Isizathu Sokuba Isimo Sokuphila Somuntu Okhonondayo Sibe Esingajabulisi

UKWENAMA kwakuye kwaphenduka ukudangala emasontweni ambalwa nje. Ukuthokoza kokuqala kwama-Israyeli ngenxa yokukhululeka kwawo ebugqilini baseGibithe kwaphenduka kwaba ukukhononda okuyize ngenxa yokudla. Phakathi nenyanga yesibili ngemva kokushiya iGibithe, lesizwe esinganelisekile sathi sasingakhetha isimo sokuphila sesigqila kunokuphila okunzima ehlane. Ezinyangeni ezalandela, lomoya wokukhononda wenza buthaka ukuzimisela kwabo ukulalela uJehova futhi konakalisa amathemba alesosizukulwane okungena eZweni Lesithembiso.—Eksodusi 16:1-3; Numeri 14:26-30.

Yebo, ukukhononda akuzange kugcine esizukulwaneni esisodwa noma ohlotsheni olulodwa lwabantu. Ubani ngezinye izikhathi ongakhonondi ngomsebenzi, ukudla, isimo sezulu, abantwana, omakhelwane, noma izindleko zokuphila? Kubonakala sengathi ukungapheleli kobuntu kwenza umuntu athambekele ekukhonondeni.—Roma 5:12; Jakobe 3:2.

Kungani sikhononda kalula kangaka? Mhlawumbe sizizwa sidangele, sidumazekile, noma sigula. Ukukhononda kungase kube indlela esibonakalisa ngayo ukukhungatheka kwethu, noma kungase kube yindlela engaqondile yokuthi: “Ngingawenza kangcono lomsebenzi!” Ngezinye izikhathi ukukhononda kubangelwa ukungafani kobuntu babantu. Futhi, zikhona izikhalo eziqotho.

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi imbangela eyisisekelo iyini, njengoba lesibonelo esingenhla sama-Israyeli sibonisa, ukukhononda kungaba okubhubhisayo uma kuqhubeka. Umuntu angaba umuntu ohlala ekhononda, aze ngisho akhononde ngendlela kaJehova yokwenza izinto. Kungani lokho kuyingozi kangaka? Futhi izikhalo ezinengqondo kumelwe zisingathwe kanjani ngendlela efanele?

Izikhalo Ezinengqondo

Uma isikhalo kungesona esingathi sína, umbuzo wokuqala okufanele siwubuze uwukuthi, Ingabe ngingakuziba lokho ngendlela yothando? Yiqiniso, singase sibe nesizathu esiqinile sokukhononda ngothile, mhlawumbe ngisho nesikholwa naye. Kungenzeka uye wasiphatha ngonya noma ngokungafanele. Nakuba kunjalo, ingabe ukukhononda kwabanye ngokuphathwa okungafanele kuyokwenza izinto zibe ngcono? IBhayibheli litusa ukuba sisabele kanjani? EyabaseKolose 3:13 ithi: “Nibekezelelane, nithethelelane, uma umuntu enensolo komunye; njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani.” Ngakho ngisho nalapho ukukhononda kungase kube okufanele, imiBhalo itusa ukuba sibe nesimo sengqondo sokuthethelela kunokuba nomoya wokukhononda.—Mathewu 18:21, 22.

Kuthiwani uma indaba ingengathi sína kakhulu ukuba ingazitshwa? Kungase kube nesizathu esihle sokukhononda. Lapho “isikhalo” esiqinile siya kuJehova ngokuphathelene neSodoma neGomora, wathatha izinyathelo zokubhekana nesimo esihlazisayo kuleyomizi eyonakele. (Genesise 18:20, 21) Esinye isikhalo esasinengqondo saphakama ngokushesha ngemva kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E. Lapho abafelokazi abaswele babelwa ukudla, kwakuboniswa uthando kwabesifazane abakhuluma isiHeberu. Ngokuqondakalayo, lokho kwabangela inzondo phakathi kwabafelokazi abakhuluma isiGreki. Ekugcineni, abaphostoli basizwa lesikhalo, futhi ngokushesha bahlela iqembu  lamadoda anomthwalo wemfanelo ukuba alungise lenkinga.—IzEnzo 6:1-6.

Abadala abamisiwe abangamaKristu namuhla kufanele nabo bangephuzi ukuthatha izinyathelo ezidingekayo lapho izindaba ezingathi sína zilethwa ekunakekeleni kwabo. IzAga 21:13 zithi: “Ovala indlebe yakhe ngokukhala kompofu naye uyakukhala angaphendulwa.” Kunokungasinaki isikhalo esinengqondo, abadala kufanele balalele ngozwela. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, sonke singabambisana ngokuqondisa izikhalo ezingathi sína kubadala, kunokuzitshela wonke umuntu olalelayo.

Nakuba kunjalo, sonke singavuma ngobuqotho ukuthi kunezikhathi lapho ukungapheleli kobuntu kusenza sikhononde ngokungadingekile. Ukuhlolisisa ukuziphatha kwama-Israyeli ehlane kuzosisiza ukuba sibone ingozi yokuvumela ukuvungama ngezinye izikhathi ukuba kwande kuze kube umoya wokukhononda.

 Umbono KaNkulunkulu Ngabantu Abakhonondayo

Ukukhononda kwama-Israyeli ngokudla kwembula izingozi ezimbili ezingokwemvelo ngokukhononda. Okokuqala, ukukhononda kuyathelelana. Ukulandisa kuthi “lonke ibandla labantwana bakwaIsrayeli lakhonona ngoMose nangoAroni ehlane.” (Eksodusi 16:2) Cishe, abambalwa baqala ukukhononda ngokuntuleka kokudla, futhi ngokushesha wonke umuntu wayesekhononda.

Okwesibili, ngokuvamile umuntu okhonondayo uyenza ibe ihaba inkinga. Kulendaba, ama-Israyeli agomela ngokuthi isimo sasiyoba ngcono eGibithe, lapho babedla khona isinkwa nenyama okuningi njengokuthanda kwabo. Bakhononda ngokuthi babelethwe ehlane ukuze babulawe yindlala kuphela.—Eksodusi 16:3.

Ingabe isimo salawoma-Israyeli sasibucayi kangako ngempela? Ngokunokwenzeka ukudla kwakuphela, kodwa uJehova wayeyibone kusengaphambili leyonkinga, futhi ngesikhathi esifanele wawanikeza imana ukuze anelise izidingo zawo ezingokwenyama. Izikhalo zawo eziyihaba zabonisa ukungathembeli ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi eseGibithe ayekhononde ngokufanelekile ngezimo ezinzima. (Eksodusi 2:23) Kodwa lapho uJehova ewakhulula ebugqilini, aqala ukukhononda ngokudla. Lokho kwakuwukukhononda okungafanele. “Izinkonono zenu azingathi, zingoJehova,” kuxwayisa uMose.—Eksodusi 16:8.

Lomoya wokukhononda wama-Israyeli wazibonakalisa ngokuphindaphindiwe. Esikhathini esingangonyaka imana yaba isizathu sokukhononda. (Numeri 11:4-6) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho umbiko omubi wezinhloli zakwa-Israyeli eziyishumi kwezingu-12 waletha ukukhala mayelana nezingozi ezazingase zihileleke ekunqobeni iZwe Lesithembiso. Abantu baze ngisho bathi: “Sengathi nga safa ezweni laseGibithe, noma sengathi nga safa kulelihlane.” (Numeri 14:2) Yeka ukuntuleka okungathi sína kokwazisa! Akumangalisi ukuthi uJehova wathi kuMose: “Koze kube nini lababantu bengidelela na? Koze kube nini bengakholwa yimi?” (Numeri 14:11) Labobantu abakhonondayo abangabongi bajeziswa ngokuba bazulazule ehlane iminyaka engu-40 kuze kufe lesosizukulwane.

Umphostoli uPawulu usikhumbuza ngalesibonelo. Uxwayisa amaKristu akanye nawo ukuba angalokothi afane nalawoma-Israyeli akhononda, okwaphumela ekubeni abhubhe ehlane. (1 Korinte 10:10, 11) Ngokusobala, ukukhononda okungafanele kanye nomoya wokukhononda kungenza buthakathaka ukholo lwethu futhi kuholele ekubeni uJehova angajabuli.

Nokho, uJehova uyazibekezelela izinceku zakhe ngezinye izikhathi ezingase zikhononde ngenxa yezimo ezidumazayo. Lapho u-Elija ebalekela eNtabeni yaseHorebe ngenxa yokushushiswa yiNdlovukazi eyonakele uJezebeli, wayeqiniseka ukuthi umsebenzi wakhe njengomprofethi wawusufinyelele esiphelweni. Ngephutha wacabanga ukuthi wayewukuphela komkhulekeli kaJehova owayesele ezweni. Ukuze aqinise ukholo luka-Elija, uNkulunkulu waqala wambonisa amandla aKhe aphezulu. Khona-ke lomprofethi watshelwa ukuthi kwakusenezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova ezingu-7 000 kwa-Israyeli nokuthi kwakusenomsebenzi omningi okwakusamelwe awenze. Ngenxa yalokho, u-Elija wakhohlwa yizikhalo zakhe futhi waqhubekela phambili ngomfutho ovuselelwe. (1 AmaKhosi 19:4, 10-12, 15-18) Uma abadala abangamaKristu besebenzisa ukuqonda, ngokufanayo bangakhuluma ngendlela eduduzayo nabathembekile, babasize ukuba babone indima yabo ekufezekeni kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu.—1 Thesalonika 5:14.

Ukunqoba Umoya Wokukhononda

Unganqotshwa kanjani umoya wokukhononda? Nokho, labo abanikezwa ubufakazi ngokuphathelene nomonakalo owenziwa ugwayi emzimbeni banesizathu esinamandla sokuyeka ukubhema. Ngokufanayo, ukuqonda ukuthi kungani umoya wokukhononda ulimaza kangaka kungasishukumisela ukuba siyeke noma yimuphi umkhuba wokukhononda.

Yiziphi izinzuzo ezitholwa yilabo abanqoba  umoya wokukhononda? Inzuzo ebalulekile ejatshulelwa yilabo abagwema ukukhononda iwukuthi bangakwazi ukubheka izindaba ngokomBhalo nangenjongo. Umuntu okhonondayo akavamile ukucabanga ngenkinga ngokombono kaJehova. Ama-Israyeli akhonondayo akhohlwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayewakhululile ebugqilini nokuthi ngendlela eyisimangaliso wayewahlukanisele amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu. Ukucabanga kwawo okuphambene kwawenza angawabona amandla kaNkulunkulu futhi kwawaphuca intokozo yawo. Ngenxa yalokho, ukuthembela kwawo kuJehova kwaphela.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, umuntu ongahlaziya ukukhononda kwakhe ngobuqotho uyabona lapho kungamaphutha akhe siqu aye abangela izinkinga anazo. Ngokunokwenzeka ngeke aphinde alenze iphutha elifanayo. UJeremiya waxwayisa ama-Israyeli akanye nawo ukuba angakhonondi ngobunzima ayebhekene nabo ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. Ukuhlupheka kwawo kwakuwumphumela oqondile wezono zawo siqu, futhi lokho kwakungokuthile ayedinga ukukuqonda ukuze aphenduke futhi abuyele kuJehova. (IsiLilo 3:39, 40) Ngokufanayo, umfundi uJuda wagxeka “abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu” abalahla isiqondiso sikaJehova futhi ‘ababekhonona ngokuqhubekayo ngalokho abanakho ekuphileni.’—Juda 3, 4, 16, NW.

Kunjengoba iNkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yake yaphawula, “inhliziyo eyenamileyo iyikhambi elihle, kepha umoya owaphukileyo uyomisa amathambo.” (IzAga 17:22) Umoya wokukhononda uyasikhathaza ngokomzwelo futhi usiphuca injabulo yethu. Ubonisa ukungabi nethemba lokuhle, hhayi ukuba nethemba lokuhle. Kodwa labo abafunda ukucabanga futhi bakhulume ngezinto ‘ezibongekayo’ banenhliziyo ethokozayo, engase ngisho ibenze bazizwe bengcono.—Filipi 4:8.

Ngokungangabazeki, ukuphila kwethu kuyoceba ngokwengeziwe uma siqaphela izici ezitusekayo zabantu kunokuqaphela amaphutha abo. Siyovuseleleka uma samukela izimo ezinzima kodwa sihlale sijabula kunokuhlala sikhononda ngokwehluleka kwethu. Ngisho novivinyo lungase lube yisizathu sokujabula uma silubheka njengethuba lokuqinisa ukholo lwethu nokukhuthazela kwethu.—Jakobe 1:2, 3.

Futhi kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuthi lapho sikhononda, asizilimazi thina nje kuphela. Ngokuqhubeka sikhononda, singase senze buthakathaka nokholo lwabanye. Umbiko omubi wezinhloli zakwa-Israyeli eziyishumi wenza sonke isizwe sabheka ukunqoba iZwe Lesithembiso njengesenzo esingenathemba. (Numeri 13:25–14:4) Kwesinye isenzakalo, uMose wadikibala ngenxa yokukhononda okuqhubekayo kwabantu kangangokuthi wacela uJehova ukuba ambulale. (Numeri 11:4, 13-15) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma sikhuluma ngezinto ngendlela eyakhayo, singase sikwazi ukuqinisa ukholo lwabanye futhi sibe nengxenye enjabulweni yabo.—IzEnzo 14:21, 22.

Nakuba singase silingeke ukuba sikhononde ngabantu esisebenza nabo, abangane bethu, imikhaya yethu, noma ngisho nangabadala bebandla, uJehova ufuna abantu bakhe ‘babe nokuthandana okunganqamukiyo.’ Uthando olunjalo lusishukumisela ukuba semboze iziphambeko zabanye kunokugqamisa amaphutha abo. (1 Petru 4:8) Siyabonga ngokuthi uJehova uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli nje futhi akazibheki iziphambeko zethu. (IHubo 103:13, 14; 130:3) Uma sonke besizama ukulingisa isibonelo sakhe, ngokungangabazeki besiyokhononda kancane kakhulu.

Lapho isintu sesibuyiselwe ekupheleleni, akekho oyoba nesizathu sokukhononda ngesimo sakhe sokuphila. Kuze kufike lesosikhathi, sidinga ukulwisana nesilingo sokukhononda ngabanye noma ngezimo zethu siqu ezivivinyayo. Ukuze sibonise ukuthi sithembela kuJehova futhi siyabathanda ngempela esikholwa nabo, ‘masenze konke ngokungakhononi.’ (Filipi 2:14) Lokhu kuyomjabulisa uJehova futhi kuyosizuzisa kakhulu. Khona-ke, ngokwenhlalakahle yethu siqu neyabanye masingakhohlwa ukuthi isimo sokuphila somuntu okhonondayo asijabulisi.

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Ngisho nelungiselelo likaNkulunkulu eliyisimangaliso lemana laba yisizathu sokukhononda