“Umthetho Wohlakaniphileyo”—Umthombo Wokuphila

“OUKUJULA kwengcebo nokuhlakanipha nolwazi lukaNkulunkulu! Yeka ukuthi zingezingaphenyeki kanjani izahlulelo zakhe nokuthi zingezingenakuthungathwa kanjani izindlela zakhe!” kubabaza umphostoli uPawulu. (Roma 11:33) Nenzalamizi ethembekile uJobe yathi: “[UJehova uNkulunkulu] unenhliziyo ehlakaniphile.” (Jobe 9:4) Yebo, uMdali wezulu nomhlaba unokuhlakanipha okungenakuqhathaniswa. Kungathiwani ngomthetho, noma iZwi elilotshiwe, loMdali onjalo?

Umhubi wahlabelela: “Umthetho kaJehova uphelele, ubuyisa umphefumulo. Isikhumbuzo sikaJehova sithembekile, sihlakaniphisa ongenalwazi. Imiyalo evela kuJehova iqotho, ibangela inhliziyo ukuba ijabule; umyalo kaJehova uhlanzekile, ukhanyisa amehlo.” (IHubo 19:7, 8) Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba iNkosi uSolomoni yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo yakuqonda ngayo ukuba iqiniso kwalawo mazwi! Yathi: “Umthetho wohlakaniphileyo ungumthombo wokuphila, ukuba asuke ezingibeni zokufa.” (IzAga 13:14) Emavesini angu-13 okuqala ezAga isahluko 13, uSolomoni wabonisa indlela iseluleko esitholakala eZwini likaNkulunkulu esingasisiza ngayo sithuthukise ukuphila kwethu, sigweme nokukufaka engozini.

Yiba Ofundisekayo

IzAga 13:1 zithi: “Indodana iyahlakanipha lapho kukhona isiyalo sikababa, kodwa umhleki wosulu yilowo ongakuzwanga ukukhuzwa.” Isiyalo esivela kubaba singathamba noma siqine. Ekuqaleni singeza siwukuqeqeshwa, kuthi uma singalalelwa, sigcine sibé isijeziso. Indodana eyamukela isiyalo sikayise ihlakaniphile.

IBhayibheli lithi: “UJehova uyamyala lowo amthandayo; . . . ujezisa wonke umuntu amamukela njengendodana.” (Hebheru 12:6) Enye indlela uBaba wethu wasezulwini asiyala ngayo iyiZwi lakhe elilotshiwe, iBhayibheli. Lapho iBhayibheli silifunda ngenhlonipho futhi sikusebenzisa lokho esikufunda kulo, empeleni iZwi lakhe lisuke lisiyala. Lokhu kungokwenzuzo yethu ngoba konke uJehova akushoyo kuzuzisa thina.—Isaya 48:17.

Isiyalo singasithola nangokuthi silungiswe esikholwa naye onesithakazelo enhlalakahleni yethu engokomoya. Noma isiphi iseluleko esisizayo esivumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu singabhekwa njengesivela eMthonjeni weqiniso omkhulu, hhayi kulowo muntu owelulekayo. Siyobe sihlakaniphile uma sisamukela njengesivela kuJehova. Lapho sikwenza lokhu futhi sisivumela silolonge ukucabanga kwethu, sithuthukise ukuyiqonda kwethu imiBhalo, silungise nezindlela zethu, sisuke sizuza esiyalweni. Kungashiwo okufanayo nangeseluleko esisithola emihlanganweni yobuKristu nasezincwadini ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ukulalela lokho esikufunda kulawo mazwi alotshiwe noma ashiwo ngomlomo kuyindlela enhle kakhulu yokuziyala ngokwakho.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umhleki wosulu akasilaleli isiyalo. Enye incwadi ithi: “Ngenxa yokuthi ucabanga ukuthi wazi kakhulu, akafundiseki.” Akalaleli ngisho nalapho ekhuzwa—okuyisiyalo esidle ngokuqina. Kodwa ingabe uyoke akwazi ukubonisa ukuthi isiyalo sikaBaba asilungile? UJehova akakaze abe nephutha, futhi akasoze. Ngokwenqaba isiyalo, umhleki wosulu umane azenze yena ngokwakhe into yokuhlekwa. Ngamazwi ambalwa akhethwe kahle, yeka ukuthi uSolomoni ukubonisa kahle kanjani ukubaluleka kokuba ofundisekayo!

Qapha Ulimi Lwakho!

Ukuze ibonise ukubaluleka kokuqondiswa yiZwi likaNkulunkulu enkulumweni yethu, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli ifanisa umlomo nomuthi othela izithelo. Ithi: “Umuntu uyokudla okuhle okuvela esithelweni somlomo wakhe, kodwa umphefumulo wabakhohlisayo uwubudlova.” (IzAga 13:2) Amazwi akhulunywayo ayizithelo zomlomo. Futhi umuntu uvuna lokho akutshalile ngamazwi akhe. Esinye isazi sathi: “Uma amazwi omuntu ehloselwe futhi ebhekiswe ngomusa ekuqaliseni ubuhlobo obuhle nomakhelwane bakhe, uyodla kahle, uyojabulela ukuphila okujabulisayo nokunokuthula.” Izinto azibi njalo ngomuntu ongumkhohlisi. Ufuna ukwenza ubudlova, alimaze abanye. Uceba ubudlova, uvuna ubudlova. Izingibe zokufa zisemnyango wendlu yakhe.

USolomoni uyaqhubeka: “Oqapha umlomo wakhe ugcina umphefumulo wakhe. Ozivula kakhulu izindebe zakhe—uyoba nencithakalo.” (IzAga 13:3) Ukonakala kwedumela, imizwa elimele, ukungahoshelani umoya, ngisho nokulimazana umzimba konke kungaba imiphumela yenkulumo engacatshangwanga, ewubuwula. Izindebe ezivuleke kakhulu zingabangela nokungavunyelwa uNkulunkulu, ngoba wonke umuntu uyolandisa kuye ngalokho akushoyo. (Mathewu 12:36, 37) Ngempela, ukulawula umlomo wethu ngesandla esiqinile kuyosilonda encithakalweni. Nokho, singafunda kanjani ukuqapha umlomo wethu?

Enye indlela elula yokwenza lokhu iwukungakhulumi kakhulu. IBhayibheli lithi: “Lapho kukhona amazwi amaningi asiphuthi iseqo.” (IzAga 10:19) Enye indlela iwukucabanga ngaphambi kokukhuluma. Umlobi ophefumulelwe uthi: “Kukhona ophahluka njengokuhlaba kwenkemba.” (IzAga 12:18) Lapho kungacatshangwanga kusengaphambili ngalokho okushiwoyo, bonke, okhulumayo nabalalele bangalimala. Ngakho-ke, iBhayibheli lisinika lesi siyalo esisebenzayo: “Inhliziyo yolungileyo iyazindla ukuze iphendule.”—IzAga 15:28.

Yiba Okhuthele

USolomoni uthi: “Ivila liyafisa, kodwa umphefumulo walo awunalutho. Nokho, umphefumulo wabakhutheleyo uyokhuluphaliswa.” (IzAga 13:4) Enye incwadi ithi: “Iphuzu [lalesi saga] liwukuthi ukufisa nje kuyize leze kanti ukukhuthala yikona okubalulekile. Amavila ayizisulu zezifiso . . . eziwabusayo futhi amane angafezi lutho.” Nokho, umphefumulo wabakhuthele, noma isifiso sabo, uyaneliswa—uyakhuluphaliswa.

Kungathiwani ngalabo abazigodlayo bangazinikezeli kuJehova ngoba befuna ukugwema isibopho sokulandisa? Bangase bazibonakalise bekufisa ukuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu, kodwa ingabe bazimisele ukwenza okuthile ngakho? Imfuneko ngalabo ‘abayophuma osizini olukhulu’ iwukuthi bayobe bebonise ukholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu oyisihlengo, bazinikezela kuJehova, futhi babonisa ukuzinikezela kwabo ngokubhapathizwa emanzini.—IsAmbulo 7:14, 15.

Cabanga futhi ngalokho okuhilelekile ekuzameni ukufinyelela ukuba umbonisi ebandleni. Ukufisa ukufinyelela lo msebenzi omuhle ngokuqinisekile kuyatuswa futhi kuyakhuthazwa emiBhalweni. (1 Thimothewu 3:1) Nokho, ukufisa nje akwanele. Ukufanelekela isikhundla kufuna ukuhlakulela izimfanelo namakhono adingekayo. Lokho kudinga ukuba umuntu azikhandle.

Ukulunga Kuyalonda

Umuntu olungile uhlakulela izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu futhi ukhuluma iqiniso. Uyaqonda ukuthi ukuqamba amanga kuyangqubuzana nomthetho kaJehova. (IzAga 6:16-19; Kolose 3:9) USolomoni uthi ngalokhu: “Izwi elingamanga yilo alizondayo olungileyo, kodwa ababi benza ngokuhlazisayo bazibangele ihlazo.” (IzAga 13:5) Umuntu olungile akagcini nje ngokuwagwema amanga; empeleni uyawazonda. Uyazi ukuthi ngisho noma ebonakala emsulwa kanjani, amanga abucekela phansi ubuhlobo obuhle babantu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwethenjelwa komuntu oqamba amanga kuphela nyá. Omubi wenza ngokuhlazisayo ngokuqamba amanga noma ngenye indlela, ngalokho azibangele ihlazo.

Ukuze ibonise ukuthi ukwenza okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu kuyazuzisa, inkosi ehlakaniphile ithi: “Ukulunga kuyamlonda ongenangozi endleleni yakhe, kodwa ububi yibo obuketula isoni.” (IzAga 13:6) Njengenqaba, ukulunga kuyamvikela umuntu, kuyilapho ububi bumcekela phansi.

Ungazishayi Ongeyikho

Ibonisa ukuqonda ubunjalo babantu, inkosi yakwa-Israyeli yathi: “Kukhona oshaya sengathi ucebile kanti akanalutho nhlobo; kukhona oshaya sengathi unokuncane kanti unezinto eziningi zenani elikhulu.” (IzAga 13:7) Umuntu angase angabi yilokho abonakala eyikho. Abanye abantu abampofu bangase bashaye sengathi bacebile—mhlawumbe ukuze bazigabise, banike umbono wokuba abaphumelelayo noma ukuze nje bagweme ukuhlazeka. Umuntu ocebile angase ashaye sengathi umpofu, ukuze nje afihle ingcebo yakhe.

Kokubili ukuzigabisa ngokungekho noma ukufihla lokho esinakho akukuhle. Uma amandla ethu emancane, ukuchitha imali ezintweni zokunethezeka ukuze kubonakale sengathi simi kahle, kungasivimbela thina nemikhaya yethu ukuthola izinto eziyizidingo zokuphila. Umuntu ozishaya sengathi umpofu kanti ucebile kungamenza abe ungoqo, kumncishe isithunzi esimfanele nenjabulo etholakala ngokuba ophayo. (IzEnzo 20:35) Ukuphila ngokwethembeka kuwukuphila okungcono.

Ungafisi Izinto Ezinkulu

USolomoni uthi: “Isihlengo somphefumulo womuntu yingcebo yakhe, kodwa onokuncane akakuzwanga ukukhuzwa.” (IzAga 13:8) Isiphi isifundo esikulesi saga esihlakaniphile?

Zikhona izinzuzo ekubeni ocebile, kodwa ukuba nengcebo akuqinisekisi injabulo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Kulezi zikhathi esiphila kuzo ezigcwele izinkinga, ngokuvamile izicebi zizithola zona nemikhaya yazo zisengozini yokuthunjwa zibanjwe kuze kukhokhwe isihlengo. Ngezinye izikhathi, umuntu ocebile angasikhokha isihlengo ukuze asindise ukuphila kwakhe noma kwelungu lomkhaya. Kodwa ngokuvamile umthunjwa uyabulawa. Izicebi zihlale zizulelwa amanqe ngokuqondene nalokhu.

Umuntu onokuncane akakhathazeki ngalokho. Nakuba engenazo izinto zesimanje nezinto ezibonakalayo eziningi ezijatshulelwa izicebi, unamathuba amancane okuba isisulu sabathumbi. Lena enye inzuzo yokungafuni izinto ezinkulu nokungachithi isikhathi sethu esiningi namandla ekuphishekeleni ingcebo.—2 Thimothewu 2:4.

Jabulela “Ukukhanya”

USolomoni uyaqhubeka ebonisa ukuthi ukwenza izinto ngendlela kaJehova kuzuzisa thina kakhulu. Uthi: “Ukukhanya kwabalungileyo kuyojabula; kodwa isibani sababi—siyocinywa.”—IzAga 13:9.

Isibani sifanekisela lokho esithembela kukho ukuze sikhanyise indlela yethu ekuphileni. ‘Izwi likaNkulunkulu liyisibani onyaweni lolungileyo nokukhanya endleleni yakhe.’ (IHubo 119:105) Liqukethe ulwazi nokuhlakanipha koMdali okungapheli. Lapho sikuthuthukisa kakhudlwana ukuyiqonda kwethu intando kaNkulunkulu nenjongo yakhe, ukukhanya okungokomoya okusiqondisayo kukhanya nakakhulu. Yeka umthombo wenjabulo! Kungani nje kufanele siphazanyiswe ukuhlakanipha kwezwe noma yilokho “okubizwa ngokungeyikho ngokuthi ‘ulwazi’”?—1 Thimothewu 6:20; 1 Korinte 1:20; Kolose 2:8.

Omubi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isibani sakhe sibonakala sikhanya kakhulu kangakanani nokuthi ubonakala echuma kahle kanjani, isibani sakhe siyocinywa. Uyophelela ebumnyameni, lapho izinyawo zakhe ziyokhubeka khona nakanjani. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘ngeke abe nalo ikusasa.’—IzAga 24:20.

Nokho, kufanele senzeni lapho singaqiniseki ngokuthi yini okufanele siyenze esimweni esithile? Kuthiwani uma singaqiniseki ukuthi sinalo yini igunya lokwenza okuthile? IzAga 13:10 ziyaxwayisa: “Ngokugabadela umuntu umane nje abangele ukulwa.” Ukwenza okuthile singenalo ulwazi noma igunya kuwukugabadela futhi nakanjani kungabangela ukungezwani. Bekungeke yini kube ngcono ukubonisana nabanye abanolwazi nokuqonda? Inkosi ehlakaniphile ithi: “Kulabo ababonisanayo kukhona ukuhlakanipha.”

Qaphela Ukulindela Izinto Ezingekho

Imali ingafeza injongo ebalulekile. Ukuba nemali eyanele kungcono kunokuphila ukuphila okuphansi noma okumpofu. (UmShumayeli 7:11, 12) Nokho, lokho okubonakala kuyizinzuzo zengcebo etholakala ngezindlela ezingekho emthethweni kungakhohlisa. USolomoni uyaxwayisa: “Izinto zenani elikhulu ezivela ezeni ziyancipha, kodwa oqoqayo ngesandla nguye owandisayo.”—IzAga 13:11.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngogibe lokugembula. Umgembuli angase abheje ngemali ayisebenzele kanzima ethemba ukuwina isizumbulu semali. Kodwa yeka ukuthi kuvame kangakanani ukuba lokhu akwenze edela inhlalakahle yomkhaya wakhe! Futhi kwenzekani lapho umgembuli ewina? Njengoba imali eyithole kalula, angase angakwazisi kangako ukubaluleka kwayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, angase angabi nekhono lokuphatha kahle umklomelo wakhe asanda kuwuthola. Awamaningi yini amathuba okuba ingcebo yakhe iphelele emoyeni ngokushesha njengokuyithola kwakhe? Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ingcebo ebilokhu iqongelelwa—kancane kancane ngokwenza umsebenzi omuhle—iya ikhula futhi ingasetshenziswa ngokunenzuzo.

USolomoni uthi: “Ukuhlehliswa kwento elindelwe kuyayigulisa inhliziyo, kodwa leyo nto efiswayo ingumuthi wokuphila lapho ifika.” (IzAga 13:12) Izinto ezilindelwe ezingafezekanga nakanjani ziyoholela ekudumazekeni okwenza inhliziyo igule. Lokhu kwenzeka ekuphileni kwansuku zonke. Nokho, akunjalo ngezinto ezilindelwe ezisekelwe ngokuqinile eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Singaqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi zizogcwaliseka. Ngisho nezinto ezibonakala zephuza cishe ngeke zisidumaze.

Ngokwesibonelo, siyazi ukuthi izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu liseduze. (2 Petru 3:13) Ngokulangazela okukhulu, sikubheke ngabomvu ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu. Kwenzekani njengoba sisebenzisa lesi sikhathi sisalindile ngokuba matasa “emsebenzini weNkosi,” ngokukhuthaza esikholwa nabo, nangokwakha ubuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu noJehova? Kunokuba ‘sigule enhliziyweni,’ sigcwala injabulo. (1 Korinte 15:58; Hebheru 10:24, 25; Jakobe 4:8) Lapho ukugcwaliseka kwesifiso ebesilindelwe isikhathi eside kufika, kuba umuthi wokuphila—kuyavuselela, kuqabule ngempela.

Umthetho KaNkulunkulu—Umthombo Wokuphila

Zibonisa isidingo sokulalela uNkulunkulu, izAga 13:13 zithi: “Owedelele izwi, kuyothathwa kuye isibambiso sokweletayo; kodwa owesaba umyalo nguye oyovuzwa.” Uma okweletayo edelela izwi lakhe ngokungayikhokhi imali ayibolekile, uyolahlekelwa yilokho abambise ngakho. Ngendlela efanayo, nathi siyolahlekelwa uma singayilaleli imiyalo kaNkulunkulu. Siyolahlekelwa yini?

“Umthetho wohlakaniphileyo ungumthombo wokuphila, ukuba asuke ezingibeni zokufa.” (IzAga 13:14) Ukuphila ngaphandle komthetho kaJehova uNkulunkulu onakho konke ukuhlakanipha, kusincisha isiqondiso esingasisiza siphile ukuphila okungcono nokuphila okuthi akudonse isikhathi eside. Kungaba ukulahlekelwa okukhulu lokho! Ngakho, inkambo yokuhlakanipha ngathi iwukunakisisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu nokulivumela lithonye imicabango, inkulumo, nezenzo zethu.—2 Korinte 10:5; Kolose 1:10.

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Ukulalela iseluleko esisemiBhalweni kuyindlela enhle kakhulu yokuziyala ngokwakho

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

“Inhliziyo yolungileyo iyazindla ukuze iphendule”

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

Ukuzigcina simatasa “emsebenzini weNkosi” kusenza sigcwale injabulo