UTHIMOTHEWU wayesendleleni eshiya ikhaya, amehlo akhe ethe njo kulokho ayezokuthola phambili. Abangane bakhe babehola indlela enqamula emasimini ayewazi kahle. Kancane kancane babeqhela edolobheni laseListra, elalisegqumeni eliphansi kuleso sigodi. UThimothewu wayemoyizela njengoba ecabanga ngogogo nomama wakhe ababemamatheka futhi befihla izinyembezi zenjabulo njengoba bembuka ehamba. Ingabe kufanele aphenduke abavalelise—okokugcina?

Njengoba behamba, umphostoli uPawulu wayelokhu ebuka uThimothewu bese emamatheka ngendlela emkhuthazayo. Wayazi ukuthi uThimothewu kwakusamelwe anqobe amahloni, kodwa wayekujabulela ukubona ukushiseka kwale nsizwa esencane. UThimothewu wayesemncane, kungenzeka ukuthi wayesanda kweva eminyakeni engamashumi amabili futhi wayenenhlonipho nothando olujulile ngoPawulu. Manje uThimothewu wayelandela le ndoda enomdlandla futhi ethembekile ohambweni olwaluzomqhelisa ekhaya ngamamayela amaningi. Babezohamba ngezinyawo nangomkhumbi futhi babhekane nezingqinamba eziningi endleleni. UThimothewu wayengazi ngempela ukuthi wayeyophinde ababone yini ekhaya.

Yini eyabangela ukuba le nsizwa esencane ikhethe le ndlela yokuphila? Yiziphi izinzuzo ezazingabangela ukuba lokhu kuzidela kufaneleke? Ukholo lukaThimothewu lungaluthonya kanjani olwethu?

Ake sihlehlele emuva ngeminyaka emibili noma emithathu, sithi iListra yayiyidolobha uThimothewu akhulela kulo. Yayiyidolobha elincane elicezile futhi inethafa elithola amanzi anele. Nakuba abantu babeluqonda ulimi lwesiGreki, babeqhubeka bekhuluma ulimi lwesigodi, isiLikawoniya. Ngolunye usuku, kwaba nomsindo kuleli dolobha elithule. Izithunywa zevangeli ezimbili ezingamaKristu, uPawulu nayejikeleza naye uBarnaba, bafika bevela e-Ikoniyu, idolobha elikhulu eliseduze. Njengoba babefakaza obala, uPawulu wabona indoda eyayikhubazeke ezinyaweni eyabonisa ukholo oluqinile. Ngakho uPawulu wenza isimangaliso, wayelapha leyo ndoda!—IzEnzo 14:5-10.

Kubonakala sengathi iningi labantu baseListra lalikholelwa ukuthi onkulunkulu babezenza abantu futhi bahlale nabo njengasezikhathini ezidlule. Ngakho abantu babecanga ukuthi uPawulu unguHermesi nokuthi uBarnaba unguZeyusi! La maKristu amabili athobekile azivimbela lezo zixuku ukuba zibenzele umhlatshelo.—IzEnzo 14:11-18.

Nokho, kwabambalwa eListra, leso sigameko sasingeyona nje inganekwane yokufika konkulunkulu; sasiyinto yangempela nejabulisayo. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Evnike owesifazane ongumJuda owayeshade nendoda engumGreki * engakholwa, kanye nonina, uLowisi, babalalelisisa ngenjabulo nangokulangazela oPawulu noBarnaba. Ekugcineni kwezwakala izindaba ezazilangazelelwa yiwo wonke amaJuda athembekile—uMesiya wafika futhi wagcwalisa iziprofetho eziningi ezazilotshwe ngaye emiBhalweni!

Cabanga indlela ukuvakasha kukaPawulu okwamthinta ngayo uThimothewu. ‘Kusukela esewusana’ uThimothewu wayeqeqeshwe ukuba athande imiBhalo engcwele yesiHebheru. (2 Thimothewu 3:15) Njengomama nogogo wakhe, wabona ukuthi uPawulu noBarnaba babekhuluma iqiniso ngoMesiya. Cabanga ngendoda  ekhubazekile uPawulu ayiphulukisa. Kungenzeka ukuthi kusukela esengumfana uThimothewu wayejwayele ukuyibona le ndoda izikhathi eziningi emigwaqweni yaseListra. Manje wayeseyibona le ndoda ikwazi ukuzihambela okokuqala ngqa! Akumangalisi ukuthi u-Evnike, uLowisi noThimothewu baba amaKristu. Nanamuhla ogogo nomkhulu kanye nabazali bangafunda lukhulu kuLowisi no-Evnike. Ungaba yini ithonya elihle kwabasha?

Labo ababa abafundi bakaKristu eListra kungenzeka bajabula lapho befunda ngethemba abalandeli bakaKristu ababenalo. Bafunda nokuthi ukuba abafundi kwakuyobenza babhekane nezinsizi eziningi. AmaJuda aphikisayo avela e-Ikoniyu nase-Antiyokiya eza kuleli dolobha abiza izakhamuzi zaseListra, abangela ukuba ziphendukele uPawulu noBarnaba. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, isixuku esinolaka seza kuPawulu, samkhanda ngamatshe. Ekhandwe ngamatshe wawela phansi. Uquqaba lwamdonsela ngaphandle komuzi ukuze afele lapho.—IzEnzo 14:19.

Noma kunjalo abafundi baseListra baya kuPawulu bamngunga. Yeka indlela abakhululeka ngayo lapho ephaphama, esukuma futhi ebuyela eListra ngesibindi! Ngosuku olulandelayo, yena noBarnaba basuka baya eDerbe ukuze baqhubeke nokushumayela. Ngemva kokwenza abafundi abasha nakuleyo ndawo, ngesibindi baphindela eListra ngisho noma kwakuyingozi ukwenza kanjalo. Waba yini umphumela? Ukulandisa kuthi: “Baqinisa abafundi, babakhuthaza ukuba baqhubeke benokholo.” Mbone ngeso lengqondo uThimothewu osemusha, njengoba evule amehlo, elalele uPawulu noBarnaba befundisa lawo maKristu ukuthi noma yikuphi ukuhlupheka ababhekana nakho manje akunaqhathaniswa nethemba labo elihle lekusasa. Bathi: “Kumelwe singene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.”—IzEnzo 14:20-22.

UThimothewu wayesebonile ukuthi uPawulu uphila ngokuvumelana nalawo mazwi, wambona ebhekana nobunzima ngesibindi ukuze ahlanganyele izindaba ezinhle nabanye. Ngakho uThimothewu wayazi ukuthi uma elandela isibonelo sikaPawulu, abantu baseListra babeyomphikisa; ngisho noyise omzalayo imbala wayengase amphikise. UThimothewu wayengeke avumele ukucindezelwa okunjalo ukuba kuthonye isinqumo sakhe sokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngendlela ayifunayo. Namuhla, iningi intsha enjengoThimothewu. Ngokuhlakanipha, ifuna abangane abanokholo oluqinile, abazoyikhuthaza futhi bayiqinise. Ayikuvumeli ukuphikiswa ukuba kuyenze iyeke ukukhonza uNkulunkulu weqiniso!

Njengoba kubonisiwe ngaphambili, kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu waphindela lapho ngemva kweminyaka emibili noma emithathu. Cabanga ngenjabulo eyayikhona kubo kaThimothewu lapho kufika uPawulu manje owayesehamba noSila. Ngokuqinisekile kwakuyisikhathi esijabulisayo nakuPawulu. Wazibonela ngokwakhe imiphumela emihle eyavezwa imbewu yeqiniso ayitshala eListra. ULowisi no-Evnike indodakazi yakhe base bengamaKristu athembekile ‘anokholo olungenabuzenzisi’ uPawulu ayelwazisa kakhulu. (2 Thimothewu 1:5) Kuthiwani ngoThimothewu osemusha?

UPawulu wabona ukuthi le nsizwa yayisithuthuke kakhulu kunangesikhathi egcina ukuyibona. UThimothewu “wayekhulunyelwa kahle abazalwane,” hhayi nje eListra kuphela, kodwa nase-Ikoniyu eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-32 ngasenyakatho-mpumalanga. (IzEnzo 16:2) Wazakhela kanjani igama elihle?

“Imibhalo engcwele” uThimothewu ayifundiswa unina nogogo wakhe ‘kusukela esewusana,’ yayihlanganisa iseluleko esihlakaniphile nesisebenzayo esisiza intsha. (2 Thimothewu 3:15) Nasi esinye isibonelo: “Khumbula uMdali wakho Omkhulu ezinsukwini zobunsizwa bakho.” (UmShumayeli 12:1) Lawo mazwi abaluleka nakakhulu ngemva kokuba uThimothewu ebe umKristu. Wabona ukuthi indlela engcono yokukhumbula uMdali wakhe Omkhulu yayihlanganisa ukuxoxela abanye izindaba ezinhle ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uKristu. Kancane kancane uThimothewu wawanqoba amahloni ayenawo ayemvimbela ukuba abe nesibindi sokutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu Kristu.

Amadoda aholayo emabandleni ayiqaphela intuthuko kaThimothewu. Akungabazeki ukuthi athinteka lapho ebona lona osemusha ethuthuka futhi ekhuthaza bonke ababeseduze naye. Nokho, okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi uJehova wamqaphela uThimothewu. UNkulunkulu waphefumulela ukuba kubhalwe ezinye iziprofetho ngoThimothewu—mhlawumbe ezihlobana nohlobo lwenkonzo ayezoyifeza emabandleni amaningi. Lapho uPawulu efika, wabona ukuthi uThimothewu angaba umsizi omuhle emsebenzini wakhe wokuhambela amabandla. Abazalwane baseListra bavumelana naye. Bayibeka izandla le nsizwa, uphawu olwalubonisa ukuthi inikwa isabelo esikhethekile sokukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu.—1 Thimothewu 1:18; 4:14.

Njengoba singase sicabange, uThimothewu wayemangele futhi ezibona engakufanelekeli ukwamukela lesi sabelo esikhulu kangaka. Wayekulungele ukuhamba. * Nokho, ubaba kaThimothewu ongakholwa wasabela kanjani lapho indodana yakhe ithola lesi sabelo esisha sokuba isikhonzi esingumKristu esihambela amabandla? Kungenzeka ukuthi wayefisa ukuba indodana yakhe yenze umsebenzi ohluke ngokuphelele. Kuthiwani ngomama nogogo kaThimothewu? Ingabe babeziqhenya ngale nsizwa kuyilapho befihla ukukhathazeka kwabo ngokuphepha kwayo? Lokho kuyinto engokwemvelo.

Esiqiniseka ngakho ukuthi uThimothewu wahamba. Ekuseni—ngosuku okukhulunywe ngalo ekuqaleni kwalesi sihloko—waqala umsebenzi wokuhambela amabandla noPawulu. Njengoba eshiya iListra, yonke imisindo ebangelwa izimbadada zakhe, nawo wonke umsindo wamaqabunga awanyathelayo, wawusho ukuthi uya eqhela ekhaya, esondela endaweni angayazi ayelibangise kuyo. Ngemva kokuhamba usuku lonke, la madoda amathathu afika e-Ikoniyu. UThimothewu wabe eseqala ukubuka indlela uPawulu noSila ababedlulisela ngayo iziqondiso zamuva ezivela endikimbeni ebusayo eseJerusalema, nendlela ababezikhandla ngayo ukuze baqinise ukholo lwamakholwa ase-Ikoniyu. (IzEnzo 16:4, 5) Kodwa lokho kwakumane kuyisiqalo nje.

Ngemva kokuhambela amabandla aseGalathiya, lezi zithunywa zevangeli zashiya imigwaqo emikhulu yaseRoma, zahamba amakhulu amakhilomitha zinqamula amathafa aseFrigiya, zalibangisa enyakatho zabe sezishona entshonalanga. Njengoba ziqhubeka zilandela isiqondiso somoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, zalibangisa eTrowa, zafika lapho zagibela umkhumbi zaya eMakedoniya. (IzEnzo 16:6-12) UPawulu wabona lapho ukuthi uThimothewu uwusizo kangakanani. Wakwazi ukushiya uThimothewu noSila eBhereya. (IzEnzo 17:14) Waze wamthumela yedwa eThesalonika. UThimothewu wafika lapho walingisa lokho ayekubonile, waqinisa ukholo lwamaKristu athembekile lapho.—1 Thesalonika 3:1-3.

Kamuva uPawulu wabhala ngoThimothewu: “Anginaye omunye onesimo esinjengesakhe oyozinakekela  ngobuqotho izinto eziphathelene nani.” (Filipi 2:20) Lelo dumela akalitholanga ngephutha. UThimothewu walisebenzela kanzima, ngokwenza imisebenzi ephansi nangokukhuthazela ngokwethembeka ngaphansi kwezimo ezinzima. Yeka isibonelo esihle esingalingiswa yintsha namuhla! Ungalokothi ukhohlwe ukuthi idumela lakho lisezandleni zakho. Uma usemusha unethuba elihle lokuzenzela igama elihle, ngokubeka uJehova uNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwakho nangokuphatha abanye ngomusa nangenhlonipho.

Kwaphela iminyaka engaba ngu-14 uThimothewu esebenza nomphostoli uPawulu, umngane wakhe. Phakathi naleso sikhathi babhekana nezingozi zomsebenzi kaPawulu futhi bajabulela izinto eziningi ndawonye. (2 Korinte 11:24-27) Ngesinye isikhathi uThimothewu waboshelwa ukholo lwakhe. (Hebheru 13:23) Wayezizwa ngendlela uPawulu ayezizwa ngayo, enothando olujulile ngabafowabo nodadewabo abangamaKristu futhi ebakhathalela. Yingakho uPawulu ambhalela: “Ngikhumbula izinyembezi zakho.” (2 Thimothewu 1:4) NjengoPawulu, kubonakala sengathi uThimothewu wafunda ‘ukukhala nabantu abakhalayo,’ ebabonisa uzwela ukuze akwazi ukubakhuthaza nokubaduduza kangcono. (Roma 12:15) Kwangathi ngamunye wethu angafunda ukwenza okufanayo!

Akumangazi ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uThimothewu waba umdala ongumKristu oyisibonelo. UPawulu akagcinanga ngokumnika umsebenzi wokuhambela amabandla ukuze awaqinise futhi awakhuthaze, kodwa wamnika nomthwalo wemfanelo wokumisa amadoda afanelekela ukukhonza njengabadala bamabandla nezinceku ezikhonzayo.—1 Thimothewu 5:22.

UPawulu wayemthanda kakhulu uThimothewu, emnika izeluleko eziwusizo njengoba kwenza ubaba endodaneni yakhe. Wakhuthaza uThimothewu ukuba athuthukise iziphiwo zakhe ezingokomoya futhi aqhubeke ekhula, athuthuke. (1 Thimothewu 4:15, 16) Wakhuthaza uThimothewu ukuba angavumeli ubusha bakhe—mhlawumbe namahloni—bumvimbele ukuba amelele okulungile. (1 Thimothewu 1:3; 4:6, 7, 11, 12) UPawulu wamnika neseluleko sendlela yokwelapha ukugula okwakuvame ukumphatha, okungenzeka kwakuyisisu esasimhlupha.—1 Thimothewu 5:23.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPawulu wabona ukuthi sasisondela isikhathi sokuba abulawe. Wathumela incwadi yokugcina ephefumulelwe kuThimothewu. Yayinala mazwi athinta inhliziyo: “Yenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuba uze kimi ngokushesha.” (2 Thimothewu 4:9) UPawulu wayemthanda kakhulu uThimothewu; wambiza ngokuthi “mntanami othandekayo nothembekile eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 4:17) Akumangazi ukuthi wayefuna umngane wakhe abe seduze kwakhe njengoba ukufa kwakhe kusondela! Ngamunye wethu wenza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ingabe abantu bangibheka njengomthombo wenduduzo lapho bebhekene nezinkinga?’

Ingabe uThimothewu wakwazi ukufika kuPawulu ngesikhathi? Asazi. Esikwaziyo ukuthi wayehlale enza konke okusemandleni ukuze aduduze futhi akhuthaze uPawulu nabanye abaningi. Waphila ngokuvumelana nencazelo yegama elithi Thimothewu, “Umuntu Ohlonipha UNkulunkulu.” Sonke—abancane nabadala—wasishiyela isibonelo esihle sokholo, okumelwe sisilingise.