Abantwana Bethu—Bayifa Eliyigugu
“Bheka! Abantwana bayifa elivela kuJehova; isithelo sesisu singumvuzo.”—IHUBO 127:3.
1. Usana lokuqala olungumuntu lwaba khona kanjani?
AKE ucabange ukuthi indlela uJehova uNkulunkulu adala ngayo indoda nowesifazane bokuqala yenzé kwaba naziphi izimangaliso. Bobabili u-Adamu ongubaba, no-Eva ongumama banikela ngengxenye ethile yabo eyakhula esibelethweni sika-Eva yaba umuntu omusha owakheke ngokugcwele—usana lokuqala olungumuntu. (Genesise 4:1) Kuze kube namuhla, ukukhulelwa nokuzalwa komntwana kusasimangalisa futhi abaningi bakuchaza ngokuthi kuyisimangaliso.
2. Kungani ungase uthi lokho okwenzeka ngaphakathi esibelethweni sowesifazane okhulelwe kuyisimangaliso?
2 Phakathi nezinsuku ezingaba ngu-270, ingqamuzana lokuqala elakheka ngaphakathi kukamama ngemva kokuhlangana kwakhe nobaba liyakhula libe usana olwakhiwa amangqamuzana ayizigidigidi. Lelo ngqamuzana lokuqala lisuke selineziyalezo ezidingekayo kulo ukuze likhiqize izinhlobo ezingaphezu kuka-200 zamanye amangqamuzana. Elandela lezo ziyalezo ezimangalisayo okungekho muntu oziqonda ngokugcwele, la mangqamuzana ayinkimbinkimbi ngendlela eyinqaba akhula ngohlelo nangendlela efanele akhe umuntu omusha ophilayo!
3. Kungani abantu abaningi abacabangayo bevuma ukuthi kumelwe ukuba nguNkulunkulu obangela ukuzalwa komuntu omusha ophilayo?
3 Wena ubungathi ubani umenzi wangempela wosana? Ngokuqinisekile yiLowo owadala ukuphila kwasekuqaleni. Umhubi weBhayibheli wahlabelela: “Yazini ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu. Nguye osenzile, akuthina.” (IHubo 100:3) Bazali, nazi kahle ukuthi akukona ukuhlakanipha kwenu okunenze nakwazi ukuveza umuntuza othandeka kangaka. NguNkulunkulu ohlakaniphe ngokungenamkhawulo kuphela ongabangela ukwakheka okuyisimangaliso komuntu omusha ophilayo. Sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka abantu abacabangayo bedumisa uMdali Omkhulu ngokwakheka komntwana ngaphakathi esibelethweni sikanina. Ingabe nawe udumisa yena?—IHubo 139:13-16.
4. Yikuphi ukushiyeka abantu abanakho uJehova angasoze aba nakho?
4 Nokho, ingabe uJehova unguMdali ongenamizwa owamane nje wasungula inqubo yemvelo amadoda nabesifazane ababengaveza ngayo abantwana? Bakhona abantu abangenalo uzwela, kodwa uJehova akanjalo. (IHubo 78:38-40) Encwadini yeHubo 127:3, iBhayibheli lithi: “Bheka! Abantwana bayifa elivela kuJehova; isithelo sesisu singumvuzo.” Manje ake sihlaziye ukuthi liyini ifa nokuthi liwubufakazi bani.
Ifa Nomvuzo
5. Kungani abantwana beyifa?
5 Ifa linjengesipho. Ngokuvamile abazali bazikhandla isikhathi eside ukuze bashiyele abantwana babo ifa. Lingase libe imali, indlu noma mhlawumbe impahla ethile eyigugu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi linhloboni, liwubufakazi bothando lomzali. IBhayibheli lithi uNkulunkulu unike abazali abantwana njengefa. Bayisipho sothando esivela kuye. Uma ungumzali, ingabe ucabanga ukuthi izenzo zakho zibonisa ukuthi ubheka abantwana bakho njengefa oliphathiswe uMdali wendawo yonke?
6. Yayiyini injongo kaNkulunkulu lapho enza abantu bakwazi ukuba nabantwana?
6 Injongo kaJehova lapho enika abantu lesi sipho kwakuwukuba umhlaba ugcwale inzalo ka-Adamu no-Eva. (Genesise 1:27, 28; Isaya 45:18) UJehova akazange adale umuntu ngamunye okhona, njengoba enza ngezigidi zezingelosi. (IHubo 104:4; IsAmbulo 4:11) Kunalokho, uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukudala abantu benekhono lokuveza abantwana ababeyofana nabazali babo, babafuze. Yeka ukuthi kuyilungelo eliyingqayizivele kanjani ngomama nobaba ukuba balethe lo muntu omusha emhlabeni bese bemnakekela! Njengabazali, niyambonga yini uJehova ngokwenza ukuba nikwazi ukujabulela leli fa eliyigugu?
Fundani Esibonelweni SikaJesu
7. Ngokungafani nalokho okwenziwa abazali abathile, uJesu wasibonisa kanjani isithakazelo nozwela ‘emadodaneni abantu’?
7 Kuyadabukisa ukuthi akubona bonke abazali ababheka abantwana njengomvuzo. Abaningi abanalo uzwela kubantwana babo. Abazali abanjalo abalingisi isimo sengqondo sikaJehova noma seNdodana yakhe. (IHubo 27:10; Isaya 49:15) Ngokungafani nabo, cabanga ngesithakazelo uJesu ayenaso kubantwana. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni njengomuntu—ngesikhathi esengumuntu womoya onamandla ezulwini—iBhayibheli lithi “wayechichima injabulo ngamadodana abantu.” (IzAga 8:31, Rotherham) Wayebathanda kakhulu abantu kangangokuthi wanikela ngokuzithandela ngokuphila kwakhe njengesihlengo ukuze sikwazi ukuthola ukuphila okuphakade.—Mathewu 20:28; Johane 10:18.
8. UJesu wababekela kanjani isibonelo esihle abazali?
8 Ngesikhathi esemhlabeni, uJesu wabekela abazali isibonelo esihle ngendlela ekhethekile. Cabanga ngalokho akwenza. Wayezinika isikhathi sabantwana, ngisho nalapho ematasa kakhulu futhi ecindezelekile. Wayebabukela lapho bedlala esigcawini futhi ekufundiseni kwakhe wakhuluma ngezinto ayezibona bezenza. (Mathewu 11:16, 17) Ohambweni lwakhe lokugcina elibangise eJerusalema, uJesu wayazi ukuthi wayezohlupheka futhi abulawe. Ngakho lapho abantu beletha abantwana ukuze bambone, abafundi bakaJesu, mhlawumbe bezama ukuvikela uJesu ukuba angacindezeleki ngokwengeziwe, bazama ukubajikisa laba bantwana. Kodwa uJesu wabakhuza abafundi bakhe. Ebonisa ukuthi “wayechichima injabulo” ngabantwana, wathi: “Bayekeni abantwana beze kimi; ningazami ukubavimba.”—Marku 10:13, 14.
9. Kungani lokho esikwenzayo kungase kube okubaluleke ngisho nangaphezu kwalokho esikushoyo?
9 Singafunda esibonelweni sikaJesu. Lapho abantwana beza kithi, sisabela kanjani—ngisho nalapho besifica simatasa? Ingabe senza njengoJesu? Lokho abantwana abakudingayo, ikakhulukazi kubazali babo, yilokho uJesu ayezimisele ukubanika kona—isikhathi sakhe nokubanaka. Yiqiniso, amazwi anjengokuthi, “Ngiyakuthanda,” abalulekile. Kodwa, izenzo zisho okukhulu kunamazwi. Uthando lwakho aluboniswa yilokho okushoyo kuphela kodwa luboniswa kakhulu yilokho okwenzayo. Lolo thando ungalubonisa ngokubanika isikhathi sakho, ubanake futhi ubakhathalele abantwana bakho. Nokho, ngesinye isikhathi ungakwenza konke lokhu kodwa imiphumela ingabonakali, okungenani ingasheshi njengoba ubulindele. Yiba nesineke. Singafunda ukuba nesineke uma silingisa indlela uJesu asebenzelana ngayo nabafundi bakhe.
Isineke Nothando LukaJesu
10. UJesu wabafundisa kanjani abafundi bakhe isifundo sokuthobeka, futhi waphumelela kangakanani ekuqaleni?
10 UJesu wayeqaphela ukuthi kwakunempikiswano engapheli phakathi kwabafundi bakhe yokufuna ukuvelela. Ngolunye usuku lapho uJesu nabafundi bakhe beqeda ukufika eKapernawume, wababuza: “‘Beniphikisana ngani endleleni?’ Bathula, ngoba endleleni babephikisene bodwa ngokuthi ngubani omkhulu.” UJesu akazange abakhuze ngokhahlo, kunalokho ngesineke wasebenzisa umntwana ezama ukubafundisa ukuthobeka. (Marku 9:33-37) Ingabe kwaba nemiphumela ayeyilindele? Hhayi ngokushesha. Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kamuva, uJakobe noJohane bagqugquzela unina ukuba abacelele kuJesu izikhundla ezivelele eMbusweni. Nalapha futhi, uJesu wakulungisa ngesineke ukucabanga kwabo.—Mathewu 20:20-28.
11. (a) Iyiphi inkonzo eyayivame ukwenziwa kodwa abaphostoli bakaJesu abangayenzanga lapho befika naye ekamelweni eliphezulu? (b) UJesu wenzani, futhi ingabe imizamo yakhe yaphumelela ngaleso sikhathi?
11 Kungakabiphi kwafika iPhasika lika-33 C.E., futhi uJesu wahlangana nabaphostoli bakhe bodwa ukuze baligubhe. Lapho befika ekamelweni eliphezulu, akekho noyedwa kubaphostoli abangu-12 owathatha isinyathelo sokwenzela abanye inkonzo eyayivame ukwenziwa yokubageza uthuli ezinyaweni—umsebenzi ophansi owawenziwa inceku noma owesifazane ekhaya. (1 Samuweli 25:41; 1 Thimothewu 5:10) Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba kwamzwisa ubuhlungu obungakanani uJesu ukubona ukuthi abafundi bakhe babesaqhubeka nokubonisa izimpawu zokufuna ubukhulu nesikhundla! Ngakho uJesu wageza izinyawo zalowo nalowo kubo wayesebanxusa ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuba balandele isibonelo sakhe sokukhonza abanye. (Johane 13:4-17) Basilandela yini? IBhayibheli lithi kamuva ngabo lobo busuku “kwavela futhi impikiswano evuthayo phakathi kwabo ngokuthi ubani kubo owayebonakala emkhulu kunabo bonke.”—Luka 22:24.
12. Abazali bangamlingisa kanjani uJesu emizamweni yabo yokuqeqesha abantwana babo?
12 Bazali, lapho abantwana benu bengasabeli eselulekweni senu, ingabe kunenza niqonde indlela okumelwe ukuba uJesu wazizwa ngayo? Khumbulani ukuthi uJesu akazange abadele abaphostoli bakhe, yize babethatha kade ukulungisa ukushiyeka kwabo. Isineke sakhe sagcina siveze izithelo. (1 Johane 3:14, 18) Bazali, kuhle nilandele isibonelo sikaJesu sothando nesineke, ningalokothi nikhathale ekwenzeni imizamo yokuqeqesha abantwana benu.
13. Kungani kungafanele ukuba umzali amphebeze ngesankahlu umntwana lapho ebuza?
13 Abantwana kudingeka bezwe ukuthi abazali babo bayabathanda futhi banesithakazelo kubo. UJesu wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi abafundi bakhe bacabangani, ngakho wayelalela lapho benemibuzo. Wayebuza umbono wabo ngezindaba ezithile. (Mathewu 17:25-27) Yebo, ukufundisa okuhle kuhlanganisa ukulalelisisa nokuba nesithakazelo esiqotho. Umzali kufanele angakuvumeli ukuthambekela kokumphebeza ngesankahlu umntwana obuza into ethile, athi: “Suka lapha! Awuboni yini ukuthi ngimatasa?” Uma umzali ematasa ngempela, kufanele amtshele umntwana ukuthi uzoxoxa naye ngaleyo ndaba ngesinye isikhathi. Abazali kumelwe baqinisekise-ke ukuthi bayaxoxa ngalolo daba. Ngale ndlela umntwana uyokuzwa ukuthi umzali unesithakazelo ngempela kuye, futhi uyokuthola kulula ukuthululela isifuba sakhe kuye.
14. Abazali bangafundani kuJesu ngokubonisa abantwana babo uthando?
14 Kufanele yini ukuba abazali babonise uthando lwabo ngokugona abantwana babo? Nalapha futhi abazali bangafunda kuJesu. IBhayibheli lithi “wabasingatha abantwana wababusisa, ebabeka izandla.” (Marku 10:16) Ucabanga ukuthi labo bantwana basabela kanjani? Akungatshazwa ukuthi lokhu kwabathinta inhliziyo, futhi badonseleka kuJesu! Uma kunothando lweqiniso phakathi kwenu bazali nabantwana benu, bayoshesha ukusabela emizamweni yenu yokubayala nokubafundisa.
Inselele Yobungako Besikhathi
15, 16. Iyiphi inkolelo ethandwayo eye yaba khona ngokukhuliswa kwabantwana, futhi kubonakala yabangelwa yini?
15 Abanye baye bangabaza ukuthi abantwana basidinga ngempela yini isikhathi esiningi sabazali nokuthi bayakudinga yini ukuba babanake ngothando. Kunenkolelo eye yabhebhethekiswa ngobuhlakani mayelana nokukhuliswa kwabantwana okuthiwa ukubanika isikhathi esiyigugu. Abagqugquzeli bale nkolelo bathi abantwana abadingi isikhathi esiningi sabazali. Bathi abakudingayo ukuba nje isikhathi abasichitha nabo sibe esizuzisayo, esicatshangelwe kahle futhi okuhlelwe kusengaphambili ukuthi sizosetshenziswa kanjani. Ingabe le nkolelo yesikhathi esiyigugu yinhle, futhi ingabe isungulwe kucatshangelwa inhlalakahle yabantwana?
16 Omunye umlobi owaxoxa nabantwana abaningi wathi “ababekufuna kakhulu kubazali isikhathi esengeziwe,” kanye “nokunakwa ngokugcwele.” Ngokuthakazelisayo, uprofesa wasekolishi elithile waphawula: “Le nkulumo ethi [isikhathi esiyigugu] isungulwe abazali abadliwa isazela. Abantu bebezama ukuzithethelela ukuze bachithe isikhathi esincane benabantwana babo.” Abazali kudingeka bachithe isikhathi esingakanani benabantwana babo?
17. Abantwana badingani kubazali babo?
17 IBhayibheli alisho. Nokho, abazali abangama-Israyeli babekhuthazwa ukuba bakhulume nabantwana babo lapho besendlini, behamba emgwaqweni, lapho belala, nalapho bevuka. (Duteronomi 6:7) Ngokusobala lokhu kusho ukuthi kudingeka abazali baxoxe nabantwana futhi babafundise njalo usuku nosuku.
18. UJesu wawasebenzisa kanjani amathuba okuqeqesha abafundi bakhe, futhi abazali bangafundani kulokhu?
18 UJesu waphumelela ekuqeqesheni abafundi bakhe lapho edla nabo, ehamba nabo, ngisho nalapho ephumule nabo. Ngakho wasebenzisa wonke amathuba ekubafundiseni. (Marku 6:31, 32; Luka 8:1; 22:14) Ngokufanayo, abazali abangamaKristu kufanele baphaphamele ukusebenzisa wonke amathuba okwakha ukukhulumisana okuhle nokuhlala njalo phakathi kwabo nabantwana babo futhi babaqeqeshe ngezindlela zikaJehova.
Okumelwe Ukufundise Nendlela Yokufundisa
19. (a) Ngaphandle kokuchitha isikhathi nabantwana yini enye edingekayo? (b) Ngokuyinhloko, yini okudingeka abazali bayifundise abantwana?
19 Ukuze uphumelele ekubakhuliseni abantwana kudingeka okungaphezu kokumane nje uchithe isikhathi nabo futhi ubafundise. Kubalulekile nalokho obafundisa kona. Phawula indlela iBhayibheli eligcizelela ngayo ukuthi kumelwe ubafundiseni. Lithi: “La mazwi engikuyala ngawo namuhla . . . kumelwe uwagxilise kubantwana bakho.” Yimaphi “la mazwi” okudingeka abantwana bafundiswe wona? Ngokusobala ngamazwi ayesanda kushiwo, athi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangawo onke amandla akho.” (Duteronomi 6:5-7) UJesu wathi lona umyalo obaluleke kakhulu kunayo yonke imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. (Marku 12:28-30) Ngokuyinhloko abazali kudingeka bafundise abantwana babo ngoJehova, babachazele ukuthi kungani kunguye yedwa okufanele simthande futhi sizinikele kuye ngomphefumulo wonke.
20. UNkulunkulu wayala abazali basendulo ukuba babafundiseni abantwana babo?
20 Nokho, “la mazwi” abazali abakhuthazwa ukuba bawafundise abantwana babo ahlanganisa okungaphezu kokumane uthande uNkulunkulu ngomphefumulo wakho wonke. Esahlukweni esandulelayo sikaDuteronomi, uzophawula ukuthi uMose waphinda imithetho uNkulunkulu ayeyibhale ezibhebheni zamatshe—iMiyalo Eyishumi. Le mithetho ihlanganisa imiyalo yokungaqambi amanga, ukungebi, ukungabulali nokungaphingi. (Duteronomi 5:11-22) Ngakho kwagcizelelwa kubazali endulo isidingo sokufundisa abantwana babo izindinganiso zokuziphatha. Abazali abangamaKristu namuhla kudingeka banikeze abantwana babo imfundiso efanayo ukuze babasize babe nekusasa elilondekile nelijabulisayo.
21. Umyalo ‘wokugxilisa’ izwi likaNkulunkulu kubantwana wawusho ukuthini?
21 Phawula ukuthi abazali bayatshelwa indlela okumelwe bafundise ngayo abantwana babo “la mazwi,” noma imiyalo: “Kumelwe uwagxilise kubantwana bakho.” Igama elithi ‘ukugxilisa’ lisho “ukufundisa nokugcizelela ngokuphindaphinda noma ngezeluleko ezinikezwa njalo: ukugqugquzela noma ukujulisa emqondweni.” Ngakho, empeleni, uNkulunkulu utshela abazali ukuba babe nesimiso esihleliwe semfundo yeBhayibheli esinenjongo ecacile yokugxilisa izinto ezingokomoya emqondweni wabantwana babo.
22. Abazali abangama-Israyeli batshelwa ukuba benzeni ukuze bafundise abantwana babo, futhi lokho kwakusho ukuthini?
22 Isimiso esinjalo esihleliwe sifuna ukuthi umzali asikhuthalele. IBhayibheli lithi: “Kumelwe uwabophe [“la mazwi,” noma imiyalo kaNkulunkulu] njengophawu esandleni sakho, abe yibhande lasebunzini phakathi kwamehlo akho; uwalobe ezinsikeni zomnyango wendlu yakho nasemasangweni akho.” (Duteronomi 6:8, 9) Lokhu akusho ukuthi abazali kufanele bayibhale ngokoqobo imithetho kaNkulunkulu ezinsikeni zomnyango nasemasangweni, noma ukuthi babophele ikhophi yayo ezandleni zabantwana, futhi babeke enye phakathi kwamehlo abo. Kunalokho, iphuzu lapha liwukuthi abazali kufanele bahlale njalo bekhumbuza abantwana babo ngezimfundiso zikaNkulunkulu. Kufanele bafundise abantwana ngendlela engaguquguquki futhi eqhubekayo kangangokuthi kube njengokungathi izimfundiso zikaNkulunkulu ziphambi kwabo ngaso sonke isikhathi.
23. Yini ezocatshangelwa esifundweni sangesonto elizayo?
23 Iziphi izinto ezibaluleke ngokukhethekile abazali okudingeka bazifundise abantwana babo? Kungani kubalulekile namuhla ukuba abantwana bafundiswe futhi baqeqeshwe ukuba bazivikele? Iluphi usizo olutholakalayo manje lokusiza abazali ukuze baphumelele ekufundiseni abantwana babo? Le mibuzo kanye neminye ekhathaza abazali abaningi izocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kungani abazali kufanele babheke abantwana babo njengabayigugu?
• Abazali nabanye bangafundani kuJesu?
• Abazali kufanele babanike isikhathi esingakanani abantwana babo?
• Abantwana kufanele bafundisweni, futhi lokho kufundiswa kufanele kwenziwe kanjani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Abazali bangafundani endleleni kaJesu yokufundisa?
[Izithombe ekhasini 11]
Abazali abangama-Israyeli kwakumelwe babafundise nini abantwana babo futhi kanjani?
[Izithombe ekhasini 12]
Abazali kufanele bahlale njalo bekhumbuza abantwana babo izimfundiso zika- Nkulunkulu