1. U-Abhrahama watshengisa njani ukuthi uyamthemba uJehova? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

U-ABHRAHAMA wabuza wathi: “Kambe uMahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza okufaneleyo na?” (Gen. 18:25) Umbuzo lo utshengisa ukuthi u-Abhrahama wayethemba ukuthi uJehova uzakwenza okufaneleyo lapho esahlulela iSodoma leGomora. Wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova ulungile, wayengasoze abulale abalungileyo ndawonye lababi. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-400 uMosi wakhuluma ngoJehova wathi: “UliDwala, imisebenzi yakhe iphelele, njalo zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile. UNkulunkulu othembekileyo ongenzi okubi, uqotho njalo ulungile yena.”—Dute. 31:19; 32:4.

2. Kungani kungeke kwenzakale ukuthi uJehova aphambanise nxa esahlulela?

² Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi u-Abhrahama angathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova unguMahluleli olungileyo? Wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova ulungile lokuthi uhlala esenza okuqondileyo zikhathi zonke. Izikhathi ezinengi ibala elithi ukwahlulela okuqondileyo lijayele ukusetshenziswa ndawonye lelithi ukulunga eMibhalweni  yesiHebheru ngoba atsho into efananayo. UJehova ngeke aphambanise nxa esahlulela loba elungisa izindaba ngoba zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile. ILizwi lakhe lithi: “Uthanda ukulunga lokwahlulela okuqondileyo.”—Hubo. 33:5.

3. Abantu baphathwa njani emhlabeni lamuhla?

³ Kuyasithokozisa kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi uJehova ulungile. Kodwa emhlabeni lo kugcwele abantu abangakuthandiyo ukwenza okulungileyo. Lokhu kubangela ukuthi abanye abantu baphathwe kubi. Ngokwesibonelo abanye bayabotshwa bayepika emajele okweminyaka eminengi bengonanga lutho. Abanye baze bakhululwe sekuke kwahlolwahlolwa ubufakazi obunengi obugoqela lokukhangela i-DNA. Kuyadanisa ukubona abantu abangelacala bephathwa ngendlela ebuhlungu kangaka! Kodwa ukuphathwa kubi kungenzakala yini lasebandleni?

4. Yiziphi izimo ezinganyikinya ukholo lwethu?

⁴ Kasimangali nxa abantu bomhlaba lo besiphatha kubi loba besenza izinto ezisizwisa ubuhlungu. Kodwa ukholo lwethu lunganyikinywa nxa singabona lokhu sekusenziwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu. Manje ungenzani nxa kulokuthile okungakuphathanga kuhle ebandleni kumbe nxa ukhutshwe ngomunye umKhristu? Uzakhalala yini utshiye ukukhonza uJehova?

5. Kungani kungamelanga simangale nxa abanye ebandleni bangasiphatha kubi?

⁵ Njengoba sonke silesono, kungenzakala ukuthi senze izinto ezingaphatha kubi abanye ebandleni. (1 Joh. 1:8) Lanxa lokhu kungandanga akumelanga kusimangalise nxa kungenzakala. Okuhle yikuthi uJehova usinike iLizwi lakhe elisinceda ukuthi sihlale siqotho kuye ngitsho lanxa singabe siphathwe kubi ngabanye ebandleni.—Hubo. 55:12-14.

6, 7. Kwenzakalani komunye umzalwane njalo kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi ayilungise kuhle leyondaba?

⁶ Ake sixoxe ngomunye umfowethu okuthiwa nguWilli Diehl. Kusukela ngo-1931 umfowethu uDiehl wayesebenza eBhetheli eSwitzerland. Ngo-1946 wabizwa eSikolo seGiliyadi eNew York, e-U.S.A. Ngemva kwalokho wanikwa umsebenzi wokuba ngumbonisi wesiqinti eSwitzerland. Wathi ebhala indaba yakhe yokuphila wathi: “Ngo-May 1949 ngabhalela abafowethu egatsheni ngibabikela ukuthi sengifuna ukutshada.” Abafowethu egatsheni bamphendula bathi: “Awukho omunye umsebenzi esingakunika wona ngaphandle kokuthi uyekuba liphayona lesikhathi sonke.” Umfowethu uDiehl uthi: “Ngangingasavunyelwa lokwenza izinkulumo . . . Abanengi babengasasibingeleli lomkami, besiphatha njengabantu abasusiweyo.”

⁷ Umfowethu uDiehl wayiphatha njani indaba le? Uthi: “Sasikwazi ukuthi iMibhalo kayikwalisi ukutshada. Ngakho sathembela kuJehova futhi sasithandaza kokuphela.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umbono ongaqondanga abazalwane ababelawo ngendaba yokutshada walungisiswa futhi umfowethu uDiehl wacina eyiphiwa imisebenzi yenkonzo ayelayo ekuqaliseni. UJehova wambusisa umfowethu uDiehl ngokuhlala kwakhe eqotho kuye lanxa wayephathwe kubi. * Lawe zibuze imibuzo le: ‘Ngizathemba uJehova ngendlela efananayo yini  nxa ngingaphathwa kubi ngabanye abazalwane? Ngizamlindela yini ukuthi alungise izinto kumbe ngizakwenza engikucabangayo?’—Zaga. 11:2; bala uMikha 7:7.

8. Kuyini okungabangela ukuthi ubone angathi uphathwe kubi?

⁸ Kwezinye izikhathi ungabona angathi abanye ebandleni bakuphathe kubi kumbe ukuthi baphathe kubi omunye umzalwane. Lokhu kungabangelwa yikuthi uyabe ungayizwisisanga kuhle indaba kumbe ungelalwazi olugcweleyo ngayo. Kodwa kungelani lokuthi indaba uyazi kuhle loba hatshi, kumele uthandaze kuJehova futhi uzimisele ukuhlala uqotho kuye. Ukwenza njalo kuzakunceda ukuthi ‘ungathukutheleli uJehova.’—Bala iZaga 19:3.

9. Yiziphi izibonelo esizaxoxa ngazo esihlokweni lesi lakwesilandelayo?

⁹ Ake sixoxe ngezibonelo ezintathu zabantu abathile okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhilini abake baphathwa kubi. Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngoJosefa umzukulu ka-Abhrahama owaphathwa kubi ngabafowabo. Kwesilandelayo sizaxoxa ngendlela uJehova aphatha ngayo iNkosi u-Ahabi kanye lalokho okwenziwa ngumphostoli uPhetro ngesikhathi ese-Antiyokhi. Ekuxoxeni kwethu ngezibonelo lezi zama ukunanzelela izifundo ezingakunceda ukuthi uqhubeke ulobuhlobo obuhle loJehova njalo ukhuthele ekukhonzeni ikakhulu nxa ukholwa ukuthi kulokuthile okungakuphathanga kuhle ebandleni.

10, 11. (a) Chaza ukuthi uJosefa waphathwa njani. (b) Yiliphi ithuba alitholayo ngesikhathi esejele?

¹⁰ UJosefa wayeyinceku kaJehova ethembekileyo futhi waphathwa kabuhlungu ngabantu. Kodwa okwamzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu yikuphathwa kubi ngabafowabo ayezalwa labo. Wathi eleminyaka engu-17 abafowabo bamthumba basebemthengisa. Ababemthengile bamthatha bahamba laye eGibhithe ukuthi ayekuba yisigqili khonale. (Gen. 37:23-28; 42:21) Ngokuya kwesikhathi ekhonale eGibhithe waqanjelwa amanga kwathiwa ubefuna ukubamba iganyavu wasevalelwa ejele engazange athonisiswe. (Gen. 39:17-20) Kwaphela iminyaka engaba ngu-13 uJosefa ephethwe kubi eGibhithe. Manje yiziphi izifundo ongazithola kulokho okwenzakala kuJosefa ezingakunceda nxa othile ebandleni angakuphatha kubi?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi uJosefa esejele, umphathinkezo wenkosi laye wabotshwa wafakwa ejele. Ngelinye ilanga umphathinkezo lo waphupha iphupho elithile futhi uJehova wancedisa uJosefa ukuthi alichasise. UJosefa waveza ukuthi iphupho lelo lalisitsho ukuthi umphathinkezo wayezaphuma ejele abuyiselwe esikhundleni ayekuso esigodlweni sikaFaro. Ngemva kwalokho uJosefa wasebenzisa lelothuba ukuthi achazele leyondoda ngobunzima ayephakathi kwabo. Manje thina singafundani kulokho okwatshiwo nguJosefa lakulokho angazange akutsho?—Gen. 40:5-13.

12, 13. (a) UJosefa wayesizwa njani ngalokho abantu ababemenze khona? (b) Kuyini uJosefa angazange akutsho lapho exoxa lomphathinkezo?

¹² Bala uGenesisi 40:14, 15. Unanzelele yini ukuthi uJosefa wathini ngesikhathi ekhuluma lomphathinkezo? Wathi: “Ngasuswa ngamandla elizweni lamaHebheru.” Ibala lesiHebheru elisetshenziswe evesini le lingatsho lokuthi “ngantshontshwa.” Kuyakhanya sibili ukuthi uJosefa waphathwa  ngendlela ebuhlungu kakhulu. Waphinda wachaza lokuthi kenzanga lutho olufanele ukuthi afakwe entolongweni. Ngakho wacela ukuthi umphathinkezo amkhulumele kuFaro ukuze akhutshwe entolongweni.

¹³ UJosefa wayesizwa njani ngalokho abantu ababemenze khona? Wayebuzwa sibili ubuhlungu ngoba wayephathwa kubi kungelalutho alwenzileyo. Yikho wachazela umphathinkezo indaba yakhe elethemba lokuthi indoda le ingenelisa ukumnceda. Kodwa nxa sifunda indaba kaJosefa siyabona ukuthi kazange atshele loba ngubani ukuthi abafowabo yibo abamthengisayo. Ngitsho laye uFaro ngokwakhe kazange amtshele. Lokhu akwenzayo uJosefa kuhle kakhulu. Abafowabo bathi befika eGibhithe uFaro wabemukela kuhle wabatshela lokuthi bazohlala eGibhithe bakholise “amanono elizwe.”—Gen. 45:16-20.

14. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi singakhulumi kubi ngabanye ebandleni lanxa bengabe besiphathe kubi?

¹⁴ Lanxa umKhristu engabe ephathwe kubi ebandleni, akumelanga ahambe efafaza leyondaba kwabanye. Kodwa nxa kuyikuthi kulomunye ebandleni owenze isono esikhulu kuqakathekile ukuyabikela abadala ukuze bamncede lowomuntu. (Levi. 5:1) Lanxa kunjalo, izindaba ezingelani lesono esikhulu zingalungiswa kungazange kubikelwe omunye umuntu loba abadala. (Bala uMathewu 5:23, 24; 18:15.) Yikho-ke kasizameni ukulungisa izindaba ezinjalo sisebenzisa izimiso eziseBhayibhilini. Kwesinye isikhathi nxa selihlale phansi laxoxisana lalowomuntu ocabanga ukuthi ukuphathe kubi ungathola ukuthi izinto azenzakalanga ngendlela obucabanga ngayo. Kanti njalo ukwazi ukuthi kawuzange ukhulume kubi ngaye kuzakuthokozisa kakhulu. Khumbula ukuthi lanxa ungabe  ungelacala ukunyeya akuyilungisi indaba kodwa kwenza ibe lukhuni. Ngakho ukuba qotho kuJehova lakubazalwane bethu kuzasinceda ukuthi singahambi sibanyeya lanxa bengabe besiphathe kubi. Umhubi wakhuluma ngalowo ohamba ngokungelansolo wathi, ‘Kachothozi ngolimi lwakhe, koneli umakhelwane wakhe futhi kagconi umzalwane wakhe.’—Hubo. 15:2, 3; Jak. 3:5.

15. Ukuba qotho kuJehova kwamnceda njani uJosefa?

¹⁵ Kulesinye isifundo esiqakathekileyo esisithola endabeni kaJosefa. Okweminyaka engu-13 ethwele nzima ngenxa yokuphathwa kubi ngabanye uJosefa waqhubeka ekhangela izinto ngelihlo likaJehova. (Gen. 45:5-8) Kazange amsole uJehova ngezinhlupho ayehlangana lazo njalo kazange avumele ukuthi ukuphathwa kubi ngabanye kumenze abe lenzondo. Kanti njalo kazange avumele ukuthi ukuphambanisa kwabanye kumehlukanise loJehova. UJosefa wamlindela uJehova ukuthi alungise izinto ngesikhathi sakhe futhi ekucineni wambusisa yena lemuli yakhe.

16. Kungani kumele sibambelele kuJehova nxa kulokuthile okungasiphathanga kuhle ebandleni?

¹⁶ Lathi kumele sibuqakathekise ubuhlobo bethu loJehova futhi sibulondoloze. Akumelanga sivumele ukuphathwa kubi ngabanye ebandleni kusehlukanise loNkulunkulu wethu esimthandayo. (Rom. 8:38, 39) Kodwa nxa singaphathwa kubi ngabanye kasizameni ukulingisela uJosefa, sibambelele kuJehova futhi sicabange ngokuthi yena uyibona njani leyondaba. Nxa singenza konke iMibhalo esitshela khona kuyabe sekumele silindele uJehova njalo sithembe ukuthi uzayilungisa leyondaba ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo langendlela yakhe eqondileyo.

17. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthemba “uMahluleli womhlaba wonke”?

¹⁷ Ingqe nje sisaphila emhlabeni lo izinto ngeke zitshelele zikhathi zonke ebandleni. Singaphathwa kubi kumbe sibone omunye ephathwa kubi. Nxa kungaba njalo akumelanga simtshiye uJehova kodwa kumele sithembe ukuthi uzalungisa izinto ngesikhathi sakhe. (Hubo. 119:165) Kufanele sikhumbule lokuthi kwezinye izikhathi singabe singayizwisisanga kuhle indaba futhi umbono wethu ungabe unxele ngenxa yokuthi singabantu abalesono. Sibonile lokuthi akumelanga sikhulume kubi ngabanye abantu ngoba ukwenza njalo akuyilungisi indaba. Sifunde lokuthi akumelanga silungise izindaba ngendlela esicabanga ngayo kodwa kufanele sizimisele ukuhlala siqotho kuJehova njalo silindele ukuthi yena alungise izinto ngesikhathi sakhe. Singenza njalo sizahlala sithokoza futhi uJehova uzasibusisa. Kasingalibali loba nini ukuthi “uMahluleli womhlaba wonke” uzahlala esenza okufaneleyo ngoba “zonke izindlela zakhe zilungile.”—Gen. 18:25; Dute. 32:4.

18. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁸ Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngo-Ahabi lomphostoli uPhetro. Izibonelo lezi zizasisiza sibone ukuthi ukuthobeka lokuthethelela abanye kusinceda njani ukuthi silingisele ukulunga kukaJehova.