Ithuba Labasha Elikhulu Kakhulu
“[“Ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu,” NW] kusiza ezintweni zonke, kunesithembiso salokhu-kuphila nalokho okuzayo. Likholekile lelizwi, lifanele impela ukwamukelwa.”—1 THIMOTHEWU 4:8, 9.
1, 2. (a) Yini abasha abaningi abayicabangela njengamathuba abalulekile, futhi imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo? (b) Kungani kunokucindezelwa okungavamile kwabasha namuhla?
LIYINI ithuba elikhulu kakhulu ukuphila okukuphathele lona? Ukuhlolwa kwamuva kwezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zabantu abasha kwembula ukuthi iningi licabangela “ukuthola umsebenzi engiwujabulelayo nokuma kahle kakhulu ngokwezimali” ukuba kube imigomo ebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwalo. Izibalo ezikhulayo zabasha zinomqondo womsebenzi wokuziphilisa, futhi kwezinye izindawo ziya emayunivesithi ngezibalo ezinkulu ngenjongo yemisebenzi eholela kahle. Abaningi babheka emathubeni anjalo ezinto ezibonakalayo ukuze bathole ukulondeka, amandla, nokwaneliseka ekuphileni. Uma ungomusha, ingabe uzizwa ngaleyondlela? Futhi nina enibadala, ikakhulukazi abazali, ngempela niwacabangela kanjani amathuba anjalo? Ingabe ayisihluthulelo ‘sokuphila okuhle’?
2 Uma abantu abasha bake bawadinga amandla nokwaneliseka, kumanje phakathi ‘nalezinsuku zokugcina’ lapho izikhathi ‘zinzima.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Abantu abasha banamuhla baye bakhula ngaphansi kokucindezela okwakungeke kucabangeke esizukulwaneni esidlule. Izinguquko ezisheshayo emphakathini, njengokuhlukana kokuphila komkhaya nokuziphatha, ziye zabangela isiyaluyalu esikhulu esingokomzwelo.
Isidingo Samandla Nokwaneliseka
3, 4. Ibuphi ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi abasha abaningi bantula amandla angaphakathi, futhi kungani izinzuzo zezinto ezibonakalayo zingawanikezi?
3 Abantu abasha abaningi ngokwengeziwe bathola ukuthi bantula amandla angaphakathi ukuze babhekane nokucindezela kokuphila. (Qhathanisa nabase-Efesu 3:16.) Umbiko wamuva weNational Institute of Mental Health uphetha ngokuthi oyedwa kwabasha abayisihlanu ucindezeleke ngokungathi sína.a Kusukela ngo-1961 kuya ku-1975, izinga lokuzibulala kwabasha eUnited States laba ngaphezu kokuphindwe kabili! Nakuba ezweni elilodwa cishe abasha abayizi-8 000 bezibulala ngonyaka, abaphindwe izikhathi ezingama-50 zalesosibalo bazama ukuzibulala. Ezinye izazi zibiza inkinga ngokuthi ubhadane. Imibiko ibonisa futhi ukuthi isibalo esimangalisayo sabasha semukelwa ezibhedlela zengqondo.b
4 Yebo, akusibo bonke abantu abasha abaphila ezimweni ezinikeza amathuba ezinto ezibonakalayo. Nokho, uma ucabangela ukuthi imibiko eshiwo ekuqaleni ihilela izwe elikhulu lapho kunamathuba amaningi ezinto ezibonakalayo, kusobala ukuthi lokho kukodwa akubasizi abantu abasha ukuba ‘bakhiphe usizi ezinhliziyweni zabo nokubi emizimbeni yabo.’ (UmShumayeli 11:9, 10) Ukuceba ezintweni ezibonakalayo kunikeza amandla amancane kumuntu onenhliziyo ekhathazwa ukuzingabaza okudumazayo, ukungalondeki, noma ukuzinyeza. IBhayibheli lithi: “Uma udangala ngosuku lokuhlupheka, amandla akho mancane.”—IzAga 24:10.
5, 6. Ingabe ukuzuza izinto ezibonakalayo kuyoletha “ukuphila okuhle” esikhathini esizayo? Bonisa.
5 Kodwa ingabe ukuthola izinto ezibonakalayo ekugcineni kuyoletha ukwaneliseka. “ukuphila okuhle”? INkosi enothile uSolomoni yavuma: “Ngase ngibhekana nemisebenzi yonke ezaziyenzile izandla zami, nomshikashika engangiwushikashikile ukuwenza; bheka, konke kwakuyize nokufuna umoya.” (UmShumayeli 2:3-11) Nakuba akufinyelela kwamnika injabulo ethile, wayesalokhu enomuzwa wobuze.
6 Abaningi namuhla baphakamisa imfundo ephakeme njengesinye sezihluthulelo ‘zokuphila okuhle’ kwekusasa. Owayengumbusi wezwe laseU.S. waze wabiza imfundo enjalo ngokuthi “isidingo samandla, ukwaneliseka nokusinda.” Ingabe kunjalo ngempela? Nokho, abathola iziqu abangama-846 eyunivesithi ehlonishwayo benza “umbiko wekilasi” ngendlela abebeqhubeka ngayo eminyakeni eyishumi ngemva kokuthola iziqu. “Nakuba injabulo enhle kakhulu igcwele wonke umbiko,” kusho elinye ilunga lekilasi, “kunekusasa elimnyama, ukudabuka futhi ngisho nokuphelelwa ithemba.” Ngemva kweminyaka engama-25, omunye owathola iziqu wayesefinyelele “imigomo ethile engokwezimali,” kodwa wavuma: “Ukwehluleka ekuphileni kwami siqu kukudlula kakhulu ukuphumelela kangangokuthi kokubili ngeke kukhulunywe ngisho nangakho.” Ingabe lokhu kungokungcono kakhulu ukuphila okukunikezayo?
Ithuba Elikhulu Kakhulu
7. Imiphi imisebenzi uThimothewu ayengaqeqeshelwa yona, kodwa yini uPawulu ayitusa?
7 Ezincwadini zakhe eziphefumlelwe ezaziya kumfundi ongumKristu uThimothewu, umphostoli uPawulu wakhomba kokuthile okungcono kakhulu. Lensizwa yayabelwe ukukhonza e-Efesu, enye yezindawo zohwebo ezinkulu kakhulu ezikhathini zasendulo. Yeka imisebenzi yokuziphilisa okumelwe ukuba wayibona! Yena ngokwakhe ngabe walwela ukuba abe umhwebi ophumelelayo noma afune udumo esikoleni sikaTiranu noma enkundleni yendawo. (1 Thimothewu 1:3; IzEnzo 19:1, 9, 29) Ngokungangabazeki uThimothewu ngabe waqeqeshelwa umsebenzi omuhle wokuziphilisa, kodwa uPawulu wabhala: “Zijwayeze ekuzinikeleni kuNkulunkulu. Ngokuba ukujwayeza umzimba kusiza ingcosana, kepha ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kusiza ezintweni zonke, kunesithembiso salokhu-kuphila nalokho okuzayo.” Yebo, ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu “kusiza ezintweni zonke.” Lokhu kwakungekhona ukucabangela nje, ngoba uPawulu wanezela: “Likholekile lelizwi, lifanele impela ukwamukelwa.” Kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe siqu, uPawulu wayazi ukuthi yini eyayiyovula indlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila.—1 Thimothewu 4:7-9; 2 Korinte 6:10.
8, 9. (a) Kuyini ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu? (b) Liyini ithuba lakho elikhulu kakhulu, futhi kungani umzamo udingekile ukuze ulisebenzise ngokunenzuzo?
8 Kuyini lokhu kuzinikela kuNkulunkulu? Kuwukunamathela komuntu siqu kuNkulunkulu okusuka enhliziyweni eshukunyiswe ukwazisa okujulile ngezimfanelo zakhe ezihlaba umxhwele. Njengoba “ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu” (Heberu 12:28, NW) kusho ikakhulukazi ukwesaba kwenhlonipho ukwenza noma yini ehlazisayo kuNkulunkulu, “ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu” kuwukusabela kwenhliziyo okuyokushukumisela ekubeni uphile ngendlela ethokozisa uNkulunkulu ngoba uyamthanda.c Imfanelo enjalo yenhliziyo iholela ‘ebuhlotsheni noNkulunkulu,’ ubuhlobo bomuntu siqu lapho uzwa khona ukuvunyelwa nguye nosizo lwakhe. (Jobe 29:4) Ithuba lokuba nalobungane bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu liyigugu ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye ongase unikezwe yona.—Qhathanisa noJeremiya 9:23, 24.
9 Ingabe ukuba nabazali abakholwayo noma ukubhapathizwa njengomKristu ngokuzenzakalelayo kuletha lobuhlobo noNkulunkulu? Cha, ngoba ubuqotho benhliziyo kumelwe buhlakulelwe, ngokufanayo nezinye izimfanelo zobuKristu. (2 Petru 1:5-8) Kumelwe ube umuntu ‘ovuswa inhliziyo’ yakhe ukuba anikele “izenzo zokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu.” (Qhathanisa noEksodusi 36:2; 2 Petru 3:11, NW; Kolose 3:22.) Nakuba ayekhuliswe endleleni yeqiniso kusukela ebuntwaneni, uThimothewu kwakumelwe abe nokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu. Kungokufanayo nanamuhla, umzamo omkhulu udingekile, nokho lokhu kuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kuyobonakala “kuyinzuzo enkulu.” (1 Thimothewu 6:6) Kanjani?
Indlela Yokuphila Efanelekile
10, 11. Ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kwakuphakamisa kanjani ukuphila kukaThimothewu?
10 E-Efesu, uThimothewu waphishekela ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu phakathi kwabantu ‘ababehamba ebuzeni bengqondo yabo.’ (Efesu 4:17) Okwakugcwalise imiqondo yabo kwakungenayo inzuzo yoqobo kodwa kwakuyize. “Yeka umbono!” kusho isazi seBhayibheli uR. C. H. Lenski ngabase-Efesu 4:17. “Abantu abanemiqondo ecabangayo, nesebenzayo, izidalwa ezihlakaniphile, beqhubeka bephila, belandela okushiwo umqondo obaholela kuzo zonke izinyathelo futhi ekugcineni bangafinyeleli ndawo, ukwehluleka okukhulu, nokudabukisayo!”
11 UThimothewu wayengabona ukuthi inkambo yokuphila yabase-Efesu yayiyize futhi yonakalisa. Abaningi babekhulekela unkulunkulukazi uDiyana, kodwa ukukhulekela kwabo kwentshiseko kwakuqondiswa esithombeni esingaphili. Kwakuhlanganisa izidakwa eziyizidlwangudlwangu nobufebe obabuyingxenye yomkhosi. (IzEnzo 19:23-43) Nokho, indlela kaThimothewu yokuphila, yayifanelekile kuneyabezizwe, ‘ababehlukanisiwe nokuphila kukaNkulunkulu . . . baba buthuntu.’ (Efesu 2:6; 4:18, 19) Inkambo yakhe yokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu ekuphileni ‘ukuphila kukaNkulunkulu’ yayimnikeze uMngane omkhulu kunabo bonke emhlabeni! Ithuba lokuba nalobuhlobo noNkulunkulu ophilayo ngokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu, ngempela liyigugu kakhulu! Ingabe ungalithola?
12. Yini omunye omusha ongumKristu ayisho ‘ngenzuzo enkulu’ yokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu? Uzizwa kanjani ngalokho?
12 Abaningi namuhla bakhulekela ubulili, injabulo, ingcebo, nemfundo ephakeme ngezinga elifanayo nalelo abase-Efesu basendulo ababekhulekela ngalo uDiyana. (Mathewu 6:24; Efesu 5:3-5; Filipi 3:19) Nokho, labo abaphishekela ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu bajabulela uhlobo lokuphila oluhle kakhulu. “Ngibuka izingane engangijwayele ukuba nazo ngaphambi kokuba ngiqalise ukutadisha iBhayibheli,” kubika omunye umKristu oneminyaka engama-24. “Ingxenye yazo isejele. Eziningi zisebenzisa imilaliso, futhi amantombazane amaningi azalele emakhaya. Ukuphila kwazo kuwumonakalo. Eziningi zize ngisho zifile. Ngibonga kakhulu ngokukwazi ukubheka ukuphila kwami futhi ngiziqhenye ngalokhu engikubonayo.” Abanye abasha abangamaKristu bavuma ngokusuka enhliziyweni!
13. Kungani ukulandela umyalo okweyesi-2 Thimothewu 4:5 kunezela ukubaluleka ekuphileni?
13 Labo abaphila ngokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu banengcebo yenkonzo. (2 Korinte 4:1, 7; 2 Thimothewu 4:5) Lokhu kuletha injongo yoqobo nenselele. Kunenjabulo mbumbulu yemidlalo eqanjiwe yeTV noma yebhayisikobho, amaKristu ahlanganyela enkonzweni avakashela amakhaya abantu abangokoqobo ukuba abasize. Baxazulula futhi nezinkinga ezingokoqobo. Yeka injabulo engenakuchazeka njengoba bebona abantu abebephila ukuphila kokuziphatha okubi, kobudlova, noma okungenathemba besabela eselulekweni seBhayibheli futhi beshiya imikhuba emibi yangaphambili, beba nokuzihlonipha, futhi bekhonza uJehova. Awukho omunye umsebenzi onenjongo noma oveza lobubuhle obuhlala njalo!
Ukwaneliseka Nonembeza Ohlanzekile
14, 15. Ukwaneliseka kwaphezulu kukwenza kanjani ukuphila okungcono?
14 “Yebo, ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kanye nokwaneliswa kuyinzuzo enkulu, . . . kepha uma sinokudla nezambatbo asaneliswe yikho. Kepha abafuna ukuceba . . . bazigwaza ngeminjunju eminingi.” (1 Thimothewu 6:6-10) Ngo-1981 ukuhlola kwePsychology Today kwembula ukuthi abantu abasha bacabanga “kakhulu” ngemali ngaphezu kwanoma iliphi elinye iqembu lobudala. Nokho, ingxenye yeqembu labaziphendulela elalikhathalela kakhulu imali (kuhlanganise abacebile nabampofu) bakhonona ‘ngokukhathazeka okungapheli novalo.’
15 Insizwa yaseJapane yaphumelela ukusuka ‘ebumpofwini iya ekucebeni,’ kodwa ekwenzeni kanjalo yalimaza impilo yayo. Kamuva, ngosizo lwesifundo seBhayibheli, yaba nokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu. Yaphetha ngokuthi: “Lapho ngicabanga emuva ngesikhathi umgomo wami oyinhloko ekuphileni wawungukuceba, akukho okuqhathaniswa nezinga engiye ngaba ojabula ngalo kusukela ngishintshe umgomo wami. Ngempela akukho lutho olungafaniswa nokwaneliseka nokugculiseka okuza ngokusebenzisa ukuphila komuntu enkonzweni yoMdali oMuhle.”d—IzAga 10:22; UmShumayeli 5:10-12.
16. Uyini umphumela kulabo abahluleka ‘ukuba nonembeza omuhle’?
16 UPawulu wakhuthaza uThimothewu ukuba abe ‘nokukholwa nonembeza omuhle.’ Kanjani? Enye indlela kwakungokuphatha abesifazane “ngenhlanzeko epheleleyo.” (1 Thimothewu 1:19; 5:2) Nokho, inhlanzeko iye yanyamalala phakathi kwabasha abaningi njengoba onembeza babo beye bonakaliswa. (1 Thimothewu 4:2) Kodwa ukuziphatha okubi akukulethi ukuthula kwangaphakathi nokwaneliseka. Okunye ukuhlela kwababangela izimo nokuziphatha kobulili kwamakhulu amaningi abeve eshumini elinambili. Ngokuphathelene nalabo ababeziphatha kabi kakhulu ngokobulili, umbiko wathi: “Bakholelwa ukuthi benza ngokungenanjongo nangokuzanelisa.” Cishe ingxenye yalaba yazizwa ngalendlela: “Ngendlela engiphila ngayo manje, amakhono ami amaningi azomosheka.”
17. Kungani ‘uthando oluvela enhliziyweni emhlophe’ lusisiza ukuba sithole okungcono kakhulu ekuphileni?
17 Uma, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umbhangqwana uphishekela umshado ohloniphekile, uyozuza ngokubonisa ‘uthando oluvela enhliziyweni emhlophe, nakunembeza omuhle.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:5) Ngo-1984 iJournal of Marriage and the Family yabika ukuthi ukuhlolwa kwemibhangqwana eyayisanda kushada engama-309 kwabonisa ukuthi ubulili bangaphambi komshado babuhlangene ‘nokwaneliseka okuncane ngokuphawulekayo kubo bobabili abangane bomshado.’ Kodwa yeka okuphambene ngalabo abahlanzekile! “Kuwumuzwa omuhle kakhulu ukubheka emuva futhi ngazi ukuthi ngihlanzekile,” kusho omunye wesifazane ongumKristu osemusha manje oneminyaka eyisikhombisa ejabula emshadweni. Yebo, unembeza ohlanzekile uwumvuzo ocebile kwabasha ‘ababa yisibonelo ngokuhlanzeka.’—1 Thimothewu 4:12.
Amandla Angaphakathi
18, 19. (a) UThimothewu kwakumelwe abhekane nakuphi ukucindezela? (b) UNkulunkulu wamsiza kanjani?
18 Akungabazeki ukuthi uThimothewu wahlangabezana nokucindezeleka okuningi e-Efesu. Izilingo zedolobha elichumayo nelinokuziphatha okubi nokugcizelela kwalo ekuzijabuliseni kwakungaletha ukucindezeleka kwangaphandle. Ukuphelelwa ithemba okusobala kukaThimothewu kanye ‘nobuthakathaka bakhe obuvamile’ ngokuqinisekile kwadala ukucindezeleka ngaphakathi kuye. (1 Thimothewu 5:23) Kodwa uPawulu wamkhumbuza: “UNkulunkulu akasiphanga umoya wobugwala, kepha owamandla, nowothando, nowokuzikhuza.”—2 Thimothewu 1:7.
19 Ngempela, bangaki kontanga bakho abalangazelela amandla anjalo! Omunye wesifazane osemusha wakunqoba ngokugcwele ukuphila kobufebe nokuba umlutha wemilaliso. Wathi: “Kwakungosizo lukaJehova kuphela. Kunezikhathi ezithile lapho lemizwa emidala ibuya khona, kodwa ngivele ngiqale ukuthandaza—ngokushesha. Amandla okunqoba lezinkinga ajabulisa ngaphezu kwanoma yini esengake ngayifeza ekuphileni kwami!” Akukho kungabaza ngakho, uNkulunkulu ‘angakupha amandla’ akunike namandla angaphakathi okuba ubhekane nanoma ikuphi ukucindezeleka nokwenza izinqumo ezihluzekile.—2 Thimothewu 4:17.
20, 21. (a) Yisho ezinye zezinzuzo zokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu. (b) Yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
20 Ngakho ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kukulethela izinzuzo eziningi. “Umgomo” wakho uthwele injongo ephakeme ngaphezu kwemigomo yalabo abafuna amathuba ezinto ezibonakalayo kuphela. (2 Thimothewu 3:10) Njengoba omunye omusha ongumKristu owashiya imfundo yasekoliji waba umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele asho: “Nginomsebenzi ongcono kakhulu noma ubani angawufuna, ukuba umfundisi wezindaba ezinhle nokusiza abanye ukuba bafunde ngoBaba wethu onothando! Futhi inzuzo yawo—ubuntu bami siqu obuthuthukile—ingcono kunenganikezwa yinoma ubani. Ngaphezu kwalokho kukhona inzuzo yokuphila epharadesi phakade kungasekho ukudabuka. Manje buza: Ikuphi ukuphila okungcono noma ubani angakufuna?”
21 Ungase uthi, ‘Ngingaba kanjani nokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu?’ Ekuphenduleni, funda isihloko esilandelayo.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a “Izazi eziningi zokuthuthuka nokuziphatha kwabeve eshumini elinambili zibona ukucindezeleka okunjalo njengenye imbangela enkulu ezinkingeni ezingathi sína zabeve eshumini elinambili njengokweqa nochuku esikoleni, ukuzitika emilalisweni nasophuzweni oludakayo, ukuzitika ebulilini, ukukhulelwa, ukubaleka ekhaya nokuzibulala,” kubika umlobi uKathleen McCoy kwethi Coping with Teenage Depression.
b Nakuba eUnited States isibalo sawo wonke amaqembu obudala emukelwa esibhedlela siye sehla phakathi nesikhathi esiyiminyaka eyi-13, iqembu labaneminyaka eyi-15 kuya kwengama-24 landa namaphesenti ayi-19, futhi iqembu labangaphansi kweminyaka eyi-15 landa ngamaphesemti ayi-158!
c “Umuzwa wenhliziyo ozenzakalelayo [ngakuNkulunkulu]” indlela iLexicon kaEdward Robinson echaza ngayo igama lesiGreki eliwumsuka elithi eu·seʹbei·a. UJ. A. H. Tittmann, kweyakhe ethi Remarks on the Synonyms of the New Testament, uyanezela: “[Ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu] kubonisa leyonhlonipho ngoNkulunkulu ezibonakalisa ngezenzo, . . . kodwa [ukumesaba uNkulunkulu] kukhomba lesosimilo, esesaba futhi sigweme isenzo sanoma yini ephambene nokulungile, . . . [ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu] kungamandla obumnene ekuphileni.”
d Funda indaba yokuphila kukaShozo Mima, “Ukuthola Okuthile Okungcono Kunengcebo,” kuPhaphama! kaDecember 22, 1978.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kungani amathuba ezinto ezibonakalayo enokubaluleka okulinganiselwe?
◻ Liyini ithuba lakho elikhulu kakhulu?
◻ Yini elethwa ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu ekusiza ukuba uthole okungcono kakhulu ekuphileni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Yini eyokwenza ujabule ngempela?
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
UThimothewu waziqeqesha ngokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu njengomgomo wakhe. Lokhu kwaphakamisa ukuphila kwakhe ngaphezu kokwabase-Efesu ababenokuziphatha okubi