Unokuyigcina Njani Imbono Elungeleleneyo Ngemali?

Ukuthanda imali nokunqwenela izinto akunto intsha; yaye iBhayibhile iyathetha ngako, kuba akunto evela kutshanje. Zizinto ezindala kakhulu. EMthethweni, uThixo wawayala amaSirayeli esithi: “Uze ungayinqweneli indlu yedlelane lakho . . . nantoni na eyeyedlelane lakho.”—Eksodus 20:17.

UKUTHANDA imali nezinto kwakuxhaphakile kumhla kaYesu. Khawukhe uqwalasele le ngxelo yencoko phakathi kukaYesu nendoda eselula “esisityebi kakhulu.” “UYesu wathi kuye: ‘Kusekho into enye oyisweleyo: Thengisa zonke izinto onazo, wabele amahlwempu, yaye uya kuba nobuncwane emazulwini; uze ube ngumlandeli wam.’ Akuva oku, waba buhlungu ngokunzulu, kuba wayesisityebi kakhulu.”—Luka 18:18-23.

Imbono Efanelekileyo Ngemali

Noko ke, bekuya kuba yinto ephosakeleyo ukuqukumbela ngelithi iBhayibhile iyayigxeka imali okanye izinto esetyenziselwa zona. IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba imali iyakhusela kubuhlwempu neengxaki zabo, incede abantu bafumane izinto eziyimfuneko. UKumkani uSolomon wabhala: “Ubulumko buyakhusela njengokuba nemali ikhusela.” Yaye “Isonka sibenza bahleke abasebenzi, yaye iwayini ibenza bube nemihlali ubomi; kodwa kuzo zonke izinto yimali ethethayo.”—INtshumayeli 7:12; 10:19.

UThixo uyakholiswa kukusetyenziswa kwemali ngendlela efanelekileyo. Ngokomzekelo, uYesu wathi: “Zenzeleni abahlobo ngobutyebi obungebobabulungisa.” (Luka 16:9) Oku kuquka ukunikela ngenjongo yokuhambisela phambili unqulo lukaThixo lokwenyaniso, kuba sifanele sifune ukuba uThixo abe nguMhlobo wethu. USolomon, elandela umzekelo kayise, uDavide, wanikela ngemali eninzi nangezinto ezixabisekileyo ekwakheni itempile kaYehova. Omnye umyalelo wamaKristu kukuxhasa abo basweleyo ngokwezinto eziphathekayo. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Yabelanani nabo bangcwele ngokweemfuno zabo.” Wongeza ngelithi: “Landelani ikhondo lokubuk’ iindwendwe.” (Roma 12:13) Ngokufuthi oku kuquka ukuchitha imali ethile. Noko ke, kuthekani ngokuthanda imali?

‘Ukuthanda Isilivere’

UPawulos waxubusha ngokubanzi ‘ngokuthanda imali’—okanye ngokoqobo, “ukuthanda isilivere”—xa wayebhalela omnye umKristu oselula uTimoti. Isiluleko sikaPawulos sinokufumaneka kweyoku-1 kaTimoti 6:6-19. Wathetha ‘ngokuthanda imali’ njengenxalenye yendlela okubonakala ngayo ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo. Senza kakuhle xa sifundisisa ngenyameko amazwi aphefumlelweyo kaPawulos, sinembono yendlela ibutho lanamhlanje eligxininisa ngayo emalini. Uhlolisiso olunjalo ngokuqinisekileyo luyingenelo kuba lubonisa imfihlelo yendlela “esikhokelela kubomi benene.”

UPawulos uyalumkisa: “Ukuthanda imali yingcambu yazo zonke iintlobo zobubi, yaye ngenxa yokusukelana nolo thando bambi baye balahlekana nokholo, bezingxwelerha ngeentlungu ezininzi.” (1 Timoti 6:10) Le ndinyana ayithi imali ngokwayo imbi—kungekho nasinye isibhalo esitshoyo. Yaye umpostile akatsho ukuba imali ingunobangela osisiseko ‘weentlobo zobubi’ okanye zonke iingxaki ezibangelwa yimali. Kunoko, ukuthanda imali kunokubangela—nangona isenokuba ayikuko kuphela unobangela—zonke “iintlobo zobubi.”

Kulumkele Ukubawa

Into yokuba imali ayigxekwa ziZibhalo akumele kusenze singasikhathaleli isilumkiso sikaPawulos. AmaKristu aqalisa ukuthanda imali azibeka esichengeni sazo zonke iingxaki, eyona imbi nangakumbi kukuphambuka elukholweni. Le nyaniso yabethelelwa koko kwathethwa nguPawulos kumaKristu aseKolose: “Bhubhisani, ke ngoko, amalungu enu omzimba asemhlabeni . . . umnqweno owenzakalisayo, nokubawa, okulunqulo-zithixo.” (Kolose 3:5) Ukubawa okanye “ukuthanda imali” kunokukhokelela njani kunqulo-zithixo? Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba kuyinto ephosakeleyo ukufuna indlu enkulu, inqwelo-mafutha entsha, umsebenzi onengeniso engakumbi? Akunjalo, ayikho into embi ngezi zinto. Umbuzo ngulo: Yintoni eshukumisela intliziyo kabani ukuba afune nayiphi na kwezi zinto, yaye ngaba ziyimfuneko ngokwenene?

Umahluko phakathi komnqweno oqhelekileyo nokubawa unokufaniswa nomahluko phakathi komlilo omncinane wokupheka ukutya namadangatye omlilo atshabalalisa ihlathi. Umnqweno ofanelekileyo unokuba luncedo. Usishukumisela ukuba sisebenze yaye siphumeze umsebenzi. IMizekeliso 16:26 ithi: “Umphefumlo womsebénzi okhutheleyo umsebenzela nzima, ngenxa yokuba umlomo wakhe uyamnyanzela.” Kodwa ukubawa kuyingozi. Kungumnqweno ongalawulekiyo.

Eyona nto ingundoqo kukuzilawula. Ngaba imali esiyiqokelelayo okanye izinto eziphathekayo esizifunayo ziya kuzanelisa iimfuno zethu, okanye ngaba iimfuno zethu ziya kwanelisa imali? Yiloo nto uPawulos esithi ukuba ‘ngumntu obawayo . . . kuthetha ukuba ungumnquli-zithixo.’ (Efese 5:5) Ukubawela okuthile kuthetha ukuba sinikezela kuyo—ngokungathi kunjalo, siyenza inkosi yethu, uthixo wethu, into esiyikhonzayo. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uThixo ugxininisa esithi: “Uze ungabi nathixo bambi ngokuchasene nam.”—Eksodus 20:3.

Ukubawa kwethu kukwabonisa ukuba asimthembi uThixo ukuba uya kusifeza isithembiso sakhe sokusinika oko sikufunayo. (Mateyu 6:33) Ngoko ke, ukubawa kukhokelela ekuphambukeni kuThixo. Ngamany’ amazwi, ‘lunqulo-zithixo.’ Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba uPawulos alumkise ngako ngokucacileyo!

Kwakhona uYesu wanikela isilumkiso esingqalileyo nxamnye nokubawa. Wasiyalela ukuba silumkele ukunqwenela into esingenayo: “Gcinani amehlo enu evulekile nize nizilinde kulo lonke uhlobo lwenkanuko, kuba kwanaxa umntu enentabalala ubomi bakhe abuphumi kwizinto anazo.” (Luka 12:15) Ngokwale ngxelo nomzekelo kaYesu olandelayo, ukubawa kusekelwe kwinkolelo yokuzingca yokuba okona kubalulekileyo ebomini bubungakanani boko ubani anako. Isenokuba yimali, isikhundla, amandla okanye ezinye izinto ezifana nezo. Kunokwenzeka ukuba ubawele yonke into enokufunyanwa. Sisenokucinga ukuba ukuba naloo nto kuza kusenza saneliseke. Kodwa ngokutsho kweBhayibhile namava umntu anawo, nguThixo kuphela onokukwazi—noya kukwazi—ukwanelisa iimfuno zethu zokwenene, njengoko uYesu waqiqa nabalandeli bakhe.—Luka 12:22-31.

Abantu banamhlanje abathanda ukuthenga nokuthengisa bayagqwesa ekuphembeleleni abantu ukuba babe ngababawayo. Bephenjelelwa ngeendlela ezichuliweyo sekunjalo ezinamandla, abaninzi baye bakholelwa ukuba nantoni na abanayo ayanelanga. Bafuna izinto ezingakumbi, ezinkulu nangakumbi nezibhetele. Nangona singenathemba lakutshintsha ihlabathi elisingqongileyo, thina ngabanye sinokuluxhathisa njani olu tyekelo?

Ukwanela Nxamnye Nokubawa

UPawulos usicebisa ngenye into enokusinceda ukuze siphephe ukubawa, ukwanela. Uthi: “Ukuba sinesixhaso nesambatho, masaneliswe zezo zinto.” (1 Timoti 6:8) Le ndlela okuchazwa ngayo konke oko sikufunayo—“isixhaso nesambatho”—inokuvakala ilula. Abantu abaninzi bonwatyiswa ziinkqubo zikamabonwakude apho ababukeleyo batyelela abantu abadumileyo abahlala kumakhaya ayokozelayo. Leyo asiyondlela yakufumana ulwaneliseko.

Kakade ke, abakhonzi bakaThixo abayalelwa ukuba bazenze amahlwempu. (IMizekeliso 30:8, 9) Noko ke, uPawulos usikhumbuza oko ubuhlwempu bukuko: kukungabi nakutya, iimpahla, nekhusi elifanelekileyo ukuze ubani aphile apho ahlala khona. Kwelinye icala, ukuba sinezo zinto, sinesiseko sokwanela.

Ngaba uPawulos wayenyanisekile xa echaza ukwanela ngaloo ndlela? Ngaba kunokwenzeka ngokwenene ukuba ubani aneliseke zizinto nje ezisisiseko—ukutya, impahla nekhusi? UPawulos ufanele azi. Wayenamava obutyebi namalungelo okuba sesikhundleni esiphezulu kwibutho lamaYuda nelokuba ngummi waseRoma. (IZenzo 22:28; 23:6; Filipi 3:5) Kwakhona uPawulos wabandezeleka kumsebenzi wakhe wobuvangeli basemazweni. (2 Korinte 11:23-28) Kuyo yonke loo nto, wafunda imfihlelo eyamnceda wahlala anelisekile. Yayiyintoni leyo?

“Ndiye Ndayifunda Imfihlelo”

UPawulos wacacisa kwenye yeencwadi zakhe: “Eneneni ndiyazi ukuba kunjani ukuhlwempuzeka, ndiyazi ukuba kunjani ukuba nentabalala. Kuzo zonke izinto nakuzo zonke iimeko ndiye ndayifunda imfihlelo yokuba kunjani ukuhlutha nokulamba, neyokuba kunjani ukuba nentabalala nokuswela.” (Filipi 4:12) UPawulos uvakala eqinisekile, enethemba! Kulula ukucinga ukuba izinto zazimhambela kakuhle xa wayebhala la mazwi kodwa kwakungenjalo. Wayesentolongweni eRoma!—Filipi 1:12-14.

Siqwalasela oko, le ngxelo idlulisela isigidimi esinamandla ngombandela wokwaneliseka kungekuphela ngezinto eziphathekayo kodwa nangeemeko. Ukuba sisityebi kakhulu okanye ukuba phantsi kobunzima ngokugqithiseleyo kunokuzisa uvavanyo kwindlela esizilungelelanisa ngayo izinto ezimele zibe kwindawo yokuqala ebomini. UPawulos wathetha ngobutyebi bokomoya obamenza waneliseka kungakhathaliseki imeko awayekuyo ngokuphathelele izinto eziphathekayo: ‘Ezintweni zonke ndinamandla ngenxa kaThixo ondomelezayo.’ (Filipi 4:13) Kunokuba axhomekeke koko anako, enoba kuninzi okanye kumbalwa, okanye kwiimeko zakhe, enoba zintle okanye zimbi, uPawulos wayekhangele kuThixo ukuba anelise iimfuno zakhe. Oko kwaphumela ekwanelisekeni.

Umzekelo kaPawulos wawubaluleke ngokukhethekileyo kuTimoti. Umpostile wambongoza loo mfana uselula ukuba asukele ubomi bozinikelo kuThixo nolwalamano olusondeleyo noThixo kunobutyebi. UPawulos wathi: “Noko ke, wena, mntu kaThixo, saba kwezi zinto. Kodwa phuthuma ubulungisa, uzinikelo lobuthixo, ukholo, uthando, unyamezelo, umoya wobulali.” (1 Timoti 6:11) Mhlawumbi loo mazwi ayebhekiswa kuTimoti, kodwa abhekisela nakubani na ofuna ukuzukisa uThixo nokuba nobomi obonwabisayo ngokwenene.

UTimoti wayefanele alumkele ukubawa njengaye nawuphi na umKristu. Kuyabonakala ukuba, kwakukho amakholwa azizityebi kwibandla lase-Efese, indawo awayekuyo xa wayebhalelwa nguPawulos. (1 Timoti 1:3) UPawulos wayeze neendaba ezilungileyo zikaKristu kule ndawo yezorhwebo, eguqula abantu abaninzi. Alithandabuzeki elokuba, abantu abaninzi kwaba babezizityebi, njengoko kunjalo ngabanye abakwibandla lamaKristu namhlanje.

Ngoko ke, umbuzo ngulo, ingakumbi ngokuphathelele imfundiso ekweyoku-1 kaTimoti 6:6-10: Abantu abami kakuhle ngokwemali, bafanele benze ntoni ukuba bafuna ukuzukisa uThixo? UPawulos uthi bafanele baqale bahlolisise isimo sabo sengqondo. Imali idla ngokubangela ubani afune ukuzanelisa ngokobuqu. UPawulos uthi: “Bayale abo bazizityebi kule nkqubo yezinto ukuba bangaziphakamisi, bangathembeli kubutyebi obungaqinisekanga, kodwa mabathembele kuThixo, osinika zonke izinto ngokobutyebi ukuze sizinandiphe.” (1 Timoti 6:17) Abantu abazizityebi bafanele bafunde ukukhangela ngaphaya kwemali yabo; bafanele bakhangele kuThixo, umthombo wantlandlolo wabo bonke ubutyebi.

Kodwa isimo sengqondo siyinxalenye nje encinane yesicombululo. Ekugqibeleni, amaKristu azizityebi afanele abusebenzise kakuhle ubutyebi bawo. UPawulos wabongoza: ‘Yenzani okulungileyo, nityebe emisebenzini emihle, ningagogotyi lutho, nilungele ukwabelana.’—1 Timoti 6:18.

“Ubomi Benene”

Injongo yecebiso likaPawulos kukuba kufuneka sikhumbule ukuba ukuxabiseka kwezinto eziphathekayo kulinganiselwe. ILizwi likaThixo lithi: “Izinto zexabiso zesityebi ziyidolophu yaso eyomeleleyo, yaye zinjengodonga olukhuselayo kwingcamango yaso.” (IMizekeliso 18:11) Ewe, enyanisweni, unqabiseko olunokuziswa bubutyebi yinto nje ethelekelelwayo yaye enyanisweni yinkohliso. Kuyinto ephosakeleyo ukusekela ubomi bethu kubo kunokuba sifune ukukholisa uThixo.

Ukungaqiniseki kobutyebi kwenza kungabi lula ukubeka ithemba lethu kubo. Ithemba lokwenene limele libethelelwe kwinto eyomeleleyo, enentsingiselo nehlala ihleli. UmKristu uthemba uMdali wethu, uYehova uThixo, nesithembiso sakhe sobomi obungunaphakade. Nangona kuyinyaniso ukuba imali ayinakuthenga ulonwabo, kuyinyaniso nangakumbi ukuba imali ayinakuthenga usindiso. Kuphela lukholo lwethu kuThixo oluya kusinika ithemba.

Ngoko enoba sizizityebi okanye singamahlwempu, masisukele ubomi obuya kusenza ‘sibe zizityebi kuThixo.’ (Luka 12:21) Ayikho into exabiseke ngaphezu kokukholisa uMdali. Yonke imigudu esiyenzayo ukuze simkholise inegalelo ‘ekuziqwebeleni isiseko esihle nesikhuselekileyo sekamva, esikhokelela kubomi benene.’—1 Timoti 6:19.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

UPawulos wafunda imfihlelo yokwaneliseka

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

Sisenokonwaba yaye saneliseke ngoko sinako