1, 2. Ngemva kokuchitha ubusuku bonke bedoba, yini eyenzeka kuPetru?

ABAFUNDI bakaJesu abayisikhombisa babechithe ubusuku bonke bedoba oLwandle LwaseGalile kodwa bengabambi lutho. UJesu owayesevusiwe wababuka engasolwandle. Khona-ke wathi kubo: “‘Phonsani inetha ngakwesokunene sesikebhe nizozithola.’ Khona-ke baliphonsa, kodwa ababange besakwazi ukulidonsela ngaphakathi ngenxa yobuningi bezinhlanzi.”​—Joh. 21:1-6.

² Ngemva kokubanika ukudla kwasekuseni, uJesu wathi kuSimoni Petru: “Simoni ndodana kaJona, uyangithanda na ngaphezu kwalezi?” Wayesho ukuthini uJesu? UPetru wayekuthanda kakhulu ukudoba. Ngakho kubonakala sengathi uJesu wayembuza ukuthi yini ayithanda kakhulu. Ingabe wayethanda kakhulu ukudoba noma ibhizinisi lokudoba kunoJesu nezimfundiso zakhe? UPetru waphendula wathi: “Yebo, Nkosi, uyazi ukuthi ngiyakuthanda.” (Joh. 21:15) Ngokuqinisekile uPetru waligcina izwi lakhe. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, wabonisa ukuthi uyamthanda uKristu ngokuzikhandla emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi nangokuba idwala ebandleni langekhulu lokuqala lamaKristu.

3. Yiziphi izinto eziyingozi amaKristu okumelwe aziqaphe?

³ Yini esingayifunda emazwini uJesu awasho kuPetru? Akumelwe ukuthanda kwethu uKristu sikuvumele kunciphe noma siphazamiseke ekubekeni uMbuso kuqala. UJesu wayekwazi kahle ukucindezeleka okuhlobene nezinkathazo zalesi simiso sezinto. Emfanekisweni wakhe womhlwanyeli, uJesu wathi abanye bayolamukela “izwi lombuso” futhi baqale ukuthuthuka kodwa “izinkathazo zalesi simiso sezinto namandla engcebo okukhohlisa kuliminyanise izwi.” (Math. 13:19-22; Marku 4:19) Impela, uma singaqaphile, izinkathazo zokuphila zansuku zonke ziyocinanisa izinhliziyo zethu futhi zisenze singathuthuki ebuhlotsheni bethu noNkulunkulu. Yingakho uJesu axwayisa abafundi bakhe: “Qaphelani ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingalokothi zisindwe ukuminza nokuphuza kakhulu nezinkathazo zokuphila.”​—Luka 21:34.

4. Yini engasisiza sibone ukuthi simthanda kangakanani uKristu? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

⁴ Njengoba nje kwenza uPetru ngemva kokuba uJesu ekhulume naye, sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uKristu ngokubeka umsebenzi asinika wona kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. Singaqikelela kanjani ukuthi siyaqhubeka senza kanjalo? Kumelwe sihlale sizibuza: ‘Yini engiyithanda kakhulu? Ingabe ngijabula kakhulu lapho ngizenzela izinto zami noma lapho ngenza izinto ezithinta ubuhlobo bami noNkulunkulu?’ Manje, ake sihlole izinto ezintathu ezingaqeda ukuthanda kwethu uKristu noma imisebenzi yobuKristu uma zingekho endaweni efanele​—umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, ezokuzijabulisa nezinto ezibonakalayo.

5. IBhayibheli lithi izinhloko zemindeni kufanele zenzeni?

⁵ UPetru wayengadobi nje ukuze achithe isizungu kodwa wayeziphilisa ngako. Izinhloko zemindeni namuhla ziyazi ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi kufanele zinakekele izidingo ezingokwenyama zemindeni yazo. (1 Thim. 5:8) Kumelwe zisebenze kanzima ukuze zisifeze kahle lesi sabelo. Nokho, kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, izinkathazo zivame ukubangelwa umsebenzi wokuziphilisa.

6. Yiziphi izingcindezi ezikhona emsebenzini wokuziphilisa namuhla?

⁶ Ngenxa yokuntuleka kwemisebenzi, abaningi bazizwa bephoqeleka ukuba basebenze amahora amaningi, kwezinye izikhathi bezothola iholo elincane. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isidingo esikhula njalo sokukhiqiza umkhiqizo omningi siyabacindezela abantu ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo nangokomzwelo. Abasebenzi abangazimisele ukuzidela ngenxa yomsebenzi, baba sengozini yokulahlekelwa yiwo.

7, 8. (a) Ubani esiqotho kuye? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esibalulekile umfowethu waseThailand asifunda ngomsebenzi wakhe?

⁷ NjengamaKristu, kumelwe sibe qotho kuJehova uNkulunkulu hhayi kubaqashi bethu. (Luka 10:27) Umsebenzi wokuziphilisa umane nje uyindlela yokuzisekela. Sisebenzela ukuthola izidingo eziyisisekelo nokuzisekela enkonzweni. Nokho, uma singaqaphile umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ungaphazamisa ukukhulekela kwethu. Ngokwesibonelo, umfowethu waseThailand wathi: “Umsebenzi wami wokukhanda ama-computer wawumnandi kodwa wawungenza ngisebenze amahora amaningi. Ngenxa yalokho, wawungishiya ngingenaso isikhathi sezinto ezithinta ubuhlobo bami noJehova. Ekugcineni ngabona ukuthi ukuze ngikwazi ukubeka uMbuso kuqala, kufanele ngishintshe umsebenzi.” Lo mfowethu yini ayenza?

⁸ Uyachaza, “Ngemva konyaka ngihlela kahle, nganquma ukudayisa u-ice cream emgwaqeni. Ekuqaleni, ngathwala kanzima ngokwezimali futhi ngaphela amandla. Lapho ngihlangana nabanye engangisebenza nabo, babengihleka bese bengibuza ukuthi kungani ngangicabanga ukuthi ukushiswa yilanga udayisa u-ice cream kungcono kunokusebenza ngama-computer ehhovisi. Ngathandaza kuJehova ngamcela ukuba angisize ngikhuthazele futhi ngiwufinyelele umgomo wami wokuba nesikhathi esengeziwe sezinto eziphathelene nobuhlobo bami naye. Kungakabiphi izimo zaqala ukuba ngcono. Ngajwayelana nalokho okuthandwa amakhasimende ami futhi ngathuthuka nasekwenzeni u-ice cream. Ngokushesha, ngase ngiwudayisa wonke u-ice cream uphele ngosuku. Empeleni, manje sengithola imali eningi kunengangiyithola ngesikhathi ngisebenza ngama-computer. Kuyangijabulisa ukuthi ukucindezeleka enganginakho emsebenzini engangiwenza akusekho. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, ngizizwa ngisondelene nakakhulu noJehova.”​—Funda uMathewu 5:3, 6.

9. Singahlala kanjani sinombono ofanele ngomsebenzi wokuziphilisa?

⁹ Ukukhuthala kuyazuzisa noNkulunkulu uyamthanda umuntu okhuthele. (IzAga 12:14) Nokho, njengoba nje umfowethu okukhulunywe ngaye afunda, umsebenzi wokuziphilisa kumelwe ubekwe endaweni efanele. UJesu wathi: “Qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, khona-ke zonke lezi ezinye izinto [izidingo eziyisisekelo] niyozenezelelwa.” (Math. 6:33) Ukuze sihlole ukuthi sinombono olinganiselayo yini ngezinto ezivamile nezinto ezithinta ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu, kuhle ukuzibuza: ‘Ingabe ngiwujabulela kakhulu umsebenzi wami wokuziphilisa kodwa imisebenzi ethinta ubuhlobo bami noNkulunkulu ayingijabulisi?’ Ukucabanga nokuzindla ngendlela esizizwa ngayo mayelana nomsebenzi wethu wokuziphilisa nangemisebenzi ethinta ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu, kungasisiza sibone ukuthi yini ngempela esiyithanda kakhulu.

10. Yisiphi isifundo esibalulekile uJesu asifundisa ngokubeka izinto ezibalulekile kuqala?

¹⁰ UJesu wasibekela isibonelo esihle ngokulinganisela phakathi komsebenzi wokuziphilisa nemisebenzi ethinta ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu. Ngolunye usuku, uJesu wavakashela uMariya nodadewabo uMartha. Ngesikhathi uMartha ekhwishizela elungisa ukudla, uMariya yena wakhetha ukuhlala eduze kukaJesu futhi wamlalela. Lapho uMartha ekhala ngokuthi uMariya akamsizi, uJesu wathi kuMartha: “UMariya yena ukhethe isabelo esihle, ngeke aphucwe sona.” (Luka 10:38-42) UJesu wayefundisa uMartha isifundo esibalulekile. Nathi ukuze sigweme ukuphazanyiswa umsebenzi wokuziphilisa futhi sibonise ukuthi siyamthanda uKristu, kumelwe siqhubeke nokukhetha “isabelo esihle” futhi sibeke ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu kuqala.

11. Ithini imiBhalo ngokuphumula?

¹¹ Siyasidinga isikhathi sokuphumula sithi ukukhokha umoya uma kade sisebenza kanzima. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Akukho lutho olungcono kumuntu kunokuba adle futhi aphuze, abangele umphefumulo wakhe ubone okuhle ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe onzima.” (UmSh. 2:24) Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu wabona ukuthi kubalulekile ukuphumula. Ngolunye usuku, ngemva komkhankaso omkhulu wokushumayela, wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Wozani, nina nodwa, ngasese endaweni engenabantu niphumule kancane.”​—Marku 6:31, 32.

12. Yini okufanele siyiqaphe ngokuzijabulisa? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹² Yiqiniso, kuyadingeka ukuzijabulisa. Nokho, ingozi ivela lapho ukuzijabulisa sekuza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. Ekhulwini lokuqala, abaningi babenombono wokuthi “Masidle siphuze, ngoba kusasa sizokufa.” (1 Kor. 15:32) Leso simo sengqondo sisekhona nanamuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, insizwa yaseNtshonalanga ye-Europe yaqala ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Nokho yayithanda kakhulu ubumnandi kangangokuthi yaze yayeka ukuya esifundweni. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi yabona ukuthi ukugxila kwezokuzijabulisa, kuyibangele izinkinga eziningi futhi yadumazeka. Ngakho yaphinde yafundelwa ngokushesha yaqala ukushumayela nebandla. Ngemva kokubhapathizwa yathi: “Iyodwa nje into engizisola ngayo, isikhathi esiningi esangilahlekela ngaphambi kokuba ngibone ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova kujabulisa kakhulu ukwedlula ubumnandi baleli zwe.”

13. (a) Bonisa ingozi ngezokuzijabulisa. (b) Yini engasisiza sihlale sinombono olinganiselayo ngezokuzijabulisa?

¹³ Injongo yezokuzijabulisa ukuphumula nokukhokha umoya. Ukuze sizuze lokho, singakanani isikhathi okumelwe sisichithe kukho? Cabanga ngalokhu: Iningi lethu liyathanda ukudla amakhekhe namaswidi ngezikhathi ezithile kodwa ukukudla njalo kungaba yingozi ezimpilweni zethu. Ngakho, sivame ukudla ukudla okunomsoco. Ngokufanayo, ukuhlale sizijabulisa kuzosenza singabe sisabunaka ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu. Ukuze sigweme lokho, siyenza ngentshiseko imisebenzi ehlobene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Singabona kanjani ukuthi sinombono olinganiselayo ngezokuzijabulisa? Singakhetha isonto elithile, esingabala ngalo inani lamahora esiwachitha siya emihlanganweni, sishumayela, senza isifundo somuntu siqu nokukhulekela komkhaya. Bese siliqhathanisa nenani lamahora esiwachitha ngalo lelo sonto ezintweni zokuzijabulisa, njengokudlala imidlalo, ukwenza izinto esizithandayo, ukubuka ithelevishini noma ukudlala imidlalo yama-video. La manani abonisani? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi kudingeka wehlise kwezokuzijabulisa?​—Funda eyabase-Efesu 5:15, 16.

14. Yini okufanele isiqondise lapho sikhetha ezokuzijabulisa?

¹⁴ Abantu abangashadile nezinhloko zemindeni bakhululekile ukukhetha uhlobo lokuzijabulisa abaluthandayo, kuphela nje uma lungangqubuzani neziqondiso zikaJehova eziseBhayibhelini. * Ukuzijabulisa okuhlanzekile ‘kuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu.’ (UmSh. 3:12, 13) Yiqiniso, azifani izinto esizijabulisa ngazo. (Gal. 6:4, 5) Noma yikuphi esikukhethayo, sifuna ukukugcina kusendaweni yako. UJesu wathi: “Lapho umcebo wakho ukhona, yilapho nenhliziyo yakho iyoba khona futhi.” (Math. 6:21) Ngakho uma simthanda ngempela uJesu siyolwela ukuba imicabango, amazwi nezenzo zethu kugxile ebuhlotsheni bethu noNkulunkulu kunasezintweni ezivamile zokuphila.​—Fil. 1:9, 10.

15, 16. (a) Uthando lwezinto ezibonakalayo lungaba kanjani ugibe kumaKristu? (b) Yisiphi iseluleko esihlakaniphile uJesu asinika sona ngokuphathelene nezinto ezibonakalayo?

¹⁵ Abantu abaningi namuhla balwela ukuba nezinto zakamuva kungaba imfashini, izinto zobuchwepheshe nokunye. Ngakho, umKristu ngamunye kumelwe ahlale ehlola izifiso zakhe ngokuzibuza: ‘Ingabe isikhathi sami esiningi sidliwa ukucwaninga nokucabanga ngezinto ezibonakalayo njengezimoto nemfashini kwakamuva kunokulungiselela imihlangano yebandla? Ingabe sengihlale ngimatasa kakhulu kangangokuthi senginesikhathi esincane sokuthandaza noma sokufunda iBhayibheli?’ Uma sibona ukuthi sesithanda kakhulu izinto ezibonakalayo kunoKristu, kufanele sizindle ngamazwi kaJesu: ‘Qaphani yonke inhlobo yokuhaha.’ (Luka 12:15) Kungani uJesu esinika isixwayiso esishube kangaka?

¹⁶ UJesu wathi “akekho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili.” Wanezela: “Anikwazi ukuba yizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu nezeNgcebo.” Washo lokho ngenxa yokuthi womabili “amakhosi” adinga ukuthi sizinikele ngokuphelele. UJesu wathi: ‘Siyozonda enye sithande enye, noma sinamathele kwenye, sidelele enye.’ (Math. 6:24) Njengabantu abanesono, kudingeka sihlale silwa “nezifiso zenyama yethu,” ezihlanganisa uthando lwezinto ezibonakalayo.​—Efe. 2:3.

17. (a) Kungani abantu abathanda izinto ezibonakalayo kunzima kubo ukuba nombono olinganiselayo ngazo? (b) Yini esisiza silwe nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo?

¹⁷ Abantu abathanda izinto ezibonakalayo kunzima kubo ukuba nombono olinganiselayo ngazo. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi ababoni ukuthi ubuhlobo babo noNkulunkulu bubaluleke kangakanani. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 2:14.) Lapho sebegxile ezintweni ezibonakalayo kuba nzima ukuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile. (Heb. 5:11-14) Ngenxa yalokho, abanye bagcina sebenesifiso esingalawuleki sokufuna ukuba nezinto ezibonakalayo​—isifiso esingasoze saneliseka. (UmSh. 5:10) Ngokujabulisayo, likhona ikhambi likashevu wokuthanda kakhulu izinto ezibonakalayo: ukuthola njalo isikali esifanele seZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. (1 Pet. 2:2) Njengoba nje ukuzindla ngeZwi liNkulunkulu kwasiza uJesu wamelana novivinyo, ukusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli kusisiza silwe nokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. (Math. 4:8-10) Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibonisa uJesu ukuthi simthanda ngaphezu kwezinto ezibonakalayo.

18. Yini ozimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁸ Lapho uJesu ebuza uPetru: “Uyangithanda na ngaphezu kwalezi?” wayekhumbuza uPetru ukuthi kufanele abeke izinto ezithinta ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwakhe. UPetru, ngempela waphila ngokuvumelana negama lakhe elisho ukuthi “Iqhuzu Ledwala” ebonisa imfanelo yokuba njengedwala. (IzE. 4:5-20) Ngokufanayo nathi sizimisele ukuhlala simthanda uKristu futhi sigcine umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, ezokuzijabulisa nezinto ezibonakalayo endaweni yako. Kwangathi izinqumo zethu zingabonisa ukuthi sizizwa njengoPetru, owathi kuJesu: “Nkosi, uyazi ukuthi ngiyakuthanda.”