1-3. (a) Ngiliphi iqiniso esinganakulibalekela elivezwa yiBhayibhili? (b) Singabakhetha njani abangani abazokuba nomthelela omuhle kithi?

ABANTU bafana neempontji; bavame ukuthatha nanyana yini ebabhodileko. Kubulula ukuthatha nanyana yini ebabhodileko namtjhana bangafuni—iindlela zokucabanga, indlela abaphila ngayo, begodu nobuntu balabo abazihlanganisa nabo njengabangani babo.

² IBhayibhili iveza iqiniso elinganakubalekelwa neyithi: “Okhamba nabahlakaniphileko uzokuhlakanipha, kodwana oberegelana neendlhayela kuzomkhambela kumbi.” (Izaga 13:20) Iziyemezi azikhulumi ngokujayelana nje kwaphela. Ibizo “okhamba” lisikisela ubungani obungapheliko. * Ikhuluma ngendinyana le, enye iBhayibhili yathi: “Ukukhamba nomuntu kutjho ithando nokutjhidelana.” Awuvumi na bona sivame ukulingisa labo esibathandako? Kwamambala, ngombana sitjhidelana nalabo esibathandako, bangaba nomthelela kithi—wokulungileko namtjhana wokungakalungi.

³ Ukuhlala ethandweni lakaZimu, kuqakathekile bona sifune abangani abazokuba nomthelela omuhle kithi. Singakwenza njani lokhu? Singakwenza ngokuthanda labo abathandwa nguZimu, senze abangani bakhe babe bangani  bethu. Cabanga ngalokhu. Singakhetha abangani ababhedere labo abaneemfanelo ezifunwa nguJehova ebanganini bakhe. Akhe sihlahlube ihlobo labantu abathandwa nguZimu. Sinombono kaJehova okhanyako emkhumbulwenethu, sizokwazi ukukhetha abangani abahle.

4. Kubayini uJehova anelungelo lokukhetha abangani, begodu kubayini uJehova abiza u-Abrahama bona ‘mnganakhe’?

⁴ Nekuziwa ekukhetheni abangani uJehova uyakhetha. Unalo ilungelo lokwenza njalo. Ngombana yiKosi eMbusi wendawo yoke, ukwakha ubungani naye lilungelo elikhulu ukuwadlula woke. Bobani-ke abakhetha njengabangani bakhe? UJehova utjhidela kilabo abathembele kuye begodu nalabo abanekholo kuye. Isibonelo, cabangela ihloko yomndeni u-Abrahama, indoda eyaziwa ngokuba nekholo eliveleleko. Asikho isilingo esikhulu sekholo ngobaba omumuntu bona bambawe anikele ngendodanakhe njengesihlabelo. * Nokho, u-Abrahama “kwafana nokobana selanikele ngendodanakhe u-Isaka,” anekholo eliqinileko lokobana “uZimu unamandla wokuvusa u-Isaka ekufeni.” (KumaHebheru 11:17-19, NW) Ngombana u-Abrahama waba nekholo begodu walalela, ngethando uJehova wambiza bona ‘mnganakhe.’—Isaya 41:8; KaJakobosi 2:21-23.

5. UJehova ubaqala njani labo abamlalela ngokuthembeka?

⁵ KuJehova ukuthembeka nokulalela kuqakatheke khulu. Uthanda labo ngokuzithandela ababeka ukuthembeka kuye ngaphezu kwananyana yini. (Funda 2 Samuweli 22:26) Njengombana sifundile eSahlukweni-1 sencwadi le, uJehova uyathaba ngalabo abakhetha ukumlalela ngokuzithandela.  Izaga 3:32 zithi, “Utjhidelene nabathembekileko kuye.” Labo ngokuthembeka abenza okufunwa nguZimu bafumana isimemo somusa esivela kuJehova: Bangaba ziimenywa “etendeni” lakhe—bamukelekile bona bamkhonze begodu bafumane ikululeko yokukhuluma naye ngomthandazo.—AmaRhalani 15:1-5.

6. Singatjengisa njani bona siyamthanda uJesu, begodu uJehova uzizwa njani ngalabo abathanda iNdodanakhe?

⁶ UJehova uthanda labo abathanda uJesu, okukuphela kweNdodanakhe. UJesu wathi: “Loyo ongithandako uzahlonipha ifundiso yami. UBaba uzamthanda, mina noBaba sizeza kuye sihlale naye.” (Jwanisi 14:23) Singalitjengisa njani ithando lethu ngoJesu? Singakwenza ngokulalela imilayo yakhe, lokhu kuhlanganisa nomlayo wokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi nokwenza abafundi. (Matewu 28:19, 20; Jwanisi 14:15, 21) Godu singatjengisa ithando lethu ngoJesu ‘ngokulandela isibonelo sakhe,’ ngokumlingisa ngamezwi nangezenzo ngendlela esingakghona ngayo njengabantu abanesono. (1 KaPitrosi 2:21) Ihliziyo kaJehova ithatjiswa mizamo yalabo ithando ngeNdodanakhe elibenza bona balandele emagadangweni kaKrestu.

7. Kubayini kukuhlakanipha bona ube mngani wabangani bakaJehova?

⁷ Ikholo, ukuthembeka, ukulalela nethando ngoJesu nangeendlela zakhe—lezi ngezinye zeemfanelo uJehova azilindele ebanganini Bakhe. Ngamunye wethu wenza kuhle ngokuzibuza bona: ‘Iimfanelo neendlela ezinjengalezi ziyabonakala na ebanganini bami abaseduze? Ngenze abangani bakaJehova abangani bami?’ Kukuhlakanipha ukwenza njalo. Ngamunye ohlawulela iimfanelo zakaZimu ngokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zoMbuso ngokuncama angaba nomthelela omuhle kithi, asenze bona siphile ngekhanuko yethu yokuthabisa uZimu.—Qala ibhoksi “ Unjani Umngani Omuhle?” ekhasini-29.

8. Khuyini ekukarako ngobungani (a) bakaRude noNawomi? (b) amaHebheru amathathu asesematjha? (c)  nangobungani bakaPowula noThimothi?

⁸ IMitlolo ineembonelo ezinengi zalabo abazuzako ngokukhetha abangani abahle. Ungafunda ngobungani bakaNawomi nomalukazana wakhe uRude, nangamaHebheru amathathu asesematjha aba nobungani obuqinileko eBhabhiloni, nobungani bakaPowula noThimothi. (Rude 1:16; Danyela 3:17, 18; 1 KwebeKorinte 4:17; KwebeFilipi 2:20-22) Nokho, akhe siqale esinye isibonelo esiveleleko: ubungani bakaDavidi noJonathani.

9, 10. Gade busekelwephi ubungani bakaDavidi noJonathani?

⁹ IBhayibhili ithi ngemva kobana uDavidi abulele uGoliyadi, “umphefumulo wakaJonathani wakakarela emphefumulweni kaDavidi, begodu uJonathani wathoma ukumthanda njengombana athanda umphefumulo wakhe.” (1 Samuweli 18:1) Ubungani babo bahlala isikhathi eside nangaphezu kokutjhiyana khulu ngeemnyaka, baragela phambili bekwaba sekuhlongakaleni kwakaJonathani epini. * (2 Samuweli 1:26) Gade busekelwephi ubuhlobo obuqinileko hlangana nabangani ababilaba?

¹⁰ UDavidi noJonathani bebanetjhebiswano ngombana gade banethando ngoZimu begodu banekhanuko yokuhlala bathembekile kuye. Amadoda amabili la ahlanganiswa yikhanuko yawo yokuthabisa uZimu. Ngamunye gade atjengisa iimfanelo ezimenza athandeke komunye. Akunakuzaza bona uJonathani wakarwa sibindi netjisakalo yendoda eseseyitjha ngokungasabi eyavikela ibizo lakaJehova. Ngokunganakuzaza uDavidi wahlonipha indoda ekhulileko  ngokuthembeka eyasekela amalungiselelo kaJehova begodu ngokungabi marhamaru yabeka iintlhogo zakaDavidi qangi kunezayo. Isibonelo, cabangela lokho okwenzeka lokha uDavidi nekagandeleleke khulu, aphila njengombaleki emangweni bona abalekele ukukwata kweKosi embi uSawula, uyise kaJonathani. Ngendlela eveleleko yokuthembeka, uJonathani wathatha igadango lokuthoma “waya  kuDavidi . . . bona aqinise isandla sakhe malungana noZimu.” (1 Samuweli 23:16) Cabanga bona uDavidi wazizwa njani lokha umnganakhe omkhulu nekeza kuye azomsekela begodu amkhuthaze! *

11. Ufundani esibonelweni sobungani bakaJonathani noDavidi?

¹¹ Khuyini esiyifunda esibonelweni sakaJonathani noDavidi? Isifundo esiqakathekileko kukobana abangani babe neminqopho efanako ngokomoya. Nesitjhidelene nalabo abaneenkolelo ezifana nezethu, ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle,  nekhanuko yokuhlala sithembekile kuZimu, kungaba nokukhuthazana, amazizo, nangokukhuluma ngezinto ezikhuthazako ezenzekako nokwakhana. (Funda KwebeRoma 1:11, 12) Sifumana abangani abanjalo abangokomoya hlangana nabakhulekeli esinabo. Nokho, lokhu kutjho bona woke umuntu oza emihlanganweni eWolweni loMbuso angaba mngani omuhle? Awa, akusinjalo.

12, 13. (a) Kubayini kufuze sibe ngabakhethako endabeni yabangani ngitjho nahlangana namaKrestu? (b) Ngiwuphi umraro amabandla wangekhulu lokuthoma leemnyaka aba nawo, okwenza uPowula anikele siphi isiyeleliso?

¹² Ngitjho nebandleni, kufuze sikhethe bona abangani bethu babe abangokomoya nabakhako. Kufuze kusirare na lokhu? Awa. Amanye amaKrestu ebandleni angathatha isikhathi eside ukuvuthwa ngokomoya, njengombana nezinye iinthelo zingathatha isikhathi eside ukuvuthwa. Ngalokho, kelinye nelinye ibandla sifumana amaKrestu abasebujamweni obungafaniko bokuvuthwa ngokomoya. (KumaHebheru 5:12–6:3) Mbala, sitjengisa ukukghodlhelela nethando kwabatjha namtjhana ababuthakathaka, ngombana sifuna ukubarhelebha bona bakhule ngokomoya.—KwebeRoma 14:1; 15:1.

¹³ Ngeenkhathi ezithileko kungaba nezinto ezifuna bona sitjheje abantu esizihlanganisa nabo ebandleni. Abanye bangaziphatha ngendlela esolisako. Abanye bangaba nomoya wokunghonghoyila. Amabandla wangekhulu lokuthoma leemnyaka aba nomraro ofanako. Nanyana amalungu amanengi gade athembekile, abathileko akhenge baziphathe kuhle. Njengombana abanye ebandleni leKorinte bangakhenge babambelele eemfundisweni ezithileko zobuKrestu, umpostoli uPowula wayelelisa ibandla: Ningalutheki! “Ukujayelana nabantu bemikhuba emimbi kusilaphaza isimilo esihle.” (1 KwebeKorinte 15:12, 33) UPowula walemukisa  uThimothi bona nahlangana namaKrestu, kuzokuba nabanye abenza izinto ezingakalungi. UThimothi watjelwa bona azihlukanise nabantu abanjalo, angabenzi abangani bakhe abaseduze.—Funda 2 KuThimothi 2:20-22.

14. Singasiberegisa njani isiyeleliso sakaPowula malungana nalabo esizihlanganisa nabo?

¹⁴ Singasiberegisa njani isiyeleliso sakaPowula? Ngokubalekela ukutjhidela eduze kwananyana ngubani—ngaphakathi namtjhana ngaphandle kwebandla—ongaba nomthelela omumbi. (2 KwebeTesalonika 3:6, 7, 14) Kufuze sivikele ingokomoya lethu. Khumbula bona njengeempontji, simunya imikghwa neendlela zabangani bethu abaseduze. Njengombana singekhe sacwilisa isipontji e-asenini salindela bona sizale amanzi, ngalokho angekhe sazihlanganisa nalabo abanomthelela omumbi salindela ukumunya okuhle.—1 KwebeKorinte 5:6.

15. Ungenza njani bona ufumane abangani abangokomoya ebandleni?

¹⁵ Ngokuthabisako, manengi amathuba wokufumana abangani abahle hlangana nalabo esikhulekela nabo. (AmaRhalani 133:1) Ungabafumana njani abangani abahle ebandleni? Njengombana uhlawulela iimfanelo zakaZimu, akunakuzaza bona abanye abafana nawe bazokutjhidela kuwe. Ngesikhathi esifanako, kuzokutlhogeka bona uthathe amagadango wokwenza abangani. (Qala ibhoksi elithi, “ Indlela Yokwenza Abangani Abahle.”) Qala labo abatjengisa iimfanelo nawe ofuna ukuzitjengisa. Lalela isiyeleliso seBhayibhili esithi, “Yandisani ithando lenu,” ufune abangani hlangana nesikhulekela nabo kungakhathalisa ubuhlanga, ubutjhaba namtjhana amasiko. (2 KwebeKorinte 6:13 NW; funda 1 KaPitrosi 2:17) Ungakhethi abangani hlangana neentanga zakho kwaphela. Khumbula bona uJonathani gade amkhulu-khulu kunoDavidi. Abantu abakhulu abanengi bangenza ubungani benu bube ngobunothileko ngelemuko nokuhlakanipha abanakho.

16, 17. Nengabe umuntu esikhulekela naye usizwisa ubuhlungu ngendlela ethileko, kubayini kungakafuzi bona singhale ukuya ebandleni?

¹⁶ Njengombana abantu bangafani begodu sikhuliswe ngeendlela ezingafaniko, ngezinye iinkhathi kungaba nemiraro ebandleni. Enikhulekela naye angatjho namtjhana enze into ekuphatha kumbi. (Izaga 12:18) Ngezinye iinkhathi imiraro ingabangelwa kungafani kobuntu, ukungazwisisani nokuba neembono engafaniko. Sizokukhutjhwa zizinto ezinjalo begodu singhale ukuya ebandleni? Angekhe nengabe sinethando ngoJehova nangalabo abathandako.

¹⁷ NjengoMbumbi noMuphi Wokuphila, uJehova ufanelwe lithando lethu nokuzinikela okupheleleko. (ISambulo 4:11) Ukungezelela kilokho, ibandla athabela ukuliberegisa litlhoga ukusekela kwethu ngokuthembeka. (KumaHebheru 13:17) Ngalokho nengabe umkhulekeli esinaye  uyasikhubekisa namtjhana usizwisa ubuhlungu ngendlela ethileko, angekhe singhale ukuya ebandleni njengendlela yokuzibuyiselela. Angekhe sayenza into enjalo. UJehova akusuye osizwise ubuhlungu. Ithando lethu ngoJehova angekhe lisivumele bona simlahle yena nabantu bakhe!—Funda AmaRhalani 119:165.

18. (a) Khuyini esingayenza ukuthuthukisa ukuthula ebandleni? (b)  Ukukhetha ukulibalela nengabe kunamabanga azwakalako wokwenza njalo kuletha ziphi iimbusiso?

¹⁸ Ithando ngalabo esikhulekela nabo lisenza bona sithuthukise ukuthula ebandleni. UJehova akakalindeli ukuphelela kilabo abathandako, nathi akukafuzi bona sikulindele. Ithando lisenza singatjheji khulu iimtjhapho yabanye, sikhumbule bona soke sinesono begodu siyayenza iimtjhapho. (Izaga 17:9; 1 KaPitrosi 4:8) Ithando lisirhelebha bona siragele phambili ‘silibalelana’ ngokutjhaphulukileko. (KwebeKholose 3:13) Akusibulula ngaso soke isikhathi ukulalela isiyeleliswesi. Nengabe sivumela ukuphatheka kumbi kusihlule, lokho kuzosenza bona sibambe amavunda, sicabange bonyana ukukwata kwethu kuzwisa osonileko ubuhlungu. Nokho, eqinisweni, ukubamba amavunda kulimaza thina. Ukukhetha ukulibalela nengabe kunamabanga azwakalako wokwenza njalo kuletha iimbusiso. (Luka 17:3, 4) Kusilethela ukuthula komkhumbulo nehliziyo, kubulunge ukuthula ebandleni, begodu ngaphezu kwakho koke, kubulunga ubuhlobo bethu noJehova.—Matewu 6:14, 15; KwebeRoma 14:19.

19. Ngibuphi ubujamo obungavela obungenza kutlhogeke bona siqede ubungani nothileko?

¹⁹ Ngezinye iinkhathi sikhuthazwa bona siqede ubungani nomuntu egade alilungu lebandla. Lokhu kwenzeka lokha umuntu ngokungatjhuguluki aphula umlayo kaZimu asuswa ekuhlanganyeleni, aphika ikholo ngokufundisa iimfundiso zamala namtjhana azihlukanisa nebandla. ILizwi  lakaZimu lisitjela ngokukhanyako ‘lisani ukuzihlanganisa’ nabanjalo. * (Funda 1 KwebeKorinte 5:11-13 NW; 2 KaJwanisi 9-11) Kungaba budisi kwamambala ukugegeda umuntu egade amnganakho namtjhana isihlobo sakho. Sizokuqina, sitjengise bona sibeka ukuthembeka kuJehova nemilayo yakhe ngaphezu kwananyana yini? Khumbula bona uJehova uqala ukuthembeka nokulalela njengokuqakatheke khulu.

20, 21. (a) Kubayini ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni kulilungiselelo lethando? (b) Kubayini kuqakathekile ukukhetha abangani ngokuhlakanipha?

²⁰ Ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni kwamambala lilungiselelo lethando elivela kuJehova. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Ukuqotha isoni esingatjhugulukiko kutjengisa ithando ngebizo lakaJehova elicwengileko nakho koke elikutjhoko. (1 KaPitrosi 1:15, 16) Ukususa ekuhlanganyeleni kubulunga ibandla lihlwengile. Amalungu athembekileko angavikeleka emtheleleni omumbi wezoni zangamabomu begodu aragele phambili nokukhulekela kwawo azi bona ibandla livikelekile ephasini elimbeli. (1 KwebeKorinte 5:7; KumaHebheru 12:15, 16) Ukukhalimela okuqinilekokhu kutjengisa ithando ngomenzi wobumbi. Kungamenza abone bona kufuze atjhuguluke ezenzweni zakhe ezimbi begodu athathe amagadango atlhogekako wokubuyela kuJehova.—KumaHebheru 12:11.

²¹ Angekhe salibalekela iqiniso lokobana labo esizihlanganisa nabo njengabangani bethu abaseduze bangaba nomthelela onamandla kithi. Kuqakathekile-ke ukukhetha abangani bethu ngokuhlakanipha. Ngokwenza abangani bakaJehova abangani bethu, ngokuthanda labo abathandwa nguZimu, sizokuba nabangani abahle khulu. Lokho esikumunye kibo kuzosirhelebha bona siphile ngekhanuko yethu yokuthabisa uZimu.