1-2. Isibonelo sakampostoli uPowula singabasiza njani abadala namhlanjesi?

 UMPOSTOLI uPowula bekabathanda abafowabo, bekasebenza budisi bona abasize. (IzE. 20:​31) Ngakelinye ihlangothi, nalabo ebekakholwa nabo bebamthanda khulu uPowula. Kwesinye isenzakalo “kwaba nesililo esikhulu” lokha abadala be-Efesu nabezwa bona angekhe basaphinde bambone. (IzE. 20:​37) Abadala abasebenza budisi, nabo babathanda khulu abafowabo nabodadwabo begodu benza koke abangakghona ukukwenza ukubasiza. (Flp. 2:​16, 17) Nanyana kunjalo, ngezinye iinkhathi abadala baqalana neentjhijilo. Khuyini okungabasiza bona bazihlule iintjhijilwezo?

² Abadala bethu abasebenza budisi bangafunda esibonelweni sakaPowula. (1 Kor. 11:1) Bekanganawo amandla njengengilozi. UPowula bekamumuntu onesono, ngezinye iinkhathi bekalwa budisi bona enze okulungileko. (Rom. 7:​18-20) Bekufuze alwisane neentjhijilo ezihlukahlukeneko. Akhenge alahle itewu namkha alahlekelwe lithabo. Ngokulingisa uPowula, abadala bangazihlula iintjhijilo abaqalana nazo begodu bahlale banethabo ekulotjheni kwabo uJehova. Akhesibone ukuthi bangakwenza njani lokho.

3. Khuyini esizokucoca ngayo esihlokwenesi begodu sizokusizwa bona senzeni?

³ Esihlokwenesi, sizokuhlolisisa iintjhijilo ezine ezijayekileko abadala abaqalana nazo: (1) Ukulinganisela ekwenzeni umsebenzi wokutjhumayela kunye neminye imisebenzi, (2) ukuba belusi abanomusa, (3) ukuqalana nokubogaboga kwabo, begodu (4) nokuqalana nokuba nesono kwabanye. Sizokucoca ngendlela uPowula ahlula ngayo isitjhijilo ngasinye nokuthi abadala bangasilingisa njani isibonelo sakhe.

4. Kubayini abadala bangakufumana kusitjhijilo ukudosaphambili emsebenzini wokutjhumayela?

⁴ Kubayini kungaba sitjhijilo? Abadala banemisebenzi eminengi ekufuze bayenze ngaphezu kokudosa phambili emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, abanengi baba bosihlalo emhlanganweni yaphakathi neveke begodu baraga Isifundo SeBhayibheli Sebandla. Bangaba nezinye izabelo zeenkulumo ekufuze bazenze. Bamajadu ekubanduleni iinceku zebandla begodu bayakuthabela unikela abafowethu nabodadwethu iseluleko. (1 Pit. 5:2) Abanye abadala basebenza ekwakheni nekulungiseni amaWolo womBuso neminye imakhiwo yehlangano. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengabo boke ebandleni, umsebenzi oqakatheke khulu abawenzako kutjhumayela.​—Mat. 28:​19, 20.

5. Ngisiphi isibonelo uPowula asibekela sona njengomtjhumayeli?

⁵ Isibonelo sakaPowula. Okuqakatheke khulu okwenza uPowula waphumelela kufumaneka kwebeFilipi 1:​10, nakasikhuthazako uthi: “Niqiniseke ngezinto eziqakatheke khulu.” UPowula wakwenza lokho akukhulumako. Wabelwa umsebenzi wokutjhumyela begodu kwaphela amatjhumi weminyaka aqala umsebenzi lo njengoqakatheke khulu. Bekafundisa “tjhatjhalazi nendlini ngendlu.” (IzE. 20:​20) Akhenge azibekele isikhathi sokuthi uzokutjhumayela ilanga linye namkha iveke yoke. Wasebenzisa woke amathuba awafumanako bona atjhumayele. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi asalinde abakhambisani bakhe e-Athene, watjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi esiqubuthwini sabantu abaziwako begodu abanye babo basabela kuhle. (IzE. 17:​16, 17, 34) Ngitjho nanyana ‘bekabotjhiwe,’ uPowula watjhumayela kilabo ebebahlanu kwakhe.​​—Flp. 1:​13, 14; IzE. 28:​16-24.

6. UPowula wababandula njani abanye?

⁶ UPowula wasisebenzisa kuhle isikhathi sakhe. Bekajayele ukumema abanye ukuthi bakhambe naye emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, ekhambweni lakhe lokuthoma, wathatha uJwanisi obuye abizwe ngokuthi nguMarkosi, ekhambweni lakhe lesibili, wakhamba noThimothi. (IzE. 12:​25; 16:​1-4) Akunakuzaza ukuthi uPowula wathatha amadoda la bona awafundise indlela yokutlhogomela ibandla, umsebenzi wokwalusa nokuba bafundisi abaphumelelako.​​—1 Kor. 4:17.

7. Abadala bangasisebenzisa njani iseluleko sakaPowula esiku-Efesu 6:​14, 15?

⁷ Esikufundako. Abadala bangalingisa uPowula ingasi ngokutjhumayela emzini ngomuzi kwaphela kodwana bona bakulungele ukunikela ubufakazi kinanyana ngibuphi ubujamo. (Funda yebe-Efesu 6:​14, 15.) Ngokwesibonelo, bangafakaza lokha nabayokuthenga namkha emsebenzini. Nalokha nabasemsebenzini yemakhiwo yehlangano, bangacocela abomakhelwana kunye nabantu abathengisako. NjengoPowula, abadala bangasebenzisa isikhathi abasisebenzisela ukutjhumayela bona babandule abanye kunye nokubandula iinceku ezisizako.

8. Ngezinye iikhathi, umdala kungatlhogeka bona enzeni?

⁸ Abadala akukafuzi babemajadu ngokutlhogomela izabelo zebandleni namkha zesigodini bebangasabi nesikhathi sokutjhumayela. Bona balinganisele, kungatlhogeka bona bangazamukeli ezinye izabelo. Ngokucabangisisa nokuthandaza ngendaba le bangalemuka ukuthi angeze bakghona ukwenza isabelo, ngesikhathi esifanako bakghone nokwenza ezinye izinto eziqakathekileko. Izintwezo zingafaka hlangana ukuraga ukulotjha komndeni qobe veke, ukuba nengcenye eyengeziweko emsebenzini wokutjhumayela namkha ukubandula abantwana bona bawenze kuhle umsebenzi lo. Abanye bangakufumana kubudisi ukwala ukwamukela isabelo, kodwana bangaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyabuzwisisa ubujamo babo bokulinganisela ezintweni zoke

9. Ngisiphi isitjhijilo abadala abamajadu abaqalana naso?

⁹ Kubayini kungaba sitjhijilo? Abantu bakaJehova baqalana neentjhijilo ezinengi. Hlangana namalanga wokuphela la soke sitlhoga isikhuthazo, ukusekelwa nokududuzwa. Ngezinye iinkhathi abanye batlhoga ukusizwa bona babalekele ukuziphatha okumbi. (1 Thes. 5:​14) Iye, kuliqiniso abadala angeze bakghona ukususa zoke iintjhijilo esiqalana nazo. Nanyana kunjalo, uJehova ufuna abadala benze koke okusemandlenabo bona bakhuthaze bebavikele izimvu zakhe. Abadala abamajadu, bangasifumana njani isikhathi sokunikela isizo elitlhogekako?

10. Ngokuya ngokomtlolo weyoku-1 kwebeThesalonika 2:​7, uPowula wabatlhogomela njani abantu bakaJehova?

¹⁰ Isibonelo sakaPowula. UPowula bekafuna iindlela zokubuka abafowabo begodu abakhuthaze. Abadala benza kuhle ngokulandela isibonelo sakhe sethando ngokuthi baphathe abantu bakaJehova ngomusa. (Funda yoku-1 kwebeThesalonika 2:7.) UPowula waqinisekisa abafowabo ngokuthi uyabathanda nokuthi uJehova uyabathanda. (2 Kor. 2:4; Efe. 2:​4, 5) UPowula waphatha amalunga webandla njengabangani, waba nesikhathi esinengi anabo. Watjengisa ukuthi uyabathemba ngokubatjela ngezinto ezimtshwenyako kunye nokuba kwakhe nesono. (2 Kor. 7:5; 1 Thim. 1:​15) Akhenge aqale iintjhijilo zakhe kwaphela. Kunalokho, bekafuna ukusiza abafowabo.

11. Kubayini kwatlhogeka uPowula aluleke abafowabo nabodadwabo?

¹¹ Ngezinye iinkhathi bekutlhogeka umpostoli uPowula aluleke abafowabo nabodadwabo kodwana khenge akwenze lokho asilingekile. Wabanikela iseluleko ngombana bekabathanda begodu bekafuna bavikeleke eengozini ezihlukahlukeneko. Walinga ukwenza iseluleko sakhe bona sibe bulula ukusizwisisa begodu bekanendaba nokuthi basamukela njani. Ngokwesibonelo, encwadini eya kwebeKorinte, uPowula wakhupha iseluleko esiqinileko. Ngemva kokutlola incwadi leyo, wabathumelela uTitosi. UPowula bekakululukela ukuzwa bona bayamukele njani incwadakhe. Kwamthabisa ukuzwa ukuthi basamukela kuhle iseluleko sakhe!​​—2 Kor. 7:​6, 7.

12. Abadala bangabaqinisa njani abafowabo?

¹² Esikufundako. Abadala bangalandela iseluleko sakaPowula ngokuba nesikhathi nabafowabo nabodadwabo. Enye indlela abangakwenza ngayo lokhu, kufika kusesenesikhathi emihlanganweni yebandla ukwenzela bona babe neenkulumo gezikhuthazako nabanye. Kanengi kuthatha isikhathi esingaphezu komzuzu ukunikela isikhuthazo sethando kubafowethu nabodadwethu. (Rom. 1:​12; Efe. 5:​16) Umdala olandela isibonelo sakaPowula, uzokukhuthaza abafowabo nabodadwabo ngokusebenzisa iliZwi lakaZimu bona abakhe begodu abaqinisekise ngokuthi uZimu uyabathanda. Naphezu kwalokho, naye uzobaqinisekisa ngokuthi uyabathanda. Uzokufuna namathuba wokubabuka. Lokha umdala nakufuze akhuphe iseluleko, uzosikhupha asebenzisa iliZwi lakaZimu. Kuzokuze anqophe kodwana abenomusa ngombana unendaba nokuthi basfuamukela njani iselulekweso.​​—Gal. 6:1.

13. Umdala angazizwa njani ngokubogaboga kwakhe?

¹³ Kubayini kungaba sitjhijilo? Abadala nabo banesono. Njengawo woke umuntu, bayayenza imitjhapho. (Rom. 3:​23) Ngezinye iinkhathi bangakufumana kubudisi ukuba nombono ofaneleko ngokubogaboga kwabo. Abanye kungabatshwenya ukubogaboga kwabo bebaphelelwe mamandla. Abanye bangaba msinya ukulibalela imitjhaphwabo bebacabange nokuthi akunatlhogeko yokwenza amatjhuguluko.

14. Ngokuya ngokwebeFilipi 4:​13, ukuzithoba kwakaPowula kwamsiza njani waqalana nokubogaboga kwakhe?

¹⁴ Isibonelo sakaPowula. Ukuzithoba kwenza uPowula wabona ukuthi ngeze aqalana nokubogaboga kwakhe ayedwa. Bekatlhoga amandla avela kuZimu. Ngaphambilini, uPowula bekamumuntu oqinisa ihloko, ahlunguphaza kabuhlungu amanye amaKrestu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi wazwisisa bona lokho bekakwenza bekungakalungi begodu wazimisela ukutjhugulula umbonwakhe nobuntu bakhe. (1 Thim. 1:​12-16) Ngesizo lakaJehova, uPowula waba mumelusi onethando, ozwelanako nothobekileko. Bekumzwisa ubuhlungu ukuba nesono kwakhe nanyana kunjalo, wakhetha ukuthembela ekulitjalelweni nguJehova kunokudzimelela emitjhaphwenakhe. (Rom. 7:​21-25) Akhenge alindele ukungenzi umtjhapho. Kunalokho, wasebenza budisi ukuthuthukisa ubuntu bakhe bobuKrestu begodu ngokuzithoba, wathembela kuJehova bona enze umsebenzi aphathiswe wona.​​—1 Kor. 9:​27; Funda yebeFilipi 4:13.

15. Ngimuphi umbono ofaneleko abadala ekufuze babenawo ngokubogaboga kwabo?

¹⁵ Esikufundako. Umuntu akabi mdala ebandleni ngebanga lokuthi akanasono. UJehova ulindele bona abantu bavume imitjhaphwabo begodu balwele ubuntu bobuKrestu. (Efe. 4:​23, 24) Umdala kufuze asebenzise iliZwi lakaZimu bona azihlolisise begodu asebenze budisi ukwenza amatjhuguluko atlhogekako. UJehova uzomsiza bona athabe begodu aphumelele.​​—Jak. 1:25.

16. Khuyini engenzeka nange umdala adzimelele emitjhaphweni yabanye?

¹⁶ Kubayini kungaba sitjhijilo? Kungenzeka abadala bayayibona imiphumela yokuba nesono kwabanye ebandleni ngombana basebenzelana eduze nabo. Lokho kungenza ukuthi abadala nabangakatjheji, basilingeke, bangabi nomusa namkha bahlulele. UPowula wayelelisa amaKrestu bona uSathana angakuthabela khulu ukubona lokho kwenzeka.​​—2 Kor. 2:​10, 11.

17. UPowula bekabaqala njani abafowabo nabodadwabo?

¹⁷ Isibonelo sakaPowula. Bekanombono omuhle ngabafowabo nabodadwabo. Bekayibona imitjhaphwabo begodu ngezinye iinkhathi izenzo zabo bezimzwisa ubuhlungu. Okuhle kukuthi uPowula bekazi ukuthi ukwenza umtjhapho, akutjho bona umuntu loyo mumbi. Bekabathanda abafowabo begodu bekadzimelela ebuntwini babo obuhle. Nangabe abafowabo nabodadwabo bekubudisi bona benze okulungileko, bekaba nombono wokuthi iinsusa zabo zihle begodu batlhoga isizo.

18. Khuyini oyifundileko endleleni uPowula asebenzelana ngayo no-Eyodiya noSintike? (Filipi 4:​1-3)

¹⁸ Akhesicabange ngendlela uPowula asiza ngayo abodadwethu ababili bebandleni leFilipi. (Funda yebeFilipi 4:​1-3.) U-Eyodiya noSintike kubonakala kwanga bavumela ukungaboni izinto ngendlela efanako kwabaphadlhula phakathi. UPowula akhenge abelikhuni namkha abahlulele, wadzimelela ebuntwini babo obuhle. Bekubodade abathembekileko, abazakhela umlando omuhle. UPowula bekazi bona uJehova uyabathanda. Umbono kaPowula ofaneleko ngabodadwethwaba wamenza wabakhuthaza bona balungise ukungazwani kwabo. Indlela ebekaqala ngayo izinto yenza bona ahlale athabile begodu anobuhlobo obuhle namalungu webandla.

19. (a) Abadala bangaba njani nombono ofaneleko ngamalunga webandla? (b) Khuyini oyifundako esithombeni somdala ohlwengisa iWolo lomBuso?

¹⁹ Esikufundako. Badala, qalani ubuntu obuhle babafowethu nabodadwethu. Soke sinesono nanyana kunjalo, omunye nomunye wethu unobuntu obuhle esingambuka kibo. (Flp. 2:3) Kuliqiniso ukuthi ngezinye iikhathi abadala kungatlhogeka balungise umbono womfowethu namkha udadwethu. NjengoPowula, abadala kufuze bakulwele budisi ukuqala ngale kwamezwi nezenzo zakadadwethu namkha umfowethu. Benza kuhle ngokudzimelela ethandweni umfowethu nodadwethu analo ngoJehova, ekukghodlheleleni kwakhe ekulotjheni uZimu kunye nemizamwenakhe yokwenza okulungileko. Abadala abanombono omuhle, benza ibandla libe yindawo ehle nefuthumeleko.

20. Abadala bangazuza njani esibonelweni sakaPowula?

²⁰ Nina badala kuzonisiza khulu ukuragela phambili nifunda ngesibonelo sakaPowula. Ngokwesibonelo, ku-Watch Tower Publications Index, ningaqala ngaphasi kwesihloko esikhulu esithi, “uPowula” bese nitjhinga ngaphasi kwesihlokwana esithi, “Example for elders.” Njengombana ufunda iinhlokwezi, zibuze nasi imibuzo, ‘Isibonelo sakaPowula singangisiza njani ngihlale ngithabile nangenza umsebenzani njengomdala?’

21. Khuyini abadala abangaqiniseka ngayo?

²¹ Badala, khumbulani ukuthi uJehova akanibawi bona nibe babantu abangasono, unibawa bona nibe nokukholwa. (1 Kor. 4:2) UJehova kwamthabisa ukusebenza budisi nokukholwa kwakaPowula. Nani ningaqiniseka ngokuthi uyakuthabela lokho enikwenzako emsebenzinakhe. UJehova “akasingongakalungi bona angakhohlwa umsebenzenu nethando enilitjengise ebizweni lakhe ngokusiza abacwengileko nokuragela phambili nibasiza.”​​—Heb. 6:10.