1, 2. Kungani uPawulu ayekwazi ukuzwelana nababuthakathaka?

SONKE sike sizizwe sibuthakathaka ngezinye izikhathi. Umkhuhlane noma izinto ezithile umzimba ongezwani nazo kungase kusenze sibe buthaka size sikuthole kunzima ukwenza imisebenzi yethu yansuku zonke. Manje, zicabange uzizwa ubuthakathaka, hhayi isonto elilodwa noma amabili, kodwa izinyanga zilandelana. Uma ukuleso simo, ubungeke yini ujabule uma abanye bezwelana nawe?

² Umphostoli uPawulu wayazi ukuthi kunjani ukuhlushwa noma ngisho nokwenziwa buthaka izingcindezi ezivela ngaphakathi ebandleni noma kubantu bangaphandle. Izikhathi eziningi waba nomuzwa wokuthi usebekezele kwaze kwanela. (2 Kor. 1:8; 7:5) Lapho ecabanga ngokuphila kwakhe nobunzima obuningi ayebhekane nabo njengomKristu othembekile, uPawulu wavuma: “Ubani obuthakathaka, ngingabi buthakathaka nami?” (2 Kor. 11:29) Ngokuphathelene namalungu ahlukahlukene ebandla lobuKristu, afaniswa namalungu omzimba womuntu, uPawulu wathi lawo “abonakala sengathi abuthakathaka kakhudlwana ayadingeka.” (1 Kor. 12:22) Wayesho ukuthini? Kungani kudingeka sibheke labo ababonakala bebuthakathaka ngendlela uJehova ababheka ngayo?  Ukubabheka ngaleyo ndlela kuyosizuzisa kanjani?

3. Yini engase ithonye umbono wethu ngalabo abadinga usizo ebandleni?

³ Siphila ezweni elinabantu abathanda ukuncintisana abavame ukuqhakambisa amandla nobusha. Abaningi benza noma yini ukuze bathole abakufunayo, ngokuvamile belimaza imizwa yabantu ababuthakathaka. Asikuthetheleli ukuziphatha okunjalo, noma kunjalo singase sizithole sesinombono ongemuhle ngalabo abadinga usizo njalo, ngisho nabasebandleni. Kodwa singawuhlakulela umbono onokulinganisela ngokwengeziwe, onjengokaNkulunkulu.

4, 5. (a) Umfanekiso okweyoku-1 Korinte 12:21-23 usisiza kanjani ukuba siqonde umbono kaJehova ngobuthakathaka bobuntu? (b) Singazuza kanjani ngokusiza ababuthakathaka?

⁴ Umfanekiso osencwadini yokuqala uPawulu ayibhalela abaseKorinte ungasisiza ukuba siqonde indlela uJehova abubheka ngayo ubuthakathaka bobuntu. Esahlukweni 12, uPawulu usikhumbuza ukuthi ngisho nelungu lomzimba elingakhangi noma elibuthakathaka kunamanye linomsebenzi walo. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 12:12, 18, 21-23.) Abanye babantu abakholelwa ekuziphendukeleni kwemvelo baye balingabaza leli qiniso. Noma kunjalo, lokho okuye kwatholakala lapho kuhlolwa ukwakheka komzimba womuntu kubonisa ukuthi amalungu omzimba ake abhekwa njengangenamsebenzi empeleni enza imisebenzi ebalulekile. * Ngokwesibonelo, abanye baye bangabaza ukuthi uzwane oluncane luwusizo; nokho, manje kuyaqashelwa ukuthi luyasiza ekuzimeleleni kwawo wonke umzimba.

⁵ Umfanekiso kaPawulu uqokomisa ukuthi wonke amalungu ebandla lobuKristu awusizo. Ngokungafani noSathane, owehlisa isithunzi sabantu, uJehova ubheka zonke izinceku zakhe, kuhlanganise nalezo ezibonakala zibuthaka, ‘njengezidingekayo.’ (Jobe 4:18, 19) Lowo mcabango kufanele usize ngamunye kithi ukuba azizwe kangcono ngendima yakhe ebandleni akulo nangokuba yingxenye yebandla labantu bakaNkulunkulu lomhlaba wonke. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngesikhathi oye welulela ngaso ingalo yakho uphasa umuntu osekhulile owayedinga usizo. Mhlawumbe kwadingeka ukuba wehlise ijubane ohamba ngalo. Ingabe ukumsiza akuzange kufeze injongo ebalulekile futhi kwakwenza wazizwa kangcono nawe? Yebo, lapho sisabela ezidingweni zabanye, sithola injabulo ngokubakhathalela, futhi lokho kukhulisa ukubekezela, uthando nokuvuthwa kithi. (Efe. 4:15, 16) UBaba wethu onothando uyazi ukuthi ibandla elazisa wonke amalungu alo, naphezu kobuthakathaka bawo, libonisa uthando nokulinganisela okuhle.

6. UPawulu walisebenzisa kanjani igama elithi “buthakathaka” nelithi “namandla” ngezinye izikhathi?

⁶ Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi lapho ebhalela abaseKorinte, uPawulu wasebenzisa igama elithi “buthakathaka” lapho ebhekisele endleleni abantu ababengakholwa ababebheka ngayo amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala nasendleleni yena ayezizwa ngayo ngaye ngokwakhe. (1 Kor. 1:26, 27; 2:3) Lapho uPawulu ekhuluma ngalabo ‘ababenamandla,’ wayengahlosile ukwenza ukuba amanye amaKristu azizwe ephakeme kunamanye. (Roma 15:1) Kunalokho, wayethi amaKristu ayesenesikhathi eside eseqinisweni kufanele awabekezelele lawo ayengakagxili kahle eqinisweni.

7. Yini engase isithiye singabasizi abantu abaswele?

⁷ Lapho sisiza umuntu “ophansi,” asigcini nje ngokulingisa uJehova kodwa futhi lokho  kusenza samukeleke kuye. (IHu. 41:1; Efe. 5:1) Nokho, kuyavunywa ukuthi ukuba nombono ongemuhle ngabantu abaswele ngezinye izikhathi kungasithiya ukuba sibasize. Noma ngenxa yokungaqiniseki ngalokho okufanele sikusho, singase sizizwe sinamahloni bese sibabalekela abantu abathile abasebunzimeni. UCynthia, * udade owashiywa umyeni, uthi: “Uma abazalwane bekugwema noma bengenzi ngendlela obungalindela ukuba abangane abaseduze benze ngayo, kungakulimaza. Uma ubhekene nobunzima obuthile, uyabadinga abantu eduze kwakho.” UDavide wasendulo wayewazi umuzwa wokugwenywa.—IHu. 31:12.

8. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sibe nozwela ngokwengeziwe?

⁸ Cishe siyoba nozwela ngokwengeziwe uma sikhumbula ukuthi abanye babafowethu nodadewethu babuthaka nje kungenxa yezimo ezingezinhle ababhekene nazo—impilo ebuthaka, ukuhlala emkhayeni ohlukene ngokwenkolo noma ukucindezeleka ngokomzwelo. Nathi singazithola sisesimweni esifanayo ngolunye usuku. Ngaphambi kokungena eZweni Lesithembiso, ama-Israyeli ayempofu futhi ebuthakathaka ezweni laseGibhithe, akhunjuzwa ukuthi akufanele ‘azenze lukhuni izinhliziyo zawo’ kubafowabo abahluphekile. UJehova wayelindele ukuba abheke abampofu njengabakufanelekelayo ukusizwa.—Dut. 15:7, 11; Lev. 25:35-38.

9. Yini okufanele ize kuqala kithi lapho sisiza labo ababhekene nobunzima? Bonisa.

⁹ Kunokuba sibahlulele noma sibazindlekele abantu ababhekene nezimo ezibuhlungu, kufanele sibanike induduzo engokomoya. (Jobe 33:6, 7; Math. 7:1) Ngokwesibonelo: Lapho umshayeli wesithuthuthu olimele engozini yomgwaqo efika egunjini labezimo eziphuthumayo, ingabe ithimba lezokwelapha liye lizame ukuthola ukuthi ubani obangele leyo ngozi? Cha, limnikeza ngokushesha usizo lwezokwelapha aludingayo. Ngokufanayo, uma esikholwa naye eye wenziwa buthakathaka izinkinga zomuntu siqu, into okufanele ifike kuqala kithi ukumnikeza usizo olungokomoya.—Funda eyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:14.

10. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba abanye ababonakala bebuthakathaka empeleni babe “abacebile okholweni”?

¹⁰ Uma singake sime sicabange ngezimo zabafowethu, singase sikubone ngendlela ehlukile lokho okubonakala kuwubuthakathaka. Cabanga ngodadewethu osekuyiminyaka eminingi bekhuthazelela ukuphikiswa emikhayeni. Abanye bangase babukeke bephansi futhi bentekenteke, kodwa babonisa ukholo oluvelele namandla angaphakathi. Lapho ubona umama ongayedwa eba khona njalo emihlanganweni nengane noma izingane zakhe, awuhlatshwa yini umxhwele ukholo nokuzimisela kwakhe? Kuthiwani ngentsha enamathela eqinisweni naphezu kwamathonya amabi ebhekana nawo esikoleni? Uma sithobekile, siyoqaphela ukuthi abantu abanjalo abangase babonakale bebuthakathaka, kungenzeka babe “abacebile okholweni” njengabanye phakathi kwethu abazimo zabo zingcono.—Jak. 2:5.

11, 12. (a) Yini eyosisiza ukuba silungise umbono wethu ngobuthakathaka bobuntu? (b) Sifundani endleleni uJehova asebenzelana ngayo no-Aroni?

¹¹ Ukuhlola indlela uJehova asingatha ngayo izindaba eziphathelene nezinye zezinceku zakhe kusisiza ukuba silungise umbono wethu ngobuthakathaka bobuntu ukuze ufane nowakhe. (Funda iHubo 130:3.) Ngokwesibonelo, ukube wawunoMose ngemva kokuba u-Aroni enze ithole legolide, wawuyozizwa kanjani ngezaba ezingathi shu azibeka? (Eks. 32:21-24) Noma, wawuyosibheka kanjani isimo sakhe sengqondo lapho egxeka uMose ngokushada nowesifazane wezizwe, ethonywe udadewabo uMiriyamu? (Num. 12:1, 2) Wawuyosabela kanjani lapho u-Aroni noMose benganiki uJehova udumo, ngesikhathi  ebanika amanzi ngokuyisimangaliso eMeriba?—Num. 20:10-13.

¹² Esimweni ngasinye, uJehova wayengamjezisa ngaso leso sikhathi u-Aroni. Kodwa waqaphela ukuthi wayengeyena umuntu omubi noma ukuthi wayengenzanga iphutha elikhulu. Kubonakala sengathi u-Aroni wavumela izimo noma ithonya labanye ukuba kumphambukise enkambweni efanele. Noma kunjalo, lapho eboniswa amaphutha akhe, wawavuma ngokushesha futhi wasekela izahlulelo zikaJehova. (Eks. 32:26; Num. 12:11; 20:23-27) UJehova wakhetha ukugxila okholweni luka-Aroni nasesimweni sakhe sengqondo sokuphenduka. Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, u-Aroni nenzalo yakhe babesakhunjulwa njengabantu ababemesaba uJehova.—IHu. 115:10-12; 135:19, 20.

13. Singayihlaziya kanjani indlela esibubheka ngayo ubuthakathaka bobuntu?

¹³ Ukuze silungise ukucabanga kwethu kufane nokukaJehova, kufanele sihlaziye umbono wethu ngalabo ababonakala bebuthakathaka. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ngokwesibonelo, sisabela kanjani lapho othile osemusha engakhethi ngokuhlakanipha kwezokuzijabulisa noma lapho ebonisa isimo sengqondo sokunganaki? Kunokumgxeka ngokweqile, kungani singacabangi ngalokho esingase sikwenze ukuze simsize akhulele ekuvuthweni? Singathatha isinyathelo kuqala sokusiza umuntu odinga usizo, futhi lapho senza kanjalo, uthando lwethu nokuqonda kwethu kuyakhula.

14, 15. (a) UJehova wazizwa kanjani ngokuntula kuka-Eliya isibindi okwesikhashana? (b) Isiphi isifundo esingasithola kulokho okwenzeka ku-Eliya?

¹⁴ Ukuqhathanisa ukucabanga kwethu nendlela uJehova asabela ngayo lapho ezinye zezinceku zakhe zidangele nakho kuyasisiza ukuba sibe nombono obanzi ngabanye. Enye yalezo zinceku u-Eliya. Nakuba aba nesibindi sokubhekana nabaprofethi bakaBhali abangu-450, wabaleka lapho ezwa ukuthi iNdlovukazi uJezebeli  yayifuna ukumbulala. Wahamba ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-150 eya eBheri-sheba, wabe esengena maphakathi nehlane. Ekhathele eyingcuba ngenxa yokuhamba elangeni elikhipha inhlanzi emanzini, lo mprofethi wahlala phansi kwesihlahla “wayesecela ukuba umphefumulo wakhe ufe.”—1 AmaKh. 18:19; 19:1-4.

¹⁵ UJehova wazizwa kanjani lapho ebheka esezulwini futhi ebona lo mprofethi wakhe othembekile egajwe usizi? Ingabe wayilahla inceku yakhe ngoba iye yacindezeleka futhi yaphelelwa isibindi okwesikhashana? Lutho neze! UJehova wakucabangela ukulinganiselwa kuka-Eliya futhi wathumela ingelosi. Kabili ingelosi yakhuthaza u-Eliya ukuba adle. Ukudla kwakuyokwenza uhambo lwakhe olulandelayo lungabi ‘ngaphezu kwamandla akhe.’ (Funda eyoku-1 AmaKhosi 19:5-8.) UJehova waqala ngokumlalela lo mprofethi nokuthatha izinyathelo ezingokoqobo zokumqinisa ngaphambi kokuba amnikeze noma isiphi isiqondiso.

16, 17. Singakulingisa kanjani ukukhathalela kukaJehova u-Eliya?

¹⁶ Singamlingisa kanjani uNkulunkulu wethu okhathalelayo? Akufanele sisheshe ukunikeza izeluleko. (IzAga 18:13) Kungcono ukuqale sizinike isikhathi sokuzwelana nalabo izimo zabo ezingabenza bacabange ukuthi ‘abahloniphekile kangako.’ (1 Kor. 12:23) Khona-ke siyoba sesimweni sokuthatha isinyathelo esifanele, kuye ngokwesidingo.

¹⁷ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoCynthia, okukhulunywe ngaye ngenhla, umyeni wakhe owamshiya namadodakazi abo amabili. Bazithola bebodwa. Basabela kanjani abanye oFakazi? Uyachaza: “Ngemva kokuba sibatshele okwenzekile ngocingo, bafika kungakadluli nemizuzu engu-45. Babekhala. Abazange basishiye sodwa phakathi nezinsuku ezimbili noma ezintathu zokuqala. Ngenxa yokuthi sasingadli kahle futhi sicindezeleke kakhulu, basithatha basiyisa emakhaya abo.” Cishe lokho kukukhumbuza lokho uJakobe akuloba: “Uma umzalwane noma udade ehamba-ze futhi entula ukudla okwanele lolo suku, nokho othile kini athi kuye: ‘Hamba ngokuthula, ufudumale futhi usuthe,’ kodwa ningamniki izidingo zomzimba wakhe, kunanzuzoni? Kanjalo, futhi, nokholo uma lungenayo imisebenzi, lufile.” (Jak. 2:15-17) Ngenxa yokuthi labo bazalwane nodade babasekela ngokushesha, lokho kwenza uCynthia namadodakazi akhe baba namandla okukhonza njengamaphayona asizayo ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha nje behlelwe yilowo mshophi.—2 Kor. 12:10.

18, 19. (a) Singabasiza kanjani labo ababuthakathaka okwesikhashana? (b) Obani abazuzayo lapho sisiza labo abazizwa bebuthakathaka?

¹⁸ Kungenzeka uyazi kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakho ukuthi kungathatha isikhathi eside ukululama esifweni esiwohloza umzimba. Ngokufanayo, umKristu oye wenziwa buthaka ubunzima aye wabhekana nabo noma izimo ezivivinya kakhulu angase adinge isikhathi ukuze abuye abe namandla ngokomoya. Yiqiniso, lowo esikholwa naye kuyodingeka ukuba aqinise ukholo lwakhe ngesifundo somuntu siqu, ukuthandaza neminye imisebenzi yobuKristu. Kodwa ingabe thina siyombekezelela aze asimame futhi? Ngesikhathi esalulama, ingabe siyoqhubeka simbonisa uthando? Ingabe siyolwela ukubasiza labo ababuthakathaka okwesikhashana ukuze bezwe uthando lobuKristu futhi bazizwe bebalulekile?—2 Kor. 8:8.

¹⁹ Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi njengoba sisekela abafowethu, sithola injabulo etholakala kuphela ngokupha. Ukubasekela kusisiza nokuba sihlakulele ukubonisa uzwela nokubekezela. Kodwa siyazuza nangezinye izindlela. Lonke ibandla liyakhula ekubonisaneni uzwela nothando. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sonke silingisa uJehova obheka umuntu ngamunye njengoyigugu. Yebo, sonke sinezizathu ezinhle zokwenza ngokuvumelana nesikhuthazo ‘sokusiza ababuthakathaka.’—IzE. 20:35.