Ungawugcina Kanjani Umbono Olinganiselayo Ngemali?

Uthando lwemali nesifiso sokuba nezinto akuyona into entsha; kanti neBhayibheli liyakhuluma ngako ngoba kuyinto okudala ikhona. Yizinto ezindala kakhulu. EMthethweni, uNkulunkulu waluleka ama-Israyeli: ‘Ungafisi indlu kamakhelwane nokunye okukamakhelwane wakho.’—Eksodusi 20:17.

UTHANDO lwemali nezinto ezibonakalayo kwakuvamile osukwini lukaJesu. Cabanga ngalo mbiko wengxoxo phakathi kukaJesu nensizwa ‘ecebe kakhulu.’ “UJesu wathi kuyo: ‘Kusekhona into eyodwa entulekayo kuwe: Thengisa zonke izinto onazo wabele abantu abampofu, khona-ke uyoba nomcebo emazulwini; bese uza ube ngumlandeli wami.’ Lapho izwa lokhu yaba lusizi kakhulu ngoba yayicebe kakhulu.”—Luka 18:18-23.

Umbono Ofanele Ngemali

Nokho, bekuyoba yiphutha ukuphetha ngokuthi iBhayibheli lilahla imali ngokwayo nanoma yikuphi ukusetshenziswa kwayo okufanele. IBhayibheli liyabonisa ukuthi imali inikeza isivikelo ebubheni kanye nezinkathazo ezihambisana nabo, isize abantu bathole izinto abazidingayo. INkosi uSolomoni yabhala: “Ngoba ukuhlakanipha kuyisivikelo njengoba nje nemali iyisivikelo.” Yabhala nokuthi: “Idili lenzelwa ukuhleka, newayini liyenamisa ukuphila, kepha imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.”—UmShumayeli 7:12, NW; 10:19.

UNkulunkulu uyakuvumela ukusetshenziswa kahle kwemali. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wathi: “Zenzeleni abangane ngengcebo engalungile.” (Luka 16:9) Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukunikela ngenjongo yokuthuthukisa ukukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu kweqiniso, ngoba nakanjani kufanele sifune ukuba uNkulunkulu abe nguMngane wethu. NoSolomoni ngokwakhe, elandela isibonelo sikayise, uDavide, wanikela ngesamba esikhulu semali nezinto eziyigugu lapho kwakhiwa ithempeli likaJehova. Omunye umyalo wobuKristu owokunika abantu abadingayo usizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Hlanganyelani izinto nabangcwele ngokwezidingo zabo.” Wanezela: “Landelani inkambo yokungenisa izihambi.” (Roma 12:13) Lokhu ngokuvamile kuhlanganisa ukusebenzisa imali ethile. Nokho, kuthiwani ngothando lwemali?

‘Uthando Lwesiliva’

UPawulu wakhuluma kabanzi ‘ngothando lwemali’—noma ngokuqondile, ‘uthando lwesiliva’—lapho ebhalela umKristu osemusha ayekanye naye, uThimothewu. Iseluleko sikaPawulu singatholakala kweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:6-19. Wakhuluma ‘ngothando lwemali’ njengengxenye eyinhloko yengxoxo yakhe yezinto ezibonakalayo. Senza kahle ngokukutadishisisa ukukhulumela kukaPawulu okuphefumulelwe, njengoba siqaphela indlela umphakathi wanamuhla ogcizelela ngayo imali. Ukuhlola okunjalo kuyazuzisa ngempela ngoba kunikeza imfihlo ‘yokubambisisa ukuphila kwangempela.’

UPawulu uyaxwayisa: “Uthando lwemali luyimpande yazo zonke izinhlobo zezinto ezilimazayo, futhi ngokuzama ukufinyelela loluthando abanye baye badukiswa okholweni futhi bazigwaza yonke indawo ngobuhlungu obuningi.” (1 Thimothewu 6:10) Lo mbhalo awusho ukuthi imali ngokwayo yimbi—futhi awukho omunye umbhalo osho kanjalo. Futhi umphostoli akasho ukuthi imali iyimbangela eyisisekelo ‘yezinto ezilimazayo’ noma ukuthi imali iyimpande yazo zonke izinkinga. Kunalokho, uthando lwemali lungaba yimbangela—ngisho noma kungeyona ukuphela kwembangela—yazo zonke izinhlobo ‘zezinto ezilimazayo.’

Qaphela Ukuhaha

Iqiniso lokuthi imiBhalo ayiyilahli imali ngokwayo alisho ukuthi isixwayiso sikaPawulu asisebenzi. AmaKristu aqala ukuthanda imali azifaka engozini yazo zonke izinhlobo zezinkinga, enkulu kunazo zonke yileyo yokulahla ukholo. Leli qiniso ligcizelelwa yilokho okwashiwo uPawulu kumaKristu aseKolose: ‘Ngakho-ke, bulalani amalungu emizimba yenu asemhlabeni ngokuqondene nesifiso esilimazayo, nokuhaha, okuwukukhonza izithombe.’ (Kolose 3:5) Ukuhaha ‘nothando lwemali’ kungafaniswa kanjani nokukhonza izithombe? Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi kubi ukufuna indlu enkudlwana, imoto engconywana nomsebenzi oholela kangcono? Cha, lezi zinto azizimbi ngokwazo. Umbuzo uwukuthi: Yini ebangela ukuba umuntu afune noma iyiphi yalezi zinto, futhi ingabe ziyadingeka ngempela?

Umehluko phakathi kwesifiso esivamile nokuhaha ungase ufaniswe nomehluko phakathi komlilo omncane opheka ukudla namalangabi ashisa lonke ihlathi. Isifiso esiphilayo nesifanelekayo singase sibe usizo. Sisishukumisela ukuba sisebenze futhi sikhiqize. IzAga 16:26, zithi: “Iphango lesisebenzi liyasisebenzela, ngokuba umlomo waso uyasiqhuba.” Kodwa ukuhaha kuyingozi futhi kuyalimaza. Kuyisifiso esingalawuleki.

Ukulawula isifiso yiyona nkinga enkulu. Ingabe imali esiyiqongelelayo noma izinto ezibonakalayo esizifunayo ziyokwanelisa izidingo zethu, noma izidingo zethu ziyosenza sibe yizigqila zemali? Kungakho-ke uPawulu ethi ukuba ‘umuntu ohahayo kusho ukuba okhonza izithombe.’ (Efesu 5:5) Ukuhahela into ethile empeleni kusho ukuthi siyazinikela kuyo—sifuna ibe yinkosi yethu, unkulunkulu wethu nento esiyikhonzayo. Ngokuphambene, uNkulunkulu uthi: “Ungabi nabanye onkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami.”—Eksodusi 20:3.

Ukuhaha kwethu futhi kubonisa ukuthi asethembi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyofeza isithembiso sakhe sokuthi uyosinakekela ngalokho esikudingayo. (Mathewu 6:33) Ukuhaha-ke kube sekubangela ukuba sishiye uNkulunkulu. Ngale ndlela futhi, ‘kuwukukhonza izithombe.’ Akumangalisi ukuthi kungani uPawulu axwayisa kangaka ngako!

UJesu ngokufanayo wanikeza isixwayiso esiqondile ngokuhaha. Wasiyala ukuba siqaphele ukuhalela into esingenayo: “Hlalani nivulé amehlo futhi niqaphe yonke inhlobo yokuhaha, ngoba ngisho nalapho umuntu enensada ukuphila kwakhe akuveli ezintweni anazo.” (Luka 12:15) Ngokwale nkulumo nomfanekiso uJesu awulandisa kamuva, ukuhaha kusekelwe enkolelweni ewubuwula yokuthi okubalulekile ekuphileni ukuthi kungakanani umuntu anakho. Kungaba yimali, isikhundla, igunya noma izinto ezihlobene nalokho. Kungenzeka ukuba sihahele noma yini engase itholakale. Singase sicabange ukuthi ukuba naleyo nto kuyosanelisa. Kodwa ngokweBhayibheli nangokuhlangenwe nakho komuntu, nguNkulunkulu kuphela ongakwazi—noyokwazi—ukwanelisa izidingo zethu zangempela, njengoba uJesu atshela abalandeli bakhe.—Luka 12:22-31.

Umphakathi wanamuhla ohlanyiswa ukuthenga nokudayisa wokhela isifiso sokuhaha. Ngenxa yokuthonywa izindlela ezicashile kodwa ezinamandla, abantu abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi noma yini abanayo ayanele. Bafuna okwengeziwe, okukhulu nokungcono. Nakuba singeke sithembe ukuthi sizowushintsha umhlaba, singamelana kanjani thina ngabanye nalokhu kuthambekela?

Ukwaneliseka Kuphambene Nokuhaha

UPawulu ukhuluma ngento ehlukile kunokuhaha, okuwukwaneliseka. Uthi: “Ngakho, uma sinokokuzisekela nokokuzimboza, siyokwaneliswa yilezizinto.” (1 Thimothewu 6:8) Incazelo yakho konke lokho esikudinga ngempela—‘ukudla nokokugqoka’—ingase izwakale ilula kakhulu noma ingenangqondo. Abantu abaningi bajatshuliswa izinhlelo zomabonakude lapho ababukele bebona osaziwayo abahlala ezindlini zikanokusho. Leyo akuyona indlela yokuthola ukwaneliseka.

Yiqiniso, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu akudingeki ziphile ngaphansi kwezimo zobumpofu ngamabomu. (IzAga 30:8, 9) Nokho, uPawulu uyasikhumbuza ukuthi buyini ngempela ubumpofu: ukungabi nakudla, okokugqoka nendawo yokuhlala edingekayo ukuze umuntu aphile. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma sinalezo zinto, sinesizathu sokwaneliseka.

Ingabe uPawulu wayeqinisile ngaleyo ncazelo enjalo yokwaneliseka? Kungenzeka ngempela yini ukwaneliswa yizinto eziyisisekelo nje—ukudla, izingubo zokugqoka nendawo yokuhlala? UPawulu kufanele azi. Wazibonela futhi wazizwela ngokwakhe ukunotha namalungelo okuba yisitatanyiswa emphakathini wamaJuda nasekubeni isakhamuzi saseRoma. (IzEnzo 22:28; 23:6; Filipi 3:5) UPawulu wabhekana nanobunzima obukhulu emsebenzini wakhe wezithunywa zevangeli. (2 Korinte 11:23-28) Kukho konke, wafunda imfihlo eyamsiza ukuba ahlale anelisekile. Yayiyini leyo mfihlo?

“Ngiye Ngayifunda Imfihlo”

UPawulu wachaza kwenye yezincwadi zakhe: “Ngempela ngiyakwazi ukuphelelwa ukudla, ngempela ngiyakwazi ukuba nensada. Kuzo zonke izinto nakuzo zonke izimo ngiye ngayifunda imfihlo yakho kokubili ukuthi kunjani ukusutha nokuthi kunjani ukulamba kokubili ukuba nensada nokuswela.” (Filipi 4:12) UPawulu uzwakala ezethemba futhi enesimo sokulindela okuhle! Kungaba lula ukucabanga ukuthi wayephila kamnandi lapho ebhala la mazwi, kodwa kwakungenjalo. Wayesetilongweni eRoma!—Filipi 1:12-14.

Uma sicabangela lelo qiniso, le ngxenye idlulisela umyalezo onamandla endabeni yokwaneliseka, unganeliswa izinto onazo kuphela, kodwa nangezimo okuzo ngokufanayo. Ukuceba kakhulu noma ukuhlupheka ngokweqile kungasivivinya ekutheni yini ebalulekile kithi. UPawulu wakhuluma ngezinto ezingokomoya ezamsiza ukuba ahlale anelisekile kungakhathaliseki izimo zezinto ezibonakalayo: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo odlulisela amandla kimi.” (Filipi 4:13) Kunokuthembela ezintweni ayenazo, eziyinsada noma ezimbalwa, noma ezimweni zakhe, ezinhle noma ezimbi, uPawulu wayelindela ukuba izidingo zakhe zaneliswe nguNkulunkulu. Umphumela waba ukwaneliseka.

Isibonelo sikaPawulu sasibaluleke ngokukhethekile kuThimothewu. Umphostoli wanxusa leyo nsizwa ukuba iphishekele indlela yokuphila ebeka ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu kuqala kunengcebo. UPawulu wathi: “Nokho, wena, O muntu kaNkulunkulu, zibalekele lezi zinto. Kodwa phishekela ukulunga, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo, uthando, ukukhuthazela, ubumnene bomoya.” (1 Thimothewu 6:11) Lawo mazwi nakuba ayebhekiselwe kuThimothewu, ayasebenza kunoma ubani ofuna ukudumisa uNkulunkulu futhi abe nokuphila okujabulisa ngempela.

UThimothewu kwakudingeka aqaphele ukuhaha njenganoma yimuphi nje omunye umKristu. Ngokusobala, kwakunamakholwa acebile ebandleni lase-Efesu, lapho ayekhona ngesikhathi uPawulu embhalela. (1 Thimothewu 1:3) UPawulu wayelethe izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu kule ndawo eyayichumile ngokwezimali, futhi esiza abaningi ukuba baphenduke. Akungabazeki ukuthi abaningi balaba kwakungabantu abacebile, njengoba kunjalo ngamaKristu amaningi ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla.

Khona-ke, ngokwemfundiso eku-1 Thimothewu 6:6-10, umbuzo uwukuthi: Yini okumelwe labo bantu abemi kahle ngokwezimali bayenze ukuze badumise uNkulunkulu? UPawulu uthi kumelwe baqale ngokuhlola izimo zabo zengqondo. Imali inokuthambekela kokubangela ukuba umuntu azizwe enethezekile. UPawulu uthi: “Yala labo abacebile esimisweni samanje sezinto ukuba bangaqhoshi, futhi bangabeki ithemba labo engcebweni engaqinisekile, kodwa kuNkulunkulu, osinika zonke izinto ngokucebile ukuze sizijabulele.” (1 Thimothewu 6:17) Abantu abacebile kumelwe bafunde ukubheka ngalé kwemali yabo; badinga ukuthembela kuNkulunkulu, umthombo wokuqala wanoma iyiphi ingcebo.

Kodwa ukuqapha isimo sengqondo akwanele. Ekugcineni, amaKristu acebile kudingeka asebenzise ingcebo yawo kahle. UPawulu uyayala: “Basebenzele kokuhle, bacebe emisebenzini emihle, babe nesandla esivulekile, belungele ukwabelana izinto nabanye.”—1 Thimothewu 6:18.

“Ukuphila Kwangempela”

Injongo yeseluleko sikaPawulu iwukuthi sidinga ukuzikhumbuza inzuzo yezinto ezibonakalayo. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Imfuyo yesicebi ingumuzi waso onamandla; injengogange oluphakemeyo emicabangweni yaso.” (IzAga 18:11) Yebo, ekugcineni, ukulondeka okunikezwa ingcebo kumane kuyacatshangelwa nje futhi empeleni kuyakhohlisa. Kumelwe sigxilise ukuphila kwethu ekwamukelweni nguNkulunkulu kunokukugxilisa engcebweni.

Ukungathembeki kwezinto ezibonakalayo kwenza kube bucayi kakhulu ukugxilisa ithemba lethu. Ithemba langempela kumelwe ligxiliswe kokuthile okunamandla, okunenjongo nokuhlala njalo. Ithemba lobuKristu ligxiliswe kuMdali wethu uJehova uNkulunkulu kanye nesithembiso sakhe sokuphila okungapheli. Njengoba kuyiqiniso ukuthi imali ayinakumenza umuntu athole injabulo, kuyiqiniso nakakhulu ukuthi ayinakukwazi ukuthenga insindiso. Ukholo lwethu kuNkulunkulu kuphela olungasinika ithemba elinjalo.

Ngakho-ke, ekuphileni kwethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sicebile noma simpofu, masiphishekele inkambo eyosenza ‘sicebe kuNkulunkulu.’ (Luka 12:21) Akukho okuyigugu njengokuba nokuma okwamukelwa nguMdali. Yonke imizamo yokukugcina yenezela ‘ekuzibekeleni ngokulondekile isisekelo esihle sesikhathi esizayo, ukuze sibambisise ukuphila kwangempela.’—1 Thimothewu 6:19.

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UPawulu wafunda imfihlo yokwaneliseka

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Singajabula futhi saneliswe yilokho esinakho