1. UJehova wadala abantu benamaphi amakhono amangalisayo?

UJEHOVA wadala abantu benamakhono amangalisayo. Wasinika ikhono lokucabanga ukuze sikwazi ukuxazulula izinkinga futhi sihlelele ikusasa. (IzAga 2:11) Wasinika amandla okufeza esikuhlelile, okwenza sikwazi ukufinyelela imigomo efanele. (Fil. 2:13) Wasenza saba nonembeza—umuzwa esizalwa nawo wokulungile nokungalungile—ongasisiza sigweme ukwenza okubi futhi silungise amaphutha ethu.—Roma 2:15.

2. UJehova ulindele ukuba siwasebenzise kanjani amakhono ethu?

² UJehova ulindele ukuba siwasebenzise kahle amakhono ethu. Kungani? Ngenxa yokuthi uyasithanda futhi uyazi ukuthi ukusebenzisa lezi zipho kusenza saneliseke. NgeZwi lakhe, uJehova usiyala ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba siwasebenzise kahle amakhono ethu. Ngokwesibonelo, emiBhalweni YesiHebheru sifunda lokhu: “Amacebo okhuthele ayamzuzisa” futhi “konke isandla sakho esikutholayo ukuba sikwenze, kwenze ngawo wonke amandla akho.” (IzAga 21:5; UmSh. 9:10) EmiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki, sitshelwa  lokhu: “Uma nje sinesikhathi esihle sakho, masenze okuhle kubo bonke, kodwa ikakhulukazi kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni”; futhi “ngokwesilinganiso ngamunye amukele ngaso isipho, sisebenziseni ekukhonzaneni.” (Gal. 6:10; 1 Pet. 4:10) Ngokucacile, uJehova ufuna senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sizuzise thina nabanye.

3. Yikuphi ukulinganiselwa abantu abanakho?

³ Ngesikhathi esifanayo uJehova uyazi ukuthi abantu abaphelele. Ngamandla ethu ngeke sikwazi ukunqoba ukungapheleli, isono nokufa futhi ngeke sikwazi ukulawula abanye abantu ngoba sonke sinenkululeko yokuzikhethela. (1 AmaKh. 8:46) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinolwazi oluningi kangakanani noma sesike sabhekana nezinto ezingakanani, siyohlale sinjengezingane uma siqhathaniswa noJehova.—Isaya 55:9.

4. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

⁴ Ngazo zonke izikhathi kudingeka sincike kuJehova ukuze asiqondise, sithembele kuye ukuze asisekele futhi asenzele lokho esingenawo amandla okukwenza. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kufanele senze esingakwenza, sithathe isinyathelo esifanele ukuze sixazulule izinkinga futhi sisize abanye. (Funda iHubo 37:3.) Ngamafuthi nje, kudingeka ‘sithembele kuJehova senze okuhle’ futhi ‘senze ngokwethembeka.’ Ake sihlole lokho esingakufunda esibonelweni sikaNowa, uDavide nezinye izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile ezancika kuYe futhi zathatha isinyathelo esifanele. Njengoba sizobona, lokhu kwakuhilela ukuhlukanisa phakathi kwalokho ababengenakukwazi ukukwenza nalokho ababengakwazi ukukwenza nokuthatha izinyathelo ezifanele.

5. Chaza isimo uNowa abhekana naso.

⁵ UNowa wayephila ezweni elaligcwele “ubudlova” nokuziphatha okubi. (Gen. 6:4, 9-13) Wayazi ukuthi ekugcineni uJehova wayezolibhubhisa lelo zwe elonakele. Noma kunjalo, kumelwe ukuba lezo zimo ezimbi zamcindezela uNowa. Kuleso simo, uNowa waqaphela ukuthi kwakunezinto ayengeke akwazi ukuzenza nezinto ayengakwazi ukuzenza.

6, 7. (a) Yini uNowa ayengenakukwazi ukuyenza? (b) Isimo esikuso sifana kanjani nesikaNowa?

⁶ Lokho uNowa ayengenakukwazi ukukwenza:  Nakuba uNowa amemezela ngokwethembeka isigijimi sikaJehova esiyisixwayiso, wayengeke akwazi ukuphoqa abantu ababi aphila nabo ukuba basamukele, futhi wayengeke akwazi ukwenza uZamcolo ufike ngaphambi kwesikhathi esibekiwe. Kwakudingeka ukuba uNowa athembe ukuthi uJehova uzosigcina isithembiso saKhe sokuqeda ububi, eqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uzokwenza lokho ngesikhathi esifanele.—Gen. 6:17.

⁷ Nathi siphila ezweni eligcwele ububi futhi siyazi ukuthi uJehova uthembise ukulibhubhisa. (1 Joh. 2:17) Okwamanje, ngeke siphoqe abantu ukuba bamukele “izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.” Ayikho into esingayenza ukuze senze “usizi olukhulu” lusheshe luqale. (Math. 24:14, 21) NjengoNowa sidinga ukholo oluqinile, siqiniseka ngokuthi maduzane uNkulunkulu uzongenela. (IHu. 37:10, 11) Siyaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova ngeke avumele leli zwe elibi liqhubeke likhona ngisho nosuku olulodwa ukwedlula isikhathi asimisile.—Hab. 2:3.

8. UNowa wagxila kanjani kulokho ayengakwazi ukukwenza? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁸ Lokho uNowa ayengakwazi ukukwenza: Kunokudikibaliswa yilokho ayengenakukwazi ukukwenza, uNowa wagxila kulokho ayengakwazi ukukwenza. ‘Njengomshumayeli wokulunga,’ ngokwethembeka uNowa wamemezela isigijimi esiyisixwayiso ayesinikiwe. (2 Pet. 2:5) Ngokungangabazeki, ukwenza kanjalo kwasiza uNowa wagcina ukholo lwakhe luqinile. Akagcinanga nje ngokushumayela, wasebenzisa amakhono akhe okusebenza nawokucabanga ukuze afeze umsebenzi ayewunikwe uNkulunkulu wokwakha umkhumbi.—Funda amaHebheru 11:7.

9. Singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaNowa?

⁹ NjengoNowa silwela ukuba “nokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi.” (1 Kor. 15:58) Imisebenzi enjalo ingahlanganisa ukwakhiwa nokunakekelwa kwezakhiwo zokukhulekela, ukuvolontiyela ukusiza emihlanganweni emikhulu nemincane noma ukusebenza ehhovisi legatsha noma ehhovisi lokuhumusha. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sizigcina simatasa emsebenzini wokushumayela sazi ukuthi lo msebenzi uqinisa ithemba lethu lekusasa. Omunye udade othembekile wathi: “Lapho ukhuluma nabanye ngezibusiso zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu uphawula ukuthi izilaleli zakho azinalo ithemba futhi zicabanga  ukuthi izinkinga zazo ngeke ziphele.” Ngempela, ukushumayela kusenza sibe nombono omuhle ngekusasa futhi singaphelelwa amandla emncintiswaneni wokuphila.—1 Kor. 9:24.

10. Chaza isimo uDavide abhekana naso.

¹⁰ UJehova wachaza iNkosi uDavide ‘njengomuntu ovumelana nenhliziyo yakhe.’ (IzE. 13:22) UDavide wayengumuntu owaphila ngokwethembeka. Noma kunjalo, ngesinye isikhathi wenza isono esibi kakhulu. Waphinga noBhati-sheba. Okubi nakakhulu wazama ukufihla isono sakhe ngokuhlela ukuba umyeni kaBhati-sheba, u-Uriya, abulawe empini. UDavide waze ngisho waphathisa u-Uriya incwadi eyayineziqondiso zokuba abulawe! (2 Sam. 11:1-21) Ekugcineni izono zikaDavide zahlala obala. (Marku 4:22) Wasabela kanjani uDavide lapho lokho kwenzeka?

11, 12. (a) Ngemva kokona, yini uDavide eyengenakukwazi ukuyenza? (b) Uma siphenduka ngemva kokwenza amaphutha amakhulu, singaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzosenzelani?

¹¹ Lokho uDavide ayengenakukwazi ukukwenza: UDavide wayengeke akwazi ukukushintsha ayekwenzile. Wayengeke ayibalekele imiphumela yamaphutha akhe. Empeleni, uDavide wayeyobhekana neminye yaleyo miphumela ukuphila kwakhe konke. (2 Sam. 12:10-12, 14) Ngakho, wayedinga ukholo. Kwakudingeka aqiniseke ngokuthi uma ephenduka ngokuphelele, uJehova wayeyomthethelela futhi amsize akhuthazelele imiphumela yezenzo zakhe.

¹² Njengoba singaphelele, sonke siyona. Amanye amaphutha makhulu kunamanye. Amanye amaphutha ngeke sikwazi ukuwalungisa. Kungase kudingeke siphile nemiphumela yalawo maphutha. (Gal. 6:7) Siyakwethemba lokho uNkulunkulu akushoyo, siqiniseka ngokuthi uma siphenduka, uJehova uyosisekela ezikhathini ezinzima—ngisho noma lobo bunzima bubangelwe yithi.—Funda u-Isaya 1:18, 19; izEnzo 3:19.

13. UDavide wasimama kanjani ngokomoya?

¹³ Lokho uDavide ayengakwazi ukukwenza: UDavide wavumela ukuba uJehova amsize asimame ngokomoya. Enye indlela akwenza ngayo lokhu ukwamukela ukulungiswa ummeleli kaJehova, umprofethi uNathani. (2 Sam. 12:13) UDavide wathandaza nakuJehova, evuma izono zakhe futhi wabonisa isifiso esiqotho sokuphinde athole umusa kaJehova. (IHu. 51:1-17) Kunokuba akhwantabaliswe umuzwa wecala, uDavide wafunda emaphutheni akhe. Ngempela, akazange aziphinde lezo zono ezimbi kakhulu. Ngemva kweminyaka, wafa ethembekile, izenzo zakhe zobuqotho zisenkumbulweni kaJehova.—Heb. 11:32-34.

14. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaDavide?

¹⁴ Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaDavide? Lapho senza izono ezimbi kakhulu, kudingeka siphenduke ngobuqotho futhi sifune intethelelo kaJehova. Kumelwe sivume izono zethu kuye. (1 Joh. 1:9) Kudingeka sikhulume nabadala, abangasinika usizo olungokomoya. (Funda uJakobe 5:14-16.) Ngokusebenzisa amalungiselelo kaJehova, sibonisa ukuthi siyasethemba isithembiso sakhe sokuselapha nokusithethelela. Ngemva kwalokho, senza kahle ngokufunda emaphutheni ethu, siqhubeke nokukhonza uJehova futhi sibheke ikusasa ngokuqiniseka.—Heb. 12:12, 13.

15. Yini esiyifunda esibonelweni sikaHana?

¹⁵ Cishe zikhona ezinye izinceku zasendulo ezithembekile ongacabanga ngazo ezathembela kuJehova lapho zithatha isinyathelo esifanele. Ngokwesibonelo, uHana wayengenakukwazi ukulungisa inkinga yokungakwazi ukuthola abantwana. Kodwa wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uzomduduza, ngakho waqhubeka ekhonza etabernakele futhi ethandaza ngokusuka enhliziyweni.  (1 Sam. 1:9-11) Ingabe lesi akusona isibonelo esihle esingasilingisa? Lapho sinezinkinga zempilo noma ezinye izinselele ezingaphezu kwamandla ethu, siphonsa izinkathazo zethu kuJehova siqiniseka ngokuthi uyasikhathalela. (1 Pet. 5:6, 7) Senza okusemandleni ukuze sizuze emihlanganweni yobuKristu nakwamanye amalungiselelo angokomoya.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

16. Yini abazali abangayifunda kuSamuweli osekhulile?

¹⁶ Kuthiwani ngabazali abathembekile abanezingane eziyekile ukukhonza uJehova? USamuweli osekhulile wayengenakukwazi ukuphoqa amadodana akhe ukuba ahlale eqotho ezindinganisweni ezilungile ayewafundise zona. (1 Sam. 8:1-3) Kwakudingeka ukuba ashiyele udaba ezandleni zikaJehova. Noma kunjalo, uSamuweli wayengabulondoloza ubuqotho bakhe futhi ajabulise uYise osezulwini uJehova. (IzAga 27:11) Namuhla, abazali abaningana abangamaKristu babhekene nesimo esifanayo. Baqiniseka ngokuthi njengobaba osemfanekisweni wendodana yolahleko, uJehova uhlale ezamukela izoni eziphendukayo. (Luka 15:20) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, abazali abanjalo bayazikhandla ukuze bahlale beqotho kuJehova, benethemba lokuthi isibonelo sabo sizosiza izingane zabo ukuba zibuyele emhlambini.

17. Kungani isibonelo somfelokazi oswele sisikhuthaza?

¹⁷ Cabanga nangomfelokazi oswele wangosuku lukaJesu. (Funda uLuka 21:1-4.) Ayikho into ayengayenza ngemikhuba emibi eyayenziwa ethempelini. (Math. 21:12, 13) Cishe kwakukuncane kakhulu ayengakwenza ukuze athuthukise isimo sakhe sezimali. Noma kunjalo, ngokuzithandela wanikela ‘ngezinhlamvu zemali ezimbili ezincane’ okwakuyikho ‘konke ayenakho ayeziphilisa ngakho.’ Lona wesifazane othembekile wabonisa ukuthi uthembele ngenhliziyo yonke kuJehova, azi ukuthi uma ebeka izinto ezingokomoya kuqala, uNkulunkulu wayezozinakekela izidingo zakhe ezingokwenyama. Ukholo lomfelokazi lwamshukumisela ukuba asekele ilungiselelo elimisiwe lokukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngendlela efanayo, siyaqiniseka ngokuthi uma sifuna uMbuso kuqala, uJehova uyoqikelela ukuthi siyakuthola esikudingayo.—Math. 6:33.

18. Nikeza isibonelo senceku yanamuhla eyayinombono ofanele.

¹⁸ Namuhla, abakhulekeli abaningi esikanye nabo, baye babonisa ukwethembela kuJehova futhi bathatha isinyathelo esifanele. Cabanga ngomfoweth’ uMalcolm, owahlala ethembekile waze washona ngo-2015. Emashumini eminyaka yena nenkosikazi yakhe bekhonza uJehova, babhekana nezinkinga ezihlukahlukene. Wathi, “Ngezinye izikhathi kwenzeka izinto ongazilindele ekuphileni, okunzima ukubhekana nazo. Kodwa uJehova uyababusisa labo abancika kuye.” Nasi iseluleko uMalcolm asinikezayo: “Thandazela ukuba wusizo nokuba matasa enkonzweni kaJehova ngokusemandleni akho. Gxila kulokho ongakwazi ukukwenza, hhayi kulokho ongenakukwazi ukukwenza.” *

19. (a) Kungani isihloko sethu sonyaka sika-2017 sifaneleka? (b) Uzosisebenzisa kanjani isihloko sonyaka sika-2017 ekuphileni kwakho?

¹⁹ Njengoba lesi simiso sezinto ‘sisuka kokubi siya kokubi kakhulu,’ singalindela ukubhekana nobunzima obukhulu nakakhulu. (2 Thim. 3:1, 13) Ngakho kubaluleke kakhulu kunakuqala ukuba singavumi ukukhwantabaliswa izinselele ezinjalo. Kunalokho, kudingeka sibe nokholo oluqinile kuJehova kuyilapho sithatha isinyathelo esifanele. Yeka ukuthi sifaneleka kanjani isihloko sethu sonyaka sika-2017: “Thembela kuJehova wenze okuhle!”—IHu. 37:3.