1-3. Yini umprofethi ovela kwaJuda ahluleka ukuyenza futhi waba yini umphumela? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

NGESINYE isikhathi phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi uJerobowamu, uJehova wathumela umprofethi othile ovela kwaJuda ukuba ayochazela inkosi yakwa-Israyeli ehlubukile ngesahlulelo saKhe. Lo mprofethi othobekile wasimemezela ngokwethembeka isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu futhi uJehova wamvikela kuJerobowamu owayethukuthele engqangqa.—1 AmaKh. 13:1-10.

² Njengoba lo mprofethi ephindela ekhaya, ngokungalindelekile wahlangana nekhehla eduze kwaseBhethele. Leli khehla lathi lingumprofethi kaJehova. Lakhohlisa lo mprofethi osemusha, labangela ukuba enze ngokuphambene neziqondiso zikaJehova zokuba ‘angadli isinkwa noma aphuze amanzi kwa-Israyeli’ futhi ‘angabuyeli ngendlela ahambe ngayo.’ Lokho akuzange kumjabulise uJehova. Kamuva lapho esephindela ekhaya, ingonyama yamthola endleleni yambulala lo mprofethi kaJehova.—1 AmaKh. 13:11-24.

³ Yini eyabangela ukuba lo mprofethi owayenesizotha ngokugabadela alalele lokho okwakushiwo ikhehla elalimkhohlisa? IBhayibheli alisho. Kodwa kungenzeka wakhohlwa ngokuphelele ukuthi kwakufanele abe “nesizotha ekuhambeni noNkulunkulu.”  (Funda uMika 6:8.) EBhayibhelini, ukuhamba noJehova kudlulisela umqondo wokuthembela kuye, ukusekela ubukhosi bakhe nokulandela ukuhola kwakhe. Umuntu onesizotha uhlale eqaphela ukuthi angakwazi futhi kumelwe ahlale exhumana noBaba wakhe onothando nonguMninimandla Onke. Umprofethi wayengacela ukuba uJehova acacise iziqondiso zaKhe, kodwa imiBhalo ayisho ukuthi wakwenza lokho. Ngezinye izikhathi, nathi kumelwe senze izinqumo ezinzima futhi kungase kungacaci kahle ukuthi kumelwe senzeni. Ukufuna isiqondiso sikaJehova ngesizotha kusisiza sigweme ukwenza amaphutha amabi kakhulu.

4. Yini esizoyifunda kulesi sihloko?

⁴ Esihlokweni esidlule sifunde ukuthi kungani ukuba nesizotha kusabalulekile nanamuhla kumaKristu nokuthi singasibonisa kanjani. Nokho, yiziphi izimo ezingavivinya isizotha sethu? Singayihlakulela kanjani le mfanelo enhle ukuze sihlale sinesizotha ngisho nalapho sindezelekile? Ukuze sikwazi ukuphendula le mibuzo, sizoxoxa ngezimo ezintathu ezingavivinya isizotha sethu futhi sizobona ukuthi singenza kanjani ngokuhlakanipha esimweni ngasinye.—IzAga 11:2.

5, 6. UBharizilayi wasibonisa kanjani isizotha?

⁵ Ukushintsha kwezimo zethu noma ukushintsha kwezabelo kungasivivinya isizotha sethu. Lapho uDavide ecela uBharizilayi owayeneminyaka engu-80 ukuba amukele isimemo sokuhlala esigodlweni, kumelwe ukuba uBharizilayi wajabula kakhulu. Ukwamukela isimemo sikaDavide kwakuzomnika ithuba lokuqhubeka ejabulela ubuhlobo nenkosi. Noma kunjalo, uBharizilayi wenqaba. Kungani? Wayesekhulile ngakho watshela uDavide ukuthi akafuni ukuba umthwalo enkosini. Ngakho, uBharizilayi watusa uKimihamu, okungenzeka ukuthi wayengenye yamadodana akhe, ukuba kube nguye othatha indawo yakhe.—2 Sam. 19:31-37.

⁶ Isizotha sasiza uBharizilayi wenza isinqumo esihlakaniphile. Akasenqabanga isimemo sikaDavide ngenxa yokuthi wayezibona engakufanelekeli ukwenza leso sabelo noma ngenxa yokuthi wayefuna ukujabulela ukuthatha umhlalaphansi. Kalula nje, waqaphela futhi wamukela izimo zakhe ezishintshayo nokulinganiselwa kwakhe. Wayengafuni ukwamukela umsebenzi ongaphezu kwamandla akhe. (Funda eyabaseGalathiya 6:4, 5.) Ukugxila esikhundleni, ekutholeni udumo noma ukuqashelwa abantu, kungasiholela ekubeni abazazisayo, abancintisanayo futhi ekugcineni singadumazeka. (Gal. 5:26) Nokho, ukuba nesizotha kusisiza sonke sisebenzise amakhono namandla ethu ekukhazimuliseni uNkulunkulu nasekwenzeni okungcono kakhulu ekusizeni abanye.—1 Kor. 10:31.

7, 8. Ukuba nesizotha kungasisiza kanjani sigweme ukuncika kokwethu ukuqonda?

⁷ Imithwalo eyengeziwe ngokuvamile iza namagunya engeziwe futhi lokho kungasivivinya isizotha sethu. Lapho uNehemiya ezwa ngesimo esidabukisayo sabantu eJerusalema, wathandaza ngokujulile kuJehova. (Neh. 1:4, 11) Isibusiso sikaJehova sabonakala ngesikhathi iNkosi u-Aritahishashita ebeka uNehemiya ukuba abe undunankulu. Noma kunjalo, naphezu kwesikhundla sakhe esiphakeme, umnotho ayenawo negunya elikhulu, uNehemiya akazange ancike emakhonweni akhe noma olwazini nasekuhlakanipheni kwakhe. Waqhubeka ehamba noNkulunkulu. Wayelokhu efuna isiqondiso sikaJehova ngokufunda uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Neh. 8:1, 8, 9) UNehemiya akazange azikhukhumeze; kunalokho,  wakhonza abanye esebenzisa ingcebo yakhe.—Neh. 5:14-19.

⁸ Isibonelo sikaNehemiya sibonisa indlela ukuba nesizotha okungasisiza ngayo sigweme ukuzethemba lapho sithola izabelo ezintsha noma ezengeziwe. Ukuncika nje kuphela olwazini nasekuhlakanipheni kwakhe, kungenza umdala aqale ukusingatha izindaba zebandla ngaphandle kokuthandaza kuJehova kuqala. Abanye bangase benze isinqumo kuqala bese bethandazela isibusiso sikaJehova. Nokho, ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi unesizotha? Umuntu onesizotha uyohlale eyikhumbula indawo yakhe phambi kukaNkulunkulu nendima yakhe elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu. Amakhono ethu awabalulekile. Kudingeka siqaphe ukuba singanciki kokwethu ukuqonda ikakhulukazi lapho sibhekene nenkinga noma isimo esike sabhekana naso ngaphambili. (Funda izAga 3:5, 6.) Njengamalungu endlu kaNkulunkulu, sifunda ukufeza indima yethu emndenini noma ebandleni kunokuzama ukuthola isikhundla ukuze sibe ngcono kunabanye.—1 Thim. 3:15

9, 10. Ukuba nesizotha kungasisiza kanjani sibhekane nokugxekwa okungafanele?

⁹ Kungaba nzima ukulawula imizwa yethu lapho sigxekwa ngokungafanele. UHana wayehlala ekhala ngenxa yokuthi uPhenina, imbangi yakhe, wayelokhu emklolodela. Umyeni wakhe wayemthanda kodwa uHana wayengakwazi ukuthola abantwana. Kamuva, lapho ethandaza etarbenakele, uMpristi Omkhulu u-Eli wathi udakiwe. Cabanga nje! Kodwa, naphezu kwakho konke lokho, uHana owayenesizotha wazibamba futhi waphendula u-Eli ngendlela enenhlonipho. Umthandazo wakhe othinta inhliziyo ugcinwe eBhayibhelini. Umthandazo wakhe ubonisa ukholo, udumo kanye nokwazisa.—1Sam. 1:5-7, 12-16; 2:1-10.

¹⁰ Ukuba nesizotha kungasisiza ‘siqhubeke sinqoba okubi ngokuhle.’ (Roma 12:21) Ukuphila kulesi simiso sikaSathane akunabulungisa futhi kudingeka silwe nomuzwa wokuthukuthelela izenzo zababi. (IHu. 37:1) Lapho kuba nezinkinga phakathi kwabafowethu noma odadewethu  abangokomoya, singezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Umuntu onesizotha uyolingisa uJesu. IBhayibheli lithi, “Lapho ethukwa, akaphindiselanga ngokuthuka . . . , kodwa waqhubeka ezibeka kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga.” (1 Pet. 2:23) UJesu wayazi ukuthi impindiselo ngekaJehova. (Roma 12:19) Ngokufanayo amaKistu ayalwa ukuba athobeke ‘angabuyiseli okubi ngokubi.’—1 Pet. 3:8, 9. 

11, 12. (a) Ukuba nesizotha kungasisiza sisabele kanjani lapho sinconywa noma sithophwa ngokweqile? (b) Ukuba nesizotha kufanele kuyithinte kanjani indlela esigqoka nesizilungisa ngayo nendlela esiziphatha ngayo?

¹¹ Ukunconywa noma ukuthophwa abanye ngokweqile nakho kungasivivinya isizotha sethu. Cabanga ngendlela u-Esteri enza ngayo lapho ukuphila kwakhe kushintsha. Wayemuhle ngendlela ebabazekayo futhi wacwalwa, wabhucungwa ngamafutha abizayo unyaka wonke. Wayehlala nezintombi eziningi ezivela kuzo zonke izingxenye zoMbuso wasePheresiya ayeqhudelana nazo. Noma kunjalo waqhubeka enenhlonipho futhi ezolile. Akazange azikhukhumeze noma alahlekelwe isizotha ngisho nangemva kokukhethwa inkosi ukuba abe indlovukazi yayo.—Est. 2:9, 12, 15, 17.

¹² Isizotha sisiza ukuba sigqoke, sizilungise futhi siziphathe ngendlela ehloniphekile. Siphawula ukuthi sizuza izinhliziyo zabantu ngokubonisa ‘umoya onokuthula nobumnene,’ hhayi ngokuzigabisa noma ngokufuna ukubukwa abantu ngokungenasidingo. (Funda eyoku-1 Pet. 3:3, 4; Jer. 9:23, 24) Ukuzigabisa okusezinhlizweni zethu kuyogcina sekubonakala nasezenzweni zethu. Ngokwesibonelo, singase sisho izinto ezibonisa ukuthi sijabulela amalungelo akhethekile noma sazi imininingwane ngezinto eziyimfihlo, noma sinobuhlobo obukhethekile nabazalwane abanamalungelo. Noma singase sichaze izinto ngendlela ezokwenza ukuthi kunconywe thina ngemibono noma ngezinto esizifezile kuyilapho nabanye bebe nesandla. UJesu wasibekela isibonelo esihle nalapha. Izinto eziningana azisho kwakuba izingcaphuno noma abhekisele emiBhalweni yesiHebheru. Ngesizotha wakhuluma ngaleyo ndlela ukuze izilaleli zakhe zazi ukuthi lokho akushoyo kwakuvela kuJehova futhi kwakungekhona ukuhlakanipha kwakhe.—Joh. 8:28.

13, 14. Ukuba nesizotha kungasisiza kanjani senze izinqumo ezinhle?

¹³ Isizotha sethu singavivinyeka nalapho kwenziwa izinqumo. Ngesikhathi umphostoli uPawulu eseKhesariya, umprofethi u-Agabu wamtshela ukuthi uma eya eJerusalema wayeyogcina eboshiwe. Wayengase abulawe imbala. Ngenxa yokwesaba, abazalwane bamncenga uPawulu ukuba angayi. Noma kunjalo, uPawulu akazange abalalele. Wayengazethembi ngokweqile futhi wayengasabi. Wathembela kuJehova ngokuphelele futhi wayekulungele ukufeza isabelo sakhe noma yikuphi lapho uJehova ayemthuma khona. Lapho abazalwane bezwa isinqumo sikaPawulu, ngesizotha bayeka ukumenqabela ukuba aye eJerusalema.—IzE. 21:10-14.

¹⁴ Ukuba nesizotha kungasisiza senze izinqumo ezinhle ngisho noma singeke sazi ngokuphelele noma silawule imiphumela yalezo zinqumo. Ngokwesibonelo, uma singenela uhlobo oluthile lwenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele, kuyokwenzekani lapho sigula? Siyokwenzenjani lapho abazali bethu asebekhulile bedinga usizo? Siyozinakekela kanjani lapho sesikhulile? Ngisho noma singathandaza noma sicwaninge kangakanani ngeke sizithole izimpendulo ezigculisayo zemibuzo enjengale.  (UmSh. 8:16, 17) Ukuthembela kuJehova kuzosisiza singagcini nje ngokwazi ukulinganiselwa kwethu kodwa sikwamukele. Ngemva kokucwaninga, ukukhuluma nabanye nokuthandaza, kudingeka silandele isiqondiso somoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. (Funda UmShumayeli 11:4-6.) Lokho kunikeza uJehova ithuba lokuba asibusise noma aqondise izinyathelo zethu.—IzAga 16:3, 9.

15. Ukuzindla ngoJehova kuzosisiza kanjani sihlale sithobekile?

¹⁵ Njengoba ukuba nesizotha kunezinzuzo eziningi kangaka, singakuhlakulela kanjani ngisho nangokwengeziwe? Ake sixoxe ngezindlela ezine esingakwenza ngazo lokhu. Okokuqala, sizoba nesizotha nenhlonipho eyengeziwe futhi simhloniphe nakakhulu uJehova lapho sizindla ngezimfanelo zakhe eziphakeme nesikhundla sakhe. (Isaya 8:13) Khumbula ukuthi sihamba noNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke, hhayi ingelosi noma umuntu. Ukuqaphela lokho kuzosishukumisela ukuba ‘sizithobe ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla.’—1 Pet. 5:6.

16. Ukuzindla ngothando lukaNkulunkulu kuyosisiza kanjani sibe nesizotha?

¹⁶ Okwesibili, ukuzindla ngothando lukaJehova kuzosisiza sihlakulele isizotha. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ukuthi uJehova ubheka izingxenye zamalungu omzimba angahloniphekile ‘ngodumo olukhulu.’ (1 Kor. 12:23, 24) Ngokufanayo, uJehova unakekela ngamunye wethu naphezu kokulinganiselwa kwethu. Akasiqhathanisi nabanye noma ayeke ukusibonisa uthando lwakhe lapho senza amaphutha. Ngenxa yothando lukaJehova, singazizwa silondekile nomaphi lapho sikhonza khona endlini yakhe.

17. Kuyosisiza kanjani ukufuna okuhle kwabanye?

¹⁷ Okwesithathu, ukwazisa indima yethu enkonzweni kaJehova kuyokhula njengoba silingisa uNkulunkulu ngokufuna okuhle kwabanye. Kunokuba sifune ukuvelela noma sibe ngobhongoza, ngesizotha siyolalela abanye futhi samukele imibono yabo. (IzAga 13:10) Siyojabula kanye nabo lapho bethola amalungelo. Siyodumisa uJehova njengoba sibona indlela abusisa ngayo “yonke inhlangano yabazalwane [bethu] ezweni.”—1 Pet. 5:9.

18. Singawuqeqesha kanjani unembeza wethu ukuze sibe nesizotha?

¹⁸ Okwesine, lapho siqeqesha onembeza bethu ngokuvumelana nezimiso zeBhayibheli siyoba nesizotha futhi sihlonipheke. Ukufunda ukubheka izinto ngendlela kaJehova kuyosenza sibe nokwahlulela okuhle. Ukutadisha njalo, ukuthandaza nokusebenzisa lokho esikufundayo, kancane kancane kungasenza sibe nonembeza omuhle. (1 Thim. 1:5) Sifunde ukucabangela abanye kuqala. Uma senza ingxenye yethu, uJehova uthembisa ukuthi ‘uyoqedela ukuqeqeshwa kwethu,’ asisize sihlakulele isizotha nezinye izimfanelo ezinhle.—1 Pet. 5:10.

19. Yini ezosisiza sihlale sinesizotha phakade?

¹⁹ Isenzo esisodwa sokugabadela sabangela ukuba umprofethi wakwaJuda ongabizwanga ngegama afe futhi alahlekelwe ubuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu. Nokho, singakwazi ukuhlala sinesizotha ngaphansi kovivinyo. Abantu abathembekile basendulo nalabo abanesizotha namuhla baye babonisa ukuthi kungenzeka. Uma siqhubeka sihamba noJehova, siyoba nesizotha ngokwengeziwe. (IzAga 8:13) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi senzani njengamanje, ukuhamba noJehova kukodwa kuyilungelo elingenakuqhathaniswa. Lazise lelo lungelo futhi uqhubeke wenza konke ongakwenza ukuze uhambe noJehova ngesizotha phakade.