1-3. (a) Kubayini uJoshuwa asibonelo esihle somuntu owenza ukukhetha okuhle ekuphileni? (b) Khuyini okufuze siyikhumbule nekufuze senze iinqunto?

IBIZO elithi “zikhetheleni” linamandla. Umuntu okufuze akhethe vane kukhona okufuze akhethe kikho begodu anegunya elithileko lokulawula indlela ukuphila kwakhe okuzokuthinteka ngayo. Ukufanisa: Cabanga ngendoda ekhamba endleleni, ingakalindeli ifumana bona indlela leyo ihlukaniseka kabili. Ngiyiphi ezokukhetha ukuyilandela? Nengabe indoda le iyazi bona iyaphi, pheze yinye kwaphela ezoyisa lapho, kanti enye kungenzeka iyenze ibe kude nalapho iya khona.

² IBhayibhili imumethe iimbonelo ezinengi zabantu abaqalene nobujamo obufanako. Ngokwesibonelo, uKayini kwafuze akhethe bona uzokuvumela ukukwata namtjhana uzokulawula. (Gen. 4:6, 7) UJoshuwa kwafuze akhethe hlangana kokukhonza uZimu weqiniso namtjhana ukukhulekela abosingazimu bamala. (Josh. 24:15) Umnqopho kaJoshuwa bekukuhlala eduze noJehova; ngalokho wakhetha indlela emusa lapho. UKayini gade anganawo umnqopho onjalo, wakhetha indlela eyamtjhidisela kude noJehova.

³ Ngezinye iinkhathi singaqalana nesinqunto esifana nokuba sephambanandlela. Nekwenzeka lokho, hlala ukhumbula lapho uya khona, namtjhana umnqopho—bona ube ngophazimulisa uJehova kikho koke okwenzako begodu ubalekele nanyana yini engakubangela bona ube kude naye. (Funda amaHebheru 3:12.) Esihlokwenesi nakwesilandelako, sizokuhlola iindawo zokuphila ezilikhomba lapho kungakafuzi sivumele nanyana yini isitjhidisele kude noJehova.

4. Kubayini kuqakathekile ukusebenza?

⁴ AmaKrestu anesibopho sokuzondla wona nemindenayo. IBhayibhili ithi nanyana ngubani ongafuni ukondla  umndenakhe, mumbi khulu kunongakholwako. (2 Tes. 3:10; 1 Thi. 5:8) Ngokukhanyako, umsebenzi wokuziphilisa uqakathekile ekuphileni, kodwana newungakatjheji, umsebenzi nebizelo kungakutjhidisela kude noJehova. Njani?

5. Ngiziphi izinto eziqakathekileko okufuze ucabange ngazo newufuna umsebenzi?

⁵ Akhe sithi ufuna umsebenzi. Nengabe uhlala endaweni lapho kungasilula ukufumana umsebenzi, ungalingeka bona wamukele umsebenzi owufumene kokuthoma. Nokho, kuthiwani nengabe umsebenzi loyo utjhayisana neenkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili? Kuthiwani nengabe isikhathi sawo namtjhana ukukhambisa khulu ngendlela ethikazisa imisebenzi yobuKrestu nofana ekwenza ube kude nomndenakho? Kghani kufuze uwuthathe, ucabange bona umsebenzi ongafaneleki ungcono kunokungasebenzi? Khumbula, ukukhetha indlela engakalungi kungakutjhidisela kude noJehova. (Heb. 2:1) Kungakhathaliseki bona ufuna umsebenzi namtjhana uhlolisisa umsebenzi wakho wanje, ungazenza njani iinqunto ezihlakaniphileko?

6, 7. (a) Ngimiphi iminqopho umuntu angaba nayo malungana nomsebenzi wokuziphilisa? (b) Ngimuphi umnqopho ongakutjhidisela eduze noJehova begodu kubayini?

⁶ Njengombana kukhulunywe ngaphambilini, khumbula umnqophwakho. Zibuze, ‘Kukuphi lapho ngifuna bona umsebenzi namtjhana ibizelo kungifikise khona?’ Newuqala umsebenzi wokuziphilisa njengendlela yokufikelela umnqopho othileko—ukuzondla wena nomndenakho ekonzweni kaJehova—uJehova uzoyibusisa imizamakho. (Mat. 6:33) UJehova akarareki bona akusize njani newulahlekelwe msebenzi namtjhana ubujamo bomnotho bubumbi. (Isa. 59:1) ‘Uyakwazi ukubaphulusa ekulingweni labo abamsabako.’—2 Pit. 2:9.

⁷ Ngakelinye ihlangothi, kuthiwani nengabe umnqophwakho kufuna uburego kwaphela? Mhlamunye uzokuphumelela. Nokho ngitjho nanyana uphumelela, khumbula bona ‘ipumelelo’ enjalo izokukhambisana nokulahlekelwa ngokuthileko—ongeze wathanda bona kukulahlekele. (Funda 1 Thimothi 6:9, 10.) Ukuqala uburego nebizelo njengokuqakatheke khulu kuzokutjhidisela kude noJehova.

8, 9. Khuyini ababelethi okufuze bayicabangele endleleni abaqala ngayo umsebenzi wokuziphilisa? Hlathulula.

⁸ Nengabe umbelethi, cabanga ngendlela isibonelo sakho esingaba nomthelela ngayo ebantwaneni bakho. Khuyini abayibona njengeqakatheke khulu kuwe—ibizelo lakho namtjhana bungani bakho noJehova? Nebabona bona isikhundla, idumo noburego kuza qangi ekuphileni kwakho, kungenzeka na bakulandele endleleni eyisa ehlekeleleni? Kghani bangaphelelwa yihlonipho ngawe njengombelethi? UmKrestu osesemutjha uthi: “Engikukhumbulako, ubabami bekahlala amajadu ngomsebenzakhe. Ekuthomeni, bekubonakala asebenza budisi ngombana gade afuna bona umndenakhe ube nokungcono khulu. Bekafuna sitlhogonyelwe kuhle. Kodwana eminyakeni yamva nje, kunento etjhentjhileko. Usebenza ama-awara amanengi, begodu uletha ekhaya izinto ezibukhazikhazi ezingasizizinto esizitlhoga kwamambala. Ngalokho, saziwa njengomndeni onemali enengi kunokobana saziwe njengomndeni okhuthaza abanye ngokuphitjhekela izinto ezingokomoya. Bengingathabela bona ubaba angisekele ngokomoya kunangemali nanyana kunini.”

⁹ Babelethi, ningazitjhidelisi kude noJehova ngokunaka khulu ibizelo lenu. Ngesibonelo senu, tjengisani abantwabenu bona niyakholelwa bonyana uburego obukhulu esingalwela ukubufumana ngobungokomoya ingasi obuphathekako.—Mat. 5:3.

10. Khuyini umuntu omutjha angayicabangela nekakhetha ibizelo?

¹⁰ Nengabe umumuntu omutjha olungiselela ukufumana ibizelo, ungakghona njani  ukukhetha indlela efaneleko? Njengombana sekukhulunyiwe, kufuze wazi bona ufuna ukwenzani ngokuphila kwakho. Kghani ukubandulelwa umsebenzi owucabangelako nokuwenza kuzokuvumela bona uphitjhekele iinkareko zomBuso ngokungeziweko nofana uzokutjhidisela kude noJehova? (2 Thi. 4:10) Umnqophwakho kulingisa ukuphila kwabantu ithabo labo elikhuphukako begodu lehle kuye ngemali abanayo ebhanga nofana ngezinto abanazo? Namtjhana uzokukhetha ukutjengisa ukuqiniseka uDavidi egade anakho, owatlola wathi: “Gade ngimutjha, sengikhulile, kodwana azange khengibone olungileko atjhiyiwe, nenzalwakhe inganaburotho”? (Rha. 37:25) Khumbula, enye indlela izokutjhidelisa kude noJehova, enye izokusa ekuphileni okungaphelileko. (Funda IzAga 10:22; Malaki 3:10.) Ngiyiphi indlela ozoyikhetha? *

11. Khuyini iBhayibhili eyivumako ngokuzithabisa kodwana yini okufuze siyikhumbule?

¹¹ IBhayibhili alikwaleli ukuzithabisa begodu alihlathululi ukuzithabisa njengokumorosa isikhathi. UPowula watlolela uThimothi wathi, “Ukujayeza umzimba uwuthabulule kusiza kancani.” (1 Thi. 4:8) Ngitjho neBhayibhili ithi ‘kunesikhathi sokuhleka’ ‘nesikhathi sokweqayeqa,’ begodu ikhuthaza ukuphumula ngokwaneleko. (Mtj. 3:4; 4:6) Nokho, newungakatjheji, zokuzithabisa zingakutjhidisela kude noJehova. Njani? Ingozi ekulu iba seentweni eembili—ihlobo lokuzithabisa olikhethako nesikhathi osisebenzisa kikho.

12. Ngiziphi izinto okufuze uzicabangele malungana nehlobo lokuzithabisa olikhethako?

¹² Kokuthoma, cabanga ngehlobo lokuzithabisa olikhethako. Qiniseka bona ungayifumana imihlobo yokuzithabisa enepilo nemihle. Nokho, kuyavunywa bona ukuzithabisa okunengi okufumanekako kukhuthaza izinto uZimu azihloyako, ezihlanganisa inturhu, ukusebenzelana nemimoya nokuziphatha kumbi ngokomseme. Ngalokho, kufuze uhlolisise ihlobo lokuzithabisa oya kilo. Linamuphi umthelela kuwe? Kghani likukhuthaza bona ube nomoya wenturhu, wokuphalisana, namtjhana wobutjhaba? (IzA. 3:31) Likuqedela imali? Lingabakhuba abanye? (Rom. 14:21) Ukuzithabisa okukhethako kukuhlanganisa nehlobo elinjani labangani? (IzA. 13:20) Kghani kuvusa kuwe  isifiso sokwenza okungakalungi?—Jak. 1:14, 15.

13, 14. Khuyini okufuze uyicabangele malungana nesikhathi osisebenzisela zokuzithabisa?

¹³ Cabangela nesikhathi osisebenzisela zokuzithabisa. Zibuze, ‘Ngisebenzisa isikhathi esinengi kezokuzithabisa kangangobana ngisalelwa sikhathi esincani bona ngenze izinto ezingokomoya?’ Newukhetha ukusebenzisa isikhathi esinengi ngokudluleleko ekuzithabiseni, uzokufumana bona isikhathi sakho sokuphumula asikwenzi uqabuleke ngendlela ogade uyilindele. Eqinisweni, labo ababeka isikhathi sabo sokuzithabisa endawenakho basithabela ngokungeziweko. Kubayini? Ngombana bayazi bona batlhogomele “izinto ezinengi eziqakathekileko,” ngalokho isikhathi sabo sokuzithabisa asibatjhiyi batshwenywa zisazelo.—Funda Filipi 1:10, 11, NW.

¹⁴ Nanyana ukusebenzisa isikhathi esinengi kezokuzithabisa kungabonakala kukarisa, ukuthatha indlela leyo kungakutjhidisela kude noJehova. UKim udade oneminyaka ema-20 wafunda budisi ngalokho. Uthi, “Bengihlala ngisemaphathini. Qobe ngepelaveke bekuba nokuthileko okuzokwenziwa—ngolosiHlanu, ngoMgqibelo, nangoSondo. Nokho, kwanje ngiyabona bonyana kunezinto ezinengi eziqakathekileko okufuze ngizenze. Ngokwesibonelo, njengephayona, ngivuka ngo-6:00 ekuseni ngiye ekonzweni yesimini, ngalokho angikghoni ukuba semibuthanweni bekube li-awara lokuthoma namtjhana lesibili ekuseni. Ngiyazi bona imibuthano yokuzithabisa ayisimimbi yoke, kodwana ingaba sithikaziso esikhulu. Njengezinye izinto, kufuze ibekwe endawenayo.”

15. Ababelethi bangabasiza njani abantwababo bona bathabele zokuzithabisa eziqabulako?

¹⁵ Ababelethi banesibopho sokuzitlhogomela ngokwenyama, ngokomoya nangokwamazizo bona nabantwababo. Lokho kuhlanganisa nokwenza amalungiselelo wokuzithabisa. Nengabe umbelethi, ungaliqedi ithabo lomndeni ngokuqala yoke imisebenzi yokuzithabisa njengemimbi. Ngesikhathi esifanako, tjhejani imithelela emimbi. (1 Kor. 5:6) Ngokucabangisisa kancani, ungafumanela umndenakho zokuzithabisa eziqabula kwamambala. * Ngalokho, wena nabantwabakho nizokukhetha indlela ezokutjhideza eduze noJehova.

16, 17. Ngibuphi ubujamo obubuhlungu ababelethi abanengi abakhe baqalana nabo, begodu sazi njani bona uJehova uyabazi ubuhlungu babo?

¹⁶ Ubuhlobo hlangana kombelethi nomntwana buqine khulu kangangobana uJehova usebenzisa ubuhlobobo ukufanekisa ithando lakhe ngabantu bakhe. (Isa. 49:15) Ngalokho, kungokwemvelo bona umuntu ezwe ubuhlungu obukhulu lokha ilunga lomndeni alithandako litjhiya uJehova. Omunye udade indodakazakhe eyasuswa ekuhlanganyeleni uthi, “Bengigandelelekile. Bengizibuza, ‘Kubayini atjhiye uJehova?’ Ngazizwa ngimlandu.”

¹⁷ UJehova uyabazi ubuhlungu obuzwako. “Wezwa ubuhlungu enhliziywenakhe” lokha ilunga lokuthoma lomndenakhe obabantu, kamva nabantu abanengi egade baphila ngaphambi kwakaKukhulamungu, bahlubuka. (Gen. 6:5, 6) Kungaba budisi ngalabo abangakhenge khe baqalane nokulahlekelwa okunjalo bona bamukele bonyana kugandelela kangangani lokho. Nanyana kunjalo, kungaba budlhayela ukuvumela ikambo engakafaneli yelunga lomndeni elisusiweko ikutjhidisele kude noJehova. Ngalokho, ungaqalana njani nobuhlungu obukhulu obuba khona ilunga lomndeni nelitjhiya uJehova?

18. Kubayini ababelethi kungakafuzi bazibeke umlandu umntwana nekatjhiya uJehova?

¹⁸ Ungazibeki umlandu ngokwenzekileko.  UJehova unikele boke abantu ilungelo lokuzikhethela, begodu ilunga ngalinye lomndeni elizinikeleko labhabhadiswa, kufuze ‘lizithwalele umthwalwalo’ wefanelo. (Gal. 6:5) Ekugcineni, uJehova uqala isoni—ingasi wena—njengesifuze silandise ngokukhetha kwaso. (Eze. 18:20) Godu ungabeki abanye umlandu. Hlonipha ilungiselelo lakaJehova lokuyala. Jamelana noDeveli—ingasi nabelusi abasebenza ukuvikela ibandla.—1 Pit. 5:8, 9.

19, 20. (a) Ababelethi babantwana abasusiweko bangaqalana njani nobuhlungu? (b) Ngiliphi ithemba ababelethi abanjalo abanalo?

¹⁹ Ngakelinye ihlangothi, newukhetha indlela yokukwatela uJehova, uzozitjhidisela kude naye. Kwamambala, ilunga lomndeni olithandako kutlhogeka libone ukuzimisela kwakho okuqinileko kokubeka uJehova qangi ngaphezu kwananyana yini enye—kuhlanganise nesibopho somndeni. Bona ukghone ukuqalana nobujamo, qiniseka bona ubulunga ingokomoya lakho. Ungazihlukanisi nabazalwana nabodade abamaKrestu athembekileko. (IzA. 18:1) Thululela amazizwakho kuJehova ngomthandazo. (Rha. 62:7, 8) Ungafuni amabanga wokuzihlanganisa nelunga lomndeni elisusiweko, mhlamunye nge-e-mail. (1 Kor. 5:11) Hlala umajadu ngezinto ezingokomoya. (1 Kor. 15:58) Udade ekukhulunywe ngaye ngehla uthi, “Ngiyazi bona kufuze ngihlale ngimajadu ekonzweni kaJehova begodu ngihlale ngisebujamweni obuqinileko ngokomoya ukwenzela bona indodakazami neyibuyela kuJehova, ngikghone ukuyisiza.”

²⁰ IBhayibhili ithi ithando “likholwa zizinto zoke.” (1 Kor. 13:4, 7) Akusiyinto engakalungi ukuba nethemba lokobana othandekako wakho uzokubuya. Qobe mnyaka, abenzi bokumbi abanengi bayaphenduka begodu babuyela ehlanganweni kaJehova. UJehova akababambeli amavunda nebaphendukako. Kunalokho, “ukulungele ukulibalela.”—Rha. 86:5.

21, 22. Uzimisele ukwenzani nekuziwa ekusebenziseni kwakho ikululeko yokuzikhethela?

²¹ UJehova unikele iimbunjwa zakhe ezibabantu ilungelo lokuzikhethela. (Funda uDuteronomi 30:19, 20.) Kodwana ikululeko leyo ikhambisana nomthwalo wefanelo omkhulu. UmKrestu ngamunye kufuze azibuze: ‘Ngikuyiphi indlela? Kghani ngivumele umsebenzi, ibizelo, nezokuzithabisa namtjhana ubuhlobo bomndeni bungitjhidisele kude noJehova?’

²² Ithando lakaJehova ngabantu bakhe ngekhe ligebezele. Ukuphela kwendlela esingatjhidela ngayo kude noJehova kulokha nesikhetha indlela engakafaneli. (Rom. 8:38, 39) Nokho, lokho akukafuzi kwenzeke! Zimisele ukungavumeli litho likutjhidisele kude noJehova. Isihloko esilandelako sizokucoca ngeendawo ezine ongatjengisa kizo ukuzimisela okunjalo.