1, 2. Isiphi iseluleko uJesu asinika abaphostoli bakhe, futhi kungani enza kanjalo?

KWAKUNGONYAKA ka-32 C.E. UJesu wayesesifundeni saseGalile lapho kuphakama inkinga. Abambalwa kubaphostoli bakhe babephikisana ngokuthi ngubani omkhulu kubo. Umlobi weVangeli, uLuka, uyabika: “Bafikelwa umcabango wokuthi ngubani okungenzeka ukuthi mkhulu kunabo bonke. UJesu, ewazi umcabango wezinhliziyo zabo, wathatha umntwana omncane, wammisa eceleni kwakhe wathi kubo: ‘Noma ubani owamukela lo mntwana ngegama lami uyangamukela nami, futhi noma ubani ongamukelayo uyamamukela nalowo ongithumile. Ngoba lowo oziphatha njengomncane phakathi kwenu nonke nguye omkhulu.’” (Luka 9:46-48) Ngesineke kodwa ngokuqinile, uJesu wasiza abaphostoli ukuba babone ukubaluleka kokuthobeka.

² Ingabe iseluleko sikaJesu sokuziphatha njengomncane sasihambisana nezindinganiso zamaJuda ekhulu lokuqala? Noma ingabe sasiphambene nomoya owawuvamile phakathi kwawo? Ikhuluma ngezimo zezenhlalo zangaleso sikhathi, i-Theological Dictionary of the New Testament iyachaza: “Kuzo zonke izindaba, wawuphakama njalo umbuzo wokuthi ubani omkhulu, kwakubalulekile kumuntu ngamunye ukuba anikezwe udumo olumfanele futhi lokhu kwakuyinto eyayibakhathaza njalo.” UJesu wayeluleka abaphostoli bakhe ukuba bahluke eningini.

3. (a) Ukuziphatha njengomncane kusho ukuthini, futhi kungani kungase kube inselele kithi ukuziphatha ngaleyo ndlela? (b) Imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngokuhlakulela umoya wokuba omncane?

³ Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “omncane” lisho umuntu onesizotha, othobekile, ophansi, ongabalulekile, noma obhekwa njengongelutho nomuntukazana. UJesu wasebenzisa umntwana omncane ukuze akwenze kucace kubaphostoli bakhe ukuthi  kufanele bathobeke futhi babe nesizotha. Leso seluleko sisasebenza kumaKristu eqiniso namuhla ngendlela efanayo nasekhulwini lokuqala. Singase sikuthole kuyinselele ukuziphatha njengabancane—okungenani ezimweni ezithile. Ukuthambekela komuntu ekuqhosheni kungase kusishukumisele ukuba sifune ukuvelela. Umoya wokuncintisana esiphila kuwo nomoya wezwe ungase usithonye ukuba siqhoshe, sibe nochuku noma sixhaphaze abanye. Yini engasisiza ukuba sihlakulele umoya wokuba omncane? Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ‘omncane phakathi kwethu’ kube ‘nguye omkhulu’? Iziphi izici zokuphila okufanele silwele ukubonisa umoya wokuthobeka kuzo?

4, 5. Yini engasishukumisela ukuba sihlakulele ukuthobeka? Bonisa.

⁴ Enye indlela yokuhlakulela ukuthobeka iwukucabanga ngobukhulu bukaJehova uma eqhathaniswa nathi. Empeleni, “ukuqonda kwakhe akuphenyeki.” (Isaya 40:28) Ekhuluma ngezici ezithile zobukhulu bukaJehova, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “O ukujula kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukuthi zingezingaphenyeki kanjani izahlulelo zakhe nokuthi zingezingenakuthungathwa kanjani izindlela zakhe!” (Roma 11:33) Nakuba ulwazi lomuntu ngezinto eziningi luye lwakhula kakhulu kusukela uPawulu aloba lawo mazwi eminyakeni engaba ngu-2 000 edlule, lawo mazwi aseyiqiniso namanje. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuningi kangakanani esesikwazi, kufanele kusenze sithobeke ukuqaphela ukuthi akunamkhawulo lokho esingakufunda ngoJehova, imisebenzi yakhe nangezindlela zakhe.

⁵ Ukuqaphela ukuthi kumane nje kuyinto esingenakuyifinyelela ukuhlola izindlela zikaNkulunkulu kwasiza uLeo * ukuba azibheke njengomncane. Ngesikhathi esemusha, uLeo wayekhangwa kakhulu isayensi. Efisa ukuqonda okuningi ngangokunokwenzeka ngendawo yonke, wafunda isayensi yokuma kwezinto ezisemkhathini futhi wafinyelela isiphetho esibalulekile. Uthi: “Ngokwalokho engangikufunda, ngaqaphela ukuthi cishe imibono yesayensi ekhona njengamanje ayinakumsiza umuntu ukuba ayiqonde ngokuphelele indawo yonke. Ngakho ngashintshela ekufundeni ezomthetho.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uLeo waba ummeli wesifunda futhi kamuva waba ijaji lasenkantolo. Ekugcineni, yena nomkakhe bafunda iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova, bamukela iqiniso futhi baba izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikezele. Naphezu kwesizinda sakhe, yini eye yasiza uLeo ukuba aziphathe njengomncane? Uphendula ngokunganqikazi, “Ukuqaphela ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sifunda kangakanani ngoJehova nendawo yonke,  kulokhu kunokuningi okusha okutholakala kuyo.”

6, 7. (a) UJehova usinikeza siphi isibonelo esikhexisayo sokuthobeka? (b) Ukuthobeka kukaNkulunkulu kungamenza kanjani umuntu abe “mkhulu”?

⁶ Esinye isici esisiza ukuba sithobeke ukuthi uJehova ngokwakhe uthobekile. Cabanga ngalokhu: “Siyizisebenzi ezikanye noNkulunkulu.” (1 Kor. 3:9) Cabanga nje! UJehova, uNkulunkulu omkhulu ngokungenakuqhathaniswa, uyasihlonipha ngalokhu, ngokusinika ithuba lokufeza inkonzo yethu sisebenzisa iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Nakuba kunguYe okhulisa imbewu esiyihlwanyelayo futhi siyinisele, usinika isikhundla esihlonipheke kakhulu sokusebenza naye. (1 Kor. 3:6, 7) Akusona yini lesi isibonelo esikhexisayo sokuthobeka kukaNkulunkulu? Ngokuqinisekile, isibonelo sikaJehova sokuthobeka kufanele sibe yisikhuthazo esikhulu kumuntu ngamunye ukuba aziphathe njengomncane.

⁷ Isibonelo sikaNkulunkulu sokuthobeka saba nethonya elikhulu kumhubi uDavide. Wahlabelelela uJehova: “Uyonginika isihlangu sakho sensindiso, futhi ngukuthobeka kwakho okungenza ngibe mkhulu.” (2 Sam. 22:36) UDavide wathi ubukhulu ayenabo kwa-Israyeli wayebuthole ngenxa yokuthobeka kukaJehova—ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu wazehlisa noma wazithoba ukuze amnake. (IHu. 113:5-7) Ingabe kuhlukile ngathi? Ngokuphathelene nezimfanelo, amakhono namalungelo, yini esinayo ‘esingazange siyamukele’ kuJehova? (1 Kor. 4:7) Umuntu oziphatha njengomncane “mkhulu” ngoba uba usizo kakhulu njengenceku kaJehova. (Luka 9:48) Ake sicabangele ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani lokhu.

8. Ukuthobeka kunamuphi umthelela esimweni sethu sengqondo ngenhlangano kaJehova?

⁸ Kudingeka ukuthobeka ukuze saneliseke enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu engokwasezulwini futhi sisekele ilungiselelo lebandla. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoPetra, owesifazane osemusha owakhulela emkhayeni woFakazi. Efuna ukwenza umathanda, uPetra wazihlukanisa nebandla. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, wabuye waqala ukuhlanganyela nebandla. Manje akeve ejabule ngokuba senhlanganweni kaJehova futhi usekela ilungiselelo lebandla ngokukhulu ukulangazela. Yini ayenza ngokuhlukile kulesi sikhathi? Uyabhala, “Ukuze ngizizwe ngisekhaya enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu, kimi kuye kwadingeka ngiqonde futhi ngihlakulele izimfanelo ezimbili ezibaluleke kakhulu eziwukuthobeka nesizotha.”

9. Isiphi isimo sengqondo umuntu othobekile anaso ngokudla okungokomoya esikutholayo, futhi kungani lokho kumenza abe usizo ngokwengeziwe?

⁹ Umuntu othobekile uwazisa ngokusuka enhliziyweni amalungiselelo kaJehova, kuhlanganise nokudla okungokomoya. Ngakho, umuntu onjalo ungumfundi okhuthele weBhayibheli ne-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Njengezinye izinceku zikaJehova eziningi ezithembekile, angase akwenze umkhuba ukufunda incwadi ngayinye entsha ngaphambi kokuyibeka eshalofini emtatsheni wakhe. Lapho sibonisa ukwazisa ngokuthobeka sifunde futhi sitadishe izincwadi zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, siyathuthuka ngokomoya futhi uJehova uyakwazi ukusisebenzisa ngokugcwele enkonzweni yakhe.—Heb. 5:13, 14.

10. Singasibonisa kanjani isimo sengqondo sokuba omncane ebandleni?

¹⁰ Lowo oziphatha njengomncane “mkhulu” futhi nangenye indlela. Wonke amabandla anamadoda afanelekayo amiswe ngokuqondisa komoya ongcwele kaJehova ukuba akhonze njengabadala. Ahlela izinto ezingokomoya ezinjengemihlangano yebandla, inkonzo yasensimini nomsebenzi wokwalusa. Lapho  sibonisa isimo sengqondo sokuba omncane ngokuwasekela ngokuzithandela la malungiselelo, senezela enjabulweni, ekuthuleni nasebunyeni bebandla. (Funda amaHebheru 13:7, 17.) Uma ukhonza njengomdala noma inceku ekhonzayo, awumbongi yini ngokuthobeka uJehova ngokukuphathisa ilungelo elinjalo lenkonzo?

11, 12. Isiphi isimo sengqondo esiyosenza sibe usizo ngokwengeziwe enhlanganweni kaJehova, futhi kungani kunjalo?

¹¹ Lowo oziphatha njengomncane “mkhulu” noma uwusizo ngokwengeziwe enhlanganweni kaJehova, ngoba ukuthobeka kwakhe kumenza abe inceku kaNkulunkulu ewusizo. UJesu kwadingeka ukuba eluleke abafundi bakhe ukuba baziphathe njengabancane ngoba abanye babo babethonywe umoya owawukhona osukwini lwakhe. ULuka 9:46 uthi: “Bafikelwa umcabango wokuthi ngubani okungenzeka ukuthi mkhulu kunabo bonke.” Kungenzeka yini ukuba nathi siqale ukucabanga ukuthi ngandlela-thile singcono kunabakhulekeli esikanye nabo noma siphakeme kunabo bonke abanye abantu? Abaningi ezweni esiphila kulo bashukunyiswa ukuqhosha nobugovu. Masigweme abantu abaqhoshayo ngokuziphatha ngokuthobeka. Lapho senza kanjalo futhi sibeka intando kaJehova kuqala, siba abangane abaqabulayo kubafowethu nodadewethu.

¹² Iseluleko sikaJesu sokuziphatha njengabancane sithinta inhliziyo ngempela. Akufanele yini silwele ukubonakalisa umoya wokuba omncane kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwethu? Ake sicabangele ngokukhethekile izici ezintathu.

13, 14. Indoda noma inkosikazi kufanele iziphathe kanjani njengomncane, futhi lokhu kungawuthinta kanjani umshado?

¹³ Emshadweni. Abantu abaningi namuhla bakhathazeke kakhulu ngamalungelo abo kangangokuthi bawafuna ngenkani ngisho noma ukwenza kanjalo kulimaza amalungelo abanye. Nokho, umuntu oziphatha njengomncane uqondiswa isimo sengqondo uPawulu akhuthaza ukuba sibe naso. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, uthi: “Masiphishekele izinto ezibangela ukuthula nezinto ezakhayo komunye nomunye.” (Roma 14:19) Umuntu oziphatha njengomncane uphishekela ukuthula nawo wonke umuntu ikakhulukazi nomngane wakhe womshado amazisayo.

¹⁴ Cabangela iphuzu lokuzilibazisa. Kungase kwehluke lokho umbhangqwana okukhethayo endabeni yokuzijabulisa. Mhlawumbe umyeni uthanda ukuzihlalela buthule ekhaya ngesikhathi sakhe esikhululekile afunde incwadi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, inkosikazi ingase ikhethe ukuphuma iyodla ngaphandle noma ivakashele abangane. Bekungeke yini kwenze izinto zibe lula ngenkosikazi ukuba ihloniphe umyeni wayo lapho ibona ukuthi ubonisa ukuthobeka futhi uyazicabangela izinto ezithandayo nengazithandi kunokukhathalela kuphela lokho okuthandwa uyena? Yeka ukuthi umyeni umthanda futhi amazise kangakanani umkakhe uma ebona ukuthi akazami ukuba kwenzeke intando yakhe kodwa uyazicabangela izifiso zakhe! Isibopho somshado siyaqina lapho umngane ngamunye womshado eziphatha njengomncane.—Funda eyabaseFilipi 2:1-4.

15, 16. Isiphi isimo sengqondo uDavide asitusa kumaHubo 131, futhi kufanele siyithinte kanjani indlela esiziphatha ngayo ebandleni?

¹⁵ Ebandleni. Ezweni, abantu abaningi baphishekela ukuba izifiso zabo zaneliswe ngokushesha. Kubo, ukubekezela kuyinto abangenayo nokulinda kuyinselele. Ukuhlakulela umoya wokuba omncane kusisiza ukuba silinde uJehova. (Funda iHubo 131:1-3.) Izinzuzo zokuthobeka nokulinda uJehova ziwukulondeka nezibusiso,  ukuthula kwangaphakathi nokwaneliseka. Shono uDavide akhuthaza ama-Israyeli akubo ukuba alinde uNkulunkulu ngesineke!

¹⁶ Ungase uthole induduzo efanayo lapho ulinda uJehova ngokuthobeka. (IHu. 42:5) Mhlawumbe “ufisa umsebenzi omuhle” futhi ngenxa yalokho ‘uzama ukufinyelela ukuba umbonisi.’ (1 Thim. 3:1-7) Yebo, kufanele wenze konke okunengqondo ongakwenza ukuba uvumele umoya ongcwele uveze kuwe izimfanelo ezidingwa umbonisi. Kodwa kuthiwani uma kubonakala sengathi kuwe kuthatha isikhathi eside kunakwabanye? Umuntu ongomncane, olilinda ngesineke ilungelo lenkonzo, uyoqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ngenjabulo futhi ejabulela noma isiphi isabelo asinikezwayo.

17, 18. (a) Iziphi izinzuzo eziba khona lapho sicela intethelelo futhi sizimisele ukuthethelela abanye? (b) Iyiphi inkambo etuswa izAga 6:1-5?

¹⁷ Ebuhlotsheni bethu nabanye. Abantu abaningi bakuthola kunzima ukuxolisa. Nokho, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zihlakulela umoya wokuba omncane ngokuvuma amaphutha azo bese zicela intethelelo. Zikulungele nokuthethelela abanye iziphambeko zabo. Nakuba ukuqhosha kudala ukwahlukana nombango, ukuthethelela kuthuthukisa ukuthula ebandleni.

¹⁸ ungase kudingeke ‘sizithobe’ sixolise ngobuqotho komunye umuntu lapho kumelwe sephule isivumelwano esisenzile ngenxa yezimo ezingaphezu kwamandla ethu. Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi akuyena obangele leso simo, umKristu othobekile akawathalalisi amaphutha akhe futhi uzimisele ukuwavuma.—Funda izAga 6:1-5.

19. Iziphi izizathu okufanele zenze ngamunye wethu abonge ukuthi iBhayibheli liseluleka ukuba siziphathe njengabancane?

¹⁹ Yeka ukuthi sibonga kanjani ngesikhuthazo esingokomBhalo sokuhlakulela umoya wokuba omncane! Nakuba ngezinye izikhathi singase sikuthole kunzima ukubonisa umoya onjalo, ukuba nombono oqondile ngesikhundla sethu uma siqhathaniswa noMdali wethu kanye nokwazisa ukuthobeka kwakhe kungasishukumisela ukuba siyihlakulele le mfanelo enhle. Ngokwenza kanjalo, ngempela siyozibonakalisa siwusizo ngokwengeziwe njengezinceku zikaJehova. Khona-ke, kwangathi ngamunye kithi angaziphatha njengomncane.