Yenza Intuthuko Yakho Ibonakale
“Zindla ngalezi zinto; ugxile kuzo, ukuze intuthuko yakho ibonakale kubo bonke abantu.”—1 THIM. 4:15.
1, 2. Yini esiyaziyo ngokuphila kukaThimothewu esengumfana, futhi yiluphi ushintsho olwenzeka ngesikhathi eneminyaka engaba ngu-20?
UTHIMOTHEWU wakhulela eGalathiya, isifundazwe samaRoma, endaweni manje ebizwa ngokuthi iTurkey. Kule ndawo kwakunamabandla amaningana amiswa phakathi namashumi eminyaka angemva kokufa kukaJesu. UThimothewu osemncane, unina noninakhulu baba amaKristu ngaleyo minyaka futhi bahlanganyela nelinye lalawo mabandla. (2 Thim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) Ngokuqinisekile, uThimothewu wayekujabulela ukuphila kwakhe njengomKristu osemusha phakathi kwalezo zimo ayezijwayele. Nokho, izinto zashintsha engalindele.
2 Lolu shintsho lwaqala ngesikhathi sokuhambela kwesibili komphostoli uPawulu kule ndawo. Ngaleso sikhathi, uThimothewu cishe wayesezohlanganisa noma esanda kweva eminyakeni engu-20. Phakathi nokuhambela kwakhe, cishe eListra, uPawulu waphawula ukuthi uThimothewu “wayekhulunyelwa kahle abazalwane” bamabandla akule ndawo. (IzE. 16:2) Kumelwe ukuba uThimothewu osemusha wayebonisa ukuvuthwa okungaphezu kweminyaka yakhe. Ngakho-ke, beqondiswa umoya ongcwele, uPawulu nendikimba yabadala bambeka izandla, bemgcobela umsebenzi okhethekile ebandleni.—1 Thim. 4:14; 2 Thim. 1:6.
3. Iliphi ilungelo lenkonzo elingandile elatholwa uThimothewu?
3 UThimothewu wathola isimemo esingandile—sokuhamba nomphostoli uPawulu emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli! (IzE. 16:3) Cabanga nje ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uThimothewu wamangala futhi wajabula kanjani lapho ethola leso simemo! Wayezoqeda iminyaka eminingi ehamba noPawulu futhi ngezinye izikhathi nabanye, enza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene ayeyithunywa abaphostoli namadoda amadala. UPawulu noThimothewu benza umsebenzi wokujikeleza owaba neqhaza elikhulu ekwakhiweni kwabazalwane ngokomoya. (Funda izEnzo 16:4, 5.) Ngakho, uThimothewu waziwa amaKristu amaningi ngentuthuko yakhe engokomoya. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba yishumi ehamba noThimothewu, umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela abaseFilipi: “Anginaye omunye onesimo [esinjengesikaThimothewu] oyozinakekela ngobuqotho izinto eziphathelene nani. . . . Niyabazi ubufakazi abunikeza ngaye ngokwakhe, ukuthi njengomntwana osebenza noyise wazigqilaza kanye nami ekuqhutshekiselweni phambili kwezindaba ezinhle.”—Fil. 2:20-22.
4. (a) Imuphi umthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu owaphathiswa uThimothewu? (b) Imiphi imibuzo engase ibuzwe ngamazwi kaPawulu akweyoku-1 Thimothewu 4:15?
4 Cishe uPawulu wabhalela abaseFilipi ngesikhathi esifanayo naphathisa ngaso uThimothewu umthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu—wokumisa abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo. (1 Thim. 3:1; 5:22) Kusobala ukuthi uThimothewu wayesebe ngumbonisi ongumKristu onokwethenjelwa. Nokho, kuyo le ncwadi ayibhalela uThimothewu, uPawulu wamkhuthaza ukuba ‘enze intuthuko yakhe ibonakale kubo bonke abantu.’ (1 Thim. 4:15) Kanti, uThimothewu wayengeve yini eseyibonisile intuthuko yakhe ngezinga elikhulu? Pho, wayesho ukuthini uPawulu ngala mazwi, futhi singazuza kanjani eselulekweni sakhe?
Ukubonakalisa Izimfanelo Ezingokomoya
5, 6. Kwakusongelwa kanjani ukuhlanzeka okungokomoya kwebandla lase-Efesu, futhi uThimothewu wayengalivikela kanjani?
5 Ake sihlole umongo weyoku-1 Thimothewu 4:15. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 4:11-16.) Ngaphambi kokubhala la mazwi, uPawulu wayeye eMakedoniya kodwa wacela uThimothewu ukuba asale e-Efesu. Ngasiphi isizathu? Abanye kulowo muzi base bebangela ukuhlukana ebandleni, bengenisa izimfundiso zamanga. UThimothewu kwakumelwe avikele ibandla ukuze lihlale lihlanzekile ngokomoya. Wayezokwenza kanjani lokhu? Enye indlela, yayiwukuba abekele abanye isibonelo esihle ababengasilingisa.
6 UPawulu wabhalela uThimothewu: “Yiba isibonelo kwabathembekile ekukhulumeni, ekuziphatheni, othandweni, okholweni, ngobumsulwa.” Wabe esenezela: “Zindla ngalezi zinto; ugxile kuzo, ukuze intuthuko yakho ibonakale kubo bonke abantu.” (1 Thim. 4:12, 13, 15) Le ntuthuko yayingahlobene nanoma isiphi isikhundla kodwa yayihlobene nezimfanelo zikaThimothewu ezingokomoya. Yile ntuthuko wonke amaKristu okufanele afune ukuyibonisa.
7. Yini elindeleke kubo bonke ebandleni?
7 Namuhla, njengasosukwini lukaThimothewu, kunezikhundla ezihambisana nomthwalo wemfanelo ebandleni. Abanye bakhonza njengabadala noma njengezinceku ezikhonzayo. Abanye bangamaphayona. Abanye bayajikeleza, abanye bakhonza eBethel noma bayizithunywa zevangeli. Abadala banezabelo ezahlukahlukene zokufundisa, njengasemihlanganweni emincane nemikhulu. Nokho, wonke amaKristu—abesilisa, abesifazane nezingane—angakwazi ukwenza intuthuko yawo ibonakale. (Math. 5:16) Empeleni, ngisho namaKristu anemithwalo yemfanelo ekhethekile kulindeleke ukuba enze intuthuko yawo engokomoya ibonakale kubo bonke njengoba kwaba njalo ngoThimothewu.
Ukuba Isibonelo Ekukhulumeni
8. Esikushoyo kuhlobene kanjani nokukhulekela kwethu?
8 Esinye isici uThimothewu okwakufanele abe isibonelo kuso kwakusekukhulumeni. Singayenza kanjani intuthuko yethu ibonakale kulesi sici? Esikushoyo kusho lukhulu ngathi. UJesu wakubeka kahle lokhu: “Umlomo ukhuluma ngokuchichima kwenhliziyo.” (Math. 12:34) UJakobe, umfowabo kaJesu ngamzali munye, naye waqaphela ukuthi esikushoyo kuhlobene nokukhulekela kwethu. Wabhala: “Uma umuntu ezibona sengathi ungumkhulekeli oqotho, kodwa nokho engalulawuli ulimi lwakhe ngokungathi ngetomu, kodwa eqhubeka ekhohlisa inhliziyo yakhe, indlela yalo muntu yokukhulekela iyize.”—Jak. 1:26.
9. Esikushoyo kufanele kube yisibonelo ngaziphi izindlela?
9 Esikushoyo kungembula kwabanye ebandleni ukuthi sesithuthuke kangakanani ngokomoya. Ngenxa yalokho, esikhundleni sokukhuluma izinto ezingahloniphekile, ezingakhi, ezigxekayo noma ezilimazayo, amaKristu avuthiwe alwela ukwakha, ukududuza nokukhuthaza abanye. (IzAga 12:18; Efe. 4:29; 1 Thim. 6:3-5, 20) Ukuhlala kwethu silungele ukuxoxa nabanye ngezindinganiso zokuziphatha esizikholelwayo nokuvikela izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu eziphakeme kungembula ukuzinikela kwethu kuNkulunkulu. (Roma 1:15, 16) Ngokuqinisekile abantu abanezinhliziyo ezilungile bayoyibona indlela esisebenzisa ngayo isipho sokukhuluma futhi bangase balingise isibonelo sethu.—Fil. 4:8, 9.
Ukuba Isibonelo Ngokuziphatha Nangobumsulwa
10. Kungani ukholo olungenabuzenzisi lubalulekile entuthukweni yethu engokomoya?
10 Kudingeka okungaphezu kokukhuluma ngendlela eyakhayo ukuze umKristu abe isibonelo esihle. Ukukhuluma izinto ezinhle ube ungazenzi kungakwenza umzenzisi. UPawulu wayebazi kahle ubuzenzisi babaFarisi nomphumela olimazayo wenkambo yabo. Waxwayisa uThimothewu kaningi ngobuzenzisi obunjalo. (1 Thim. 1:5; 4:1, 2) Kodwa uThimothewu wayengeyena umzenzisi. Encwadini yakhe yesibili ayibhalela uThimothewu, uPawulu wathi: “Ngiyalukhumbula ukholo olukuwe olungenabo neze ubuzenzisi.” (2 Thim. 1:5) Noma kunjalo, uThimothewu kwakudingeka enze ubuqotho bakhe njengomKristu bubonakale kwabanye. Kwakumelwe aziphathe ngendlela eyisibonelo.
11. Yini uPawulu ayibhalela uThimothewu ngengcebo?
11 Ezincwadini ezimbili azibhalela uThimothewu, uPawulu wanikeza iseluleko ngezici eziningana zokuziphatha. Ngokwesibonelo, uThimothewu kwakumelwe agweme ukuphishekela ingcebo. UPawulu wabhala: “Uthando lwemali luyimpande yazo zonke izinhlobo zezinto ezilimazayo, futhi ngokuzama ukufinyelela lolu thando abanye baye baduka okholweni futhi bazigwaza yonke indawo ngeminjunju eminingi.” (1 Thim. 6:10) Ukuthanda ingcebo kuwuphawu lokuba buthaka ngokomoya. Ngokuphambene, amaKristu aneliswa ukuphila okulula, ‘ukuba nokudla nokokwembatha,’ abonisa intuthuko engokomoya.—1 Thim. 6:6-8; Fil. 4:11-13.
12. Singayenza kanjani intuthuko yethu ibonakale ekuphileni kwethu?
12 UPawulu wachazela uThimothewu ukuthi kwakubaluleke kangakanani ngabesifazane abangamaKristu ukuba “bazihlobise ngezingubo ezilungiswe kahle, ngesizotha nangokuhluzeka kwengqondo.” (1 Thim. 2:9) Abesifazane ababonisa isizotha nokuhluzeka engqondweni endleleni abagqoka futhi bazilungise ngayo nakwezinye izici zokuphila kwabo, bayizibonelo ezinhle kakhulu. (1 Thim. 3:11) Lesi simiso sisebenza nasemadodeni angamaKristu. UPawulu wayala ababonisi ukuba babe ‘abalinganiselayo, abahluzekile engqondweni nabahlelekile.’ (1 Thim. 3:2) Lapho sibonisa lezi zimfanelo ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke, intuthuko yethu iyobonakala kubo bonke.
13. Singaba kanjani izibonelo ngobumsulwa njengoThimothewu?
13 UThimothewu kwakumelwe abe isibonelo nangobumsulwa. Lapho esebenzisa leli gama, uPawulu wayebhekisele ngokuqondile esicini sokuziphatha esiphathelene nobulili. Ukuziphatha kukaThimothewu kwakufanele kungasoleki nakancane ikakhulukazi endleleni ayesebenzelana ngayo nabesifazane. Kwakumelwe aphathe ‘abesifazane abadala njengawonina, abesifazane abasebasha njengodadewabo ngabo bonke ubumsulwa.’ (1 Thim. 4:12; 5:2) UNkulunkulu wazi ngisho nezenzo ezisithekile zokuziphatha okubi futhi ngokuqinisekile nabanye abantu bayogcina sebezazi. Kodwa kuyiqiniso nokuthi imisebenzi emihle yomKristu ayinakufihleka. (1 Thim. 5:24, 25) Bonke ebandleni banethuba lokwenza intuthuko yabo ibonakale ngokuziphatha nangobumsulwa.
Uthando Nokholo Kubalulekile
14. ImiBhalo isigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokuthandana?
14 Isici esiyinhloko samaKristu eqiniso siwuthando. UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Joh. 13:35) Silubonisa kanjani lolu thando? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisinxusa ukuba ‘sibekezelelane ngothando, futhi sibe nomusa komunye nomunye, sibe nobubele besisa, sithethelelane ngokukhululekile,’ futhi singenise izihambi. (Efe. 4:2, 32; Heb. 13:1, 2) Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Othandweni lobuzalwane thandanani omunye nomunye.”—Roma 12:10.
15. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sonke sibe nothando, ikakhulu ababonisi abangamaKristu?
15 Ukube uThimothewu wayesebenzelana namanye amaKristu ngendlela enokhahlo noma engenamusa, lokho kwakuyokwenza izinto ezinhle ayezenzile njengomfundisi nombonisi zibe yize. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 13:1-3.) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, izenzo zikaThimothewu ezibonisa uthando oluqotho ngabafowabo, umoya wokungenisa izihambi nemisebenzi emihle ayebenzela yona, ngokuqinisekile kwaqokomisa intuthuko yakhe engokomoya. Ngakho, kuyafaneleka ukuthi encwadini yakhe ayibhalela uThimothewu, umphostoli uPawulu wakhuluma ngokuqondile ngothando njengenye yezimfanelo uThimothewu okwakumelwe abe isibonelo kuzo.
16. Kungani uThimothewu kwakudingeka abonise ukholo oluqinile?
16 Ukholo lukaThimothewu lwavivinywa ngesikhathi ehlala e-Efesu. Abathile babekhuthaza izimfundiso ezazingavumelani neqiniso lobuKristu. Abanye babesakaza “izindaba ezingamanga” noma becwaninga ngemibono eyayingalisizi ngalutho ibandla ngokomoya. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 1:3, 4.) UPawulu wachaza abantu abanjalo ‘njengabakhukhumele, ababengaqondi lutho, kodwa ababegula engqondweni ngenxa yemibuzo nokuphikisana ngamazwi.’ (1 Thim. 6:3, 4) Ingabe uThimothewu wayengazichaya emibonweni enjalo eyingozi eyayingena kancane kancane ebandleni? Cha, ngoba uPawulu wanxusa uThimothewu ukuba ‘alwe ukulwa okuhle kokholo’ futhi azifulathele “izinkulumo ezingenangqondo ezingcolisa okungcwele, nokuphikisana ngalokho okubizwa ngokungeyikho ngokuthi ‘ulwazi.’” (1 Thim. 6:12, 20, 21) Akungabazeki ukuthi uThimothewu wasilalela leso seluleko sikaPawulu esihlakaniphile.—1 Kor. 10:12.
17. Ukholo lwethu lungavivinywa kanjani namuhla?
17 Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi uThimothewu watshelwa ukuthi “ezinkathini zakamuva zesikhathi abanye [babeyokuwa] okholweni, benaka amazwi aphefumulelwe adukisayo nezimfundiso zamademoni.” (1 Thim. 4:1) Bonke ebandleni, kuhlanganise nalabo abanemithwalo yemfanelo, kudingeka babe njengoThimothewu ekuboniseni ukholo oluqinile nolungantengantengi. Ngokuqina nangokuthatha isinyathelo ngokushesha ngokumelene nokuhlubuka, singenza intuthuko yethu ibonakale futhi sibe yizibonelo okholweni.
Lwela Ukuba Intuthuko Yakho Ibonakale
18, 19. (a) Ungayenza kanjani intuthuko yakho ibonakale kubo bonke? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
18 Ngokusobala, intuthuko yomKristu weqiniso engokomoya ayihlobene nokubukeka kwakhe kwangaphandle, amakhono akhe emvelo noma ukuvelela. Ingase futhi ingaboniswa iminyaka aseyichithe ekhonza nebandla. Kunalokho, intuthuko engokomoya yangempela ibonakala ngokulalela kwethu uJehova ezintweni esizicabangayo, emazwini nasekuziphatheni kwethu. (Roma 16:19) Kufanele silalele umyalo othi sithandane futhi sihlakulele ukholo oluqinile. Yebo, masicabangisise ngamazwi uPawulu awabhalela uThimothewu futhi sizindle ngawo ukuze intuthuko yethu ibonakale kubo bonke.
19 Enye imfanelo ebonisa intuthuko yethu engokomoya nokuvuthwa kobuKristu injabulo, engesinye sezithelo zomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngendlela esingahlakulela futhi silondoloze ngayo injabulo ezikhathini ezinzima.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Yini abanye abangayifunda kithi kwesikushoyo?
• Intuthuko yethu ibonakala kanjani ekuziphatheni nangobumsulwa bethu?
• Kungani amaKristu kumelwe abe isibonelo othandweni nasokholweni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
UThimothewu osemncane wabonisa ukuvuthwa okungaphezu kweminyaka yakhe
[Izithombe ekhasini 13]
Ingabe intuthuko yakho iyabonakala kwabanye?