1. Kungani sithi isikhathi esiphila kuso sihlukile?

SIPHILA esikhathini esihluke ngokuphelele emlandweni wesintu. Njengoba iBhayibheli labikezela, uJehova ubutha “isixuku esikhulu . . . kuzo zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nabantu nezilimi.” Labo ababuthiwe bakha “isizwe esinamandla” sabantu abajabulayo abangaphezu kuka-8 000 000, ‘abanikela inkonzo engcwele kuye imini nobusuku.’ (IsAm. 7:9, 15; Isaya 60:22) Kuyaqala ngqa ukuthi kube nabantu abangaka abathanda uNkulunkulu nomakhelwane babo.

2. Uthando olunjani olubonakala kubantu abangamthandi uNkulunkulu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

² Nokho, iBhayibheli labikezela nokuthi osukwini lwethu, uthando olungafanele olubonakala ngobugovu lwaluyobonakala kubantu abangamthandi uNkulunkulu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina . . . , abantu bayokuba abazithandayo, abathanda imali, . . . abathandi benjabulo kunokuba abathandi bakaNkulunkulu.” (2 Thim. 3:1-4) Lolu thando lobugovu luphambene nothando lobuKristu. Ukuphishekela izifiso zobugovu akuyilethi injabulo esisuke siyilindele. Yiqiniso ukuthi uthando olunjalo lwenza abantu babe nobugovu futhi kube nzima ukusebenzelana nabo.

3. Yini esizoyihlola kulesi sihloko futhi kungani?

 ³ UPawulu waqaphela ukuthi lolu thando lobugovu olusabalele lungasongela amaKristu. Yingakho awaxwayisa ukuba ‘agweme’ labo ababonisa uthando olunjalo olungafanele. (2 Thim. 3:5) Nokho, ngeke sikwazi ukubagwema bonke labo bantu. Pho, singawugwema kanjani umbono wezwe osizungezile futhi sizame ukujabulisa uJehova, uNkulunkulu onothando? Ake sihlole umehluko phakathi kothando uNkulunkulu afuna sibe nalo nothando oluchazwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:2-4. Ukwenza kanjalo kuzosisiza sibone futhi sithuthukise uthando okufanele sibe nalo, okuwuthando olwanelisayo nolujabulisa ngempela.

4. Kungani kwamukelekile ukuzithanda ngezinga elifanele?

⁴ Umphostoli waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale, “abantu bayokuba abazithandayo.” Kanti, akulungile yini ukuzithanda? Ukuzithanda kungokwemvelo, ngaphezu kwalokho kubalulekile ukuba umuntu azithande ngezinga elifanele. UJehova wasidala ngaleyo ndlela. UJesu wathi: “Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.” (Marku 12:31) Uma singazithandi ngeke sikwazi ukuthanda umakhelwane wethu. EBhayibhelini siphinde sifunde nokuthi: “Amadoda kufanele athande omkawo njengemizimba yawo siqu. Lowo othanda umkakhe uzithanda yena, ngoba akekho umuntu owake wazonda inyama yakhe; kodwa uyayondla futhi ayinakekele ngesisa.” (Efe. 5:28, 29) Ngakho umuntu kufanele azithande ngezinga elifanele.

5. Ungabachaza kanjani abantu abazithanda ngokweqile?

⁵ Uthando oluchazwe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:2 akulona uthando olungokwemvelo noma olufanele. Luwuthando lobugovu. Abantu abazithanda ngokweqile bazibona bebakhulu kunabanye kunalokho okufanele bakucabange. (Funda eyabaseRoma 12:3.) Ekuphileni bazikhathalela bona kuphela. Abanandaba kangako nabanye abantu. Lapho kunokuthile okungahambi kahle, bavame ukusola abanye kunokuba bavume iphutha labo. Abantu abanobugovu ngale ndlela abajabule ngempela.

6. Yimuphi umphumela obangelwa ukuthanda uNkulunkulu?

⁶ Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sisikisela ukuthi ukuzithanda ngokweqile kusekuqaleni kohlu lwezimfanelo ezimbi umphostoli uPawulu azisho ezaziyovama ezinsukwini zokugcina ngoba lezi ezinye ziwumphumela wokuzithanda ngokweqile. Ngakolunye uhlangothi abantu abathanda uNkulunkulu babonisa izimfanelo ezihluke ngokuphelele kunalezo. IBhayibheli lihlobanisa ukuthanda uNkulunkulu nenjabulo, ukuthula, ukubekezela, umusa, ubuhle, ukholo, ubumnene nokuzithiba. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Umhubi wabhala: “Bayajabula abantu abaNkulunkulu wabo nguJehova!” (IHu. 144:15) UJehova unguNkulunkulu ojabulayo, nabantu bakhe bangabantu abajabulayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokungafani nalabo abazithandayo nabanobugovu, izinceku zikaJehova ziyajabula lapho zizidela ukuze kuzuze abanye.—IzE. 20:35.

7. Yimiphi imibuzo engasisiza sibone ukuthi simthanda kangakanani uNkulunkulu?

⁷ Singabona kanjani uma sesizithanda ngokweqile? Cabanga ngeseluleko esisithola encwadini yabaseFilipi 2:3, 4: “Ningenzi lutho ngombango noma ngokuzazisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo nibheka abanye njengabakhulu kunani, ningakhathaleli nje kuphela izindaba zenu  siqu, kodwa futhi nikhathalele nezabanye.” Singase sizibuze: ‘Ngiyasisebenzisa yini leso seluleko ekuphileni kwami? Ngiyazikhandla yini ukuze ngenze intando kaNkulunkulu? Ngiyabasiza yini abanye ebandleni nasenkonzweni yasensimini?’ Ukunika abanye isikhathi sethu akulula, kudinga umzamo nokuzidela. Yini enye engasijabulisa ukwedlula ukwazi ukuthi sijabulisa uMbusi wendawo yonke?

8. Abanye baye benzani ngenxa yokuthi bathanda uNkulunkulu?

⁸ Ngenxa yokuthi bathanda uNkunkulunkulu, abanye baye bayeka amathuba emisebenzi engabenza babe nemali eningi, ukuze bachithe isikhathi esengeziwe bekhonza uJehova. U-Ericka, ohlala e-United States, ungudokotela. Kunokuthi azifunele isikhundla esiphezulu emkhakheni wakhe, waba yiphayona elivamile futhi usekhonze emazweni amaningi nomyeni wakhe. Uma ecabanga ngesinqumo asenza uthi: “Izinto eziningi esiye sazijabulela njengoba sikhonza endaweni ekhuluma olunye ulimi, nabangane esiye sabathola enkonzweni, konke lokhu kuye kwathuthukisa ukuphila kwethu. Nakuba ngingudokotela, ukukwazi ukusebenzisa isikhathi sami esiningi namandla ami ukuze ngisize abantu bafunde ngoNkulunkulu ngiphinde ngisize ebandleni kungilethela injabulo nokwaneliseka.”

9. Kungani ukuthanda imali kungayilethi injabulo?

⁹ UPawulu wabhala ukuthi abantu ‘bayothanda imali.’ Eminyakeni ethile edlule, umzalwane wase-Ireland oyiphayona wakhuluma nendoda ngoNkulunkulu. Le ndoda yakhipha isikhwama sayo semali, yakhipha imali yephepha, ngelikhulu iqholo yabe isithi, “Lo uNkulunkulu wami!” Nakuba abaningi bengeke bakuvume obala lokhu, izwe ligcwele abantu abathanda imali nezinto abangazithenga ngayo. Nokho, iBhayibheli liyaxwayisa: “Umthandi wesiliva nje ngeke aneliseke ngesiliva, nanoma ubani ongumthandi womcebo ngeke aneliswe yinzuzo engenayo.” (UmSh. 5:10) Abantu abanjalo bayohlale befuna imali eningi futhi balwele ukuyiqongelela, bayozigwaza “ngeminjunju eminingi.”—1 Thim. 6:9, 10.

10. U-Aguri wabhala ukuthini mayelana nengcebo nobumpofu?

¹⁰ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi sonke siyayidinga imali. Iyasivikela ngezinga elithile. (UmSh. 7:12) Nokho, ingabe umuntu angajabula ngempela ngokuba nezinto ezanele eziyizidingo kuphela? Yebo! (Funda umShumayeli 5:12.) U-Aguri indodana kaJakhe wabhala: “Unganginiki ubumpofu noma ingcebo. Mangidle ukudla engabelwe kona.” Cishe kulula ukuqonda isizathu esenza wangafuna ukuba mpofu. Njengoba eqhubeka ube esechaza, akafuni ukuba ayengeke ukuba ebe ngoba ukweba akumjabulisi uNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, kungani acela ukungabi nayo ingcebo? Wabhala: “Ukuze ngingasuthi bese ngikuphika ngithi: ‘Ngubani uJehova?’” (IzAga 30:8, 9) Cishe uyabakhumbula abantu abathembela engcebweni yabo kunokuthembela kuNkulunkulu.

11. Sithini iseluleko sikaJesu mayelana nemali?

¹¹ Labo abathanda imali ngeke bamjabulise uNkulunkulu. UJesu wathi: “Akekho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili; ngoba uyozonda enye athande enye, noma anamathele kwenye, adelele enye. Anikwazi ukuba yizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu nezeNgcebo.” Ngaphambi kokuba asho lokho, wathi: “Yekani ukuzibekelela ingcebo emhlabeni, lapho inundu nokugqwala kudla khona, nalapho amasela egqekeza khona  ebe. Kunalokho, zibekeleleni ingcebo ezulwini, lapho kungoni nundu nakugqwala khona, nalapho amasela engagqekezi khona ebe.”—Math. 6:19, 20, 24.

12. Ukuphila ukuphila okulula kungakusiza kanjani ukhonze uNkulunkulu? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹² Abantu abaningi baye bathola ukuthi ukuphila ukuphila okulula akubenzi bajabule nje kuphela kodwa kubanika nesikhathi esengeziwe sokukhonza uJehova. UJack, ohlala e-United States, wadayisa indlu yakhe enkulu nebhizinisi lakhe ukuze akwazi ukuphayona nomkakhe. Uthi: “Kwakunzima ukushiya indlu yethu enhle nezinto esasinazo kuleyo ndawo. Nokho, ngangibuya ekhaya ngicindezelekile ngenxa yezinkinga zasemsebenzini. Umkami oyiphayona elivamile wayehlale ejabule. Wayevame ukuthi, ‘Umqashi wami ubedlula bonke!’ Manje, njengoba nami sengiphayona, sobabili sesisebenzela uMuntu oyedwa, uJehova.”

13. Singayihlola kanjani indlela esibheka ngayo imali?

¹³ Ukuze sihlole indlela esibheka ngayo imali, kufanele siphendule le mibuzo ngokwethembeka: ‘Ngiyakukholelwa yini lokho okushiwo iBhayibheli mayelana nemali futhi ngiphile ngakho? Ingabe ngiphilela ukwenza imali? Ingabe ngithanda kakhulu izinto ezibonakalayo kunoNkulunkulu nabantu? Ngiyamethemba yini uJehova ukuthi uzozinakekela izidingo zami?’ Singaqiniseka ngokuthi ngeke abadumaze labo abathembela kuye.—Math. 6:33.

14. Yimuphi umbono ofanele mayelana nokuzijabulisa?

¹⁴ Njengoba kwabikezelwa, abantu abaningi namuhla ‘bathanda injabulo.’ Njengoba kungekubi ukuba nombono ofanele mayelana nokuzithanda nemali, akukubi ukuba nombono olinganiselwe mayelana nokuzijabulisa. UJehova akafuni ukuba sizincishe noma sigweme izinto ezihlanzekile ezingasijabulisa. IBhayibheli linikeza lesi seluleko kwabathembekile: “Hamba, udle ukudla kwakho ngokujabula, uphuze iwayini lakho ngenhliziyo enhle.”—UmSh. 9:7.

15. Eyesibili kuThimothewu 3:4 ikhuluma ngohlobo olunjani lwenjabulo?

¹⁵ Eyesibili kuThimothewu 3:4 ikhuluma ngabantu abathanda injabulo kunokuthanda  uNkulunkulu. Phawula ukuthi leli vesi alisho ukuthi abantu bayothanda kakhulu injabulo kunoNkulunkulu noma ukuthi bayomthanda kancane uNkulunkulu. Kunalokho lithi, “kunokuba abathandi bakaNkulunkulu.” Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sabhala: “Lokhu [noma leli vesi] akusho nakancane ukuthi bathanda uNkulunkulu ngezinga elithile. Kusho ukuthi abamthandi nhlobo uNkulunkulu.” Ngempela lesi yisixwayiso esiqatha kulabo abathanda injabulo ngokungafanele! Inkulumo ethi “abathandi benjabulo” ichaza kahle labo ‘abathathwa . . . yinjabulo yalokhu kuphila.’​—Luka 8:14.

16, 17. Yisiphi isibonelo uJesu asibeka mayelana nenjabulo?

¹⁶ UJesu wabonisa ukuthi unombono ofanele mayelana nenjabulo. Waya ‘edilini lomshado’ ‘nasedilini elikhulu lokumamukela.’ (Joh. 2:1-10; Luka 5:29) Emshadweni, wenza isimangaliso washintsha amanzi aba iwayini, enezela ewayinini elase liphelile. Kanti kwelinye idili walahla imibono yababezibona belungile, bemgxeka ngokudla nokuphuza.​—Luka 7:33-36.

¹⁷ Nokho, uJesu akazange agxile ekuzijabuliseni. Wabeka uJehova kuqala futhi wazinikela ngokungaphezi ngenxa yabanye. Ngokuzithandela wakhuthazelela ukufa okubuhlungu esigxotsheni ukuze abantu abaningi bakwazi ukuthola ukuphila. Ebhekisela kulabo ababeyolandela ezinyathelweni zakhe, uJesu wathi: “Niyajabula lapho abantu benihlambalaza, benishushisa futhi besho yonke inhlobo yento embi ngani, beniqambela amanga ngenxa yami. Jabulani nigxumagxume ngenjabulo, ngoba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini; ngoba babashushisa ngaleyo ndlela abaprofethi ngaphambi kwenu.”​—Math. 5:11, 12.

18. Yimiphi imibuzo ezosisiza sihlole ukuthi siyithanda kangakanani injabulo?

¹⁸ Singazihlola kanjani ukuze sibone ukuthi siyithanda kangakanani injabulo? Senza kahle ngokuzibuza: ‘Ingabe ukuzijabulisa kuza kuqala kunokuya emihlanganweni nasenkonzweni yasensimini? Ingabe ngizimisele ukuzithiba ukuze ngikhonze uNkulunkulu? Lapho ngikhetha izinto engizozijabulisa ngazo, ingabe ngiyazibuza ukuthi uJehova uzozibheka kanjani izinqumo zami?’ Uma simthanda ngempela uNkulunkulu, sizogwema hhayi nje kuphela izinto esaziyo ukuthi azimjabulisi kodwa nezinto esisola sengathi ngeke zimjabulise.​—Funda uMathewu 22:37, 38.

19. Abantu abanjani abangasoze bajabula?

¹⁹ Sekuphele iminyaka engu-6 000 isintu sihlupheka futhi maduze izwe likaSathane lizobhujiswa. Umhlaba ugcwele abantu abazithanda ngendlela engafanele, abathanda imali nenjabulo ngokungafanele. Bangabantu abalangazelela ukuthola noma yini abangayithola, abaphilela ukwanelisa izifiso zabo. Abantu abanjalo ngeke baze bajabule. Kunalokho, kunjengoba umhubi abhala: “Uyajabula lowo olusizo lwakhe lunguNkulunkulu kaJakobe, Othemba lakhe likuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe.”—IHu. 146:5.

20. Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kukulethele kanjani injabulo?

²⁰ Uthando lwabantu bakaJehova ngaye luyakhula futhi nabantu bakhe bayanda unyaka nonyaka. Lobu ubufakazi bokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyabusa nokuthi maduze uzolethela abantu izibusiso. Injabulo yangempela nehlala njalo siyithola ngokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu nokwazi ukuthi sijabulisa Ophezu Konke. Labo abathanda uJehova bayojabula phakade! Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizofunda ngomehluko okhona phakathi kwabantu abakhonza uJehova nalabo abangamkhonzi.