1, 2. Kwakutheni ukuze indoda eyayithozamile iphele ingasamkholisi uThixo? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

UKUMKANI USAWULE wakwaSirayeli wayeyindoda ethozamileyo neyayihlonelwa xa waqalisa ukulawula. (1 Sam. 9:1, 2, 21; 10:20-24) Kodwa kungekudala eqalile ukulawula wenza izenzo eziliqela zokukhukhumala. Xa umprofeti kaThixo uSamuweli engazange afike ngexesha eGiligali, uSawule akazange amlinde. AmaFilisti ayelungiselela idabi, ibe amaSirayeli ayemshiya uSawule. Mhlawumbi waqonda ukuba kufuneka enze into ngokukhawuleza. Ngoko wabingelela kuThixo, nto leyo wayengenalungelo lakuyenza. Yamcaphukisa loo nto uYehova.—1 Sam. 13:5-9.

² Xa uSamuweli wafikayo eGiligali wamkhalimela uSawule. Endaweni yokuba avume ukulungiswa, uSawule wazithethelela ezama ukulisusa kuye ityala waza wenza yaba ngathi yinto engenamsebenzi le ayenzileyo. (1 Sam. 13:10-14) Eso yaba sisiqalo seziganeko ezathi ekugqibeleni zabangela ukuba uSawule ayeke ukuba ngukumkani, ibe eyona nto ibuhlungu kukuba uYehova wayengasakholiswa nguye. (1 Sam. 15:22, 23) Nangona isiqalo sikaSawule sasisihle, wafela ebubini.—1 Sam. 31:1-6.

3. (a) Abantu abaninzi bacinga ntoni ngokuthozama? (b) Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyiphendula?

 ³ Abantu bayakhuphisana namhlanje, ngoko bacinga ukuba ukuze ibe ngabo phambili, kufuneka babonwe ngabantu. Loo nto isenokubenza bangabi naxesha lakuthozama. Ngokomzekelo, omnye umlinganiswa owaba kwiipolitiki kamva, wakha wathi: “Mna nokuthozama asidibani, ibe ndiyathemba ukuba asisoze sidibane.” Kodwa ke, kutheni kufuneka sithozame? Kuthetha ntoni ukuthozama, ibe akuthethi ntoni? Sinokuhlala njani sithozamile xa kunzima naxa abantu besiqhubela ekubeni singathozami? Kweli nqaku, siza kuphendula imibuzo emibini yokuqala. Owesithathu wona uza kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.

4. Ziyintoni izenzo zokukhukhumala?

⁴ IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba isichasi sokuthozama kukukhukhumala. (Funda iMizekeliso 11:2.) UDavide owayesisilumko wacela uYehova ukuba ‘amnqande kwizenzo zokukhukhumala.’ (INdu. 19:13) Ziyintoni “izenzo zokukhukhumala”? Kuthiwa xa umntu esithi, ngokungxama okanye ngokusa, enze into angenagunya lakuyenza, ukhukhumele. Ngenxa yokuba sinesono, siye sikhukhumale ngamanye amaxesha. Kodwa njengokuba umzekelo kaKumkani uSawule ubonisa, ukuba sele kusisiqhelo kuthi ukuzigqatsa, kungekudala siza kuzibona sikwembi inkathazo kuThixo. INdumiso 119:21 ithi uYehova “ubakhalimele abo bakhukhumeleyo.” Kutheni esenza loo nto?

5. Kutheni izenzo zokukhukhumala zinobuzaza?

⁵ Izenzo zokukhukhumala zinobuzaza kuneempazamo esizenza singaqondanga. Okokuqala, xa singathozamanga asimbeki uYehova njengoMongami wethu. Okwesibini, xa sigqitha koko sinegunya lokukwenza, maninzi amathuba okuba sixabane nabanye abantu. (IMize. 13:10) Okwesithathu, xa sesikrotyelwa ukuba senze into ngenxa yokukhukhumala siba neentloni yaye sihlazeke. (Luka 14:8, 9) Izenzo zokukhukhumala azibi namiphumo mihle. Njengoko iZibhalo zibonisa ukuthozama kuya kusoloko kusinceda.

6, 7. Kuthetha ntoni ukuthobeka, ibe ukuthozama kuhlobene njani nako?

⁶ Ukuthozama nokuthobeka zihlobene. EBhayibhileni ukuthobeka kuthetha ukungabi nakratshi okanye ukungaziphakamisi. Kuchazwa ‘njengokuthobeka kwengqondo.’ (Fil. 2:3) Umntu othobekileyo ngokuqhelekileyo uye athozame, akazisikeli enqatheni xa echaza izinto akwaziyo ukuzenza nazenzileyo, uyazivuma iimpazamo zakhe, uyamamela xa ecetyiswa. UYehova uyabathanda abantu abathobekileyo.

⁷ IBhayibhile xa ithetha ngokuthozama ibhekisela ekuyazini indawo yethu nokwazi izinto esinokuzenza nesingenakuzenza. NgesiGrike samandulo, kubonakala ngathi kugxininiswa indlela ukuzazi okumele kube nefuthe ngayo kwindlela esibaphatha ngayo abanye abantu.

8. Ziintoni ezimbalwa esinokubona ngazo ukuba sicinga ibe senza izinto ngokukhukhumala?

⁸ Sinokuqalisa njani ukucinga nokwenza izinto ngokukhukhumala? Nazi izinto ezimbalwa esinokubona ngazo. Mhlawumbi sizicingela kakhulu okanye siwathathela phezulu kakhulu amalungelo esinawo. (Roma 12:16) Mhlawumbi sithanda ukuzitsalela amehlo ngeendlela ezingezizo. (1 Tim. 2:9, 10) Okanye sineembono esingafuni kutshintsha kuzo kuba nje sinesikhundla esithile, sisazana  nabantu abathile okanye kuba izizimvo zethu. (1 Kor. 4:6) Xa sisenza ezi zinto siye singaqapheli nokuba sesayekayo ukuthozama, kodwa sikhukhumele.

9. Yintoni eye yabangela abanye abantu ukuba bakhukhumale? Chaza imizekelo eseBhayibhileni.

⁹ Nabani na unokukhukhumala ukuba uye azivumele ukuba aman’ esiba neminqweno yenyama. Ukuba namabhongo, umona nomsindo ongalawulekiyo kwenze abaninzi benza izenzo zokukhukhumala. Abantu ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni njengoAbhisalom, u-Uziya noNebhukadenetsare bayenza le misebenzi yenyama waza uYehova wabathoba kuba bekhukhumele.—2 Sam. 15:1-6; 18:9-17; 2 Kron. 26:16-21; Dan. 5:18-21

10. Kutheni singamele sikhawuleze sigqibe ukuba abantu bakhukhumele? Yenza umzekelo oseBhayibhileni.

¹⁰ Abanye abantu basenokwenza izinto ezibenza babonakale bekhukhumele ngenxa yezinye izizathu. Makhe sithethe ngale mizekelo iseBhayibhileni kuGenesis 20:2-7 nakuMateyu 26:31-35. Ngaba izenzo ezibonakala ngathi zezokukhukhumala ezenziwa nguAbhimeleki noPetros bazenza beqhutywa yiminqweno yesono? Okanye ngaba benziwa kukungazi okanye baqutyulwa sisiphoso? Kuba singakwazi ukuyibona intliziyo yomntu, siya kuba sinobulumko kwaye siyabathanda abantu ukuba asikhawulezi sigqibe ukuba bakhukhumele.—Funda uYakobi 4:12.

11. Ukuthozama kudibana njani nokuyazi indawo yethu kwilungiselelo likaThixo?

¹¹ Ukuthozama kuqala ngokuba siyazi indawo yethu kwilungiselelo likaThixo. Ekubeni enguThixo onocwangco, uYehova unika ngamnye kuthi indawo yakhe endlwini yakhe. Indima esinayo ebandleni ayifani kodwa sonke siyafuneka. Ngenxa yobubele obungasifanelanga, uYehova unike ngamnye kuthi iziphiwo, izinto zexabiso nobuchule. Sinokuzisebenzisela ukuzukisa yena nokunceda abanye abantu. (Roma 12:4-8) UYehova usithembile ibe usenze amagosa, kwaye ufuna sibekeke, sithembeke size singaqhutywa ngasemva.—Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 4:10.

12, 13. Kutheni sifanele silindele ukuba indawo yethu kwilungiselelo likaThixo itshintshe ngamaxesha athile?

¹² Nakuba kunjalo, indawo yethu kwilungiselelo likaThixo ayisosigxina. Isenokutshintsha ekuhambeni kwexesha. Khawucinge ngomzekelo kaYesu. Ekuqaleni wayekunye noYehova kuphela. (IMize. 8:22) Emva koko wancedisa ekudaleni ezinye izidalwa zomoya, indalo yonke kuquka nabantu. (Kol. 1:16) Kamva weza apha emhlabeni, waba lusana olungenakuzenzela nto, waza wakhula waba ngumntu omdala. (Fil. 2:7) Emva kokufa kwakhe njengedini, uYesu wabuyela ezulwini engumoya ukuze abe nguKumkani woBukumkani BukaThixo ngo-1914. (Heb. 2:9) Isabelo sakhe siseza kutshintsha kwakhona. Emva koLawulo Lweminyaka Eliwaka, uYesu uza kunikezela uBukumkani kuYehova “ukuze uThixo abe zizinto zonke kubo bonke.”—1 Kor. 15:28.

¹³ Sifanele silindele ukuba izabelo zethu zitshintshe ngamaxesha athile, ngenxa yezigqibo esiye sizithathe. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba wawungatshatanga kodwa ngoku utshatile? Ngaba uye waba nabantwana? Ngaba uye waba nezinto ozincamayo ukuze ukwazi ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo? Zonke ezi zigqibo ziza neenyhweba kunye neembopheleleko ezithile. Iimeko zethu ezitshintshileyo  zinokusenza sikwazi okanye singakwazi ukwenza ezinye izinto. Ngaba usakhula okanye sele umdala? Ngaba usempilweni okanye inkenenkene impilo yakho? UYehova usoloko ejonga ukuba singasetyenziswa kakuhle njani enkonzweni yakhe. Ulindele ukuba senze ngokwamandla ethu, ibe uyixabisa kakhulu into esimenzela yona.—Heb. 6:10.

14. Ukuthozama kunokusinceda njani ukuba sihlale sanelisekile kwaye sonwabile?

¹⁴ UYesu wavuyiswa sisabelo ngasinye awasifumanayo kwaye nezethu zinokusonwabisa. (IMize. 8:30, 31) Umntu othozamileyo uyanela zizabelo naziimbopheleleko anazo ebandleni. Akarhaleli amanye amalungelo okanye azithelekise nabanye abazalwana. Kunoko, uzama ngamandla akhe onke ukuba isabelo sakhe simvuyise kuba esazi ukuba usinikwe nguYehova. Kwangaxeshanye, uyayihlonela indima okanye indawo uYehova ayinike abanye abantu. Ukuthozama kusenza sikuvuyele ukubeka nokuxhasa abanye abantu.—Roma 12:10.

15. Sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaGidiyon wokuthozama?

¹⁵ UGidiyon ngumzekelo omhle wokuthozama. Xa ingelosi yafika kuye okokuqala, ngoko nangoko wayixelela ngemvelaphi yakhe ephantsi nangokungafaneleki kwakhe. (ABagwe. 6:15) Emva kokuba esamkele isabelo esivela kuYehova, waqinisekisa ukuba uyazi kakuhle into ekwakufuneka ayenze kwaye wayesoloko efuna  uYehova amkhokele. (ABagwe. 6:36-40) UGidiyon wayenesibindi nenkalipho. Sekunjalo, wayelumkile yaye ecinga ngaphambi kokuba enze. (ABagwe. 6:11, 27) Akazange axhakamfule eso sabelo kuba efuna ukuduma. Kunoko, lathi lakufika ixesha lokuba siphele, wakuvuyela ukubuyela kwindawo awayekuyo ngaphambili.—ABagwe. 8:22, 23, 29.

16, 17. Zeziphi izinto umntu othozamileyo aye acinge ngazo ngaphambi kokwamkela isabelo esitsha?

¹⁶ Ukuthozama akuthethi kuthi asifanele sisebenzele ekufumaneni amalungelo angakumbi okanye siwamkele. IZibhalo zisikhuthaza sonke ukuba senze inkqubela. (1 Tim. 4:13-15) Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba izabelo zethu zifanele zisoloko zitshintsha? Akunjalo. UYehova uya kusisikelela size senze inkqubela enoba sesiphi na isabelo esikuso. Sinokuqhubeka siphucula ubuchule uThixo asinike bona size senze imisebenzi elungileyo engakumbi.

¹⁷ Ngaphambi kokuba amkele isabelo esitsha, umntu othozamileyo uye afumanise ukuba kuza kufuneka enze ntoni kuso. Emva koko uya kukwazi ukuhlola iimeko zakhe ukuba ziyamvumela na. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba uza kukwazi ukwenza umsebenzi ongakumbi engakhange ayeke ukwenza ezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo? Ngaba omnye umsebenzi abewenza angawunika abanye abazalwana ukuze amkele isabelo esitsha? Ukuba impendulo yakhe komnye okanye kuyo yomibini le mibuzo nguhayi, mhlawumbi eso sabelo singenziwa ngomnye umntu okwangoku. Xa sihlolisisa iimeko zethu kakuhle size sithandaze, loo nto iya kusinceda singazithwalisi umthwalo ongaphaya kwamandla ethu. Ukuthozama kunokusenza singasamkeli.

18. (a) Ukuthozama kuza kusinceda senze ntoni xa sisamkela isabelo esitsha? (b) AmaRoma 12:3 asebenza njani kumntu othozamileyo?

¹⁸ Xa sisamkela isabelo esitsha, umzekelo kaGidiyon usikhumbuza ukuba asinakukwazi ukuphumelela ngaphandle kokuba sikhokelwe yaye sisikelelwe nguYehova. Ngapha koko kuthiwa ‘masihambe ngokuthozama noThixo wethu.’ (Mika 6:8) Ngoko ke, nanini na sisamkela isabelo esitsha kufuneka sithandaze size sikhangele ukuba uthini uYehova eLizwini lakhe nangentlangano yakhe. Kufuneka silungise indlela engafanelekanga esenza ngayo, ivisisane nendlela efanelekileyo uYehova asikhokela ngayo. Sifanele sikhumbule ukuba ayibobuchule bethu ‘obusenze saba bakhulu’ kodwa kukuthobeka kukaYehova. (INdu. 18:35) Ukuhamba ngokuthozama noThixo kuya kusinceda singazicingeli kakhulu kwangaxeshanye singazeyi.—Funda amaRoma 12:3.

19. Kutheni sifanele sizame ukuthozama?

¹⁹ Umntu othozamileyo umnika uzuko olumfaneleyo uYehova kuba nguMdali wethu noMongami Wendalo Iphela. (ISityhi. 4:11) Ukuthozama kusinceda sanele yaye sikhuthale kwindawo yethu esiyinikwe nguThixo kwilungiselelo lakhe. Ukuthozama kuyasinqanda singenzi izinto ezilihlazo, kwaye kubenza bamanyane abantu bakaYehova. Kusenza sijonge abanye abantu njengababaluleke ngaphezu kwethu, kwaye kusikhuthaza ukuba sichul’ ukunyathela ukuze singenzi iimpazamo ezinkulu. Ngenxa yezi zizathu, ukuthozama kubalulekile kubantu bakaThixo, ibe uYehova ubaxabisa kakhulu abantu abazama ukuthozama. Kodwa kuthekani xa kukho izinto ezenza kube nzima ukuthozama? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusinceda sibone ukuba singahlala njani sithozamile naxa iimeko zisenza kube nzima.