda abanye.

13. Ukuthanda abanye kuba lempumela bani?

¹³ Uthando esilalo lwenza abantu basondele kuBaba wethu osezulwini. Enye indoda yaseThailand yavakatsha emhlanganweni wethu wesabelo njalo yathinteka lapho ibona indlela abafowethu labodadewethu abathandana ngayo. Ngemva kwalokho yacela ukuthi oFakazi bafunde laye kabili ngeviki futhi yaqalisa ukuxoxa lezihlobo zayo ngalokho eyayikufunda. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha umhlangano udlulile indoda le yaba lenkulumo yokubalwa kweBhayibhili eWolu yoMbuso. Wena uyabathanda yini abanye? Zibuze imibuzo le: ‘Ngiyabanceda yini abanye emulini yami, ebandleni lasekutshumayeleni? Ngiyazama yini ukulingisela uJehova endleleni engiphatha ngayo abanye?’

14, 15. Banjani abanye abantu lamuhla njalo kuyini okwenziwe ngabanye ababelemikhuba enjalo?

¹⁴ Lamuhla abanye abantu benza imikhuba engalunganga okumele siyibalekele. Ngokwesibonelo kulabantu abangakuthandiyo okuhle.  Amanye amaBhayibhili ahumutsha ibala leli ngokuthi “abantu abazonda okuhle” loba “abangakufuniyo okuhle.” Abanye njalo ngabangazikhuziyo labalolaka. Ikanti abanye ngabalenkani abenza izinto bengacabanganga njalo abangelandaba lokuthi abakwenzayo kuzabaphatha njani abanye.

¹⁵ Babenjalo abanye abafowethu labodadewethu kodwa sebayitshiya imikhuba le engalunganga. Untshintsho lolu abalwenzayo kwaphrofethwa ngalo eBhayibhilini. (Bala u-Isaya 11:6, 7.) Esiphrofethweni leso sifunda ukuthi impisi lezilwane lezimvu kanye lamathole kuzahlala ndawonye. Kuyini okuzakwenza izinyamazana lezi zihlale ndawonye? IBhayibhili lithi “umhlaba uzakuba usugcwele ulwazi lukaJehova.” (Isaya. 11:9) Njengoba izinyamazana zingenelisi ukufunda ngoJehova, isiphrofetho lesi singasetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngontshintsho olwenziwa ngabantu ukuze bantshintshe ubuntu babo.

16. IBhayibhili libancede njani abanye ukuthi bantshintshe ubuntu babo?

¹⁶ Abanye kudala kwabo babesesabeka njengezinyamazana kodwa khathesi sebezwanana labanye. Ezinye izibonelo zabantu ababenjalo ziyatholakala esihlokweni esithi, “IBhayibhili Liyakuntshintsha Ukuphila” esitholakala ku-jw.org. Abantu abamthandayo uJehova bayakubalekela ukwenza angathi bayakholwa kuye ngapha besenza izinto ezimbi. Batshiyene lalabo abalesimo sokukholwa kuNkulunkulu kodwa belandula amandla akho ukukholwa. Kodwa bona ‘sebafaka ubumina obutsha, obadalelwa ukuba njengoNkulunkulu ekulungeni okuqotho lobungcwele.’ (Efe. 4:23, 24) Ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu kwenza abantu bazimisele ukuntshintsha ukuze benze intando yakhe. Kubenza batshiye izimfundiso zamanga futhi bantshintshe indlela abacabanga ngayo kanye lezenzo zabo. Akulula sibili ukwenza untshintsho olunjalo kodwa umoya kaNkulunkulu uyabasiza labo abafisa ukumthokozisa.

17. Singenzani ukuze singacini silandela izenzo zabantu bomhlaba lo?

¹⁷ Umahluko phakathi kwabantu abakhonza uNkulunkulu labangamkhonziyo ulokhu uqhubeka ucaca. Ngakho kumele sinanzelele indlela esenza ngayo ngoba kungaba lula ukuthi sicine silandela izinto ezingalunganga abazenzayo. UPhawuli wasixwayisa ukuthi singahlanganyeli labantu ayekhuluma ngabo ku-2 Thimothi 3:2-5. Kodwa kasingeke sibabalekele ngokupheleleyo ngoba abanye ngomakhelwane bethu, abanye sisebenza labo, sifunda labo esikolo ikanti abanye sihlala labo. Yikho kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze singacini sithatheka ngalokho abakwenzayo. Okungasinceda yikuqhubeka siqinisa ubuhlobo bethu loJehova ngokubala iBhayibhili langokukhetha abangane abamthandayo.

18. Esikwenzayo lesikukhulumayo kungabanceda njani abanye?

¹⁸ Kuqakathekile ukuthi sincede abantu ukuthi bamazi uJehova. Ngakho kasizameni ukusebenzisa loba yiliphi ithuba ukuthi sibatshumayeze njalo siqhubeke sicela uJehova ukuthi asincedise senelise ukuthinta izinhliziyo zabo. Okunye esingakwenza yikuhlala sikulungele ukutshela abantu ukuthi singoFakazi bakaJehova. Lokhu kuzakwenza badumise uNkulunkulu nxa bangabona indlela esikhuluma ngayo lesiziphatha ngayo. Kanti njalo kufanele sihlale sitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasifundisa ukuthi sibalekele ‘izinkanuko zasemhlabeni, njalo siphile ngokuzikhuza, ngokuqonda empilweni yokulalela uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi samanje.’ (Tit. 2:11-14) Nxa singaqhubeka siphila ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu, abanye bazakubona besebesitsho amazwi la athi: ‘Wothi sihambe lani ngoba sesizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulani.’​—Zek. 8:23.