Bafowethu Abasakhulayo—Lingiselani UMakho LoThimothi

1-2. Yibuphi ubunzima obabungenza uMakho loThimothi bathikaze ukwenza okunengi emsebenzini kaJehova?

BAFOWETHU abasakhulayo liyafuna yini ukwenza okunengi enkonzweni kaJehova lokuncedisa abanye ebandleni? Siyakwazi ukuthi liyafuna sibili. Kuyasithokozisa ukubona abanengi abasakhulayo bezimisela ukuncedisa abanye. (Hubo. 110:3) Kodwa ngesinye isikhathi kungaba nzima ukuthi lenzele uJehova okunengi kumbe ukuthi lincedise abanye. Uyake uthikaze yini ukwenza okunengi enkonzweni kaJehova ngenxa yokwesaba? Kulomsebenzi wenkonzo owake wayala ukuwenza yini usesaba ukuthi awusoze uwenze kuhle? Nxa uyake ufikelwe yikwesaba okunjalo ungacabangi ukuthi nguwe wedwa.

² UMakho loThimothi bake baba sesimeni esifananayo. Bazimisela ukuncedisa abanye lokwenza okunengi emsebenzini kaJehova lanxa babengelalwazi olutheni futhi besesaba. Ngesikhathi umphostoli uPhawuli loBhanabha becela uMakho ukuthi ahambe labo ukuyatshumayela ezindaweni ezikhatshana kungenzakala ukuthi uMakho wayezikholisela impilo njengoba wayehlala ngakibo lonina. (Imiseb. 12:​12, 13, 25) UMakho watshiya indawo ayeyithanda layekhulele kuyo ukuze enze okunengi emsebenzini kaJehova. Waqala waya e-Antiyokhi kwasekusithi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wahamba loPhawuli loBhanabha ukuyatshumayela ezindaweni ezikhatshana. (Imiseb. 13:​1-5) Kungenzakala ukuthi uThimothi laye wayesahlala labazali bakhe ngesikhathi uPhawuli emcela ukuthi bahambe bonke emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Njengoba uThimothi wayesakhula, engxenye wayezikhangelela phansi ebona angani ngeke enelise ukwenza umsebenzi lo. (Khangela lo-1 Khorinte 16:​10, 11, 1 Thimothi 4:12.) Kodwa wavuma ukuhamba loPhawuli futhi uJehova wambusisa kakhulu.—Imiseb. 16:​3-5.

3. (a) Sikwazi njani ukuthi uPhawuli wayemthanda uMakho loThimothi? (2 Thimothi 4:​6, 9, 11) (Khangela lemifanekiso.) (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

³ UMakho loThimothi bafunda ukwenza imisebenzi eminengi ebandleni ngesikhathi besakhula. UPhawuli wayewathanda kakhulu amajaha lawa yikho wathi esezakufa wabiza amajaha la ukuthi azombona. (Bala u-2 Thimothi 4:​6, 9, 11.) Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wawathanda amajaha la? Abafowethu abasakhulayo bangawalingisela njani? Okwakhulunywa nguPhawuli kungabanceda njani abafowethu abasakhulayo?

SEBENZELA UJEHOVA NJENGOMAKHO

4-5. UMakho watshengisa njani ukuthi wayezimisele ukuncedisa abanye?

⁴ Umuntu onceda abanye kumele akhuthale ngoba ngesinye isikhathi akulula ukwenza njalo. Lokhu yikho kanye okwenziwa nguMakho. Kungenzakala ukuthi uMakho wezwa ubuhlungu futhi wadana ngesikhathi uPhawuli esala ukuthi bahambe laye emsebenzini wokutshumayela. (Imiseb. 15:​37, 38) Kodwa uMakho kazange ahle akhalale ukuncedisa abafowabo labodadewabo.

⁵ UMakho wahamba lomzawakhe uBhanabha bayatshumayela kweyinye indawo. Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-11, uMakho wayelabanye abazalwane ababeqinisa umphostoli uPhawuli ngesikhathi ebotshwe okokuqala eRoma. (Filim. 23, 24) UPhawuli wayekuqakathekisa kakhulu ayekwenzelwa nguMakho waze wathi ‘wayemduduza.’—Kol. 4:​10, 11.

6. Ukuba labangane abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni kwamnceda njani uMakho? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

⁶ Kunengi kakhulu uMakho akufundayo kwabanye abazalwane ababeqinile ekukhonzeni. UMakho wahlala lomphostoli uPhawuli eRoma wasesuka wayahlala lomphostoli uPhetro eBhabhiloni. Ukuba ndawonye kwenza ubungane babo baqina okokuthi uPhetro wabiza uMakho ngokuthi ‘yindodana’ yakhe. (1 Phet. 5:13) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ngesikhathi bebonke eBhabhiloni uPhetro walandisela umngane wakhe osakhulayo izinto ezinengi ezenziwa nguJesu. Ezinye zalezozinto uMakho wazibhala eVangelini lakhe.a

7. Kuyini uSeung-Woo akufunda kuMakho? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

⁷ UMakho waqhubeka ekhuthele emsebenzini kaJehova futhi ezwanana labazalwane abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni. Manje ungamlingisela njani? Nxa kuyikuthi kulomsebenzi wenkonzo ofisa ukuwenza kodwa awukawutholi, bekezela uqhubeke ukhonza uJehova futhi uncedisa abanye ebandleni. Asixoxe ngalokho okwenzakala kuSeung-Woo osengumdala webandla. Ngesikhathi esakhula wayeziqathanisa labanye abazalwane ababelingana laye ebandleni. Abanye bakhona basebephiwe eminye imisebenzi yenkonzo yena engakayitholi. Lokhu kwakumzwisa ubuhlungu futhi kumdanisa uSeung-Woo okokuthi wacina ekhuluma labanye abadala bebandla. Omunye umdala wamkhuthaza ukuthi yena aqhubeke esenza okuhle lanxa kwakungakhanya angani abanye abantu abakuboni lokhu akwenzayo. USeung-Woo wawasebenzisa amacebo ayewaphiwe waqalisa ukuncedisa asebekhulile abasebandleni lokuthwala abanye ngemota ebasa emihlanganweni yebandla. USeung-Woo uthi: “Sengananzelela ukuthi ukunceda abanye yikukhangela ukuthi bafuna ukuncediswa kukuphi ubusukwenza. Khonokho kwenza ngithokoze.”

THANDA ABANYE NJENGOTHIMOTHI

8. Kungani uPhawuli wakhetha ukuhamba loThimothi? (UFiliphi 2:​19-22)

⁸ Ngesikhathi uPhawuli esebuyela ezindaweni ake aphikiswa khona kwakumele ahambe lamadoda alesibindi. Waqala wahamba loSila owayeselesikhathi eside ekhonza uJehova. (Imiseb. 15:​22, 40) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli wacela uThimothi ukuthi amphelekezele. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wakhetha ijaha leli? Kungenxa yokuthi abazalwane babekhuluma kuhle ngoThimothi. (Imiseb. 16:​1, 2) Okunye futhi yikuthi uThimothi wayebathanda abantu.—Bala uFiliphi 2:​19-22.

9. Kukhanya njani ukuthi uThimothi wayebathanda abanye?

⁹ Kusukela ngesikhathi uThimothi eqalisa ukusebenza loPhawuli kwahle kwazikhanyela ukuthi wayeqakathekisa lokho okufunwa ngabanye ukwedlula lokho ayekufuna. Lokho yikho okwenza uPhawuli wakhululeka ukumtshiya eBheriya ukuze akhuthaze abafundi abatsha. (Imiseb. 17:​13, 14) Ngalesosikhathi uSila wayeseBheriya futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kunengi uThimothi akufunda kuye. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli wathuma uThimothi eThesalonika ukuze ayeqinisa amaKhristu. (1 Thes. 3:​2, amabala angaphansi.) Okweminyaka engu-15 eyalandelayo indlela uThimothi ayebathanda ngayo abantu yaqhubeka ikhula. Wafunda “ukukhala labakhalayo,” etshengisa ukuthi uyabazwela labo abasebunzimeni. (Rom. 12:15; 2 Thim. 1:4) Bafowethu abasakhulayo lingamlingisela njani uThimothi?

10. UWoo Jae wenzani ukuze atshengise ukuthi uyabathanda abanye?

¹⁰ Umfowethu okuthiwa nguWoo Jae wafunda ukuthi kumele abathande kakhulu abanye. Ngesikhathi esakhula wayethwala nzima ukuxoxa labafowethu labodadewethu abadala kulaye. Wayephongubabingelela nxa bengabonana eWolu yoMbuso kuphelele khonapho. Omunye umdala webandla waxoxa laye wamcebisa ukuthi azame ukuqalisa ingxoxo ngokubatshela ukuthi kuyini akuthandayo ngabo futhi acabange ngokuthi kuyini bona abangathanda ukuxoxa ngakho. UWoo Jae wawasebenzisa amacebo lawa futhi usengumdala webandla. Uthi: “Khathesi akusangithwalisi nzima ukuxoxa labantu kungelani lokuthi banganani. Ukwazi ukuthi abafowethu labodadewethu bakhathazwa yini kungenze ngabona ukuthi ngingabancedisa njani.”

11. Abafowethu abasakhulayo bangatshengisa njani ukuthi bayabathanda abanye ebandleni? (Khangela lomfanekiso.)

¹¹ Lani bafowethu abasakhulayo tshengisani ukuthi liyabathanda abanye. Ngesikhathi usemihlanganweni yebandla, xoxa labafowethu labodadewethu abatshiyeneyo. Babuze ukuthi izinto zibahambela njani, ubusulalelisisa. Khonokho kuzakunceda ubone ukuthi bafuna ukuncediswa ngaphi. Engxenye ngesikhathi uxoxa lomfowethu lomkakhe asebekhulile bangakutshela ukuthi bafuna ukuncediswa ukusebenzisa i-JW Library^® kumbe ukuthi abalamuntu ongahamba labo ekutshumayeleni. Kuyabe sekumele ubancedise ngezinto lezi. Abafowethu labodadewethu abasebandleni bazafunda okunengi kuwe nxa ungahlala uzimisele ukuncedisa abanye.

OKWAKHULUNYWA NGUPHAWULI KUNGAKUNCEDA NJANI?

12. Abafowethu abasakhulayo bangakusebenzisa njani lokho uPhawuli akutshela uThimothi?

¹² UPhawuli wanika uThimothi amacebo amanengi ayezamnceda empilweni lasekukhonzeni. (1 Thim. 1:18; 2 Thim. 4:5) Ukucabangisisa ngalokho uPhawuli akutshela uThimothi kungalinceda lina abasakhulayo. Ngesikhathi ubala incwadi ezimbili uPhawuli azibhalela uThimothi, zibale angathi zibhalelwe wena, ubususebenzisa okubalayo. Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo ezilandelayo.

13. Kumele wenzeni ukuze uqhubeke uqotho kuJehova?

¹³ “Ziqeqetshe ulenhloso yokutshengisa ukuthi uzinikele kuNkulunkulu.” (1 Thim. 4:7b) Kutshoni ukuzinikela kuNkulunkulu? Kutsho ukuba qotho kuJehova ulesifiso sokuhlala usenza okumthokozisayo. Kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze sihlale siqotho kuNkulunkulu ngoba lokhu akuzenzakaleli. Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ziqeqetshe lalisetshenziswa nxa kuchasiswa umuntu osebenza nzima elungiselela umncintiswano elenhloso yokunqoba. Umuntu lo kwakungamelanga avume ukuphanjaniswa yiloba yini ukuze enelise ukwenza lokho ayekuhlosile. Lathi akumelanga sivume ukuphanjaniswa yiloba yini nxa sifuna ukuqhubeka sisondela kuJehova.

14. Ngeyani inhloso yethu nxa sibala iBhayibhili?

¹⁴ Inhloso yakho yokubala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke kumele ibe ngeyokuqinisa ubungane bakho loJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, kukhona yini ongakufunda engxoxweni uJesu aba layo lendoda eyayinothile? (Mak. 10:​17-22) Indoda le yayikukholwa sibili ukuthi uJesu nguMesiya kodwa yayingelakholo lokutshiya inotho yayo ukuze imlandele. Lanxa kunjalo, uJesu ‘wayeyithanda’ indoda le. Yikho wakhuluma layo ngomusa. Phela wayefisa ukuthi indoda le ikhethe ukukhonza uJehova. Indlela uJesu ayeyithanda ngayo indoda le itshengisa yona kanye indlela uJehova ayeyithanda ngayo. (Joh. 14:9) Ngesikhathi ucabangisisa ngendaba le langezimo zakho zibuze umbuzo lo, ‘Kuyini okumele ngikwenze ukuze ngisondele kuJehova futhi ngincedise abanye?’

15. Kungani kumele umfowethu osakhulayo acabange kakhulu ngezenzo zakhe? (1 Thimothi 4:​12, 13)

¹⁵ “Woba yisibonelo kwabathembekileyo.” (Bala u-1 Thimothi 4:​12, 13.) UPhawuli wakhuthaza uThimothi ukuthi akhuthalele ukubala lokufundisa futhi abe yisibonelo esihle ekutshengiseni uthando, ukholo lokuba msulwa. Kwakuqakathekile sibili ukuthi abe yisibonelo endabeni le ngoba abantu bakhangela izenzo ukwedlula lokho umuntu akukhulumayo. Ake sithi uphiwe inkulumo ekhuthaza ibandla ukuthi likhuthale ekutshumayeleni. Nxa kuyikuthi lawe ukhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela uzenelisa ukukhuluma ukhululekile futhi utshengisa ukuthi uyakukholwa okukhulumayo. Abamemezeli bazakhuthala sibili ekutshumayeleni nxa kuyikuthi uyakwenza lokho okukhulumayo.—1 Thim. 3:13.

16. (a) Kukuziphi izinto ezinhlanu amaKhristu asakhulayo angathuthuka kuzo? (b) Umfowethu osakhulayo angathuthukisa njani indlela akhuluma ngayo?

¹⁶ Ku-1 Thimothi 4:​12, uPhawuli uqamba izinto ezinhlanu umzalwane osakhulayo okumele abe yisibonelo kuzo. Kungaba kuhle ukuthi uzinike isikhathi, ugebhe ujule ngendaba le ubusubona ukuthi ungathuthukisa ngaphi. Ake sithi ufuna ukuthuthukisa indlela okhuluma ngayo labanye. Kuyabe sekumele ucabange ngokuthi indlela okhuluma ngayo iyabakhuthaza yini abanye. Nxa kuyikuthi usahlala ngakini, uyababonga yini abazali bakho ngalokho abakwenzela khona? Uyababonga yini abanye ebandleni nxa benze kuhle izabelo zabo? Okunye ongazama ukukwenza yikuphendula ngamazwi akho emihlanganweni yebandla. Nxa ungazimisela ukuhlala ukhuluma okwakha abanye uzabe utshengisa ukuthi uyathuthuka ekukhonzeni.—1 Tim. 4:15.

17. Kuyini okunganceda umfowethu osakhulayo ukuthi ahlele azakwenza ekukhonzeni? (2 Thimothi 2:22)

¹⁷ “Balekela izifiso zobutsha kodwa uzame ngamandla wonke ukuba lokulunga.” (Bala u-2 Thimothi 2:22.) UPhawuli wakhuthaza uThimothi ukuthi abalekele izifiso ezazingaphambanisa ubungane bakhe loJehova futhi zimenze angathuthuki ekukhonzeni. Engxenye uyake ukunanzelele ukuthi lanxa ezinye izinto zingazimbi zisuka zikuqedele isikhathi ongasisebenzisa ezintweni eziphathelane lokukhonza. Ngokwesibonelo, usebenzisa isikhathi esinganani udlala imidlalo kumbe uku-inthanethi? Unganciphisa yini isikhathi leso ukuze wenze okunengi emsebenzini kaJehova futhi uncedise abazalwane? Ucine nini ukuyancedisa ngesikhathi kunakekelwa iWolu yenu yoMbuso kumbe ukuyatshumayela ngenqola? Ukwenza imisebenzi le kuzakuvulela amathuba okuthi uthole abangane abazakunceda ukuthi uhlele ukwenza okunengi ekukhonzeni.

UKUNCEDISA ABANYE KUZAKWENZA UTHOKOZE

18. Yiziphi izibusiso ezatholwa nguMakho loThimothi?

¹⁸ UMakho loThimothi badela ezinye izinto ukuze bancedise abanye futhi lokho kwabenza bathokoza kakhulu. (Imiseb. 20:35) UMakho wahamba ezindaweni ezikhatshana ukuze aqinise abazalwane. Waphinda wathola lesibusiso sokubhala ngempilo langenkonzo kaJesu. UThimothi wancedisa uPhawuli ukuvula amabandla amatsha lokuqinisa abazalwane. Akulambuzo ukuthi uJehova wakubona konke okwenziwa nguMakho loThimothi ukuze bancedise abanye.

19. Kungani kumele abafowethu abasakhulayo bacabangisise ngalokho uPhawuli akutshela uThimothi futhi bazatholani bangenza njalo?

¹⁹ Nxa sibala incwadi uPhawuli azibhalela uThimothi sisala singathandabuzi ukuthi wayemthanda kakhulu umngane wakhe. Incwadi lezi ezimbili eziphefumulelweyo zitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyalithanda kakhulu lina bafowethu abasakhulayo. Ufuna likukholise ukumkhonza. Yikho yenzani konke elikwenelisayo ukuze lisebenzise okwakhulunywa ngumphostoli uPhawuli futhi lihlale lizimisele ukuncedisa abanye. Lingenza njalo lizathokoza khathesi futhi ‘lizabambisisa ukuphila koqobo.’—1 Thim. 6:​18, 19.