1-2. (a) Wayengubani u-Evnike, futhi wayengumama obhekene nayiphi inselele? (b) Chaza isithombe esisekhasini 1.

 NAKUBA iBhayibheli lingachazi ukuthi lwalunjani usuku uThimothewu abhapathizwa ngalo, kulula ukucabanga ngendlela unina, u-Evnike, ayejabule ngayo ngalolo suku. (IzAga 23:25) Awumbone ngeso lengqondo ukuthi uziqhenya kangakanani njengoba uThimothewu esemanzini afika okhalweni. Uyamomotheka njengoba uLowisi, ugogo kaThimothewu, emi eduze kwakhe, embambile. U-Evnike ubambe umoya njengoba uThimothewu ecwiliswa emanzini. Kuthi nje gqwambi, bese eyaphuma emanzini emomotheka, lapho unina, akasakwazi nokuzibamba izinyembezi! U-Evnike uphumelele ukufundisa indodana yakhe ukuthanda uJehova neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu. Ibuphi ubunzima okwadingeka abunqobe ukuze aphumelele?

² UThimothewu wakhulela emndenini ohlukene ngokwenkolo. Uyise wayengumGreki, unina nogogo wakhe bengamaJuda. (IzE. 16:1) Cishe uThimothewu wayeseyihlanganisile iminyaka engu-12 lapho u-Evnike noLowisi bamukela inkolo entsha​—ubuKristu. Noma kunjalo, umndeni wawusahlukene ngokwenkolo. UThimothewu wayezokhetha luphi uhlangothi? Cishe wayesekhule ngokwanele ukuba azenzele ezakhe izinqumo. Ingabe wayezokhetha uhlangothi lukayise ongakholwa? Ingabe wayezonamathela emasikweni amaJuda ayekhuliswe ngawo? Noma ingabe wayezokwamukela inkolo entsha, abonise ukholo kuJesu Kristu?

3. NgokwezAga 1:8, 9, uJehova uwubheka kanjani umsebenzi owenziwa omama ukuze basize izingane zabo zibe abangane bakhe?

³ Ngokufanayo, omama abangamaKristu namuhla bayayithanda imindeni yabo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, bafuna ukusiza  izingane zabo zibe nobungane obuseduze noJehova. UNkulunkulu wethu uyazisa kakhulu imizamo yabo. (Funda izAga 1:8, 9.) UJehova uye waqondisa omama abaningi njengoba besiza izingane zabo ukuba zamukele iqiniso.

4. Yiziphi izinselele omama ababhekana nazo namuhla?

⁴ Ngezinye izikhathi, kungokwemvelo ukuba umama azibuze ukuthi izingane zakhe ziyokhetha ukukhonza uJehova yini njengoThimothewu. Phela abazali bayazi ukuthi izwe likaSathane lizicindezela kangakanani izingane zabo. (1 Pet. 5:8) Ngaphezu kwalokho, omama abaningi babhekene nenselele yokukhulisa izingane zabo ngaphandle komyeni noma bazikhulisa nomyeni ongamkhonzi uJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, udade okuthiwa uChristine * uthi: “Umyeni wami wayengubaba okahle nendoda ewuthandayo umndeni wayo, kodwa wayengafuni ngikhulise izingane zethu zibe oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngangikhala njalo, ngizibuza ukuthi kazi izingane zami ziyoke zikwazi yini ukukhonza uJehova.”

5. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko?

⁵ Uma ungumama ongumKristu, nawe ungaphumelela njengo-Evnike. Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngokuthi ungasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sakhe lapho ufundisa izingane zakho ngalokho okushoyo nangalokho okwenzayo. Sizobona nokuthi uJehova angakusiza kanjani.

6. Njengoba kuboniswe kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15, uThimothewu waba kanjani umKristu?

⁶ Lapho uThimothewu esengumfana, unina wayenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze amfundise “imibhalo engcwele,” ngendlela amaJuda ayeyiqonda ngayo. Kuyavunywa, ulwazi lwakhe lwaluluncane ngoba wayengazi lutho ngoJesu Kristu. Noma kunjalo, lokho uThimothewu akufunda emiBhalweni kwakuyisisekelo esihle sokuba abe umKristu. Ingabe wayezoba nguye? Lapho eseyinsizwa, wayenelungelo lokukhetha ukuthi wayezophila njengomKristu yini. Ngokungangabazeki uThimothewu ‘wathonyelwa ukuba alikholelwe’ iqiniso ngoJesu, ngokwezinga elithile ngenxa yemizamo kanina. (Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15.) Kumelwe ukuba u-Evnike wayebonga kakhulu ngokuthi wayenqobe inselele yokufundisa indodana yakhe ngoJehova! Ngempela, u-Evnike waphila ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama lakhe, elisho ukuthi “umnqobi.”

7. U-Evnike wayengayisiza kanjani indodana yakhe ithuthuke ngemva kokubhapathizwa?

⁷ Ukubhapathizwa kwakuyisinyathelo esibalulekile kuThimothewu kodwa ukukhathazeka kuka-Evnike kwakungakapheli. Kazi indodana yakhe yayizophila ukuphila okunjani? Ingabe yayizozwana nabantu ababi? Ingabe yayizoya esikoleni sase-Athene, iqale ukukholelwa ezimfundisweni zefilosofi zabantu ababengamkhonzi uNkulunkulu? Ingabe yayizoba isigqila sengcebo, idlale ngesikhathi, amandla kanye nobusha bayo? U-Evnike wayengeke amenzele izinqumo uThimothewu, kodwa wayengamsiza. Kanjani? Wayengaqhubeka esebenza kanzima ukuze agxilise uthando olujulile ngoJehova endodaneni yakhe futhi ayifundise ukwazisa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Imindeni ehlukene ngokwenkolo akuyona yodwa eba nezinselele. Ngisho noma bobabili abazali beseqinisweni, kungaba nzima ukufinyelela izinhliziyo zabasebasha ukuze babe izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile.  Yini abazali abangayifunda esibonelweni sika-Evnike?

8. Umama angamsiza kanjani umyeni wakhe ongumKristu ukuba anakekele izidingo ezingokomoya zezingane zabo?

⁸ Tadisha iBhayibheli nezingane zakho. Bodadewethu, uma abayeni benu beseqinisweni, uJehova ufuna nibasize ekunakekeleni izidingo ezingokomoya zezingane zenu. Enye indlela eningakwenza ngayo lokhu iwukulisekela njalo ilungiselelo lokuKhulekela Komkhaya. Khuluma kahle ngaleli lungiselelo, ucabange nokuthi yini ongayenza ukuze wenze kube mnandi futhi kujabulise. Mhlawumbe ungase usize umyeni wakho ahlele ukuba nenze into ekhethekile lapho nitadisha iBhayibheli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma ezinye izingane zenu sezikhule ngokwanele ukuba ziqhutshelwe isifundo seBhayibheli ngencwadi ethi Phila Kuze Kube Phakade!, mhlawumbe ungasizana nomyeni wakho ukuze ninikeze usizo oludingekayo.

9. Umama onomyeni ongeyena umKristu angalutholaphi usizo?

⁹ Abanye omama kuye kudingeke bahole ekutadisheni iBhayibheli nezingane zabo ngenxa yokuthi bangabazali abangabodwa noma abayeni babo abawona amaKristu. Uma kunjalo emndenini wakho, ungakhathazeki kakhulu. UJehova uzokusiza. Sebenzisa amathuluzi okufundisa awusizo awalungiselele ngenhlangano yakhe ukuze ufundise izingane zakho. Kungani ungaceli abanye abazali abangomakad’ ebona bakuphe amacebiso amasha endlela yokusebenzisa la mathuluzi ekukhulekeleni komkhaya? * (IzAga 11:14) UJehova angakusiza nasekukhulumeni nezingane zakho. Mcele akusize uthole ukuthi yini esengqondweni nasenhliziyweni yazo. (IzAga 20:5) Umbuzo olula nje onjengokuthi ‘Yini ekukhathaza kakhulu esikoleni?’ ungakwembulela lukhulu ngengane yakho.

10. Iyiphi enye indlela ongasiza ngayo izingane zakho zifunde ngoJehova?

¹⁰ Yakha amathuba okufundisa izingane zakho ngoJehova. Khuluma ngoJehova nangezinto eziningi akwenzele zona. (Dut. 6:6, 7; Isaya 63:7) Kubaluleke ngokukhethekile lokhu uma ungeke ukwazi ukufunda njalo nezingane zakho ekhaya. UChristine, ocashunwe ekuqaleni, uthi: “Amathuba okuxoxa ngezinto ezingokomoya ayembalwa kakhulu kangangokuba ngangisebenzisa noma iliphi ithuba elivelayo. Sasiye sishaywe umoya noma sigibele isikebhe sixoxe ngendalo kaJehova nangezinto eziningi ezingokomoya. Kwathi nje lapho sezikhule ngokwanele izingane zami, ngazikhuthaza ukuba zizitadishele iBhayibheli.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, khuluma kahle ngenhlangano kaJehova nangabafowenu nodadewenu. Ungabagxeki abadala. Okushoyo ngabo kuyonquma ukuthi izingane zakho ziyoya yini kubo uma zixakekile.

11. Ngokwencwadi kaJakobe 3:18, kungani kubalulekile ukukhuthaza ukuthula ekhaya?

¹¹ Khuthaza ukuthula ekhaya. Mbonise uthando njalo umyeni wakho nezingane zakho. Khuluma ngomyeni wakho ngendlela enomusa nenenhlonipho, uqeqeshe nezingane zakho ukuba zenze okufanayo. Lapho wenza kanjalo, uyokwenza ikhaya libe indawo enokuthula, kube lula ukufunda ngoJehova kulo. (Funda uJakobe 3:18.) Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaJozsef, oyiphayona elikhethekile eRomania. Esakhula, uyise wakwenza kwaba nzima ukuba yena nomndeni wakubo bakhonze uJehova. UJozsef uthi: “Umama wayenza konke angakwenza ukuze enze ikhaya libe indawo  enokuthula. Lapho ubaba esiqinisa nakakhulu isandla, umama yena wayeba nomusa ngisho nakakhulu. Lapho ebona ukuthi kwakunzima ukuba silalele ubaba futhi simhloniphe, wayesebenzisa incwadi yabase-Efesu 6:1-3 lapho exoxa nathi. Wayebe esexoxa nathi ngezimfanelo ezinhle zikababa, asisize siqonde nokuthi kungani kufanele simazise. Wayenza ngale ndlela njalo lapho kuphakama izimo ezishubile ekhaya.”

12. Ngokweyesi-2 Thimothewu 1:5, isibonelo sika-Evnike saba namuphi umphumela kuThimothewu?

¹² Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 1:5. U-Evnike waba isibonelo esihle kuThimothewu. Kumelwe ukuba wamfundisa ukuthi ukholo lweqiniso luboniswa ngezenzo. (Jak. 2:26) Akungabazeki ukuthi uThimothewu wayebona ukuthi izenzo zikanina zazishukunyiswa uthando lwakhe oluqinile ngoJehova. Wayebona nokuthi ukukhonza uJehova kuyamjabulisa unina. Isibonelo sika-Evnike saba namuphi umphumela kuThimothewu? UThimothewu waba nokholo olufana nolukanina, njengoba kwasho umphostoli uPawulu. Akuzange kumane kuziqondanele lokho. UThimothewu wafunda esibonelweni sakhe, wakhetha ukusilingisa. Ngendlela efanayo namuhla, baningi omama abaye bafinyelela izinhliziyo zamalungu emindeni “ngaphandle kwezwi.” (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) Nawe ungenza okufanayo. Kanjani?

13. Kungani umama kufanele enze ubuhlobo bakhe noJehova buze kuqala?

¹³ Yenza ubuhlobo bakho noJehova buze kuqala. (Dut. 6:5, 6) Ziningi izinto ozidelayo, njengoba iningi lomama lenza kanjalo. Udela isikhathi, imali, ubuthongo nezinye izinto ukuze unakekele izidingo zezingane zakho. Kodwa akufanele ube matasa kakhulu unakekela lezo zidingo uze ungakwazi ukuqinisa ubuhlobo bakho noJehova. Sihlele njalo isikhathi sokuthandaza uwedwa, sokwenza isifundo somuntu siqu nesokuya emihlanganweni yebandla. Ngokwenza kanjalo, uyoqinisa ingokomoya lakho, ube nayisibonelo esihle emndenini wakho nakwabanye.

14-15. Yini oyifunda ezibonelweni zikaLeanne, uMaria noJoão?

¹⁴ Cabanga ngezibonelo ezimbalwa zentsha eyafunda ukuthanda uJehova nokwethembela kuye ngenxa yezibonelo zonina. ULeanne, indodakazi kaChristine, uthi: “Sasingakwazi ukutadisha ngokukhululekile. Kodwa umama wayeya ngokwethembeka emihlanganweni yebandla. Isibonelo nokholo lwakhe kwasivala isikhala sokuthi sasingenalo ulwazi. Sasazi ukuthi kwakuyiqiniso leli ngisho nangaphambi kokuba siqale ukuya emihlanganweni.”

¹⁵ UMaria, obaba wakhe wayebajezisa ngezinye izikhathi uma beye emihlanganweni, uthi: “Angikaze ngimbone udade onesibindi njengomama. Ngiseyingane, ngezinye izikhathi ngangenqaba ukwenza izinto ngoba ngesaba ukuthi abantu bazothini. Kodwa ukubona indlela ayenesibindi ngayo nendlela ayehlale ebeka ngayo uJehova kuqala ekuphileni kwakhe, kwangisiza ngayeka ukwesaba abantu.” UJoão, obaba wakhe wayebenqabela ukuba baxoxe ngezinto ezingokomoya ekhaya, uthi: “Cishe into eyangithinta kakhulu ukuthi umama wayezimisele ukudela yonke into ukuze ajabulise ubaba​—ngaphandle kothando lwakhe ngoJehova.”

16. Isibonelo sikamama singaba namuphi umphumela kwabanye?

¹⁶ Bomama, khumbulani ukuthi isibonelo senu siyabathinta abanye. Kanjani? Cabanga ngomphumela isibonelo sika-Evnike esaba  nawo kumphostoli uPawulu. Wavuma ukuthi ukholo lukaThimothewu olungenabuzenzisi ‘lwahlala kuqala ku-Evnike.’ (2 Thim. 1:5) UPawulu waqala nini ukuqaphela ukholo luka-Evnike? Cishe wabona uLowisi no-Evnike phakathi nohambo lwakhe lokuqala eyisithunywa sevangeli eListra, futhi kungenzeka wabasiza baba amaKristu. (IzE. 14:4-18) Cabanga nje: Ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhalela uThimothewu​—eminyakeni engaba ngu-15 kamuva—​uPawulu wayesazikhumbula izenzo zika-Evnike zokwethembeka futhi wamsebenzisa njengesibonelo esifanelwe ukulingiswa! Kuyacaca ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu namanye amaKristu amaningi angekhulu lokuqala ayefunde lukhulu kuye. Uma ukhulisa izingane wedwa noma uzikhulisa ekhaya elihlukene ngokwenkolo, qiniseka ukuthi isibonelo sakho sokwethembeka siyabaqinisa futhi sibakhuthaze abanye.

17. Yini okufanele uyenze uma kubonakala sengathi ingane yakho ayikwamukeli oyifundisa kona?

¹⁷ Kuthiwani uma kubonakala sengathi ingane yakho ayikwamukeli oyifundisa kona? Khumbula ukuthi kuthatha isikhathi ukuqeqesha ingane. Njengoba kubonakala esithombeni, lapho utshala imbewu, ngezinye izikhathi ungase uzibuze ukuthi kazi iyoke ikhule yini ibe isihlahla esithelayo. Nakuba ungeke ukwazi ukulawula ukuthi sizokhula sibe njani, uyaqhubeka usichelela ukuze sikhule kahle. (Marku 4:26-29) Ngokufanayo, njengomama, ngezinye izikhathi ungase uzibuze ukuthi kazi uyayifinyelela yini inhliziyo  yezingane zakho. Ngeke ukwazi ukulawula ukuthi zizokhula zibe njani. Kodwa uma uqhubeka wenza konke ongakwenza ukuze uziqeqeshe, uzibeka ethubeni elihle lokuba zikhule kahle ngokomoya.​—IzAga 22:6.

18. UJehova angazisiza kanjani izingane zakho zikhule ngokomoya?

¹⁸ Kusukela ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, uJehova usesize inqwaba yezingane ukuba zibe abangane bakhe. (IHu. 22:9, 10) Angazisiza nezakho izingane zikhule ngokomoya, uma kuyileso isifiso sazo. (1 Kor. 3:6, 7) Ngisho noma izingane zakho zibonakala sengathi ziyanhlanhlatha, uJehova uzoqhubeka ezithanda. (IHu. 11:4) Lapho zibonisa inhlansi encane nje yokuba “nesimo esihle sengqondo,” uyobe ezilindile ukuze azisize zisondele kuye. (IzE. 13:48; 2 IziKr. 16:9) Angakusiza usho okufanele ngesikhathi esifanele​—ngaso kanye isikhathi izingane zakho ezidinga ukukuzwa ngaso. (IzAga 15:23) Noma angase athinte umzalwane noma udade onothando ebandleni ukuba azinake ngokukhethekile. Ngisho nalapho izingane zakho sezindala, uJehova angase azikhumbuze owawuzifundise kona zisencane. (Joh. 14:26) Lapho uqhubeka uqeqesha izingane zakho ngalokho okushoyo nangalokho okwenzayo, uJehova uyokubusisa ngokucebile.

19. Kungani ungaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyojabula ngawe?

¹⁹ Uthando uJehova analo ngawe aluncikile ezinqumweni ezenziwa izingane zakho. Ukuthanda ngoba wena uyamthanda. Uma ungumzali ongayedwa, uJehova uthembisa ukuthi uzoba uBaba wezingane zakho noMvikeli wakho. (IHu. 68:5) Awukwazi ukulawula lokho izingane zakho ezinquma ukukwenza. Kodwa uma uqhubeka uncika osizweni lukaJehova futhi wenza okusemandleni akho, uyojabula ngawe.