1. Yeyiphi ingxaki awaba nayo uYosefu? Wenza ntoni?

 UNYANA kaYakobi, uYosefu, wayesengxakini enzima. Umfazi kaPotifare inkosi yakhe wathi kuye, “Ndilale.” UYosefu zange ayenze loo nto. Omny’ umntu usenokuzibuza, ‘Kwakutheni ukuze angavumi?’ UPotifare wayengekho, yena esisicaka nje kuloo ndlu. Ngoko lo mfazi wayenokumenza aphile ubomi bentshontsho. Sekunjalo, uYosefu zange avume nangona lo mfazi wayeyithetha yonke imihla le nto. Kwakutheni ukuze angavumi? Wathi: “Ndingathini ukwenza into embi kangaka ndize ndone uThixo?”—Gen. 39:7-12.

2. UYosefu wayazi njani into yokuba ukukrexeza kusisono kuThixo?

² UYosefu wayeyazela phi ukuba ukukrexeza yinto “embi” kuThixo? Kaloku kwakuseza kudlula iminyaka emalunga neyi-200 ngaphambi kokuba uMoses abhale uMthetho othi “Uze ungakrexezi.” (Eks. 20:14) UYosefu wayemazi kakuhle uYehova kangangokuba waqonda ukuba wayengasoze ayithande into yokuba akrexeze. Ngokomzekelo, wayesazi ukuba uYehova wayefuna indoda ibe nomfazi omnye, nomfazi abe nendoda enye. Inoba weva nangendlela uYehova awasikhusela ngayo isidima sikaSara, umama kamakhulu wakhe, xa kwakukho amadoda awayefuna ukumthatha. UThixo wamkhusela kwinto efanayo noRebheka, umfazi kaIsake. (Gen. 2:24; 12:14-20; 20:2-7; 26:6-11) Ukucinga ngezi zinto, kwenza uYosefu wayiqonda into elungileyo nengalunganga kuThixo. Wayemthanda uThixo, ezithanda neendlela Zakhe zobulungisa. Ngoko wazimisela ukubambelela kwezo ndlela zikaThixo.

3. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku?

 ³ Uyabuthanda ubulungisa? Ngokuqinisekileyo uthi ewe. Sonke sinesono, ngoko ukuba asilumkanga sinokuzibhaqa sesithanda indlela eli hlabathi elibujonga ngayo ubulungisa. (Isa. 5:20; Roma 12:2) Ngoku siza kuva ukuba buyintoni ubulungisa nokuba kusinceda njani ukubuthanda. Emva koko siza kuthetha ngezinto ezintathu esinokuzenza neziza kusinceda siye sizithanda izinto athi uYehova zilungile.

4. Abantu abaninzi basenokucinga ukuba unjani umntu olilungisa?

⁴ Xa kuthethwa ngomntu olilungisa, abantu abaninzi basenokucinga ngomntu onekratshi, ogxeka abanye nocinga ukuba ubhetele kunabo. Kodwa uThixo akabathandi tu abantu abanjalo. Xa uYesu wayelapha emhlabeni, wabagxeka kakhulu abefundisi bexesha lakhe kuba babebeka eyabo imithetho yobulungisa. (INtshu. 7:16; Luka 16:15) Umntu olilungisa nyhani, akafani tu nomntu ocinga ukuba ubhetele kunabanye.

5. Kuthiwa yintoni ubulungisa eBhayibhileni? Yenza imizekelo.

⁵ Ubulungisa luphawu oluthandekayo. Eli gama lithetha ukwenza into athi uYehova uThixo ilungile. EBhayibhileni amagama aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubulungisa” athetha ukuphila ngemithetho ekwelona zinga liphezulu, imithetho kaYehova. Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile ithi: “Izikali ezithembekileyo zisuka kuYehova.” (IMize. 16:11) Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukuthembeka’ linokuguqulelwa nangokuthi “ubulungisa.” Ngoko umKristu ofuna ukuba lilungisa kuThixo, uza kuthembeka ngokupheleleyo kuzo zonke izinto azenzayo kwishishini lakhe. Umntu othanda ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo uyakucaphukela ukubona umntu ongenzelwa bulungisa. Ukuze ‘amvuyise ngokupheleleyo’ uYehova, umntu olilungisa nyhani xa esenza izigqibo uye azibuze ukuba uYehova uza kuziva njani ngezigqibo azenzayo.—Kol. 1:10.

6. Kutheni simele simthembe uYehova xa esixelela ukuba yintoni elungileyo nengalunganga? (Isa. 55:8, 9)

⁶ IBhayibhile ithi ubulungisa busuka kuYehova. Yiloo nto kusithiwa ‘uyindawo yokuhlala yobulungisa.’ (Yer. 50:7) Ekubeni enguMdali, nguye qha esimele sive kuye ukuba yintoni elungileyo. Ngenxa yokuba sinesono, asinakuyazi into elungileyo nengalunganga. Yena uYehova akanasono, ngoko uyazi kakuhle into elungileyo nengalunganga (IMize. 14:12; funda uIsaya 55:8, 9.) Kuba senziwe ngokufana naye, nathi singakwazi ukwenza izinto athi zilungile. (Gen. 1:27) Sikuthanda nyhani ke ukwenza izinto athi zilungile. Indlela esimthanda ngayo uTata wethu isenza sizame ngandlela zonke ukumlinganisa.—Efe. 5:1.

7. Kutheni simele sibekelwe imithetho yendlela esimele sizenze ngayo izinto? Yenza umzekelo.

⁷ Kuyasinceda ukuthobela imithetho kaYehova esixelela ngezinto ezilungileyo nezingalunganga. Nasi isizathu sokuba sitsho. Cinga ngento ebinokwenzeka ukuba inkampani yokwakha nganye ibinokuzigqibela ukuba ifuna eyayo imitha ibe nde kangakanani. Ibiza kuba yingxaki enkulu leyo. Ukuba oogqirha noonesi bebesenza unothanda xa benyanga izigulane, bekusenokubakho eziswelekayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo abantu bayakhuseleka xa bebekelwa imithetho yendlela abamele bazenze ngayo izinto. Nemithetho esixelela  ngezinto uThixo athi zilungile nathi azilunganga iyasikhusela.

8. UYehova uza kubasikelela njani abantu abathanda ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo?

⁸ UYehova uyabasikelela abantu abazama ukuphila ngemithetho yakhe. Nantsi into abathembisa yona: “Umhlaba uza kuba ngowamalungisa, ibe aza kuhlala kuwo ngonaphakade.” (INdu. 37:29) Unawo umbono wendlela abantu abaza kumanyana ngayo, kukho uxolo, bonwabile, xa bonke bephila ngemithetho kaYehova? UYehova ufuna ube ngomnye wabo bantu. Ngokuqinisekileyo sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokubuthanda ubulungisa. Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sibuthande ngaphezu kokuba sibuthanda ngoku? Makhe sithethe ngezinto ezintathu esinokuzenza.

9. Yintoni eza kusinceda sibuthande ubulungisa?

⁹ 1: Mthande uMntu okubekela imithetho. Ukuze sibuthande ubulungisa, simele siye simthanda uMntu osibekela imithetho esixelela ngezinto ezilungileyo nezingalunganga. Xa sisiya simthanda uYehova, siza kuya sikuthanda ukwenza izinto athi zilungile. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba uAdam noEva babemthanda uYehova, babengasoze bayenze into athi mabangayenzi.—Gen. 3:1-6, 16-19.

10. Yintoni awayenzayo uAbraham ukuze ayiqonde bhetele indlela uYehova acinga ngayo?

¹⁰ Ngokuqinisekileyo asifuni ukwenza into eyenziwa nguAdam noEva. Into enokusinceda singafani nabo kukungayeki ukufunda ngoYehova, ukuthanda iimpawu zakhe nokuzama ukuqonda indlela acinga ngayo. Ukuba siyazenza ezi zinto, siza kumthanda kakhulu. Cinga ngoAbraham. Wayemthanda nyhani uYehova. Naxa wayekhe wangaziqondi izigqibo azenzayo, wayengayeki ukumthobela, kodwa wayezama ukumazi bhetele. Ngokomzekelo, akuva ukuba uYehova uza kutshabalalisa iSodom neGomora, woyikiswa kukuba “uMgwebi womhlaba wonke” wayeza kutshabalalisa abantu abenza izinto ezimbi, atshabalalise namalungisa. Kodwa uAbraham wayengenawo umbono kaYehova esenza loo nto. Ngoko wambuza umbuzo emva komnye. UYehova zange adikwe, wayiphendula yonke loo mibuzo. UAbraham wade waqonda ukuba uYehova ujongisisa iintliziyo zabo bonke abantu, nokuba soze ohlwaye ilungisa nomntu owenza izinto ezimbi.—Gen. 18:20-32.

11. UAbraham wabonisa njani ukuba wayemthanda futhi emthembile uYehova?

¹¹ Incoko ka-Abraham noYehova ngeSodom neGomora, yamenza uAbraham wamthanda waza wamhlonipha kakhulu uTata wakhe. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, kwenzeka into eyayiza kwenza kungabi lula kuAbraham ukuthemba uYehova. UYehova wamcela ukuba abingelele ngonyana wakhe awayemthanda, uIsake. Ngoku uAbraham wayemazi bhetele uThixo wakhe, ngoko zange ambuze mibuzo. Wazimisela ukwenza loo nto uYehova wayesithi makayenze. Kodwa khawucinge indlela emele ukuba yayibuhlungu ngayo intliziyo yakhe xa wayelungiselela ukuyenza le nto! Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wacinga kakhulu ngezinto awayezifundile ngoThixo. Wayesazi ukuba uYehova soze enze into embi okanye ebonisa inkohlakalo. Umpostile uPawulos uthi uAbraham wazixelela ukuba uYehova angamvusa unyana wakhe amthandayo, uIsake. (Heb. 11:17-19) Enye into, wayemthembisile ukuba kuIsake kwakuza kuphuma uhlanga, ibe ngelo xesha uIsake wayengekabi naye nomnye  umntwana. UAbraham wayemthanda uYehova, ngoko wayemthembile ukuba wayeza kwenza into elungileyo. Ngenxa yokuba wayenokholo, wathobela ngoxa kwakunzima.—Gen. 22:1-12.

12. Singamlinganisa njani uAbraham? (INdumiso 73:28)

¹² Singamlinganisa njani uAbraham? Masingayeki ukufunda ngoYehova. Ngokuya sifunda ngaye, siza kuya simazi size simthande kakhulu. (Funda iNdumiso 73:28.) Indlela ezisebenza ngayo izazela zethu iza kuvumelana nendlela acinga ngayo. (Heb. 5:14) Loo nto iza kusenza singavumi xa kukho umntu ofuna senze into engafunwayo nguThixo. Soze siyicinge nokuyicinga into yokwenza into eza kumenza buhlungu uTata wethu, ize isenze siyeke ukuba ngabahlobo bakhe. Yeyiphi enye indlela esinokubonisa ngayo ukuba siyabuthanda ubulungisa?

13. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sibe nobulungisa? (IMizekeliso 15:9)

¹³ 2: Usuku emva kolunye, sebenzela ukuthanda ubulungisa. Ukuba sifuna isihlunu somelele, kufuneka sijime yonke imihla. Ukuze siyithande nento uYehova athi ilungile, kufuneka sisebenze nzima. Lo ngumsebenzi esinokuwenza yonke imihla. UYehova uyasicingela, akalindelanga ukuba senze izinto ezingaphezu kwamandla ethu. (INdu. 103:14) Usixelela ukuba “uyamthanda lowo ufuna ubulungisa. (Funda iMizekeliso 15:9.) Ukuba kukho into esifuna ukuyenzela uYehova, sihlala sizama ngamandla ukuba side sikwazi ukuyenza. Senza loo nto ke naxa sifuna ubulungisa. UYehova uza kuba nomonde kuthi, asincede siye sisiba nabo.—INdu. 84:5, 7.

14. Imela ntoni into ‘yokukhusela isifuba’ ebubulungisa? Kutheni kufuneka siyinxibe?

¹⁴ UYehova uphinda asixelele ukuba akukho nzima ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo. (1 Yoh. 5:3) Kodwa kuyasikhusela, ibe loo nto siyidinga yonke imihla. Uyazikhumbula iimpahla zokuzikhusela awathetha ngazo umpostile uPawulos? (Efe. 6:14-18) Yeyiphi eyayikhusela intliziyo  yejoni? Yayiyinto ‘yokukhusela isifuba’ ebubulungisa, nemela izinto uYehova athi zilungile. Njengokuba into yokukhusela isifuba ikhusela intliziyo, nezinto athi uYehova zilungile zinokukhusela umntu onguye ngaphakathi. Ngoko qiniseka ukuba kwiimpahla zokuzikhusela ozinxibileyo, ikhona neyokukhusela isifuba ebubulungisa.—IMize. 4:23.

15. Ungayinxiba njani into yokukhusela isifuba ebubulungisa?

¹⁵ Ungayinxiba njani into yokukhusela isifuba ebubulungisa? Ngokuthi xa kukho into oza kuyenza, uqale uzibuze ukuba uThixo uza kuyithanda na. Xa ucinga ngento oza kuyithetha, ngomculo oza kuwumamela, ngento oza kuyibukela okanye incwadi oza kuyifunda, qal’ uzibuze: ‘Yintoni le ndiza kuyifaka entliziyweni yam? Ngaba uYehova uza kuyithanda? Okanye ngaba ikhuthaza izinto uYehova athi azilunganga, ezinjengokuziphatha kakubi, ubundlobongela, ukubawa nokuzicingela?’ (Fil. 4:8) Ukuba wenza izinto uYehova athi zilungile, uya kuba ukhusela intliziyo yakho kwizinto ezingalunganga.

16-17. Yintoni ethethwa kuIsaya 48:18 esenza siqiniseke ukuba singakwazi ukuhlala sisenza izinto athi uYehova zilungile?

¹⁶ Ngaba ukhe uzibuze ukuba ungakwazi na ukuhlala usenza izinto uYehova athi zilungile, ungaze uyeke? Cinga ngomzekelo awenzayo uYehova kuIsaya 48:18. (Mfunde.) Usithembisa ukuba ‘ubulungisa bethu bunokuba njengamaza olwandle.’ Khawube nombono wakho umi kunxweme lolwandle, ubukele amaza alwatyuzayo. Njengokuba uwabukele, awuyicingi nokuyicinga into yokuba ngenye imini angasuka eme. Uyazi ukuba sekuyiminyaka engenakubaleka la maza elwatyuza kolu lwandle, ibe aseza kuqhubeka elwatyuza.

¹⁷ Nobulungisa bakho busenokuba njengamaza olwandle. Njani? Xa kukho isigqibo oza kusenza, qal’ uzibuze ukuba yintoni eza kuvuyisa uYehova, emva koko wenze loo nto. Nokuba sinzima kangakanani isigqibo ekufuneka usenze, qiniseka ukuba uTata wakho okuthandayo uza kukunika amandla aze akuncede ukwazi ukuhlala usenza izinto ezilungileyo.—Isa. 40:29-31.

18. Kutheni singamele sibagwebe ngendlela esibona ngayo abanye?

¹⁸ 3: Mayibe nguYehova ogwebayo. Ngoxa sizama ukuzenza zonke izinto uYehova afuna sizenze, masilumkele ukuthelekisa izinto esizenzayo nezenziwa ngabanye abantu, size sicinge ukuba thina sibhetele kunabo. Ayingomsebenzi wethu ukugqiba ukuba izinto ezenziwa ngabanye zizinto ezifunwa nguYehova na. Mayingaphumi ezingqondweni zethu into yokuba “uMgwebi womhlaba wonke” nguYehova. (Gen. 18:25) Akawunikanga thina loo msebenzi. NoYesu wathi: “Yekani ukugweba ukuze nani ningagwetywa.”—Mat. 7:1. b

19. UYosefu wabonisa njani ukuba uyayithemba indlela agweba ngayo uYehova?

¹⁹ Makhe siphinde sithethe ngendoda eyayililungisa, uYosefu. Zange abagwebe abantu, nkqu nabo babemphethe kakubi. Abantakwabo bamhlasela, bamthengisela ukuba aye kuba likhoboka, baza baqhatha notata wabo besithi uswelekile. Waphinda wababona sekudlule iminyaka. Ngelo xesha wayelawula ilizwe lonke. Ngoko wayenokubagweba qatha, efuna nokuziphindezela.  Yiloo nto kanye ababeyoyika nangona babezisola nyhani ngento abamenza yona. Kodwa wathi kubo: “Ningoyiki, ayingoThixo na ogwebayo?” (Gen. 37:18-20, 27, 28, 31-35; 50:15-21) UYosefu owayethobekile wayesazi ukuba nguYehova qha owayemele agwebe abantakwabo.

20-21. Singakuphepha njani ukucinga ukuba sibhetele kunabanye abantu?

²⁰ Masifane noYosefu, siyeke ibe nguYehova ogwebayo. Ngokomzekelo, asibe sizihlupha ngokucinga ukuba siyazazi izizathu zokuba abazalwana noodade benze izinto ngeendlela abazenza ngazo. Asinakuzazi izinto ezicingwa ngumntu; nguYehova qha ‘ohlolisisa iinjongo zakhe.’ (IMize. 16:2) Uthanda bonke abantu; abakhule ngeendlela ezingafaniyo nabanezithethe ezingafaniyo. Uphinda asikhuthaze ukuba ‘sizivule iintliziyo zethu.’ (2 Kor. 6:13) Asifuni ukubagweba abazalwana noodade, eyona nto siyifunayo kukubathanda.

²¹ Ngoko asimele sibagwebe nabantu abangengomaNgqina. (1 Tim. 2:3, 4) Ungamgweba umntu wakowenu ongengomKristu uthi, “Lowo akasoze abe liNgqina”? Hayi, kaloku ukuthetha loo nto kukuzigqatsa nokucinga ukuba ubhetele kunaloo mntu. UYehova usanike “bonke abantu abakuzo zonke iindawo” ixesha lokuba baguquke. (IZe. 17:30) Mayingaphumi engqondweni yakho into yokuba umntu ozenza ilungisa ngokucinga ukuba ubhetele kwabanye abantu, akalolungisa kuYehova.

22. Kutheni uzimisele ukuthanda ubulungisa?

²² Xa sizithanda izinto uYehova athi zilungile, siza konwaba, abanye abantu bafunde kuthi, batsho basithande baze bamthande kakhulu noThixo. Masingaze siyeke ‘ukulambela nokunxanelwa ubulungisa.’ (Mat. 5:6) Qiniseka ukuba kuyamvuyisa uYehova ukukubona uzama ngamandla akho onke ukwenza izinto athi zilungile. Makungakutyhafisi ukubona ubulungisa busiya buphela kweli hlabathi. Hlala ukhumbula ukuba ‘uYehova uyawathanda amalungisa.’—INdu. 146:8.