1, 2. Kungani ubuyanga buzaqhubeka bubhahile emhlabeni lo?

IMPILO inzima kulezinsuku. Ngokwesibonelo abasakhulayo babhudula indawo yonke bedinga imisebenzi kodwa kabayitholi. Abanye baze bafake ukuphila kwabo engozini ngokuya emazweni anothileyo besiyadinga amadlelo aluhlaza. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi lakulawomazwe ubuyanga bubhahile. Emhlabeni wonke jikelele abanye balokhu benotha kakhulu ngapha abanye besiba ngabayanga bokucina. Nxa abanye besitsho, bathi izinothi ezilutshwana ezikhona lamuhla zilemali engalingana leyabantu bonke abasemhlabeni nxa ihlanganisiwe. Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi abantu abanengi bayadubeka ngapha abanye belemali enengi engabaphilisa labantwababo okweminyaka leminyaka. UJesu laye wakubona lokhu waze wathi: “Abampofu lizahlala lilabo.” (Mak. 14:7) Kubangelwa yini lokhu?

² UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi umumo lo kawusoze untshintshe kuze kufike uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ulungise izinto emhlabeni. USathane nguye oqondisa ezombusazwe lezinkolo kanye “labathengisi basemhlabeni” okukhulunywa ngabo kuSambulo 18:3. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bayenelisa ukuphuma ezindabeni zombusazwe lasemasontweni amanga kodwa kakwenzakali ukuthi baphume ngokupheleleyo kwezokuthengiselana ezigcwele emhlabeni lo.

3. Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?

 ³ Ngamunye wethu kumele azibuze imibuzo elandelayo ukuze abone ukuthi yena umi ngaphi ezindabeni zokuthengiselana ezisemhlabeni lo: Ngingayisebenzisa njani imali loba impahla engilayo ukuze ngitshengise ukuthi ngithembekile kuNkulunkulu? Ngingakubalekela njani ukuba yisigqili senotho yalumhlaba? Yiziphi izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi abanye bayamthemba uNkulunkulu lanxa izimo zinzima?

4, 5. (a) Chaza ukuthi kwenzakalani endabeni yomphathi oliqili okukhulunywa ngaye emzekelisweni kaJesu. (b) UJesu wabatshelani abalandeli bakhe?

⁴ Bala uLukha 16:1-9. Umzekeliso kaJesu ophathelane lomphathi oliqili ungasinceda kakhulu. Umphathi lo ‘wenza ngokuhlakanipha’ ngesikhathi esetheswa icala lokutshaphaza inotho yomqhatshi wakhe. Wadinga abangane ukuze kuthi nxa esephelelwe ngumsebenzi athole abantu abangamsiza. * Kayisikho ukuthi uJesu wayekhuthaza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi benze okungalunganga ukuze bathole okokuziphilisa. Waveza ukuthi lokhu kwenziwa “ngabantu balo umhlaba” abathanda ubuqili. Ayekufuna yikuthi abalandeli bakhe bathole isifundo esiqakathekileyo emzekelisweni lo.

⁵ UJesu wayekwazi ukuthi umzekeliso lo wawuzabanceda abalandeli bakhe ngoba labo kwakuzamele bathole izindlela zokuziphilisa kwezentengiselwano ezisemhlabeni lo obuswa nguSathane. Yikho wathi: “Sebenzisani inotho yomhlaba ukuzuza abangane [uJehova loJesu], ukuze kuthi nxa isiphelile lizakwamukelwa ezindlini ezimi lanininini.” Sifundani emazwini kaJesu?

6. Sikwazi njani ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengahlosanga ukuthi kube lezokuthengiselana?

⁶ IBhayibhili liyakucacisa ukuthi kusukela ekuqaleni uJehova wayengahlosanga ukuthi kube lezokuthengiselana. Ngokwesibonelo wanika u-Adamu lo-Eva konke ababekudinga ensimini yase-Edeni. (Gen. 2:15, 16) IBhayibhili liveza lokuthi ngesikhathi sabaphostoli kakho phakathi kwabagcotshiweyo “owathi okwakhe ngokwakhe yedwa kodwa babelana konke ababelakho.” (ImiSeb. 4:32) Umphrofethi u-Isaya waphrofetha ukuthi ngesikhathi esizayo abantu bonke bazakholisa zonke izinto ezisemhlabeni mahala. (Isaya. 25:6-9; 65:21, 22) Kodwa okwakhathesi kuzamele ‘senze ngokuhlakanipha,’ sizame ukusebenzisa inotho yomhlaba lo ukuze sithole okokuziphilisa futhi sizuze abangane ezulwini.

7. Yisiphi isixwayiso esitholakala kuLukha 16:10-13?

⁷ Bala uLukha 16:10-13. Umphathi okukhulunywa ngaye emzekelisweni kaJesu wadinga abangane ukuze athole uncedo nxa esesebunzimeni. Loba kunjalo uJesu wakhuthaza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi basebenzise inotho yomhlaba ukuze bazuze abangane ezulwini. Ngemva kwalokho waveza ukuthi indlela esisebenzisa ngayo inotho yomhlaba lo ingatshengisa ukuthi sithembekile yini kuNkulunkulu. Ngayiphi indlela?

8, 9. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi abanye bayisebenzisa njani inotho yomhlaba ngendlela ethokozisa uJehova.

⁸ Indlela esingatshengisa ngayo ukuthi sisebenzisa kuhle inotho yethu yikunikela ukuze sisekele umsebenzi wokutshumayela owenziwa emhlabeni wonke uJesu akhuluma ngawo. (Mat. 24:14) Ngokwesibonelo enye intombazana yase-India yayilebhokisi elincane eyayiphosela kulo imadlana eyitholayo. Kwezinye izikhathi yayithengisa amathoyi ayo ukuze ithole  imali yokuphosela ebhokisini lelo. Lathi seligcwele yathatha leyomali yanikela ngayo ukuze isetshenziswe emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Kanti njalo kulomunye umzalwane wase-India olepulazi lamakhokhonathi. Ngesinye isikhathi umzalwane lo wathatha esinye isivuno samakhokhonathi wayanika abazalwane ewofisini yokuhumutsha yolimi lwesiMalayalam. Wabona le kuyindlela elusizo kakhulu ukwedlula imali ayengayikhupha nxa enikela. Wenza ngokuhlakanipha sibili umzalwane lo. Abafowethu labodadewethu beGreece labo bandise ukuncedisa abazalwane beBhetheli ngokubanika amafutha okupheka letshizi lokunye nje ukudla.

⁹ Omunye umfowethu waseSri Lanka owathuthela kwelinye ilizwe wanika abazalwane imvumo yokuthi basale bengenela imihlangano yebandla leyesiqinti emzini wakhe. Kanti njalo indlu yakhe isetshenziswa ngabafowethu labodadewethu abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke. Yikuzinikela sibili okwenziwe ngumzalwane lo ngoba akulamali ayitholayo kodwa ukhethe ukusebenzisa impahla yakhe ukuze ancede abazalwane abaswelayo. Kwezinye izindawo lapho oFakazi abangavunyelwa khona, abazalwane bavula imizi yabo ukuze kungenelwe kuyo imihlangano yebandla. Lokhu kwenza amaphayona labanye abazalwane abaswelayo bathole izindawo zokungenela imihlangano mahala.

10. Kunceda ngani ukuba ngabantu abaphanayo?

¹⁰ Izibonelo lezi zitshengisa ukuthi abantu bakaNkulunkulu ‘bathembekile kokuncinyane,’ okutsho ukuthi bayisebenzisa kuhle inotho yasemhlabeni abalayo ukuze basize abanye. (Luk. 16:10) Bazizwa njani ngeminikelo le abayenzayo? Bayathokoza sibili ngoba ukuba ngabantu abaphanayo kubenza bathole inotho “yeqiniso.” (Luk. 16:11) Ngokwesibonelo omunye udadewethu ohlala enikela ngemali ukuze aphathise emsebenzini wokutshumayela ubika ukuthi ukuba ngumuntu ophanayo kumncede ukuthi abe ngumuntu othethelelayo, obekezelela abanye futhi owamukela iseluleko. Uthi kumsize lokuthi enelise ukubekezelela abanye nxa bemdanisa. Abanengi sebekubonile ukuthi ukupha kubenza babe lobuntu obuhle.—Hubo. 112:5; Zaga. 22:9.

11. (a) Yiphi enye indlela esingatshengisa ngayo ukuthi sisebenzisa inotho esilayo ngokuhlakanipha? (b) Iminikelo yethu isetshenziswa njani ukuze “kube lokulingana”? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

¹¹ Okunye esingakwenza ukuze sisebenzise imali loba impahla yethu ngokuhlakanipha yikunikela ukuze sincedise abanye enkonzweni. Abanye bethu izimo azivumi ukuthi singene enkonzweni yesikhathi sonke loba ukuthi siyencedisa kwamanye amazwe. Kodwa silesibusiso sokunikela ukuze siphathise abafowethu labodadewethu abenza leyomisebenzi. (Zaga. 19:17) Kanti njalo iminikelo yethu inceda ukuthi amabhuku ahanjiswe emazweni asathuthuka kanye lokusekela umsebenzi wokutshumayela kulezozindawo. Ngokwesibonelo okweminyaka eminengi abafowethu labodadewethu eCongo, eMadagascar laseRwanda bebengenelisi ukuthola amaBhayibhili ngoba intengo  yawo isemba eqolo. Kodwa iminikelo ekhutshwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu emhlabeni wonke yenze kwaba lula ukuthi inhlanganiso kaJehova ibhadale izindleko zomsebenzi wokuhumutsha amaBhayibhili lokuwafikisa kulawomazwe. Khathesi abazalwane laba sebelawo amaBhayibhili njalo sebesenelisa ukuwanika loba ngubani olesifiso sokufunda iqiniso. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 8:13-15.) Lokhu kwenza abaphayo labamukelayo babe lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova.

12. U-Abhrahama watshengisa njani ukuthi uyamthemba uNkulunkulu?

¹² Okunye okungasinceda ukuthi sihlale silobuhlobo obuhle loJehova yikukhuthalela ukudinga inotho “yeqiniso” kulokuchitha isikhathi esinengi sidinga inotho yomhlaba. Lokhu yikho kanye okwenziwa ngu-Abhrahama indoda yasendulo eyayilokholo. Lanxa wayekhomba ngophakathi edolobheni lase-Uri wakhetha ukusuka kulo wayahlala ematendeni njalo wazimisela ukuqinisa ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. (Heb. 11:8-10) Kazange atshone egijimisana lenotho yomhlaba lo kodwa wahlala ethembele kuNkulunkulu, ongumthombo wenotho yeqiniso. (Gen. 14:22, 23) UJesu watshela enye indoda eyayinothile wathi: “Aluba ufuna ukuthi uphelele, thengisa yonke inotho yakho uphe abayanga, lapho-ke uzakuba lenotho ezulwini. Usungeza ungilandele.” (Mat. 19:21) Indoda le kayizange ilingisele isibonelo sika-Abhrahama ngoba yayingelalo ukholo. Lanxa kunjalo bakhona abanye abatshengisa ukuthi bathembele kuNkulunkulu.

13. (a) UPhawuli wathini kuThimothi? (b) Singasisebenzisa njani iseluleko sikaPhawuli?

¹³ UThimothi laye ngomunye owayelokholo. UPhawuli wambiza ngokuthi libutho elifaneleyo likaKhristu uJesu. Ngemva kwalokho wamtshela wathi: “Kakho osebenza njengebutho ongenela ezindabeni zabangasibo bebutho—ufuna ukuthokozisa umlawuli wakhe.” (2 Tim. 2:3, 4) Abalandeli bakaJesu abanengi lamuhla okugoqela labanye abedlula 1 miliyoni abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke bayasisebenzisa iseluleko sikaPhawuli. Bayakubalekela ukuhugwa ngezokukhangisa loba ezinye izinto ezigijinyiswa ngabantu emhlabeni lo ngoba bayakwazi ukuthi “owebolekayo uyisichaka salowo omebolekayo.” (Zaga. 22:7) USathane ufuna sibe yizigqili zenotho yomhlaba lo. Ngakho kumele sinanzelele ukuthi kasenzi izinqumo ezingasidalela izikwelede. Ngokwesibonelo ukuboleka izimali zokuthenga izindlu, izimota ezidulayo, ezokubhadalela imfundo kanye lokwenza amadili emitshado amangalisayo kungasithwalisa nzima. Kodwa nxa singazimisela ukuhlala singelazinto ezinengi empilweni njalo sibalekele izikwelede sizakwenelisa ukumkhonza sikhululekile uNkulunkulu wethu.—1 Tim. 6:10.

14. Kuyini okwenziwa ngabanye ukuze basekele uMbuso?

¹⁴ Ukuqakathekisa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kungasinceda ukuthi senelise ukuphila singelazinto ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo omunye umzalwane lomkakhe babelenkampani eyayibanika imali enengi. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi babefisa ukubuyela enkonzweni yesikhathi sonke babona kungcono ukuthi bathengise ibhizimusi kanye lesikepe sabo lezinye impahla ababelazo. Ngemva kwalokho bahamba bayancedisa emsebenzini wokwakha amawofisi ethu amakhulu eWarwick eNew York. Bakholisa kakhulu ngoba lokhu kwabanika ithuba lokusebenza labazali babo kanye lendodakazi yabo lomkayo. Kanti njalo omunye udadewethu oliphayona ohlala eColorado e-U.S.A wathola umsebenzi kwelinye ibhanga njalo wayesebenza amalanga athile. Indlela ayesebenza ngayo yabathokozisa abaqhatshi bakhe baze bamtshela ukuthi usezasebenza malanga wonke lokuthi bazakwengeza  iholo lakhe. Kodwa kazange avume ukwamukela isicelo sabo ngoba sasizamphambanisa ekutshumayeleni. Lezi ngezinye nje izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi abafowethu labodadewethu bayazinikela ukuze basekele umsebenzi woMbuso. Lokhu abakwenzayo kutshengisa ukuthi baqakathekisa ubuhlobo babo loJehova ukwedlula inotho yalumhlaba.

15. Yiphi inotho engasenza sithokoze?

¹⁵ Ukuba lenotho akutsho ukuthi umuntu uyabe ebusiswa nguNkulunkulu. UJehova ubusisa abantu abathanda ‘izenzo ezinhle.’ (Bala u-1 Thimothi 6:17-19.) Ngokwesibonelo udadewethu wase-Italy okuthiwa nguLucia * wezwa ukuthi e-Albania kudingakala abamemezeli abangaphathisa emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Ngakho ngo-1993 wasuka kibo waya kulelolizwe elethemba lokuthi uJehova uzamnakekela ngakho konke akudingayo. Udade lo wafunda ulimi lwesi-Albania njalo sewanceda abantu abedlula 60 ukuthi babe yizinceku zikaJehova. Kungenzakala ukuthi endaweni esitshumayela kuyo kasikaze sithole impumela enjengale. Kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi loba yini esiyenzayo ukuze sisize abantu ukuthi babe ngabangane bakaJehova yisibusiso esizasikholisa kuze kube nini lanini.—Mat. 6:20.

16. (a) Zizaphetha ngani ezokuthengiselana ezikhona lamuhla? (b) Ukwazi lokhu kumele kusifuqe ukuthi siyisebenzise njani inotho yomhlaba lo?

¹⁶ UJesu wakubeka kwacaca ukuthi inotho yomhlaba lo izaphela. (Luk. 16:9) Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi kuyake kube lokuwa kwezomnotho lokuvalwa kwamabhanga kulezinsuku zokucina. Kodwa-ke kukhulu okuzayo! UMbuso kaNkulunkulu uzatshabalalisa ezombusazwe, amasonto kanye lezokuthengiselana ezigcwele emhlabeni lo zingaphindi zibekhona. Umphrofethi uHezekheli loZefaniya baphrofetha ukuthi isiliva legolide, izinto eziqakathekiswa kakhulu kwezomnotho ngeke zibasize abantu ngalesosikhathi. (Hez. 7:19; Zef. 1:18) Ngokwesibonelo ubungezwa njani nxa ungathi ususebenze iminyaka eminengi ubuthelela imali ubususizwa ukuthi leyomali ngeyokuzibazela? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ubuzaswela lokuthi ubambe ngaphi ngoba uyabe usebenzele idonki efileyo. Kuzakuba njalo lakithi nxa singasebenza nzima sibuthelela inotho yomhlaba lo size sikhohlwe ngobuhlobo bethu loJehova. (Zaga. 18:11) Inotho yomhlaba lo izatshabalaliswa, ngakho kungaba kuhle ukuthi siyisebenzise “ukuzuza abangane” ezulwini. Kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi loba yini esiyenzayo khathesi ukuze sisekele uMbuso kaJehova izasenza sihlale sithokoza.

17, 18. Abantu abathanda uNkulunkulu bazatholani ngesikhathi esizayo?

¹⁷ Nxa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usubusa ngeke sibhadale amarenti kumbe siboleke izimali zokuthenga izindlu loba ezokwakha. Kakusoze kube lamadokotela loba imithi yokwelapha njalo lokudla kuyabe sekuyithaphutshiye futhi kutholakala mahala. Abantu bazakholisa zonke izinto ezinhle ezisemhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo igolide lesiliva lamanye amatshe aligugu ngeke kusetshenziswe ukwenza imali kodwa abantu bayabe sebececa ngakho. Insimbi, amatshe okwakha lamapulanka alohlonzi kuzatholakala mahala ukuze abantu bakhe imizi yabo emihle. Abantu bazabe bencedisana ukwenza imisebenzi etshiyeneyo kungela obhadalisa omunye. Ngalesosikhathi abantu bayabe bephana zonke izinto ezisemhlabeni.

¹⁸ Lezi ngezinye izibusiso ezizatholwa yilabo abazimisela ukudinga abangane ezulwini. Bonke abantu abathanda uJehova bazathokoza kakhulu lapho uJesu esithi: “Wozani, lina elibusisiweyo nguBaba; thathani ilifa lenu, umbuso owalungiselwa lina kulokhu kwadalwa umhlaba.”—Mat. 25:34.