1. Singakuthola njani ukuhlakanipha njalo kungasinceda njani?

UJEHOVA ulenhlakanipho emangalisayo njalo uyasinika ukuhlakanipha. UJakhobe 1:5 uthi: “Uma omunye wenu eswela ukuhlakanipha kumele acele kuNkulunkulu, obanikayo bonke ngokuphana engadinganga sici, uzakuphiwa.” Enye indlela esingathola ngayo ukuhlakanipha yikuvuma ukulaywa nguNkulunkulu. Ukwenza njalo kuzasisiza ukuthi sixwaye izinto ezimbi ezingaphambanisa ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. (Zaga. 2:10-12) Nxa sisenza njalo siyabe ‘sizigcina sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu’ njalo sizathola ukuphila okuphakade.​—Jud. 21.

2. Kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi sikuthande ukulaywa nguNkulunkulu?

² Isono esilaso lendlela esikhuliswe ngayo kungenza singakuthandi ukulaywa. Pho kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi sikuthande ukulaywa? Yikukhumbula ukuthi ukulaywa kuyasinceda njalo kutshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda. UZaga 3:11, 12 uthi: “Ndodana yami, ungeyisi ukulaya kukaJehova . . . ngokuba uJehova ulaya labo abathandayo.” Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda njalo ufuna sibe lempilo engcono. (Bala uHebheru 12:5-11.) UJehova uyasazi kuhle futhi kadlulisi amalawulo nxa esilaya. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngemicijo le: (1) ukuzikhuza, (2) indlela abazali  okumele balaye ngayo abantwana (3) ukulaywa ebandleni (4) lempumela yokungalaleli nxa silaywa.

3. Kuyini okungasiza umntwana afunde ukuzikhuza? Nika umzekeliso.

³ Ukuzikhuza kugoqela ukuzibamba ukuze senze okuyikho njalo sithuthukise indlela esicabanga ngayo. Kodwa akulamuntu ozalwa elakho ukuzikhuza sonke kumele sikusebenzele. Nanku umzekeliso: Nxa umntwana efunda ukutshova ibhayisikili umzali ujayele ukumbambela ukuze angawi. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umzali uyaliyekela ibhayisikili okwesikhatshana aphinde ambambele. Nxa angabona ukuthi umntwana usesenelisa ukuzitshovela, uyayekela ukumbambela. Lokhu kuyafanana lokulaya abantwana. Nxa abazali bezama ngazo zonke izindlela ukuthi bafundise abantwababo ‘ngokulaya kweNkosi’ bayabe bebasiza ukuthi bafunde ukuzikhuza njalo babe lokuhlakanipha.​—Efe. 6:4.

4, 5. (a) Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sizikhuze? (b) Kungani kungamelanga ukhalale lanxa ungaze ‘uwe kasikhombisa’?

⁴ Lokhu kuyasebenza lasemuntwini ofunde ngoJehova esekhulile. Angabe esenelisa ukuzikhuza ezintweni ezithile kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi uqinile ekukhonzeni. Lowomuntu kumele aqhubeke efunda ukuze abe lobuntu obunjengobukaKhristu. (Efe. 4:23, 24) Ukuzikhuza kuqakathekile ngoba kuyasisiza ukuthi sithuthuke ekukhonzeni. Kanti njalo kuyasinceda ukuthi sixwaye ‘izinkanuko zasemhlabeni, njalo siphile ngokuzikhuza, ngokuqonda empilweni yokulalela uNkulunkulu ngesikhathi samanje.’​—Tit. 2:12.

⁵ Sonke silesono njalo siyawenza amaphutha. (UmTshu. 7:20) Kodwa ukwenza iphutha akutsho ukuthi umuntu uyehluleka ukuzikhuza. UZaga 24:16 uthi: ‘Loba angaze awe kasikhombisa umuntu olungileyo uyavuka futhi.’ Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu yiwo kuphela ongenza olungileyo aphinde ‘avuke futhi.’ (Bala uFiliphi 4:13.) Kanti njalo uyasisiza lokuthi sibe lobuntu obuhle obugoqela ukuzithiba, uphawu oluhambela lokuzikhuza.

6. Kuyini okungasisiza ukuthi sithande ukubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁶ Okunye okungasisiza ukuthi sizikhuze yikuthandaza, ukubala iBhayibhili lokucabangisisa ngesikubalayo. Abanye abantu mdabuko wabo kabakuthandi ukubala. Kodwa kuyini ongakwenza nxa lawe unjalo? UJehova nguye ongakusiza ukuthi ubelesifiso sokubala iLizwi lakhe. (1 Phet. 2:2) Cela uJehova akusize uzikhuze ukuze uthole isikhathi sokubala iBhayibhili. Mhlawumbe okungakusiza yikuqalisa ngokubala amavesi amalutshwana. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kuyabe sekulula futhi uyabe usubala amavesi amanengi. Kanti njalo uzakukhwabitha okubalayo ngoba ingqondo yakho iyabe ingene yajula eLizwini likaNkulunkulu.​—1 Tim. 4:15.

7. Ukuzikhuza kungasinceda njani nxa kulolutho esihlela ukulwenza ekukhonzeni?

⁷ Ukuzikhuza kungakunceda kakhulu nxa kulento ohlela ukuyenza emsebenzini kaJehova. Cabanga ngesibonelo somunye umzalwane owayesehudula inyawo ekukhonzeni. Wathi ekunanzelela lokhu wasehlela ukuba liphayona lesikhathi sonke. Wathandaza kuJehova ngendaba le njalo wabala lezihloko ezikhuluma ngokuphayona ezaziphuma kubomagazini bethu. Konke lokhu kwakhulisa isifiso sakhe sokuphayona njalo kwaqinisa ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. Okunye ayekwenza yikuba liphayona elisizayo nxa isikhathi sivuma. Kazange avume ukuthi kube lolutho olumphambula kulokho ayehlela ukukwenza futhi ekucineni waba liphayona lesikhathi sonke.

8-10. Kuyini okungenziwa ngabazali ukuze basize abantwababo bakhonze uJehova? Nika isibonelo.

⁸ Abazali baphathiswe umsebenzi oligugu kakhulu wokondla abantwana “ngokufundisa langokulaya kweNkosi.” (Efe. 6:4) Abazali kumele babophe ziqine ukuze bakwenze lokhu ngoba siphila emhlabeni omubi. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Nxa umntwana ezalwa uyabe engakwazi okuhle lokubi futhi umzwangedwa wakhe uyabe udinga ukuqeqetshwa. (Rom. 2:14, 15) Omunye umlobi uthi ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukulaya” lilomqondo wokusiza umntwana ukuze kusasa abe ngubaba loba umama oyisibonelo esihle.

⁹ Ukulaya abantwana ngomusa langothando kwenza bazizwe bevikelekile. Kuyabasiza bakwazi ukuthi inkululeko abalayo ilemingcele lokuthi izenzo zingaba lempumela emihle loba emibi. Yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi abazali bacele uJehova abasize ukuze bakhulise kuhle abantwababo. Abazali kumele bahambisane lesikhathi ngoba izinto ziyantshintsha njalo izindlela zokukhulisa abantwana ziyatshiyana kusiya ngendawo abahlala kuyo. Loba kunjalo abazali bangaphumelela nxa bengavumela uJehova abaqondise kulokuthi basebenzise imicabango yabo loba ukukhalipha kwabo.

¹⁰ Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaNowa. Ngesikhathi ephiwa umsebenzi wokwakha umkhumbi kazange asebenzise ulwazi ayelalo ngoba kwakungumsebenzi ayengakaze awenze. Kwakumele athembele kuJehova njalo enze konke ayemtshela khona. (Gen. 6:22) Ukulalela kwamsiza uNowa ukuthi aphumelele emsebenzini ayewuphathisiwe njalo ukuthemba uJehova kwamenza waba yinhloko yemuli enhle kakhulu. Wabafundisa kuhle abantwabakhe njalo waba yisibonelo esihle kubo lanxa wayephila ngesikhathi esasigcwele ubudlwangudlwangu.​—Gen. 6:5.

11. Kungani kumele abazali basebenze nzima ukuze bakhulise abantwababo?

¹¹ Bazali lingasilingisela njani isibonelo sikaNowa? Khumbulani ukuthi indlela ibuzwa kwabaphambili. Ngakho lani zimiseleni ukulalela lokho okutshiwo nguJehova esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe lenhlanganiso yakhe. Nxa lingakwenza lokhu abantwabenu bazalibonga ngokuthi labakhulisa ngendlela kaJehova. Omunye umzalwane oleminyaka engu-21 uthi: “Ngiswele lokuthi ngibabonge ngithini abazali bami ngendlela abangikhulisa ngayo. Benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuthi bangifundise ngoJehova futhi yibo abangisiza ukuthi ngithuthuke ekukhonzeni.” Kwezinye izikhathi umntwana angakhetha ukwenza akutshelwa likhanda lakhe lanxa abazali bemfundise kuhle. Abazali abalabantwana abanjalo akumelanga bahlale bezithonisisa ngoba umlandu wabo wokufundisa umntwana bawufeza. Kodwa kumele bakhumbule ukuthi akulahlwa mbeleko ngokufelwa  ngoba umntwana lowo angacina ephenduka kuJehova.

12, 13. (a) Abazali bangatshengisa njani ukuthi bayamlalela uJehova nxa umntanabo angasuswa? (b) Kwabasiza njani abanye abazali ukulalela uJehova?

¹² Ukususwa komntwana ebandleni kujayele ukubahlupha abazali njalo kwenza abanye behluleke ukulalela uJehova. Ake sixoxe ngesibonelo somunye udadewethu olomntwana owasuka ngakibo ngemva kokususwa ebandleni. Umama lo uthi: “Lanxa amabhuku enhlanganiso ayecacile endabeni yokuphatha abantu abasusiweyo mina ngangidinga okuyizizatho kokuzigeza ukuze ngibe lomntanami kanye lomzukulu wami. Kodwa umkami wayehlala engikhuza ngomusa njalo engikhumbuza ukuthi kumele silandele lokho uJehova akutshoyo lokuthi umntanethu kasekho ngaphansi kwethu.”

¹³ Ngemva kweminyaka ethile umntanabo wabuyiselwa ekukhonzeni. Unina uthi: “Khathesi sengikhululekile ukukhuluma lomntanami njalo uyasihlonipha kakhulu ngokuthi senza lokho okufunwa nguJehova ngokungakhulumi laye ngesikhathi esusiwe.” Nxa ulomntwana osusiweyo khumbula amazwi la athi: “Themba kuJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi kokwakho ukuzwisisa.” (Zaga. 3:5, 6) UJehova ulothando kanye lenhlakanipho ejulileyo futhi kafuni ukuthi loba ngubani abhujiswe kuhlanganisa lomntanakho. Yikho wathumela uJesu ukuthi azosifela. (Bala u-2 Phetro 3:9.) Bazali mthembeni uJehova lilandele lokho akutshoyo lanxa kungabe kubuhlungu. Mvumeleni abalaye abantwabenu ngoba yena ujezisa ngendlela efaneleyo.

14. Kusisiza njani ukulaywa nguJehova esebenzisa “umphathi othembekileyo”?

¹⁴ UJehova wathembisa ukuthi uzalinakekela ibandla, alivikele njalo aliqondise. Lokhu ukwenza ngezindlela ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo wakhetha uJesu ukuthi abe yinhloko yebandla futhi uJesu wabeka “umphathi othembekileyo” ukuze asiphe ukudla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo. (Luk. 12:42) Konke esikuphiwa ngumphathi othembekileyo kuyasisiza kakhulu. Ikhona yini inkulumo owake wayizwa loba isihloko owake wasibala emabhukwini ethu esakufuqa ukuthi untshintshe indlela ophila ngayo? Nxa kwenzakala kuwe lokhu kumele ukuthi uyathokoza ngoba wavuma ukuthi uJehova akulaye.​—Zaga. 2:1-5.

15, 16. (a) Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sifunde okunengi kubadala? (b) Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze abadala bawukhwabithe umsebenzi wabo?

¹⁵ UKhristu wahlela lokuthi kube labadala ebandleni ukuze beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu. IBhayibhili libabiza ngokuthi ‘bayizipho ebantwini.’ (Efe. 4:8, 11-13) Singenzani ukuze sifunde okunengi emadodeni la? Okunye esingakwenza yikulingisela ukholo lwabo kanye lesibonelo sabo esihle. Kanti njalo kumele sibalalele nxa besilaya besebenzisa iBhayibhili. (Bala uHebheru 13:7, 17.) Abadala bayasithanda njalo bafuna sithuthuke ekukhonzeni. Nxa bengananzelela ukuthi kasisatshiseki njalo sesilova emihlanganweni bayasukumela phezulu ukuze basisize. Bazimisele ukusilalela ngesineke lokusikhuthaza ngamazwi alomusa kanye lokuseluleka besebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Wena uyakunanzelela yini ukuthi uJehova usebenzisa abadala ukuze atshengise ukuthi uyakuthanda?

¹⁶ Kwezinye izikhathi kuyabe kumele abadala baqunge isibindi ukuze basinike iseluleko. Ubona angani kwakulula yini ukuthi umphrofethi uNathani anike uDavida iseluleko ngesikhathi enze isono futhi ezama ukusifihla? (2 Sam. 12:1-14) Umphostoli uPhawuli laye kwakumele aqunge isibindi ukuze enelise ukukhuza umphostoli uPhetro ngenxa yobandlululo ayelwenza. (Gal. 2:11-14) Kuyini ongakwenza  ukuze umsebenzi wabadala ube lula? Thobeka njalo ube lomusa ukuze kube lula ukuthi bakhulume lawe. Okunye ongakwenza yikwamukela abakutshela khona njalo ukubone njengamazwi avela kuJehova atshengisa ukuthi uyakuthanda. Lokhu akusoze kusize wena kuphela kodwa kuzakwenza lomsebenzi wabo ube lula.

17. Abadala bebandla bamsiza njani omunye udadewethu?

¹⁷ Omunye udadewethu uthi izinto ezenzakala empilweni yakhe zazisenza kube nzima ukuthi athande uJehova. Uthi: “Ngangibindana lemicabango ngenxa yezimo engahlangana lazo lezinye nje ezenzakalayo. Ngakho ngabona kungcono ukuthi ngiyexoxa labadala bebandla. Abazange bangichothoze loba bangisole kodwa bangikhuthaza njalo bangiqinisa. Ngaso sonke isikhathi nxa sisemhlanganweni yebandla omunye wabo wayengilanda azoxoxa lami engibuza ukuthi ngizwa njani. Lokhu babekwenza lanxa babekhanya belokunengi abakwenzayo. Nxa ngangikhumbula izinto engadlula kuzo kwakunzima ukuthi ngikholwe ukuthi uJehova uyangithanda. Lanxa kunjalo uJehova usebenzisa abafowethu labodadewethu kanye labadala bebandla ukuze atshengise ukuthi ungithanda kangakanani. Ngimcela nsuku zonke uJehova ukuthi angisize ngingasuki kuye.”

18, 19. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi ukungalaleli nxa silaywa kuba lempumela ebuhlungu.

¹⁸ Ukuqinisa ikhanda nxa uphiwa iseluleko kuba lempumela ebuhlungu. (Heb. 12:11) Ubufakazi balokhu sibuthola kulokho okwenzakala kuKhayini loZedekhiya. Ngesikhathi uKhayini ezondele u-Abela uJehova wathi kuye: “Uzondeleni na? Kungani ubuso bakho buhlobile? Kambe ungaze wenze okulungileyo, kawuyikwamukelwa yini? Kodwa nxa ungenzi okulungileyo isono sicwathile emnyango wakho; sitshisekela ukukuthumba, kodwa kumele usahlule.” (Gen. 4:6, 7) UKhayini kazange alalele futhi wacina ebulele umfowabo. Lakanye walutheza olulenkume ngenxa yokungalaleli. (Gen. 4:11, 12) Aluba wazithoba wavuma ukwelulekwa nguJehova wayengasoze angene ebunzimeni.

¹⁹ UZedekhiya wayeyinkosi embi futhi wabusa ngesikhathi idolobho leJerusalema lisongelwa yizitha. Umphrofethi uJeremiya wamkhuza kanenginengi kodwa yena wala ukwamukela iseluleko. Laye wehlelwa yimpumela ebuhlungu ngenxa yokungalaleli. (Jer. 52:8-11) Lathi lamuhla uJehova uyasilaya ngoba kafuni singene ebunzimeni.​—Bala u-Isaya 48:17, 18.

20. Kuzakwenzakalani kulabo abavuma ukulaywa nguNkulunkulu lalabo abangavumiyo?

²⁰ Abantu lamuhla abavumi ukulaywa nguNkulunkulu futhi bakubona kuyibuthutha. Kodwa sekuseduze ukuthi bajeziswe ngenxa yokungalaleli kwabo. (Zaga. 1:24-31) Ngakho sonke kasizimiseleni ‘ukulalela ukuze sihlakaniphe.’ UZaga 4:13 uthi: “Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi; zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.”