“Ukuhlakanipha Okuvela Phezulu” Kuyasebenza Yini Empilweni Yakho?

 1-3. (a) Yakhanya njani inhlakanipho kaSolomoni endleleni alungisa ngayo indaba eyayiphathelane lokuthi ngubani owayengunina womntwana? (b) UJehova uthembisa ukusinikani futhi yiphi imibuzo ebakhona?

KWAKUYINDABA enzima, abesifazana ababili babephikisana ngomntwana. Abesifazana laba babehlala bonke futhi babebelethe abantwana abangabafana ababetshiyene ngamalanga nje. Omunye wabantwana labo wafa, abesifazana laba basebeqalisa ukubangisana umntwana ophilayo.a Akula omunye umuntu owayebonile okwakwenzakele. Kungenzakala ukuthi indaba le yayike yahanjiswa emthethwandaba kodwa yehlula. Ekucineni yahanjiswa kuSolomoni inkosi yako-Israyeli. Wayezakwenelisa yini ukuvumbulula iqiniso ngendaba leyo?

² Ngemva kokulalela abesifazana laba bephikisana, uSolomoni wathi kulethwe inkemba wasesithi umntwana ophilayo aqunywe phakathi abesephiwa abesifazana bobabili. Kodwa unina womntwana ophilayo wacela enkosini ukuthi umntwana aphiwe unina womntwana ofileyo ngoba umntwana lo wayeligugu kuye. Unina womntwana ofileyo yena wayelokhu esithi umntwana ophilayo kaqunywe phakathi. Lokhu kwenza uSolomoni walivumbulula iqiniso. Wayekwazi ukuthi umama ulozwelo ngomntanakhe amzalayo, futhi wasebenzisa ulwazi lolo ukuthi alungise indaba le. Cabanga ukuthi unina womntwana wathaba njani lapho uSolomoni emqhubela umntanakhe esithi: “Nguye unina.”—1 AmaKhosi 3:16-27.

³ Le kwakuyinhlakanipho enkulu sibili! Lapho abantu besizwa ukuthi uSolomoni wayeyilungise njani indaba leyo bamangala kakhulu ngoba ‘bananzelela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayemnike ukuhlakanipha.’ UJehova wayemnike “inhliziyo elokuhlakanipha futhi ezwisisayo.” (1 AmaKhosi 3:12, 28) Kodwa thina-ke? Singayithola yini inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu? Ye singayithola ngoba uSolomoni waphefumulelwa ukuthi athi: “UJehova nguye onika ukuhlakanipha.” (IZaga 2:6) UJehova uthembisa ukubanika inhlakanipho labo abamdinga ngobuqotho. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uyabancedisa ukuthi benelise ukusebenzisa kuhle ulwazi, ukuzwisisa kanye lokuqedisisa. Kodwa singakuthola njani ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu? Singakusebenzisa njani ekuphileni kwethu?

 4-7. Yiziphi izinto ezine okumele sizenze ukuze sizuze ukuhlakanipha?

⁴ Kumele sibe ngabakhaliphe kakhulu kumbe abafunde kakhulu yini ukuze sithole ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu? Hatshi. UJehova uzimisele ukusipha inhlakanipho yakhe kungelani lokuthi sakhula njani lokuthi sifundile yini. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 1:26-29) Kodwa kumele senze okuthile ngoba iBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sizuze ukuhlakanipha.’ (IZaga 4:7) Singakwenza njani lokho?

⁵ Okokuqala yikuthi kumele sesabe uNkulunkulu. UZaga 9:10 uthi: “Ukwesaba uJehova yikuqala kokuhlakanipha [“inyathelo lokuqala lokuba lenhlakanipho,” The New English Bible]. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyisisekelo sokuhlakanipha kweqiniso. Ngenxa yani? Khumbula ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kugoqela ukwenelisa ukusebenzisa kuhle ulwazi. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu khona kutsho ukumhlonipha lokumthemba hatshi ukutshaywa luvalo phambi kwakhe. Ukwesaba okunjalo kuyasinceda ngoba kwenza sizimisele ukwenza okulungileyo. Kwenza siphile ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu njalo silandele izimiso.

⁶ Okwesibili yikuthi kumele sithobeke. Inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kayingeke ibekhona kungelakuthobeka. (IZaga 11:2) Kungani kunjalo? Nxa sithobekile siyabe sizimisele ukuvuma ukuthi kasikwazi konke lokuthi imibono yethu kayihlali iqondile. Kanti njalo nxa sithobekile kumele sicabange njengoJehova. UJehova “umelana labaziphakamisayo,” kodwa abathobekileyo ubanika ukuhlakanipha.—UJakhobe 4:6.

⁷ Okwesithathu okuqakathekileyo yikufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu elilenhlakanipho. Kumele sijule kulo nxa sifuna ukuthola inhlakanipho le. (IZaga 2:1-5) Okwesine okumele sikwenze yikuthandaza. Nxa singacela inhlakanipho kaNkulunkulu ngobuqotho, uzasinika ngesihle. (UJakhobe 1:5) Kasoze ayekele ukuphendula imithandazo yethu nxa simcela ukuthi asincedise ngomoya wakhe. Umoya ongcwele uzasenza senelise ukuthola amagugu aseLizwini lakhe angasinceda ukuthi silwisane lenhlupho, sibalekele izingozi, futhi senze izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuthi silokuhlakanipha.—ULukha 11:13.

 8. Kukhanya njani ukuthi silokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu?

⁸ Ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuJehova kumele kukhanye ngezenzo njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 17. Ngakho nxa singazuza ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu, kuzakhanya endleleni esiziphatha ngayo. Umfundi uJakhobe wakhuluma ngezithelo zokuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu wathi: “Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu, okokuqala kumsulwa, besekusiba lokuthula kuyazwisisa, kuzimisele ukulalela, kugcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle, akubandlululi futhi akuzenzisi.” (UJakhobe 3:17) Nxa sifunda ngezimpawu zenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kumele sizibuze, ‘Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu kuyasebenza yini empilweni yami?’

 9. Kutshoni ukuba msulwa futhi kungani kuqanjwa kuqala?

⁹ “Okokuqala kumsulwa.” Ukuba msulwa kutsho ukungangcoli phandle laphakathi. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi inhlakanipho lenhliziyo kusebenza ndawonye. Kodwa inhlakanipho evela phezulu ngeke ingene enhliziyweni engcoliswe yimicabango emibi, izifiso ezimbi kanye lenhloso ezimbi. (IZaga 2:10; UMathewu 15:19, 20) Nxa inhliziyo zethu zihlambulukile ‘sizabalekela okubi senze okuhle.’ (IHubo 37:27; IZaga 3:7) Ukuhlambuluka kumele kube yiso sibili isithelo senhlakanipho evela phezulu esiqanjwa kuqala. Phela nxa singahlanzekanga ekuziphatheni lasekukhonzeni, kungaba nzima ukuthi sitshengise ezinye impawu zenhlakanipho evela phezulu.

10, 11. (a) Kungani kuqakathekile ukwenza ukuthi kube lokuthula? (b) Ungatshengisa njani ukuthi uyakuthanda ukuthula nxa ubona angani ucaphule omunye? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

¹⁰ “Besekusiba lokuthula.” Nxa silenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu sizalwela ukuthi kube lokuthula ngoba kuyisithelo somoya kaNkulunkulu. (KwabaseGalathiya 5:22) Siyazama ukungaphambanisi ‘ukuthula’ okusebantwini bakaJehova. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:3) Kanti njalo siyazama lokulungisa izingxabano nxa sezithe zavela. Kungani lokhu kuqakathekile? IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Qhubekani lihlalisana ngokuthula. Lingenza njalo uNkulunkulu wothando lokuthula uzakuba lani.’ (2 KwabaseKhorinte 13:11) Ngakho nxa siphatha kuhle abafowethu labodadewethu sizahlala singabangane bakaJehova. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi singabantu abathanda ukuthula? Cabanga ngesibonelo esilandelayo.

¹¹ Kumele wenzeni ungabona angani ucaphule okhonza laye? UJesu wathi: “Ngakho nxa uzonikela ngesipho sakho e-alithareni, uthi usulapho ubusukhumbula ukuthi umfowenu ukucaphukele, tshiya isipho sakho khonapho phambi kwe-alithare uhambe. Qala uyekwenza ukuthi kube lokuthula phakathi kwakho lomfowenu, ubusuphenduka uzonikela ngesipho sakho.” (UMathewu 5:23, 24) Ungasebenzisa iseluleko lesi ngokuba ngowokuqala ukuthatha inyathelo lokuya kumfowenu. Kumele uhambe ulenhloso ‘yokuyakwenza ukuthi kube lokuthula.’b Lokhu kungadinga ukuthi uvume ukuthi umzwise ubuhlungu. Nxa ungaya kuye ulenhloso yokuyakwenza ukuthi kube lokuthula, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi loba yikuphi ukungazwanani okukhona kuzaphela beselixoxelana. Nxa ungaqalisa wena ukwenza ukuthula uyabe utshengisa ukuthi uqondiswa yinhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu.

12, 13. (a) Litshoni ibala elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukuzwisisa” elikuJakhobe 3:17? (b) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi singabantu abazwisisayo?

¹² “Kuyazwisisa.” Kutshoni ukuzwisisa? Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ngabahlola iBhayibhili, ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukuzwisisa” kuJakhobe 3:17 linzima ukulihumutsha. Abahumutshi basebenzisa amabala anjengokuthi “uzwelo,” “ukubekezela,” ‘lokukhathalela.’ Umqondo oyiwo webala leli lesiGrikhi ngothi “ukuvuma ukutshintsha.” Singatshengisa njani ukuthi silaso isithelo lesi senhlakanipho evela phezulu?

¹³ UFiliphi 4:5 uthi: “Kakwaziwe ngabantu bonke ukuthi lina lingabantu abazwisisayo.” Enye inguqulo yeBhayibhili ithi: “Yaziwa njengomuntu ozwisisayo.” (The New Testament in Modern English, eyabhalwa nguJ. B. Phillips) Ivesi le itshengisa ukuthi okuqakathekileyo ayisikho kuzibona singabantu abazwisisayo kodwa kumele saziwe ngabanye ukuthi siyazwisisa. Umuntu ozwisisayo kawomeleli emthethweni othile kumbe embonweni wakhe. Kodwa uzimisele ukulalela abanye lokutshintsha ahambisane lalokho abakufisayo. Kaphathi abanye ngendlela elolunya kodwa ubaphatha ngozwelo. Lanxa kuqakathekile ukuthi wonke amaKhristu abe njalo, abadala kumele babe yisibonelo endabeni yokuzwisisa. Nxa abadala belozwelo futhi bezwisisa, kuba lula ukuthi bangeneke. (1 KwabaseThesalonika 2:7, 8) Ngakho ngamunye wethu kumele azibuze, ‘Ngaziwa njengomuntu ozwisisayo yini kumbe ozimisele ukutshintsha?’

14. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi ‘sizimisele ukulalela’?

¹⁴ “Kuzimisele ukulalela.” Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “kuzimisele ukulalela” litholakala endaweni eyodwa kuphela eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi. Omunye ohlola iBhayibhili wathi ibala leli “lijayele ukusebenza nxa kufundiswa amasotsha.” Lilomqondo “wokufundiseka lula” “lowokuzithoba.” Ngakho umuntu oqondiswa yinhlakanipho evela phezulu uyazithoba alandele okutshiwo yiMibhalo. Kaziwa njengomuntu owomelela kulokho asekukhethile, engamukeli imibono yabanye. Kodwa uyaphangisa ukutshintsha nxa angatshengiswa iMibhalo emenza abone ukuthi uthethe inyathelo elingayisilo. Waziwa njalo yini lawe?

15. Siyini isihawu njalo kungani kuqondile ukuthi “isihawu lezithelo ezinhle” kuqanjwe ndawonye kuJakhobe 3:17?

¹⁵ “Kugcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle.”c Isihawu siyingxenye eqakathekileyo yenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu ngoba inhlakanipho ‘igcwele isihawu.’ Nanzelela ukuthi “isihawu lezithelo ezinhle” kuqanjwe ndawonye. Lokhu kuqondile ngoba ibala elithi isihawu eBhayibhilini lijayele ukusetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngomuntu olendaba labanye futhi olomusa. Elinye ibhuku lithi umuntu olesihawu “uyadana nxa ebona omunye umuntu ephakathi kobunzima futhi uyazama ukwenza okuthile ngakho.” Ngakho umuntu olenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kalasihluku kodwa ulomusa lozwelo njalo ulendaba lemizwa yabanye. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sigcwele isihawu?

16, 17. (a) Ngaphandle kokuthanda uNkulunkulu, kuyini okunye okwenza sitshumayele njalo kungani? (b) Yiziphi izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi sigcwele isihawu?

¹⁶ Enye indlela esingatshengisa ngayo ukuthi silesihawu yikutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kuyini okwenza senze umsebenzi lo? Isizatho esikhulu yikuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu. Esinye isizatho yikuthi siyabathanda abantu futhi siyabazwela isihawu. (UMathewu 22:37-39) Abantu abanengi lamuhla ‘bahlukuluzekile futhi balahlelwe iganga njengezimvu ezingelamelusi.’ (UMathewu 9:36) Balahliwe ezindabeni zokukhonza njalo bavalwe amehlo ngabakhokheli benkolo yamanga. Ngenxa yalokho kabakwazi lutho ngenhlakanipho eseLizwini likaNkulunkulu kumbe ngezithembiso ezimayelana loMbuso ozaletha izibusiso ebantwini. Ukwazi lokhu kumele kusenze sizame ngamandla wonke ukubatshela ngoJehova langalokho akuhlosileyo.

¹⁷ Yiziphi ezinye indlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi sigcwele isihawu? Khumbula umzekeliso kaJesu womSamariya owathola isihambi sithe daca eceleni komgwaqo, sitshontshelwe njalo sitshayiwe. UmSamariya lo ‘waba lesihawu’ wabopha amanxeba esihambi lesi njalo wasinakekela. (ULukha 10:29-37) Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi ukuba lesihawu kugoqela ukunceda abanye. IBhayibhili lithi “kasenzeni okuhle kubo bonke, kodwa ikakhulu kulabo abangabemuli yethu yabakholwayo.” (KwabaseGalathiya 6:10) Cabanga ngokunye esingakwenza. Kungabe kulothile esikhonza laye odinga ukuhanjiswa emihlanganweni yebandla lokubiselwa emzini wakhe. Umfelokazi osebandleni angadinga uncedo lokulungiselwa izinto ezithile emzini wakhe. (UJakhobe 1:27) Umuntu odanileyo angadinga “ilizwi elihle” ukuze limkhuthaze. (IZaga 12:25) Nxa sitshengisa isihawu ngezindlela ezinjalo, sinika ubufakazi bokuthi inhlakanipho evela phezulu iyasebenza kithi.

18. Nxa siqondiswa yikuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu, kuyini okumele sikwenze njalo kungani?

¹⁸ “Akubandlululi.” Ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu akubandlululi bantu kusiya ngokuthi bangumhlobo bani lokuthi bavela kuliphi ilizwe. Nxa siqondiswa yikuhlakanipha okunjalo, sizazama ukukhipha loba yikuphi ukubandlulula esingabe silakho enhliziyweni zethu. (UJakhobe 2:9) Akumelanga siqakathekise abantu ngenxa yemfundo abalayo, imali yabo kumbe umsebenzi abawenzayo. Kanti njalo akufanelanga sikhangelele abanye phansi kungelani lokuthi bangabayanga yini loba hatshi. Nxa uJehova ebone kufanele ukuthi abathande abantu abanjalo, lathi kumele sibathande.

19, 20. (a) Lavela ngaphi ibala lesiGrikhi elahunyutshwa ngokuthi “akuzenzisi”? (b) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu njalo kungani lokhu kuqakathekile?

¹⁹ “Akuzenzisi.” Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “akuzenzisi” lingatsho “umlingiswa odlala indima ethile.” Ngezikhathi zakudala, abalingiswa besiGrikhi labeRoma babegqoka okokuzivala ubuso nxa besesitejini. Ngakho ibala lesiGrikhi elahunyutshwa ngokuthi “akuzenzisi” lacina selisitsho umuntu otshintsha lokho ayikho. Nxa silesithelo lesi senhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kuzaba lula ukuthi sibathande ngenhliziyo yonke abanye hatshi ukubavala amehlo.

²⁰ Umphostoli uPhetro wananzelela ukuthi nxa ‘silalela iqiniso’ sizakuba “lothando lobuzalwane olungelakuzenzisa.” (1 UPhetro 1:22) Ukuthanda kwethu abafowethu akumelanga kube ngokokufuna ukubukwa. Kasikhohlisi abanye ngokufihla lokho esiyikho. Ukubathanda kwethu kumele kube qotho, kuvele enhliziyweni. Nxa singenza njalo sizakwenza ukuthi esikholwa labo basithembe ngoba bazakwazi ukuthi siyilokho ababona siyikho. Ubuqotho obunjalo benza kube lobudlelwano obuhle phakathi kwamaKhristu njalo bunceda lokuthi kube lokuthembana ebandleni.

21, 22. (a) USolomoni wehluleka njani ukugcina inhlakanipho? (b) Singayigcina njani inhlakanipho futhi ukwenza njalo kuzasinceda njani?

²¹ Inhlakanipho evela phezulu iyisipho esivela kuJehova okumele sisigcine kuhle. USolomoni wathi: “Ndodana yami, . . . gcina ukuhlakanipha okuncedayo, uhlale usebenzisa kuhle ingqondo.” (IZaga 3:21) Kuyadanisa ukuthi uSolomoni ngokwakhe wehluleka ukukwenza lokho. Ngesikhathi eseselenhliziyo elalelayo wayelenhlakanipho. Kodwa ekucineni, abafazi bakhe ababengabezinye izizwe baphendula inhliziyo yakhe wacina engasakhonzi uJehova. (1 AmaKhosi 11:1-8) Impumela eyabakhona kuSolomoni itshengisa ukuthi ulwazi alusincedi ngalutho nxa singalusebenzisi kuhle.

²² Singakugcina njani ukuhlakanipha okuncedayo? Kumele sibale iBhayibhili nsuku zonke kanye lamabhuku esiwanikwa ‘yinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ besesizimisela lokusebenzisa lokho esikufundayo. (UMathewu 24:45) Silezizatho ezinhle ezenza siyisebenzise inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu. Singenza njalo sizakuba lempilo engcono kakhulu khathesi. Sizakwenelisa ‘lokubambisisa ukuphila koqobo,’ okutsho ukuphila emhlabeni omutsha esiwuthenjiswa nguNkulunkulu. (1 KuThimothi 6:19) Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi nxa singazimisela ukuba lenhlakanipho evela phezulu sizasondela eduze komthombo wenhlakanipho, uJehova uNkulunkulu.