1-3. (a) Yiziphi izinhlupho zemali ezikhathaza abantu abanengi lamuhla, njalo abanye bazilungisisa njani izinhlupho lezi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Ebantwini abayasebenza kwamanye amazwe, yikuphi ukukhathazeka okubakhona endabeni yokukhulisa abantwana?

 UMARILYN * uthi, “Umkami uJames wayebuya ediniwe nsuku zonke nxa evela emsebenzini, kodwa imali ayeyihola yayingeneli ukuthenga izinto esizidingayo. Ngangifuna ukumphungulela umthwalo wakhe njalo ngimncedise ukuthengela umntanethu uJimmy ezinye izinto ezinhle njengabanye abantwana ayefunda labo.” UMarilyn wayefuna lokuncedisa izihlobo zabo lokugcina imali ukwenzela kusasa. Abangane bakhe abanengi basebeyedinga imisebenzi kwamanye amazwe ukuze bathole imali enengi. Kodwa kunengi ayekunakana ngesikhathi esecabanga ukuthi aye kwelinye ilizwe. Ngenxa yani?

² UMarilyn wayesesaba ukutshiya imuli yakhe ayeyithanda kakhulu futhi kwakumkhathaza ukuthi wayengeke esakhonza uJehova ndawonye lemuli yakhe. Lanxa kunjalo wazitshela ukuthi abanye basebelesikhathi eside bekwamanye amazwe njalo izimuli zabo zazikhanya zisenza kuhle ekukhonzeni. Kodwa wayezibuza ukuthi wayezamkhulisa njani uJimmy yena ekhatshana. Wayezaphumelela yini ukondla indodana yakhe “ngokufundisa langokulaya kweNkosi,” esebenzisa i-Internet?​—Efe. 6:4.

³ UMarilyn wadinga abantu ababengamcebisa. Umkakhe wayengafuni ukuthi uMarilyn ahambe kodwa wayesithi kangeke amalise. Abadala kanye labanye ebandleni bamcebisa ukuthi angahambi,  kodwa odadewethu abathile bamkhuthaza ukuthi ahambe. Bathi kuye, “Nxa uyithanda imuli yakho uzahamba. Uzabe ulokhu umkhonza uJehova lanxa ukhonale.” Lanxa wayethandabuza, uMarilyn wacina evalelisa uJames loJimmy wayadinga umsebenzi kwelinye ilizwe. Wabathembisa wathi, “Angisoze ngihambe okwesikhathi eside.”

4. Kungani abanye besiya kwamanye amazwe, njalo ngobani abajayele ukucina benakekela abantwababo?

⁴ UJehova kathandi ukuthi izinceku zakhe zibe ngabayanga njalo lakudala abantu babesiya kwamanye amazwe nxa behlaselwe yindlala. (Hubo. 37:25; Zaga. 30:8) UJakhobe wathuma amadodana akhe eGibhithe ukuthi ayethenga ukudla ukuze bangahlaselwa yindlala. * (Gen. 42:1, 2) Lamuhla indlala kayisiyo ebangela ukuthi abanengi bahambe kwamanye amazwe. Abanye bangabe bethwele nzima ngokubhadala izikwelede ezinkulu. Abanye bayabe befuna ukuthuthukisa izimpilo zezimuli zabo. Ngenxa yokuwa kwezomnotho abanengi bacina behlala khatshana lezimuli zabo ukuze bathole imali, kungabe kuselizweni labo kumbe kwamanye amazwe. Bajayele ukutshiya abantwababo abancane begcinwe ngumzali oyedwa kumbe ngumntanabo omdala, ukhulu logogo, ezinye izihlobo, loba abangane. Abanengi bacabanga ukuthi kakukho okunye abangakwenza lanxa kubuhlungu ukuthi batshiye abatshade labo kumbe abantwana.

5, 6. (a) UJesu wafundisani mayelana lentokozo kanye lokuhlala kuhle? (b) UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bathandazele ziphi izinto? (c) UJehova usibusisa njani?

⁵ Ngesikhathi sikaJesu, abantu abanengi babeswela. Mhlawumbe babecabanga ukuthi babezathokoza njalo bahlale kuhle nxa bangaba lemali enengi. (Mak. 14:7) UJesu wayengafuni ukuthi abantu bathembele emalini. Kodwa wayefuna ukuthi bathembele kuJehova lapho okuvela khona inotho engapheliyo. ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu wakucacisa ukuthi intokozo kanye lokuhlala kuhle akuyi ngenotho esilayo kumbe imizamo yethu, kodwa kuya ngokuthi silobungane obunjani loBaba wethu osezulwini.

⁶ Emthandazweni wakhe oyisibonelo, uJesu wasifundisa ukuthi singathandazeli inotho, kodwa sithandazele “ukudla kwethu kwensuku zonke,” okutsho izidingo zethu zansuku zonke. Watshela ababemlalele wathi: ‘Lingazibutheli inotho emhlabeni. Kodwa zibutheleni inotho ezulwini.’ (Mat. 6:9, 11, 19, 20) Kumele sibe lethemba lokuthi uJehova uzasibusisa njengokusithembisa kwakhe. Ukusamukela kukaNkulunkulu akupheleli ekuthini siba ngabantu bakhe, kodwa uyasisekela ngakho konke esikufunayo ukuze siqhubeke siphila. Kuliqiniso ukuthi indlela eyodwa kuphela yokuthola intokozo kanye lokuhlala kuhle yikuthembela kuBaba wethu olothando kulokuthembela emalini.​—Bala uMathewu 6:24, 25, 31-34.

7. (a) UJehova unike bani umsebenzi wokukhulisa abantwana? (b) Kungani abazali kumele babekhona bonke ekukhuliseni abantwababo?

⁷ ‘Ukufuna kuqala ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu’ kugoqela ukuba lombono kaJehova mayelana lomlandu wokunakekela imuli. UMthetho kaMosi ulesimiso lesi esisebenza kuwo wonke amaKhristu: Abazali kumele bazifundisele abantwababo izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza. (Bala uDutheronomi 6:6, 7.) UNkulunkulu unike abazali umsebenzi wokufundisa abantwababo, kazange athi bafundiswe ngogogo labokhulu kumbe ngomunye umuntu nje. INkosi uSolomoni yathi: “Lalela, ndodana yami, izeluleko zikayihlo njalo ungadeli imfundiso kanyoko.” (Zaga. 1:⁠8) UJehova wayehlose ukuthi abazali babekhona bonke ukuze bancedisane ukufundisa abantwababo lokubalaya. (Zaga. 31:10, 27, 28) Izinto ezinengi ezifundwa ngabantwana, ikakhulu ezindabeni  zokukhonza bazifunda ngokuzwa nsuku zonke abazali babo bexoxa ngoJehova langokuzibonela izenzo zabo.

8, 9. (a) Kujayele ukwenzakalani nxa umzali ehlala khatshana lemuli yakhe? (b) Ukungahlali ndawonye kwemuli kuphambanisa njani ubuhlobo bayo kanye lokuziphatha?

⁸ Abahamba kwamanye amazwe baqala bacabangisise ngezingozi kanye lezinto ezizabalahlekela nxa betshiya izimuli zabo, kodwa balutshwana ababona ezinye izingozi ezicatshileyo. (Zaga. 22:3) * UMarilyn esanda kusuka, waqalisa ukuzwa ubuhlungu bokwehlukana lemuli yakhe. Umkakhe kanye lomntanakhe labo babebuzwa ubuhlungu lobu. Umntanakhe uJimmy wayehlala embuza esithi, “Kanti wangitshiyelani?” UMarilyn wayethe uhamba okwezinyanga nje, kodwa wathi esehlale iminyaka waqalisa ukukhathazeka ngenxa yokuthi wayesenanzelela ezinye izinto ezasezintshintsha emulini yakhe. UJimmy wayengaselandaba lonina njalo wayengasafuni lokumtshela indlela ayezizwa ngayo. UMarilyn wakhuluma edanile wathi, “Wayengasangithandi.”

⁹ Nxa abazali labantwana bengahlali ndawonye, lokhu kuphambanisa ubuhlobo babo kanye lokuziphatha kwabo. * Kuba lengozi enkulu kakhulu nxa umzali ehamba okwesikhathi eside futhi etshiya abantwana besesebancane. UMarilyn wachasisela uJimmy ukuthi wayengafuni ukumtshiya kodwa wayesiyamsebenzela ukuze athole konke akufunayo. Kodwa uJimmy yena wabona angani unina wayengelandaba laye. Ekuqaliseni wayezondile ukuthi unina umtshiyile. Kodwa kwakusithi unina angavakatsha, uJimmy acaphuke ukuthi ubuyeleni ekhaya. Wayesebona angani unina kalalungelo lokuthi alalelwe njalo athandwe njengoba kwandile lokhu ebantwaneni abangahlali labazali babo.​—Bala iZaga 29:15.

10. (a) Ukuthumezela abantwana izipho ukuze kungakhanyi ukuthi umzali kakho kubaphatha njani abantwana? (b) Kuyini abazali abangeke benelise ukukwenza nxa besondla abantwababo bekhatshana?

¹⁰ Loba nje uMarilyn wazama ukuthumezela umntanakhe imali kanye lezipho ukuze kungakhanyi ukuthi kakho, wacina esenanzelela ukuthi ulokhu ezehlukanisa laye njalo umfundisa ukuthi aqakathekise inotho kulokuqakathekisa ubuhlobo bemuli kanye lokukhonza uNkulunkulu. (Zaga. 22:6) UJimmy wayejayele ukutshela unina ukuthi, “Ungasaphenduki. Qhubeka ungithumezela izipho.” UMarilyn waqalisa ukunanzelela ukuthi wayengeke ondle indodana yakhe esebenzisa izincwadi, umakhalekhukhwini kumbe ukuxoxa laye kuvidiyo. Uthi, “Kawungeke ugone umntanakho  kumbe umqabuje esesiyalala usebenzisa i-Internet.”

11. (a) Kwenzakalani ebantwini abatshadileyo nxa omunye angayasebenza khatshana? (b) Kuyini okwenza omunye udadewethu wananzelela ukuthi sekumele abuyele ayehlala lemuli yakhe?

¹¹ UMarilyn wayengasamkhonzi kuhle uJehova njalo izinto zazingasahambi kuhle phakathi kwakhe lomkakhe, uJames. Isikhathi sokungena imihlangano yobuKhristu kanye lokutshumayela wayesithola kanye ngeviki kumbe angasitholi kwezinye izikhathi njalo kwakumele alwisane lomqhatshi wakhe owayefuna ukulala laye. UJames kanye loMarilyn babengekho ndawonye ukuthi batshelane okuyabe kubahlupha. Yikho-ke basebetshela abanye abantu imizwa yabo okokuthi baphosa bafeba lalabobantu. UMarilyn wananzelela ukuthi lanxa kuyikuthi yena lomkakhe abazange bafebe, ukungahlali kwabo ndawonye kwakuzakwenza ukuthi bangalandeli umlayo weBhayibhili wokuthi kumele batshelane imizwa yabo njalo banelisane emacansini. Babengeke batshelane abakucabangileyo noma yisiphi isikhathi, bakhangelane ngamehlo alothando, babambane izandla, bagonane, njalo babengeke “batshengisane uthando” kumbe bagcwalise “umlandu” wokuthathana. (INgoma. 1:2, NW; 1 Khor. 7:3, 5) Kanti njalo babengeke bakukholise ukukhonza uJehova behlukene. UMarilyn uthi, “Emhlanganweni wesigaba othile ngakuzwisisa ukuthi sekumele ngiye ekhaya ngesikhathi ngisizwa ukuthi ukukhonza kwemuli okwenziwa zikhathi zonke kuqakathekile ukuze sisinde osukwini olukhulu lukaJehova. Kwasekumele ngiqalise ukulungisisa izinto emulini yami kanye lendlela engangikhonza ngayo.”

12. Singayisebenzisa njani iMibhalo ukuze sicebise labo abahlala khatshana lezimuli zabo?

¹² Abanye babelemibono etshiyeneyo ngesinqumo sikaMarilyn sokubuyela ekhaya. Abadala bebandla ayengena kulo elizweni lelo bamncoma kakhulu ngokholo lwakhe kanye lesibindi asitshengisayo. Kodwa abanye ababehlala khatshana lezimuli zabo kabazange bavumelane laye. Kulokuthi balandele isibonelo sakhe esihle, bazama ukumtshelela eceleni. Bathi, “Ngesikhatshana nje uzabe usuphendukile. Kanti uzaphila ngani ungabuyela ekhaya?” Kulokuthi atshelele abanye eceleni, amaKhristu kumele ‘afundise abesifazana abatsha ukuba bathande omkabo labantwana babo, ukuba bakhuthale emakhaya, ukuze kungabi khona ogcona ilizwi likaNkulunkulu.’​—Bala uThithusi 2:3-5.

13, 14. Kungani ukholo luqakathekile ukuze senze okufunwa nguJehova kulokuqakathekisa lokho okukhangelelwe yimuli? Nika isibonelo.

¹³ Abanengi abathuthela kwamanye amazwe bakhulele lapho okuqakathekiswa khona amasiko kanye lokulalela izihlobo ikakhulu abazali. Yikho-ke kudinga ukholo sibili ukuthi umKhristu athokozise uJehova ngokungalandeli okujayele ukwenziwa ngabanye kanye lokuyabe kufunwa yizihlobo.

 ¹⁴ Cabanga ngendaba kaCarin. Uthi: “Kwathi indodana yami uDon izalwa, mina lomkami sasikwelinye ilizwe sisebenza njalo ngangisanda kuqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili. Wonke umuntu emulini yangakithi wayekhangelele ukuthi ngihambise uDon ngakithi ayekondliwa ngabazali bami size sithole imali ethe xaxa.” Lapho uCarin ephikelela ngokuthi uzazikhulisela uDon, izihlobo zakhe kanye lomkakhe bamuthi livila njalo babemhleka. UCarin uthi, “Iqiniso yikuthi ngasonaleso sikhathi ngangingakuzwisisi sibili ukuthi kubi ngani ukuhambisa uDon ayegcinwa ngabazali bami okweminyaka emilutshwana nje. Kodwa ngangikwazi ukuthi uJehova wanika thina abazali umsebenzi wokondla indodana yethu.” Lapho ezithwala futhi, umkakhe owayengakhonzi wamtshela ukuthi akhiphe isisu. Isinqumo sikaCarin ayesenze kuqala saqinisa ukholo lwakhe njalo waphinda waqhubeka ethokozisa uJehova. Okwakhathesi yena, umkakhe kanye labantwababo bayathokoza ngenxa yokuthi kabazange behlukane. Ngabe uCarin wayehambise umntwana oyedwa kumbe bobabili ukuthi bayekhuliswa ngabanye, babengasoze bathokoze ngendlela abathokoza ngayo.

15, 16. (a) Kwenzakalani komunye udadewethu esesengumntwana. (b) Kungani wakhetha ukungenzi ngendlela efananayo endodakazini yakhe?

¹⁵ UFakazi okuthiwa nguVicky uthi: “Ngakhuliswa ngugogo wami okweminyaka emilutshwana ikanti abazali bami bona babehlala lomnawami oyinkazana. Lapho sengihlala labazali bami indlela engangibathanda ngayo yayisintshintshile. Umnawami wayekhululeka ukubatshela loba kuyini, ukubagona njalo babezwanana kakhulu. Kodwa mina ngangingabajayelanga kakhulu abazali bami njalo lanxa ngasengikhulile ngangikubona kunzima ukuveza indlela engangizizwa ngayo. Mina lomnawami sathembisa abazali bethu ukuthi sizabanakekela nxa sebeluphele. Kodwa mina ngizakwenza ngoba kungumlandu wami ukwenza njalo, ikanti umnawami uzabe ekwenza ngenxa yokuthi uyabathanda.”

¹⁶ UVicky uthi, “Umama wayefuna ngilethe indodakazi yami kuye ukuze ayondle, njengoba laye wangihambisa kugogo. Ngamchasisela kuhle ukuthi ngangingeke ngenze njalo. Mina lomkami sifuna ukukhulisa indodakazi yethu ngokulaya kukaJehova. Kanti njalo kangifuni ukuthi ubuhlobo bami lendodakazi yami buphambaniseke esikhathini esizayo.” UVicky sewakubona ukuthi imali kanye lokukhangelelwe yizihlobo akuqakathekanga ukwedlula uJehova kanye lezimiso zakhe. UJesu wathi: “Kakho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili,” uNkulunkulu kanye leMali.​—Mat. 6:24; Eks. 23:2.

17, 18. (a) Kuyini amaKhristu okumele azikhethele khona? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ UBaba wethu, uJehova, uzimisele ukusincedisa ukuze sithole esikudingayo nxa siqakathekisa uMbuso lokulunga kwakhe ekuphileni kwethu. (Mat. 6:33) Ngakho-ke zikhathi zonke amaKhristu eqiniso kumele azikhethele. Loba yibuphi ubunzima esihlangana labo, uJehova uthembisa ukuthi uzasinika “indlela yokuphunyuka” engeke yenze sephule izimiso zeBhayibhili. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 10:13.) Nxa ‘simlindela ngesineke’ uJehova futhi ‘simethemba’ ngokukhuleka kuye sicela isiqondiso lokuhlakanipha njalo silalela imithetho lezimiso zakhe, ‘yena uzakusisiza.’ (The Holy Bible in Ndebele) (Hubo. 37:5, 7) Uzayibusisa imizamo yethu eqotho yokukhonza yena yedwa njengoba eyiNkosi yethu yeqiniso. Nxa singamqakathekisa ukwedlula loba yini ezimpilweni zethu, uzakwenza ukuthi ‘siphumelele.’​—Qathanisa loGenesisi 39:3.

¹⁸ Zingalungisiswa njani izinhlupho eziyabe zibangelwe yikungahlali ndawonye kwabantu abatshadileyo? Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sinakekele izimuli zethu singehlukananga lazo? Kanti njalo singabakhuthaza njani abanye ukuthi benze izinqumo eziqondileyo kulokhu? Izimpendulo zemibuzo le sizaxoxa ngazo esihlokweni esilandelayo.