1, 2. Kuyini okwakusenza uPhawuli abazwisise ababuthakathaka?

 SONKE siyake sizizwe sibuthakathaka. Kwezinye izikhathi singagula kumbe kube lokuthile okusihluphayo size sehluleke lokwenza imisebenzi emincane nje yansuku zonke. Manje cabanga usugula okwesikhathi eside. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ubuzathokoza sibili nxa abanye bekuzwela futhi bekuzwisisa.

² Umphostoli uPhawuli laye wayeke abe buthakathaka ngenxa yezinto ezazimkhathaza ebandleni lasempilweni yakhe. Kwezinye izikhathi wayeze abone angani kwasekuphezu kwamandla akhe. (2 Khor. 1:8; 7:5) Ekhuluma ngezinto ezinengi ezinzima ezake zamehlela empilweni yakhe engumKhristu othembekileyo, uPhawuli wathi: “Ngubani obuthakathaka, mina ngingabuzwa lobo buthakathaka na?” (2 Khor. 11:29) UPhawuli waphinda wakhuluma ngamalunga ebandla lobuKhristu ewafananisa lezitho zomzimba lapho esithi lalawo ‘akhanya ebuthakathaka ayasweleka’ okutsho ukuthi ayadingeka. (1 Khor. 12:22) Wayesitshoni? Kungani kumele sizwisise ubuthakathaka babanye njengoJehova? Kuzasinceda ngani ukwenza lokhu?

3. Kuyini okungenza sicine sesingasabazweli ababuthakathaka esikhonza labo?

³ Siphila emhlabeni ogcwele ukuncintisana okokuthi umuntu omutsha njalo oseselamandla nguye umuntu kuzwa. Abantu abanengi kabalandaba lokuthi omunye umuntu uzwa njani njalo bajayele ukucindezela ababuthakathaka ukuze bona bathole abakufunayo. Lanxa singavumelani lakho lokhu, kumele sinanzelele ngoba lathi singacina sesingasabazweli abahlala befuna ukuncediswa, ikakhulu ebandleni. Kodwa singenelisa ukubazwisisa ngendlela uNkulunkulu abazwisisa ngayo.

4, 5. (a) Umzekeliso oku-1 Khorinte 12:21-23 usinceda njani ukuthi sizwisise ukuthi uJehova ubaphatha njani ababuthakathaka? (b) Kusinceda ngani ukuncedisa ababuthakathaka?

⁴ Umzekeliso owalotshwa nguPhawuli encwadini yakuqala ayibhalela abaseKhorinte ungasenza sibone ukuthi uJehova uyabazwisisa ababuthakathaka. Kusahluko 12 sencwadi le, uPhawuli usikhumbuza ukuthi lanxa isitho sikhanya sisibi loba sibuthakathaka laso siyabe siqakathekile kakhulu emzimbeni. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 12:12, 18, 21-23.) Ezinye ingcitshi ezikholwa ukuthi izinto zaphonguzenzakalela futhi azidalwanga zithi lokhu akusilo qiniso. Loba kunjalo, abahlola ukusebenza komzimba bathi akula sitho esingelancedo emzimbeni, zonke ziqakathekile. Ngokwesibonelo abanye babesithi uzwane oluncane kalulancedo kodwa sekutholwe ukuthi lalo luyadingeka ukuze umuntu ame kuhle angawi.

⁵ Umzekeliso kaPhawuli utshengisa ukuthi wonke umuntu osebandleni lobuKhristu uqakathekile. USathane ufuna sicabange ukuthi asiqakathekanga njalo sicabange ukuthi uJehova kalandaba lathi. (Jobe. 4:18, 19) Kodwa uJehova ubona zonke izinceku zakhe lalezo ezibuthakathaka ‘zingeziswelekayo’ okutsho ukuthi ziyadingeka. Lokhu kusitshengisa ukuthi kumele kusithokozise esikwenzayo ebandleni esikulo. Kanti njalo okunye okusithokozisayo yikuthi sisenhlanganisweni ebunjwa ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu abasemhlabeni wonke. Mhlawumbe wake wancedisa ukhulu kumbe ugogo owayehamba nzima. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kwasekumele lawe utotobe njengaye. Wazizwa njani lapho umncedisa? Nxa sincedisa abanye sizizwa sijabula sibili njalo siba ngabantu ababekezelayo, abalothando njalo abavuthiweyo ekukhonzeni. (Efe. 4:15, 16) UBaba wethu olothando uyakwazi ukuthi nxa ibandla liqakathekisa bonke abantu kungelani lokuthi babuthakathaka liyabe litshengisa ukuthi liyabazwisisa futhi liyabathanda.

6. UPhawuli wathini ‘ngobuthakathaka,’ njalo wathini ‘ngabalamandla’?

⁶ Lapho uPhawuli ebhalela abaseKhorinte wathi abantu babebona amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala ‘eyizinto ezibuthakathaka’ njalo lapho echaza indlela ayezizwa ngayo wathi “ngibuthakathaka.” (1 Khor. 1:26, 27; 2:3) Lapho ekhuluma ‘ngabalamandla,’ wayengahlosanga ukuthi amanye amaKhristu azibone esengcono kulabanye. (Rom. 15:⁠1) Ayekutsho yikuthi amaKhristu aselesikhathi eside ekhonza kufanele abekezelele abasesebatsha ekukhonzeni.

7. Kuyini okungasenza singabancedisi ababuthakathaka nxa befuna usizo?

⁷ Nxa sinceda “abahluphekayo” silingisela uJehova njalo lokhu kwenza asamukele. (Hubo. 41:1; Efe. 5:1) Lanxa kunjalo, ukukhangela ababuthakathaka ngelinye ilihlo kungenza ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi singabancedisi nxa befuna usizo. Mhlawumbe singabe singakhululekanga ngenxa yokuthi siyabe singakwazi ukuthi siqalisele ngaphi, besesibatshiya benjalo. Omunye udadewethu okuthiwa nguCynthia, * owabalekelwa  ngumkakhe uthi: “Nxa abazalwane besenza angani ababoni ukuthi ulohlupho loba bengenzi ngendlela obukhangelele ukuthi abangane abakuthandayo benze ngayo, kubuhlungu kakhulu. Nxa kulokuthile okukuhluphayo, uyabe ufuna ukuthi abantu bakududuze.” UDavida laye wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi kubuhlungu njani ukuswela okududuzayo nxa ulohlupho.​—Hubo. 31:12.

8. Kuyini okuzasenza sibazwele kakhulu abanye?

⁸ Sizabazwela kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu esibathandayo nxa singakhumbula ukuthi abanye babo babuthakathaka ngenxa yokuthi bayagula, bahlala lamalunga emuli angasibo boFakazi kumbe balwisana lokukhathazeka. Phela lathi singavuka sesisebunzimeni. Abako-Israyeli babehlupheka eGibhithe njalo bebuthakathaka. Yikho sebezangena eLizweni ababelithenjisiwe bakhunjuzwa ukuthi bangabi “lezinhliziyo ezilukhuni” kubafowabo ababehlupheka. UJehova wayefuna ukuthi labangabayanga banakekelwe.​—Dute. 15:7, 11; Levi. 25:35-38.

9. Kuyini okumele sikuqakathekise nxa sincedisa abalohlupho oluthile? Nika umzekeliso.

⁹ Kumele siduduze labo abasebunzimeni kulokuthi sibahlulele kumbe sibacabangele okubi. (Jobe. 33:6, 7; Mat. 7:1) Ake sithi umuntu ohamba ngomdududu ulimele engozini yomgwaqo wasegijinyiselwa esibhedlela. Kambe odokotela bangatshona bebuzisisa ukuthi nguye yini obangele ingozi le? Hatshi! Into yokuqala abayenzayo yikumelapha masinya. Umcijo nanku: Nxa umuntu esikhonza laye esebuthakathaka ngenxa yezinhlupho zakhe, okuqakathekileyo yikuthi simncedise aqine ekukhonzeni.​—Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:14.

10. Kungani singathi abanye bethu abakhanya bebuthakathaka ‘banothile ekukholweni’?

¹⁰ Nxa singazinika isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngalokhu okuhlupha abazalwane bethu, singabuzwisisa ubuthakathaka babo. Cabanga ngabodadewethu asebeleminyaka bephikiswa ngamalunga emuli. Abanye babo batshengisa ukuthi ukholo lwabo luqinile sibili njalo kabapheli amandla lanxa bengakhanya bebuthakathaka kakhulu. Mhlawumbe ubona umama esondla abantwana eyedwa kodwa ebuya labo emihlanganweni zikhathi zonke. Uzwa njani nxa ubona ukholo lwakhe kanye lokuthi uzimisele ukuhlala ekhuthele ekukhonzeni? Uthini ngabasakhulayo abaqhubeka bebambelele eqinisweni lanxa beyengwa ukuthi benze izinto ezimbi esikolo? Ngakho siyananzelela ukuthi abanye bethu abakhanya bebuthakathaka ‘banothile ekukholweni’ njengalabo abakhanya beqinile ekukhonzeni.​—Jak. 2:5.

11, 12. (a) Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi sibazwisise ababuthakathaka? (b) Indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo u-Aroni isifundisani?

¹¹ Okungasinceda ukuthi sizwisise ubuthakathaka babanye yikuhlola ukuthi uJehova waziphatha njani ezinye izinceku zakhe. (Bala iHubo 130:3.) Ngokwesibonelo, ngabe wawuloMosi aze afice u-Aroni esebumbe ithole legolide, wawuzathini ususizwa u-Aroni esezama ukuzigeza ecaleni esipha izizathu ezingatsho lutho? (Eks. 32:21-24) U-Aroni waphinda wahugwa ngudadewabo uMiriyamu ukuthi bachothoze uMosi ngokuthi wayethethe umfazi wezizweni. Yikho-ke wena wawuzambona engumuntu onjani u-Aroni? (AmaN. 12:1, 2) Wawuzakwenzani lapho u-Aroni loMosi beyekela ukudumisa uJehova eMeribha lapho esebasebenzise ukuthi banike abantu amanzi ngendlela eyisimangaliso?​—AmaN. 20:10-13.

¹² UJehova wayengahle amjezise sibili u-Aroni. Kodwa wananzelela ukuthi u-Aroni wayesiba buthakathaka kwezinye izikhathi lokuthi wayengasuye muntu omubi. Kukhanya u-Aroni wayesenziwa ngumumo kumbe  wayevumela ukuthi abantu bamtshelele eceleni. Lokhu sikubona ngokuthi nxa wayebuzwa, wayevuma amaphutha akhe futhi enze lokhu okuyabe kukhulunywe nguJehova. (Eks. 32:26; AmaN. 12:11; 20:23-27) UJehova wabona ukuthi okwakuqakatheke kakhulu yikuphenduka kuka-Aroni kanye lokholo lwakhe. Sekudlule amakhulu eminyaka u-Aroni lezizukulwane zakhe babelokhu bekhunjulwa ngokuthi babengabantu ababemesaba uJehova.​—Hubo. 115:10-12; 135:19, 20.

13. Kuyini okumele sikwenze ukuze sibaphathe kuhle ababuthakathaka? Nika isibonelo.

¹³ Nxa sifuna ukuphatha ababuthakathaka ngendlela uJehova abaphatha ngayo, kufanele sihlolisise ukuthi siyabazwisisa yini. (1 Sam. 16:7) Ngokwesibonelo, ungathini nxa ubona osakhulayo ezilibazisa ngezinto eziyingozi kumbe ekhanya engukhanda limtshela okwakhe? Kufanele sicabangisise ukuthi singamnceda njani athuthuke ekukhonzeni kulokuthi sihambe sesikhuluma kubi ngaye simchothoza. Nxa sisukumela phezulu ukuze sincedise abadinga usizo lathi siyathuthuka ekuzwisiseni ababuthakathaka njalo sicina sesibathanda kakhulu.

14, 15. (a) Lapho u-Elija esesesaba, uJehova wamphatha njani? (b) Sifundani endabeni ka-Elija?

¹⁴ Okungasinceda ukuthi siphathe abanye njengoJehova yikuzihlola ukuthi sicabanga njani, besesihlola lokuthi waziphatha njani ezinye izinceku zakhe ezazidane kakhulu, ngokwesibonelo u-Elija. Lanxa waba lesibindi sokuphikisana labaphrofethi bakaBhali abangu-450 baze babulawa, u-Elija wacela ezinyaweni esizwa ukuthi iNdlovukazi uJezebeli imdinga ngabomvu ifuna ukumbulala. Wahamba umango ongamakhilomitha angu-150 esiya eBherishebha, watsholobela wangena enkangala. Ilanga lalitshisa bhe njalo wayesedinwe efile. Yikho-ke wahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla “wakhulekela ukuthi ngabe uyafa.”​—1 AmaKho. 18:19; 19:1-4.

 ¹⁵ UJehova wezwa njani ebona umphrofethi wakhe othembekileyo engasela themba? Wayilahla yini inceku yakhe ngenxa yokuthi yayisidanile njalo isisesaba? Hatshi! UJehova wabuzwisisa ubuthakathaka buka-Elija wasethuma ingilosi. Ingilosi le yafika kabili ku-Elija yamncenga ukuthi adle ukuze ‘uhambo olude lungamkhuleli.’ (Bala u-1 AmaKhosi 19:5-8.) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uJehova waqala wamlalela umphrofethi wakhe njalo wamnika lokudla ukuze aqine, engakamtsheli lokuthi enzeni.

16, 17. Singayilingisela njani indlela uJehova aphatha ngayo u-Elija?

¹⁶ Singamlingisela njani uNkulunkulu wethu osikhathalelayo? Akufanelanga sigijimele ukucebisa umuntu. (Zaga. 18:13) Okungcono yikuthi siqale ngokutshengisa ukuthi siyamzwela sibili lowo oyabe esecabanga ukuthi ‘kasahlonipheki’ ngenxa yokuthile okumhluphayo. (1 Khor. 12:23) Nxa sesenze njalo siyabe sesikwazi-ke ukuthi simncede njani.

¹⁷ Ngokwesibonelo cabanga ngoCynthia esike sakhuluma ngaye owabalekelwa ngumkakhe wamtshiya labantwana ababili. Kwakungani kabasela bani. Abanye oFakazi ayekhonza labo benzani ngakho? Uthi: “Sesibafonele sabalandisela okwakwenzakele batheleka emzini wethu kungakadluli lemizuzu engu-45. Babekhala. Abazange basitshiye sodwa kusanda kwenzakala lokhu. Ngenxa yokuthi sasidane kakhulu futhi sisehluleka lokudla, basithatha bahlala lathi okwesikhathi esithile.” Lokhu kungasikhumbuza amazwi akuJakhobe athi: “Kasithi umzalwane loba umzalwanekazi kalazigqoko lokudla kwansuku zonke. Uma omunye wenu esithi kuye, ‘Hamba, ngikufisela okuhle; hlala ukhudumala njalo usutha,’ kodwa angenzi lutho ngaleziziswelo zakhe zomzimba, kusizani na? Ngokunjalo, ukukholwa nje kuphela, uma kungelamisebenzi kufile.” (Jak. 2:15-17) UCynthia labantwabakhe baba ngamaphayona asizayo sekudlule inyanga eziyisithupha nje kwenzakele into le ebuhlungu kangaka. Lokhu kwakungenxa yokuthi abafowethu labodadewethu abazange bathikaze ukuyabanceda.​—2 Khor. 12:10.

18, 19. (a) Singabanceda njani ababuthakathaka? (b) Ngobani abancedakalayo nxa sinceda ababuthakathaka?

¹⁸ Nxa wake wagula umkhuhlane omubi kakhulu mhlawumbe uyakwazi ukuthi kuthatha isikhathi eside kangakanani ukuthi umzimba uze uqine. Yikho-ke lomKhristu obuthakathaka ngenxa yohlupho oluthile kumbe ezinye nje izilingo kungathatha isikhathi ukuthi aqine ekukhonzeni. Siyakwazi ukuthi umKhristu lo kufanele afunde iBhayibhili eyedwa, athandaze njalo enze eminye imisebenzi yobuKhristu ukuze aqinise ukholo lwakhe. Kodwa sizambekezelela yini aze aqine? Sizaqhubeka simthanda yini esazama ukuvuselela ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova? Sizabancedisa yini abanye nxa besabuthakathaka ukuze bazizwe beqakathekile njalo bananzelele ukuthi amanye amaKhristu ayabathanda kakhulu?​—2 Khor. 8:8.

¹⁹ Ungakhohlwa ukuthi ukuncedisa abazalwane kwenza sithokoze kakhulu. Kanti njalo kusenza sibe ngabantu abalozwelo njalo ababekezelayo. Lokhu akuncedi ophayo loyamukelayo kuphela. Ngenxa yani? Ngoba kwenza lebandla lonke ligcwale abantu abalothando labalozwelo. Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi siyabe silingisela uJehova obona umuntu wonke eqakatheke kakhulu. Singatsho siphinde ukuthi sonke silazo sibili izizathu zokuthi “sisize ababuthakathaka.”​—ImiSeb. 20:35.