Ukulondoloza Ukuzwana Phakathi Kwabadala Nezinceku Ezikhonzayo

NGEMVA nje kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., kwaphakama isimo esiphuthumayo ebandleni lobuKristu elalisanda kumiswa. Kwakukade kumiswe ilungiselelo lokunakekela abafelokazi abaswele. Kodwa ngemva kwesikhashana “kwavela ukukhonona kubaJuda abakhuluma isiGreki ngamaHeberu ngokuthi abafelokazi bakubo bayancishwa ekwabelweni kwemihla ngemihla.”—IzEnzo 6:1.

Lokhu kukhonona kwafika ezindlebeni zabaphostoli. “Abayishumi nambili base bebiza ibandla labafundi‚ bathi: Akukuhle ukuba thina sishiye izwi likaNkulunkulu‚ sikhonze ematafuleni. Funani-ke phakathi kwenu-bazalwane amadoda ayisikhombisa anodumo oluhle‚ agcwele uMoya nokuhlakanipha‚ esingawamisela lowomsebenzi.”—IzEnzo 6:2, 3.

Lokhu kubonisa isimiso esibalulekile sokuhleleka ebandleni lobuKristu. Amanye amadoda anomthwalo wemfanelo asetshenziswa ekunakekeleni izindaba ezivamile, kuyilapho amanye enakekela izindaba ezingokomoya ezibaluleke kakhudlwana. Lokhu akuqali. Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, u-Aroni nenzalo yakhe bamiselwa ukukhonza njengabapristi abenza iminikelo kuNkulunkulu. Nokho, uJehova wayala ukuba amaLevi abasize ‘ngokugcina yonke impahla yetende lokuhlangana.’ (Numeri 3:5-10) Ngokufanayo, namuhla ababonisi basizwa izinceku ezikhonzayo.

Indima Yabadala Nezinceku Ezikhonzayo

ImiBhalo ibonisa izimfanelo eziphakeme okufanele kokubili abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo bahlangabezane nazo. (1 Thimothewu 3:1-10, 12, 13; Thithu 1:6-9) Abancintisani kodwa banomgomo owodwa—ukwakha ibandla. (Qhathanisa neyabase-Efesu 4:11-13.) Nakuba kunjalo, kunomehluko othile emsebenzini abawenzayo ebandleni. Kweyoku-1 Petru 5:2, ababonisi bayatshelwa: “Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ophakathi kwenu‚ kungabi-ngokucindezelwa kodwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu‚ kungabi-ngenxa yenzuzo eyihlazo kodwa ngenhliziyo evumayo.” Bayalandisa kuNkulunkulu ngendlela abafeza ngayo lomsebenzi ongcwele.—Heberu 13:17.

Kuthiwani ngezinceku ezikhonzayo? ImiBhalo ayisho ukuthi kumelwe zibe nekhono lokufundisa elinjengelabadala. Imisebenzi yazo ihlukile ngandlela-thile kweyabadala. Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., ngokungangabazeki kwakunezinto eziningi ezaziwumsebenzi wezandla, izinto ezivamile, noma ezincane ezazidinga ukunakekelwa, mhlawumbe kuhlanganise nokuthenga izinto zokukopisha imiBhalo noma ngisho nokukopisha ngokwako.

Namuhla, izinceku ezikhonzayo ziyaqhubeka zenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene ebalulekile ebandleni, njengokunakekela izimali namasimu ebandla, ukukhipha omagazini nezincwadi, nokugcina iHholo LoMbuso lisesimweni esihle. Ezinye izinceku ezikhonzayo ezinekhono zingase zisetshenziswe ngisho nasekufundiseni, ngezinye izikhathi ziqhube iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla, zisingathe izingxenye ezithile eMhlanganweni Wenkonzo, futhi zinikeze izinkulumo zeningi.

Lapho abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo besebenza ndawonye ngokuzwana, izidingo zebandla—kokubili ezingokomoya nezokuhleleka—zinakekelwa ngendlela elinganayo. Khona-ke amalungu ebandla ayajabula, aqine, futhi akhiqize ngokomoya. Khumbula lokho uPawulu akubhalela abagcotshiwe e-Efesu: “Ubambene ngokwelekelelana kwamalungu onke awo njengokusebenza okulinganiselwe yilelo nalelolungu‚ kukhuliswe umzimba‚ ube-yisakhiwo othandweni.”—Efesu 4:16.

Abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo kumelwe balwele ukuba nokuzwana okufanayo, okungukuthi, ukuvumelana, ukubambisana, nobunye. Nokho ukuzwana okunjalo akuzizeli. Kumelwe kuhlakulelwe futhi kuvikelwe ngokucophelela.

Lokho Abadala Abangakwenza

Isinyathelo esibalulekile siwukuqaphela ukuthi ubuhlobo bomdala nenceku ekhonzayo abufani nobenkosi nesigqila noma umqashi nomqashwa. Lapho kukhona ukuzwana kwangempela, abadala babheka izinceku ezikhonzayo njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu ezikanye nabo. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 3:6-9.) “Ekwazisaneni nandulelane,” kusho abaseRoma 12:10. Ngakho abadala bayakugwema ukuphatha izinceku ezikhonzayo ngezindlela ezingase zibonakale zehlisa noma zilulaza. Bazikhuthaza ukuba zithathe isinyathelo kuqala ngendlela enhle, kunokuba bazivimbele kulokho. Ukuphatha izinceku ezikhonzayo ngenhlonipho kuvamise ukuveza izimfanelo ezinhle kuzo futhi kuzisize ukuba zijabulele umsebenzi wazo ebandleni.

Abadala kumelwe bakhumbule nokuthi ukuthunywa kwabo kokuba banakekele umhlambi kaNkulunkulu abaphathiswe wona kuhlanganisa nokunakekela abazalwane abayizinceku ezikhonzayo. Yiqiniso, lamadoda anomthwalo wemfanelo kulindeleke ukuba abe amaKristu avuthiwe. Nakuba kunjalo, njengawo wonke umhlambi, adinga ukuthola ukunakekela komuntu siqu ngezinye izikhathi. Abadala kufanele babe nesithakazelo esiqotho entuthukweni yawo engokomoya.

Ngokwesibonelo, lapho umphostoli uPawulu ehlangana nensizwa uThimothewu, ngokushesha waqaphela ikhono likaThimothewu ‘wayesethanda ukuba ahambe naye.’ (IzEnzo 16:3) UThimothewu wajikeleza noPawulu, futhi ngenxa yalokho wathola ukuqeqeshwa okuyigugu. Phela, eminyakeni eminingi kamuva uPawulu wayengabhalela amaKristu aseKorinte: “Ngithumele kini uThimothewu ongumntanami othandekayo nothembekayo eNkosini‚ oyakunikhumbuza ngokuhamba kwami okukuKristu”!—1 Korinte 4:17.

Badala, ingabe seniqalile ukuwasebenzisa ngokugcwele amakhono ezinceku ezikhonzayo zasebandleni lakini? Niyazisiza yini ukuba zithuthuke ngokuzinikeza ukuqeqeshwa komuntu siqu ekukhulumeni kwasobala nasekucwaningeni ngeBhayibheli? Niye nazimema yini ezifanelekayo ukuba zihambe nani emsebenzini wokwalusa? Niyasebenza yini nazo enkonzweni yasensimini? Emfanekisweni kaJesu wamatalenta, inkosi yatshela izinceku zayo ezithembekile: “Kuhle‚ nceku enhle nethembekileyo.” (Mathewu 25:23) Ingabe nani niyapha ngokuncoma nokutusa izinceku ezikhonzayo okuthi ngokuthobeka zifeze izabelo zazo ngendlela enhle? (Qhathanisa nezAga 3:27.) Uma kungenjalo, ingabe ziyoba nomuzwa wokuthi awaziswa umsebenzi wazo?

Ukukhulumisana nakho kusemqoka ebuhlotsheni obunokuzwana. (Qhathanisa nezAga 15:22.) Imisebenzi akufanele yabiwe noma isuswe kothile ngendlela yokunganaki noma engahlelekile. Abadala kufanele baxoxe ngobuqotho ngendlela amakhono omzalwane othile angasetshenziswa ngayo ngokugcwele ebandleni. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 25:15.) Lapho kukhishwa isabelo, umzalwane kumelwe atshelwe ngokucacile ukuthi yini ngokuqondile elindeleke kuye. “Lapho kungekho iziluleko,” kuxwayisa izAga 11:14, “abantu bayawa.”

Akukuhle ukumane utshele umzalwane ukuthi asingathe umnyango wezimali, umagazini, noma izincwadi njengoba enye inceku isiyekile. Ngezinye izikhathi inceku esanda kwabelwa ithola ukuthi kunenqwaba yamarekhodi angaqondile noma angaphelele. Akuve kudumaza! “Konke makwenziwe ngemfanelo nangenhlelo,” kuyala eyoku-1 Korinte 14:40. Abadala kufanele bathathe isinyathelo kuqala ekuqeqesheni abazalwane, babajwayelanise nezimiso zebandla futhi nabo ngokwabo babeke isibonelo sokulandela izimiso ezinjalo. Ngokwesibonelo, abadala kufanele bahlele ukuba izimali zebandla zibalwe njalo ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu. Ukudebeselela ilungiselelo elibaluleke kanjalo kungabangela izinkinga futhi kwehlise inhlonipho izinceku ezikhonzayo ezinayo ngeziyalezo zokuhleleka.

Kodwa ake sithi umzalwane ubonakala ebudedengu ekusingatheni isabelo esithile? Kunokuba bamkhiphe ngokushesha esabelweni sakhe, abadala kufanele baxoxe naye. Mhlawumbe inkinga iwukungakutholi ukuqeqeshwa. Uma umzalwane eqhubeka enobunzima ekusingatheni isabelo sakhe, mhlawumbe angenza kangcono kwesinye isabelo.

Futhi abadala bangathuthukisa ukuzwana ngokubonisa ukuzithoba. EyabaseFilipi 2:3 ikhuthaza amaKristu ukuba angenzi ‘lutho ngombango nangodumo lwezwe; kepha ngokuthobeka ashaye sengathi abanye bakhulu kunawo.’ Ngakho umdala kufanele azame ukubambisana nomlindi lapho emcela ukuba ayohlala esihlalweni esithile ehholo, angacabangi ukuthi ngoba ungumdala, akudingekile ukuba alalele. Mhlawumbe umlindi umane nje ulandelela ukusikisela kokuba kuhlalwe ezingxenyeni ezihlukene zehholo, nakuba kufanele akhumbule ukuthi awukho umthetho othi wonke umuntu kumelwe enze kanjalo.a Umdala uyogwema ukuba achilizele eceleni ngokungadingekile izinqumo inceku ekhonzayo ezenzayo ezintweni eyabelwe zona.

Izinceku Ezikhonzayo Eziphishekela Ukuzwana

“Ngokunjalo namadiyakoni [“izinceku ezikhonzayo,” NW] kufanele abe-nesizotha,” kuphawula umphostoli uPawulu. (1 Thimothewu 3:8) Ukubheka kwazo izabelo njengezibalulekile—njengeziyingxenye yenkonzo yazo engcwele—kusiza kakhulu ekuvimbeleni ukwakheka kokungezwani. Uma uyinceku ekhonzayo, ingabe uyenza ngentshiseko imisebenzi yakho? (Roma 12:7, 8) Uye wazikhandla yini ukuze ube nekhono ekusingatheni imisebenzi yakho? Ungathenjwa yini? Ingabe ubonisa umoya wokuzithandela uma kuziwa ezabelweni? Inceku ekhonzayo yakwelinye izwe lase-Afrika isingatha izabelo ezintathu ezihlukene ebandleni. Sinjani isimo sayo sengqondo? Ithi: “Kumane nje kusho ukuzikhandla okwengeziwe, futhi ukuzikhandla akubulali.” Ngempela labo abazinikelayo bajabula kakhulu.—IzEnzo 20:35.

Ungenza lukhulu ekuthuthukiseni ukuzwana ngokubambisana ngokugcwele nabadala. “Lalelani abaniholayo, nibathobele,” kusho amaHeberu 13:17, “ngokuba balinda imiphefumulo yenu njengabazakulandiswa ngayo, ukuze bakwenze lokhu ngokujabula, bangabubuli, ngokuba lokhu akunakunisiza.” Yiqiniso, abadala bangamadoda angaphelele, futhi kungaba lula ukuthola amaphutha kubo. Nokho isimo sengqondo sokugxeka sibangela ukungabethembi. Singaqeda injabulo yakho silimaze nabanye ebandleni. Ngakho umphostoli uPetru wanikeza lesiseluleko: “Ngokunjalo, nina-basha, thobelani amalunga; kepha nonke yembathani ukuthobeka, nithobelane . . . Ngalokho zithobeni phansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla ukuze aniphakamise ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.”—1 Petru 5:5, 6.

Lesiseluleko sifanelekile ikakhulukazi uma unomuzwa wokuthi awunikezwa amalungelo enkonzo. Mhlawumbe ubulokhu ‘ufisa isikhundla sombonisi,’ kodwa ubungakamiswa. (1 Thimothewu 3:1) Ukuthobeka kungakusiza ukuba ube ‘nesimo sengqondo sokulinda.’ (IsiLilo 3:24, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Kunokuba ubacasukele abadala—nakanjani okuyonakalisa ubuhlobo benu—babuze ukuthi zikhona yini izici ongathuthuka kuzo. Ukuzimisela kwakho okuqotho ukwamukela nokusebenzisa iseluleko ngokungangabazeki kuyoqapheleka njengobufakazi bokukhula ngokomoya.

Ukuthobeka nesizotha okuhambisana nokwesaba uNkulunkulu kungasiza inceku ekhonzayo ukuba ibe elinganiselayo uma inamakhono akhethekile noma uma ifundile futhi inesikhundla esiphakeme emphakathini. Yeka ukuthi ingase ilingeke kangakanani ukuba izame ukubonisa ukuthi iyabadlula abadala noma ukudonsela ukunakekela emakhonweni ayo! IzAga 11:2 zisikhumbuza ukuthi “kwabathobekileyo kukhona ukuhlakanipha.” Umzalwane othobekile uyayiqaphela imingcele yakhe. Uzimisele ukusebenza ngokuthula engadonseli ukunakekela kuye nokusebenzisa amakhono akhe ukuze asekele abadala. Futhi ukuthobeka kungamsiza ukuba aqaphele ukuthi nakuba engase abe nolwazi lwezwe oluningi, kungenzeka usashiyeka ezicini ezibalulekile zokuhlakanipha nokuqonda okungokomoya—izimfanelo okungenzeka abadala bahamba phambili kuzo.—1 Korinte 1:26–2:13; Filipi 1:9.

Ngokusobala, abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo bafeza izindima ezibalulekile. Ndawonye bangenza okukhulu ekwakheni lonke ibandla. Kodwa ukuze benze kanjalo, kumelwe basebenze ndawonye ngokuzwana, ‘ngokuthobeka konke nobumnene‚ ngokubhekakade nokubekezelelana ngothando bakhuthalele ukugcina ubunye bukaMoya ngesibopho sokuthula.’—Efesu 4:2, 3.

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Abadala ababheki izinceku ezikhonzayo njengezingaphansi kwabo, kodwa bazibheka njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu ezikanye nabo