1, 2. (a) Kungani kunzima ukulalela abakhokhelayo? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizayihlola?

WAKE wayinanzelela yini indlela umntwana omncane enza ngayo nxa etshelwa ukuthi enze into angayifuniyo? Angahwaqa, etshengisa ukuthi kafuni. Uyalizwa ilizwi lomzali wakhe njalo uyakwazi ukuthi kumele amlalele. Kodwa okwakhathesi kafuni ukulalela. Lokhu kuyake kwenzakale kithi sonke.

² Akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi sihloniphe abakhokhelayo. Uyake ukubone kunzima yini ukulalela labo abalamandla athile phezu kwakho? Nxa kunjalo qiniseka ukuthi awuwedwa. Esikhathini lesi esiphila kuso abantu abasahloniphi abakhokhelayo. Kodwa iBhayibhili lithi kumele sihloniphe abasikhokhelayo. (IZaga 24:21) Ukwenza lokhu kuqakathekile nxa sifuna ukuhlala sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu. Ngokwemvelo, lokhu kusenza sibuze imibuzo elandelayo: Kungani kungaba nzima ukuthi silalele abakhokhelayo? Kungani uJehova efuna senze lokhu njalo kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi silalele? Okokucina, yiziphi izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi siyabahlonipha abakhokhelayo?

3, 4. Saqalisa njani isono, njalo kungani isono esilaso sisenza kube nzima ukuthi silalele abakhokhelayo?

³ Asixoxeni ngamafitshane ngezinto ezimbili ezenza kube nzima ukuthi sihloniphe abakhokhelayo. Okwakuqala yikuthi silesono njalo okwesibili yikuthi labasikhokhelayo  balesono. Isono lokungapheleli kwabantu kwaqala endulo ensimini yase-Edeni lapho u-Adamu lo-Eva behlamukela uNkulunkulu. Ngakho isono saqala ngokuhlamuka. Kuze kube lamuhla, silomkhuba ongokwemvelo wokuhlamuka.​—UGenesisi 2:15-17; 3:1-7; IHubo 51:5; KwabaseRoma 5:12.

⁴ Ngenxa yokuthi silesono kulula ukuthi sizigqaje loba siziphakamise, kodwa ukuzithoba yibuntu okumele sisebenze nzima ukuba labo njalo sibulondoloze lanxa bungajayelekanga. Lanxa sesileminyaka eminengi sithembekile kuNkulunkulu singaqalisa ukuba lobuqholo lokuzigqaja. Ngokwesibonelo cabanga ngoKhora, indoda eyaphila labantu bakaJehova ithembekile lasezikhathini ezinzima. Loba kunjalo, wafuna isikhundla esiphezu kwaleso ayelaso njalo engelanhloni wahlamukela uMosi, indoda eyayithobeke ukwedlula wonke amadoda angalesosikhathi. (AmaNani 12:3; 16:1-3) Cabanga langeNkosi u-Uziya, ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwayo yangena ethempelini likaJehova yenza inkonzo engcwele okwakumele yenziwe ngabaphristi kuphela. (2 ImiLando 26:16-21) Amadoda la ajeziswa kabuhlungu ngenxa yokuhlamuka akwenzayo. Ngakho-ke, izenzo zabo ezimbi ziyisixwayiso kithi. Kumele silwisane lokuzigqaja okwenza kube nzima ukuthi sihloniphe abakhokhelayo.

5. Abantu abalesono babusebenzise njani ubukhokheli ngendlela embi?

⁵ Okunye yikuthi abakhokhelayo benze okunengi okubangele ukuthi abantu bangasahloniphi ubukhokheli. Abanengi babo balesihluku, bahlukuluza abantu ngamazwi langezenzo njalo bangontandokayiphikiswa. Izikhathi ezinengi, imbali yabantu itshengisa ukuthi ubukhokheli busetshenziswa kubi. (Bala umTshumayeli 8:9.) Ngokwesibonelo, uSawuli wayeyindoda elungileyo njalo ethobekileyo lapho uJehova emkhetha ukuthi abe yinkosi. Kodwa loba kunjalo waqalisa ukuzigqaja waba lomona, njalo wahlasela uDavida indoda ethembekileyo. (1 USamuyeli 9:20, 21; 10:20-22; 18:7-11) Ekucineni uDavida waba yinkosi elungileyo ukwedlula wonke amakhosi ake aba khona ko-Israyeli. Lanxa kunjalo  wasebenzisa kubi amandla akhe wathatha umfazi ka-Uriya umHithi njalo wathumela leyondoda ethembekileyo ukuthi ifakwe kuviyo eliphambili lapho impi eyayivutha khona kakhulu ukuze ibulawe. (2 USamuyeli 11:1-17) Kuliqiniso ukuthi isono senza kube nzima ukuthi abantu bakhokhele kuhle. Nxa labo abakhokhelayo bengamhloniphi uJehova basebenzisa ubukhokheli babo ngendlela embi kakhulu. Ngemva kokuchaza indlela opapa bamaKatolika ababangela ngayo ukuhlukuluzwa kwabantu, esinye isiphathamandla saseBritheni sathi: “Amandla ayakhohlisa njalo amandla amakhulu akhohlisa kakhulu.” Njengoba silembali le yokusetshenziswa kubi kwamandla, asihloleni umbuzo othi: Kungani kumele sihloniphe abakhokhelayo?

6, 7. (a) Ukuthanda kwethu uJehova kusikhuthaza ukuthi senzeni, futhi kungani kunjalo? (b) Ukulalela kugoqelani njalo singakutshengisa njani?

⁶ Izizathu ezinhle zokuhlonipha abakhokhelayo zivela othandweni, okutsho ukuthanda kwethu uJehova, abafowethu, lokuzithanda thina ngokwethu. Sifuna ukwenza inhliziyo kaJehova ithokoze ngenxa yokuthi siyamthanda ukwedlula loba yini. (Bala iZaga 27:11; uMakho 12:29, 30.) Siyakwazi ukuthi ubukhosi bakhe, okutsho ilungelo lakhe lokubusa, baphikiswa emhlabeni kusukela ekuhlubukeni ensimini yase-Edeni njalo inengi labantu lisekela uSathane futhi liyala ukubuswa nguJehova. Sisekela ubukhosi bukaJehova ngentokozo. Siyathokoza kakhulu nxa sibala amazwi amangalisayo akuSambulo 4:11. Kuyasicacela ukuthi uJehova nguye uMbusi ofaneleyo wendawo yonke! Siyabusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova, sivuma ukubuswa nguye nsukuzonke ekuphileni kwethu.

⁷ Siyamlalela uJehova lapho sizwisisa ukuthi kungani kumele senze njalo, futhi siyamlalela lanxa kunzima ukwenza njalo. Siyamlalela uJehova ngoba siyamthanda. Kodwa kuzakuba lezikhathi okuzaba nzima kakhulu ukuthi silalele. Ezikhathini  ezinjalo, kuzamele sifunde ukulalela njengomntwana omncane esikhulume ngaye ekuqaliseni. Siyakhumbula ukuthi uJesu wenza intando kaYise lalapho okwakunzima khona ukwenza njalo. Watshela uYise wathi, “Akungabi ngeyami intando, kodwa kwenziwe eyakho.”​—ULukha 22:42.

8. (a) Izikhathi ezinengi, kugoqelani ukuthobela uJehova lamuhla, njalo kuyini okutshengisa indlela uJehova azizwa ngayo ngalokho? (b) Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi silalele iseluleko njalo samukele ukukhuzwa? (Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Lalela Ukucetshiswa, Wamukele Ukuqondiswa”.)

⁸ Kuliqiniso ukuthi uJehova kakhulumi lomuntu ngamunye lamuhla; usebenzisa iLizwi lakhe labameli abangabantu abasemhlabeni. Ngakho-ke, sitshengisa ukuthobela kwethu ubukhokheli bukaJehova ngokuhlonipha labo ababekileyo kumbe abavumeleyo ukuthi baqhubeke besikhokhela. Singamcaphula uNkulunkulu wethu nxa singabahlamukela abantu laba mhlawumbe ngokwala ukwamukela iseluleko lesiqondiso esivela eMibhalweni. Lapho abako-Israyeli bekhonona njalo behlamukela uMosi, uJehova wakuthatha njengokuthi bahlamukela yena uqobo.​—AmaNani 14:26, 27.

9. Kungani ukuthanda abafowethu kuzasenza sihloniphe abakhokhelayo? Nika isibonelo.

⁹ Okunye okwenza sihloniphe abakhokhelayo yikuthi siyabathanda abafowethu. Kungani kunjalo? Ake sithi ulisotsha phakathi kweqembu lamabutho empi. Ukuze iqembu leli liphumelele njalo livikeleke kumele isotsha ngalinye lilalele abakhokhelayo, libahloniphe njalo libambisane labo. Nxa ungahlamuka ngokwala ukulalela, amasotsha osebenza lawo angaba sengozini enkulu. Emhlabeni lamuhla amabutho abangela umonakalo omkhulu, kodwa uJehova ulamabutho enzela abantu izinto ezinhle. IBhayibhili lithi uJehova ‘nguNkulunkulu wamabutho.’ (1 USamuyeli 17:45) UyiNduna yezidalwa zomoya ezinengi ezilamandla njalo ezitshiyeneyo. Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova ufananisa izinceku zakhe zasemhlabeni lebutho. (2 KuThimothi 2:3) Nxa singaqalisa ukuhlamukela abantu uJehova ababeke ukuthi basikhokhele, siyabe sifaka abafowethu abangokomoya engozini. Lapho umKhristu ehlamukela  abadala ababekiweyo, abanye abazalwane ebandleni labo bangathwala nzima. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 12:14, 25, 26) Nxa umntwana ehlamuka, yonke imuli iyakhathazeka. Ngakho-ke, sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu ngokuhlonipha langokubambisana labakhokhelayo.

10, 11. Isifiso esihle sokufuna ukuthi kusihambele kuhle sisinceda njani ukuthi silalele abakhokhelayo?

¹⁰ Siyabahlonipha njalo abakhokhelayo ngoba lokhu kuphathisa inhlalakahle yethu. Lapho uJehova esicela ukuthi sihloniphe abakhokhelayo, usitshela lokuthi kuzasinceda njani ukwenza njalo. Ngokwesibonelo, utshela abantwana ukuthi balalele abazali babo ukuze baphile isikhathi eside njalo bathokoze. (UDutheronomi 5:16; Kwabase-Efesu 6:2, 3) Usitshela ukuthi sihloniphe abadala bebandla ngoba ukwehluleka ukwenza lokho kungaphambanisa ubuhlobo bethu loNkulunkulu. (KumaHebheru 13:7, 17) Usitshela lokuthi sihloniphe iziphathamandla ukuze sivikeleke.​—KwabaseRoma 13:4.

 ¹¹ Awukuvumi yini ukuthi ukwazi isizathu sokuthi kungani uJehova efuna silalele kuyasinceda ukuthi sihloniphe abakhokhelayo? Kasixoxeni ngokuthi singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabahlonipha abakhokhelayo ezimweni ezintathu eziqakathekileyo ekuphileni.

12. UJehova unike indoda wuphi umsebenzi emulini njalo kumele iwenze njani?

¹² UJehova nguye owasungula imuli. UnguNkulunkulu wokuthula njalo wahlela imuli ukuthi isebenze kuhle. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 14:33) Unika indoda amandla ukuze isebenze njengenhloko yemuli. Indoda itshengisa ukuthi iyayihlonipha iNhloko yayo uJesu Khristu ngokulandela indlela uJesu asebenzisa ngayo ubunhloko ebandleni. (Kwabase-Efesu 5:23) Ngakho indoda akumelanga yehluleke ukwenza umsebenzi wayo kodwa kumele izimisele ukuwenza; futhi akumelanga ibe nguntandokayiphikiswa kumbe ibe lesihluku, esikhundleni salokho kumele ibe lothando, umusa, njalo ibe ngezwisisayo. Kumele ihlale ikhumbula ukuthi ubukhokheli bayo bulemingcele. Bungaphansi kobukaJehova.

13. Inkosikazi ingawenza njani umsebenzi wayo emulini ngendlela ethokozisa uJehova?

¹³ Inkosikazi kumele ibe ngumsizi womkayo. Layo iphiwe amandla emulini, ngoba iBhayibhili likhuluma ‘ngemfundiso kanyoko.’ (IZaga 1:8) Kodwa amandla ayo angaphansi kwawomkayo. Inkosikazi  engumKhristu itshengisa ukuthi iyamhlonipha umkayo ngokumncedisa ukuthi afeze umsebenzi wakhe njengenhloko yemuli. Kayimeyisi futhi kayisebenzisi izindlela zobuqili ukuthi imenzise okuthile kumbe imthathele ubunhloko bakhe. Kulokuthi yenze njalo, iyamsekela njalo ibambisane laye. Nxa ingavumelani lezinqumo zakhe, iyamtshela umbono wayo ngenhlonipho kodwa iqhubeke izithoba kuye. Nxa umkayo engasuye umKhristu, ingaba sebunzimeni obuthile kodwa ukuzithoba kwayo kungenza umkayo afune ukukhonza uJehova.​—Bala u-1 Phetro 3:1.

14. Abantwana bangabathokozisa njani abazali babo kanye loJehova?

¹⁴ Abantwana bathokozisa uJehova nxa belalela abazali babo. Nxa besenza njalo, bathokozisa abazali njalo balethe udumo kubo. (IZaga 10:1) Ezimulini ezilomzali oyedwa, abantwana balandela isimiso esifananayo sokulalela, benanzelela ukuthi umzali wabo angabe ekudinga kakhulu ukuthi bamsekele njalo babambisane laye. Ezimulini lapho amalunga onke enza lokho uNkulunkulu ahlela ukuthi bakwenze, kuba lokuthula  okukhulu kanye lentokozo enkulu. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu adunyiswe ngoba nguye owasungula izimuli zonke.​—Kwabase-Efesu 3:14, 15.

15. (a) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabuhlonipha ubukhokheli bukaJehova ebandleni? (b) Yiziphi izimiso ezingasinceda ukuthi silalele labo abakhokhelayo? (Bona ibhokisi elithi “ Lalelani Abakhokheli Benu”.)

¹⁵ UJehova ubeke iNdodana yakhe njengoMbusi webandla lobuKhristu. (KwabaseKholose 1:13) UJesu yena ubeke ‘inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ ukuthi incede abantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni ukuze basondele kuJehova. (UMathewu 24:45-47) IQula Elibusayo laboFakazi bakaJehova liyinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo. Yilo elinika abadala lamuhla imilayezo lezeluleko, njengoba nje kwakunjalo ebandleni lobuKhristu lekhulu lokuqala. Abadala bathola imilayezo lezeluleko lezi ngokuvela eQuleni Elibusayo ngokwalo kumbe ngokuvela kubameli balo, ngokwesibonelo ababonisi abahambelayo. Nxa sihlonipha abadala abangamaKhristu, siyabe silalela uJehova.​—Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:12; KumaHebheru 13:17.

16. Abadala babekwa ngumoya ongcwele ngayiphi indlela?

¹⁶ Abadala lezinceku ezikhonzayo labo balesono njalo bayaphambanisa njengathi. Lanxa kunjalo, abadala ‘bayizipho ebantwini,’ banceda ibandla ukuthi libe lobuhlobo obuqinileyo loJehova. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:8) Abadala babekwa ngumoya ongcwele. (ImiSebenzi 20:28) Njani? Ukuze amadoda la abekwe kumele aqale ahlolwe ukuthi alandela lokho okubhalwe eLizwini likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe ngumoya. (1 KuThimothi 3:1-7, 12; KuThithusi 1:5-9) Abadala abahlola ukuthi ukuphila komzalwane kuhambisana lalokho okuseMibhalweni, bakhuleka ngenhliziyo yonke becela ukuqondiswa ngumoya kaJehova.

17. Kungani ngezinye izikhathi abesifazana abangamaKhristu begqoka ingowane loba beqhiya lapho besenza imisebenzi yebandla?

¹⁷ Ebandleni, kwezinye izikhathi abadala lezinceku  ezikhonzayo bangabe bengekho ukuthi benze umsebenzi wabo, njengokukhokhela umhlangano wenkonzo yasensimini. Ezimweni ezinjalo, abanye abazalwane ababhaphathiziweyo bangakhokhela. Nxa kungela abazalwane, odade abangamaKhristu futhi abafaneleyo bangenza lokho. Kodwa-ke, nxa owesifazana esenza lokho okumele kwenziwe ngumuntu wesilisa obhaphathiziweyo, kumele aqhiye loba agqoke ingowane. * (1 KwabaseKhorinte 11:3-10.) Lokhu akubakhiphi isithunzi abesifazana. Kodwa kubanika ithuba lokuthi batshengise ukuthi bayaluhlonipha uhlelo lukaJehova lobunhloko, kokubili emulini lasebandleni.

18, 19. (a) Ungazichaza njani izimiso ezibhalwe kuRoma 13:1-7? (b) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyazihlonipha iziphathamandla?

¹⁸ AmaKhristu eqiniso alalela ngokwethembeka izimiso ezibhalwe kuRoma 13:1-7. (Bala.) Nxa ufunda amavesi lawo, uzabona ukuthi ‘ababusi’ okukhulunywa ngabo ngohulumende bomhlaba. Nxa nje uJehova esabavumela ohulumende laba ukuthi babekhona, benza umsebenzi oqakathekileyo ukuze balondoloze ukuhleleka okwebanga elithile njalo banike abantu abakudingayo. Sibonisa inhlonipho kulezi ziphathamandla ngokulalela kwethu imithetho. Kumele sibe leqiniso lokuthi siyabhadala yonke imithelo, siyagcwalisa kuhle amafomu afunwa nguhulumende, silalela loba yiphi imithetho efakelwe thina, izimuli zethu, ibhizimusi lethu loba impahla yethu. Kodwa asizilaleli iziphathamandla nxa sezifuna ukuthi sephule imithetho kaNkulunkulu, njalo siphendula njengabaphostoli basendulo abathi: “Simele silalele uNkulunkulu kulokulalela abantu!”​—ImiSebenzi 5:28, 29; bona ibhokisi elithi “ Ngobani Abakhokhelayo Okumele Ngibalalele?”.

¹⁹ Sitshengisa njalo ukuthi siyazihlonipha iziphathamandla  ngendlela esiphatha ngayo abanye. Kwesinye isikhathi singaba phambi kweziphathamandla zikahulumende. Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuluma lababusi abanjeNkosi uHerodi Agripha loGavuna uFestu. Amadoda la ayephambanisa kakhulu, kodwa uPhawuli waxoxisana lawo ngenhlonipho. (ImiSebenzi 26:2, 25) Silandela isibonelo sikaPhawuli lanxa sikhuluma lesiphathamandla esilesikhundla esiphezulu loba ipholisa lesigaba. Ngendlela efananayo, abantwana abangamaKhristu kumele bahloniphe abaphathisikolo babo, ababalisi lezisebenzi zesikolo. Asihloniphi kuphela labo abahlonipha esikukholelwayo, kodwa siyabahlonipha lalabo abangabathandi oFakazi bakaJehova. Iqiniso yikuthi kumele labo abangakhonziyo babone ukuthi silenhlonipho.​—Bala uRoma 12:17, 18; 1 UPhetro 3:15.

20, 21. Yiziphi ezinye izibusiso esizitholayo ngokutshengisa abakhokhelayo inhlonipho efaneleyo?

²⁰ Kumele sihloniphe abanye ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Umphostoli uPhetro wabhala: “Hloniphani abantu bonke.” (1 UPhetro 2:17, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Nxa abantu bangabona ukuthi siyabahlonipha ngokusuka enhliziyweni bangathaba kakhulu. Khumbula ukuthi ubuntu obunjalo kabandanga lamuhla. Ukubonisa ubuntu obunjalo ngenye indlela esilalela ngayo umlayo kaJesu othi: “Yenzani ukukhanya kwenu kukhanye phambi kwabantu ukuze babone izenzo zenu ezinhle baze badumise uYihlo osezulwini.”​—UMathewu 5:16.

²¹ Emhlabeni lo osebumnyameni, abantu abalezinhliziyo ezinhle badonseleka ekukhanyeni okungokomoya. Ngakho ukuhlonipha kwethu emulini, ebandleni lasemphakathini kungakhanga abanye njalo kubenze bahambe lathi ekukhanyeni. Lithemba elihle kakhulu lelo! Kodwa lanxa lokho kungenzakalanga, kulento eyodwa eliqiniso. Ukuhlonipha kwethu abanye abantu kuthokozisa uJehova uNkulunkulu njalo kusinceda ukuthi sihlale sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu. Awukho omunye umvuzo omkhulu ukwedlula lowo.