Ko e Tauhi-Taimí mo Koe

NAʻE lahi ʻa e ngaahi ʻulungaanga lelei ʻo ha ʻovasia Kalisitiane ʻi ha fakatahaʻanga ʻi ʻAmelika Tonga. Ka ko hono ngaahi kaungāmeʻa ofi tahá naʻa nau ui fakakataʻaki ia ko ʻĀmaketone. Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Naʻa nau pehē: “ʻOku mau ʻilo ʻe haʻu ʻa e tokoua ko ení ka ko e ʻOtua pē ʻokú ne ʻiloʻi ʻa e taimí!”

ʻIo, ko e tauhi-taimí​—pe ko e ʻikai ke tauhi iá​—ʻoku kaunga lahi ia ki he ongoongo ʻo ha taha. Naʻe fakatātaaʻi ia ʻe he Tuʻi poto ko Solomoné ʻo pehē: “Oku fakanamuku e he lago kuo mate ae mea namu lelei ae tagata faitoo: bea oku behe ae vale jii o ha taha oku ogoogoa a ene boto mo ene agatonu.” (Koheleti 10:1, PM) ʻOku maʻu nai ʻe ha Kalisitiane ha ngaahi ʻulungaanga lelei lahi, ka te ne fakameleʻi hono hingoa leleí ʻo kapau ʻe ʻikai te ne tokanga ki he tauhi-taimí.

Naʻe pehē ʻe ha ʻovasia: “ʻOku ou falala ki he kakai tauhi-taimí. Ko e faʻahinga ia ʻoku ou saiʻia lahi ange ke ngāue mo kinautolú.” ʻOku toe fakahoungaʻi foki kinautolu ʻi he malaʻe faka-pisinisí. ʻOku fakahinohino ʻe Emily Post’s Etiquette: “Aʻu ki he ngāué ʻi he taimi totonu; ʻikai ke tōmui ki he ngaahi fakatahá: fai ʻa e ngaahi lipooti ʻi he taimi ʻoku fiemaʻu aí.” ʻOku meimei tatau pē mo e The New Etiquette (1987) ʻa ia ʻokú ne pehē, ʻi he taimi lahi, “ko e kau haʻu tōmuí ko e kau haʻu anga-taʻefakaʻapaʻapa.” Pea ʻoku toki tānaki atu ʻe he kau faʻutohi: “Ko e ngaahi fakataha fakalotú ʻoku taʻe ngali foki ke tōmui ki ai.”

ʻOku tau houngaʻia kitautolu hono kotoa ʻi he tauhi-taimi ʻa e niʻihi kehé. Ko e moʻoni naʻe ongoʻi pehē ʻe he ʻapositolo ko Paulá, he naʻá ne tohi ki he kau Kalisitiane ʻi Kolosé: “ʻOku ou ʻiate kimoutolu ʻi loto, ʻou fiefia pe, mo tokangaʻi ʻa e māu ʻo hoʻomou nofo.” (Kolose 2:5) Pea ʻoku pau pē ʻoku tau maʻu ʻa e fakakaukau tatau mo e Tuʻi ko Tēvitá ʻo fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa Sihová ʻi heʻene tohi ʻi he ngaahi Sāmé: “Oua naa ke fakatuai, E hoku Otua.”​—Sāme 40:​17, PM; 70:5.

“Hoko ko e Kau Faʻifaʻitaki ki he ʻOtua”

Ko hono moʻoní, ʻoku ʻikai ʻaupito pē ke tōmui ʻa Sihova ia. ʻOkú ne makehe atu ʻi he lāuʻilo ki he taimí. ʻOku fakahāhā ʻeni ʻi heʻene ngaahi ngāue fakatupú hono kotoa pē. Mei he ʻuniveesi taʻe ʻi ai hano ngataʻangá ki he ngaahi meʻamoʻui iiki tahá, ʻoku nau ngāue hono kotoa pē ʻo hangē ʻoku puleʻi ʻe ha uasi taʻehāmaí. Ko e fakatātā, ʻoku tuku ange ʻe ha faʻahinga lili tahi ʻoku ofi ki Siapani ʻa honau ngaahi sela fakafanaú ʻo tuʻo taha ʻi he taʻu kotoa ʻi ʻOkatopa ʻo fakafuofua ki he tolu ʻi he taimi efiafí ʻi he ʻaho ʻo e māhina tuʻuefiafí pe māhina hopó. ʻI he faʻahitaʻu matalá ʻoku kamata ke fakafanau ʻa e kiʻi ika ko e grunion ʻi he hoko mai ʻa e taumālie ʻa e tahí ʻi he matafonua ʻo Kalefōniá.

ʻOku toe tauhi-taimi ʻa Sihova ʻi hono fakahoko ʻa ʻene ngaahi talaʻofá. Hangē ko ʻení, ʻoku tau lau ʻia ʻEkisoto 12:41: “Pea ʻi he ʻosi ʻa e taʻu ʻe fangeau ma tolungofulu, ʻi he ʻaho pe ko ia naʻe ʻalu atu mei ʻIsipite ʻa e ngaahi matatau ʻo Sihova.” Ko ia naʻe tauhi ʻe Sihova ʻa ʻene talaʻofa naʻá ne fai kia ʻĒpalahame ʻi he ngaahi senituli ki muʻa atú.​—Sēnesi 15:​13-16; Kalētia 3:17.a

Naʻe fekau mai ʻe Sihova hono ʻAló, ko e Mīsaiá, ki māmani ʻi he taimi totonu pē naʻe ʻosi kikiteʻi ʻe he palōfita ko Tānielá ʻo lahi ange ʻi he senituli ʻe nima ki muʻa, ko ia naʻe “pekia ʻa Kalaisi maʻa e fakaʻotuamate, ʻi he hoko ʻa e kuonga totonu.” (Loma 5:6; Tāniela 9:25) ʻI he fekauʻaki mo e ngataʻanga ʻo e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tuʻu ní, ʻoku fakahā ʻe he Tohitapú ko Sihova ʻokú ne ʻilo “ki he ʻaho ko ia mo hono houa.” (Mātiu 24:36) Heʻikai ʻaupito ke ne tōmui. ʻOku hā mahino, ko e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Sihova ʻi he tauhi-taimí ʻoku taau ke tau faʻifaʻitaki ki ai.​—ʻEfesō 5:1.

“ʻI Hono Taimi Totonu”

Kuo ʻamanekina maʻu ai pē ʻe Sihova mei heʻene kau sevānití ke nau tokanga ki he taimí, pea tautefito ʻi he fekauʻaki mo ʻene lotú. Naʻe muimui ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí ki ha ‘taimi tēpile fakaʻaho’ ʻi heʻenau foaki ʻa e ngaahi feilaulaú. Naʻe fekau ʻe Sihova kiate kinautolu: ‘Te mou tokanga ke ʻomi kiate au ʻeku ngaahi feilaulau . . . ʻi hono taimi totonu.’ Naʻá ne toe ʻoange foki kia Mōsese ʻa e fakahinohino ko ʻeni kau ki he ngaahi fakatahá: ‘Ko e fakataha fakalūkufua kuo pau ke nau tauhi ʻenau taimi kuo aleaʻi.’​—Livitikō 23:37; Nōmipa 10:3; 28:2.

Ki mui mai, naʻe tauhi ʻe he kau Siú ʻa e “taimi ʻo e fai ʻinisenisi.” (Luke 1:10) Ko e “feinga lotu hu ʻoku fai ʻi hono hiva ʻo e houa,” naʻe tauhi ia fakatouʻosi ʻe he kau Siú mo e niʻihi kehé. (Ngāue 3:1; 10:​3, 4, 30) Pea naʻe tohi ʻe Paula ʻo fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi fakataha faka-Kalisitiané: “Pea ko e meʻa kotoa pe ke fai ke tāu mo māu.”​—1 Kolinitō 14:40.

Ko e hā naʻe fiemaʻu ai ʻeni hono kotoa mei he kau ʻIsilelí mo e kau muʻaki Kalisitiané? Ke nau tauhi-taimi ʻi hono fai ʻenau taimi kuo aleaʻí, tautefito ki he fekauʻaki mo ʻenau lotú. ʻOku ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha ʻuhinga ke fakakaukau ai ʻoku toe siʻi ange ʻa e meʻa ʻoku ʻamanekina ʻe Sihova mei heʻene kau sevāniti ʻi he ʻaho ní.

Ko e ʻUhinga ʻOku Faingataʻa Ai ki he Niʻihi

Ko e ngaahi fakakaukau ki he taimí ʻoku kehekehe pē ʻi he feituʻu ʻe taha ʻo e māmaní ki ha feituʻu ʻe taha. ʻOku fakamatala ʻe ha misinale ʻo pehē, ʻi ha kiʻi kolo ʻi ʻAmelika Tonga, ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi ko hono uaifí pē ʻa e toko taha ʻi he kau fanongó ʻoku ʻi ai ʻi he taimi ʻokú ne fakahā atu ʻa e hivá ʻi he kamata ʻo ha fakataha Kalisitiané. Ka ʻi he taimi naʻá ne fakahā atu ai ʻa e hiva tukú, kuo ʻi ai ha kakai ʻe toko 70. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, ʻi ha fonua ʻi he Fakahihifo ʻo ʻIulopé, naʻe fakafuofua ki he kakai ʻe toko taha afe naʻe fai ha fehuʻi kiate kinautolu: “Kapau naʻe fakaafeʻi koe ki ha kai ʻi he 7:00 efiafí, ʻoku totonu ke ke aʻu ki ai ki muʻa ʻaki ha miniti ʻe nima pe hongofulu, pe ko haʻo tōmui ʻaki ha miniti ʻe nima pe hongofulu, pe ko hoʻo aʻu pē he taimi totonú?” Ko e tokolahi taha naʻa nau tali ʻo pehē ko e “anga-ʻaʻapá ʻokú ne fiemaʻu ke te fakahā ʻa e fakaʻapaʻapa ki he tokotaha fakaafé pea aʻu ki ai ʻi he miniti totonu pē.”

Ka neongo ia, ʻoku mahulu atu ʻa e tauhi-taimí ia ʻo ʻikai ko ha meʻa fakafonua pē. Ko ha meʻa ke angaʻaki ʻo hangē pē ko e maʻá, anga-maau, pe anga-fakaʻapaʻapá ko e meʻa ke angaʻaki. Ko e moʻoni, naʻe ʻikai ke fanauʻi kitautolu mo e ngaahi anga peheé; kuo pau ke tau fakatupu kinautolu. Kapau naʻe akoʻi koe ʻi hoʻo kei siʻí ke tauhi-taimi, ko ha monū ia. Ka ʻoku haʻu ʻa e tokolahi mei he ngaahi fāmili mo e ngaahi ʻātakai ʻa ia naʻe siʻi ʻaupito ai ʻa e ngaahi taimi pau ke fai ha meʻa pea naʻe siʻisiʻi hono fiemaʻu ai ʻa e fengāueʻaki mo e niʻihi kehé. Ko e toki hoko pē ko e konga ʻo e fakatahaʻanga Kalisitiané pea kau ki hono ngaahi fakatahá mo e ngāue fakamalangá ʻoku toki hoko ai ʻa e tauhi-taimí ko e meʻa moʻoni kiate kinautolu. ʻE faingataʻa nai kiate kinautolu ke fakatonutonu ʻa hono angaʻaki ʻa e fai tuaí ʻa ia naʻe ako mei heʻenau kei siʻí. Kaekehe, ko e ʻofa ki he ʻOtua ko Sihová mo hoto kaungāʻapí ʻe lava ke ne ueʻi ha taha ke liliu. Ka, ko e hā ke fai ai ha liliú?

Ko e Hā ke Tauhi-Taimi Aí?

Naʻe ʻeke ʻe Benjamin Franklin: “ʻOkú ke ʻofa ʻi he moʻuí? Ko ia ʻoua te ke maumauʻi ʻa e taimí, he ko e meʻa ia ʻoku ngaohi mei ai ʻa e moʻuí.” ʻOku tau fakatokangaʻi kotoa ʻa e moʻoni ʻi he fakamatala ko ʻení. Kaekehe, ʻoku mahuʻinga tatau pē ki he kau Kalisitiané, ke ʻoua ʻe maumauʻi ʻa e taimi ʻo e kakai kehé. ʻOku pehē ʻe ha misinale: “Ko e tokotaha tōmuí, ʻoku ngalingali ʻokú ne lea ʻo pehē ʻi heʻene tōʻongá, ‘Ko hoku taimí ʻoku mahuʻinga ange ia ʻi ho taimí, ko ia ʻe lava ke ke tatali kaeʻoua ke u maau.’” Ko e tokotaha ʻoku ʻikai ke tauhi-taimí ʻoku ʻikai ke ngata pē ʻi heʻene ngalingali taʻemaau mo taʻefalalaʻangá ka ʻoku hā ngali fiemeʻa mo taʻe fakaʻatuʻi. ʻOku fiemaʻu ki he kau Kalisitiane moʻoní ke “ʻoua ʻe feinga ki ha meʻa ko e fakafekākeʻi, pe ko e fieongoongoa; ka ʻi hoʻomou loto taʻehiki mou taki taha lau ʻoku lelei hake ʻa hono kainga ʻiate ia.”​—Filipai 2:3.

ʻOku fakakaukau ʻe he niʻihi ʻoku ʻikai te nau saiʻia ke moʻui fakatatau ki he uasí, ʻo puleʻi ʻe ia ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē te nau faí. Kaekehe, ko e tauhi-taimí ia ʻoku ʻikai ko e puleʻi pē koe ʻe he uasí. Ko ha meʻa ʻokú ne fakahā ʻa e tokanga ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻoku mahuʻinga mo ʻaonga ki he niʻihi kehé, “pea ʻoua naʻa taki taha tokanga ki heʻene meʻa aʻana pe, ka ki he meʻa ʻa e kakai kehe foki.”​—Filipai 2:4.

Ko e fakatātā, fakatokangaʻi ange ʻa e akonaki ʻa e Tohitapú: “Mou fetalitalileleiʻaki, ʻo hangē foki kuo talitali lelei kitautolu ʻe Kalaisi.” (Loma 15:7, NW) Fekauʻaki mo hono fai ʻa e ngaahi fakafeʻiloakí, ʻoku hā mahino ʻoku faingataʻa ange ke fai pehē ʻo kapau ʻoku angaʻaki ʻe ha taha ʻa e tōmui ki he ngaahi fakatahá. ʻI he aʻu kei taimi ki he ngaahi fakatahá, ʻe lava ke ke tokoni ʻo toe lahi ange ki he laumālie ʻofa, fakakaumeʻa mo talitali kakai. Pea ʻoku ʻikai ke ngata pē ʻa e ʻaongá ʻi he founga ko ení. ʻI he aʻu kei taimí ʻoku malava ai ke ke kau ki he hiva mo e lotu kamatá​—ko ha konga mahuʻinga ia ʻo e lotu fāʻūtaha ʻa e fakatahaʻangá. ʻI he fanongo ki he kaveinga ʻoku fakahaá ʻe tokoni ia kiate koe ke toe lelei ange hoʻo muimui ki he polokalamá.

ʻOku tokoniʻi ʻe hoʻo tauhi-taimí ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke fefakakauʻaki ʻenau ngaahi feingá, pea ko hono olá ʻe lahi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻe malavá. ʻI hono ʻohofi ʻa e kolo ko ʻAí, naʻe fekau ʻe Siōsiua ʻa e konga ʻo ʻene kau taú ke nau takiakiʻi ʻa e filí mei he koló kae toitoi ʻa e toenga ʻo ʻene kau tangatá ke nau ʻohofi ʻa e koló. Pea ʻi ha mōmeniti mahuʻinga, naʻe fai ʻe Siōsiua ʻa e fakaʻilonga. Ko ʻene kau tangatá “ʻi heʻene mafao atu hono nima naʻa nau lele ʻo hu ki he kolo,” pea naʻa nau ikunaʻi ʻa e koló. ʻOku malava ke ke fakakaukau atu ki he meʻa naʻe mei hoko ʻo kapau naʻe ʻikai te nau fai ia ʻi he taimi totonú?​—Siōsiua 8:​6-8, 18, 19.

ʻOku lahi ʻa e ngaahi ʻuhinga ki he kau faifekau Kalisitiane ʻo e ʻaho ní ke nau tokanga ai ki he taimí. Ko e kau ki he ngāue fakamalangá mo e niʻihi kehé, ko e ʻahiʻahi ʻo e ngaahi konga ki he ngaahi fakataha lalahí pe fakaefakatahaʻangá, naʻa mo e fufulu ʻa e Kingdom Hall, ko e ngaahi meʻá ni hono kotoa ʻoku fiemaʻu ai kitautolu ke fekauʻaki ʻetau ngaahi ngāué mo e niʻihi kehé. ʻI he tauhi-taimí, ʻe lahi ange ai ʻa e meʻa ʻe malavá. ʻOku moʻoni eni naʻa mo ha meʻa faingofua ʻo hangē ko e lipooti ʻo ʻete ngāue fakamalangá ʻi he ngataʻanga ʻo e māhiná. ʻI he fetokoniʻaki ʻa e tokotaha kotoa pē ʻi hono fai ia ke vavé, pea ʻe lava leva ke fai ʻa e ngaahi lipooti totonu mo fakalototoʻa ʻa e fakatahaʻangá mo māmani lahi.

ʻOku toe kau foki ʻa e tauhi-taimí ke fai ki he ngaahi taimi kuo aleaʻi mo e ngaahi taimi pau ke fai ha meʻa, ʻa ia ʻoku lahi ia ʻi he ʻaho taki taha. Ko ha niʻihi ai ʻoku mahuʻinga, pea ko e niʻihi ʻoku maʻamaʻa pē. Ko e fakatātā, ʻoku totonu ke kamata ʻa hoʻo kātoanga malí ʻi ha taimi kuo ʻosi filiʻi. ʻOkú ke saiʻia nai ke haka hoʻo foʻimoá ʻi ha ngaahi miniti pau. Pe ko e hā pē ha meʻa, ko e tokotaha tauhi-taimí ʻoku ʻikai fiemaʻu ia ke ʻoho teketekelili mei he meʻa ʻe taha ki ha meʻa kehe, ʻo tōmui ki he meʻa kotoa pē. Ka ko e tokotaha anga-mokomoko ia mo fokotuʻutuʻu maau. ʻOku lahi ange ʻa e meʻa ʻokú ne lava ʻo faí koeʻuhi he ʻokú ne palani ʻene ngāue ki he ʻahó peá ne kamata ʻi he taimi totonu pe ko e kiʻi tōmuʻa ange.

Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku lahi ʻa e ngaahi ʻuhinga ʻoku totonu ai ki he kau Kalisitiané ke nau tokanga ki he taimí. Ko e mahuʻinga ʻi he meʻa hono kotoa, ko e taha ia ʻo e founga ke fakahāhā ai ʻetau ʻofa taʻesiokita ki he kaungā-Kalisitiané pea mo ʻetau fakaʻapaʻapa ki he ngaahi fokotuʻutuʻu fakateokalati ki he lotu moʻoní.

Kaekehe, ʻoku anga-fēfē ha fakatupu ʻe ha taha ʻa e angaʻaki ʻo e tauhi-taimí?

‘ʻIlo ʻa e Taimi Kuo Kotofa’

‘Naʻa mo e sitoakí . . . ʻoku ne ʻilo ki hono taimi kuo kotofá’ ke fai fononga aí, pea mo e lō ʻoku “tokonaki pe ia ʻene meʻakai ʻi he faʻahitaʻu mafana” ke mateuteu ki he faʻahitaʻu momokó, ko e lau ia ʻa e Tohitapú. (Selemaia 8:7; Palōvepi 6:8) Ko ia ʻoku ʻi ai ha meʻa ke tokoni ki he tauhi-taimí mo e lava ke fai ha meʻa.

ʻOku pau kiate kitautolu foki ke ‘tau ʻilo hotau taimi kuo kotofá.’ ʻI he ʻikai ke tau fuʻu fefeka pe mahulu atú, ʻoku totonu ke tau tokanga ki he taimí. ʻOku totonu ke tau ʻilo ʻo ʻikai ke ngata pē ʻi he meʻa te tau faí ka ko e taimi foki kuo pau ke tau fai ai iá. ʻOku fiemaʻu ke tau angaʻaki ʻa e tomuʻa fakakaukaú, pea fakakaukau ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻe lava ke tuai ai ʻa e ngāué, pea mo loto ke toloi pe fakanounou ha ngāue ʻoku fai koeʻuhi ko ha meʻa ʻoku toe mahuʻinga ange, ʻo hangē ko ʻetau ngaahi fakatahá, ngāue fakamalangá, mo e ngaahi ngāue fakateokalati kehé.

Fekauʻaki mo e meʻa ko ʻení, ʻoku mātuʻaki fiemaʻu ki ai ʻa e fetokoniʻaki fakafāmilí. Kuo fakatokangaʻi ʻoku faʻa tuku pē ʻe he tamaí ia ki he uaifí ke ne ʻai ʻa e fāmilí ke maau. Peá ne toki hū ki tuʻa tokotaha atu pē ia, mo ne pehē, “Fei mo vave, naʻa mou tōmui!” Naʻe ʻikai ke fai pehē ʻa Sēkope ia; naʻá ne fie tokoni “ʻo ne fakaheka ʻene fanau mo hono ngaahi uaifi ki he fanga kameli” ʻi he taimi ke nau fononga atu aí.​—Sēnesi 31:17.

Ko ia, ʻe anga-fēfē ha tokoni ʻa e tamaí ki hono fāmilí? ʻE lava ke akoʻi ʻa e fānaú ke vaheʻi ha taimi ke teuteu ai ki he ngaahi meʻa mahuʻingá kaeʻoua ʻe tuku ʻa e meʻa hono kotoa pē ki he mōmeniti fakaʻosí. ʻE lava ke tokoniʻi kinautolu ke fakatupu ha ongoʻi ʻo e fiefatongiaʻaki mo fietangataʻaki ʻi hono fai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻi he taimi totonú. Fakatokangaʻi fakafāmili ʻa e ngaahi faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻi he Tohitapú ʻoku fakahā ai ʻa e mahuʻinga ʻo e mateuteu ʻi he taimi totonú. (Sēnesi 19:16; ʻEkisoto 12:11; Luke 17:31) Ngalingali ko e lēsoni lelei taha mo ola lelei tahá ʻoku tokonaki mai ia ʻi he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga totonu ʻa e mātuʻá.

ʻOku lava foki ke tokoni ʻa e kau ʻovasia Kalisitiané ki he fakatahaʻangá ʻaki ʻenau fokotuʻu ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga totonu. Naʻe ʻikai ke fakanofo kinautolu kaeʻoua kuo nau “maau.” (1 Tīmote 3:2) ʻE tauhi-taimi nai ʻa e fanga tokouá mo e fanga tuofāfine kehé ʻo kapau te nau ʻilo ʻe ʻi ai ʻa e kau mātuʻá ke talitali kinautolu pea ke nau fai ʻa e tatakí. Ko ia ʻe feinga ʻa e kau ʻovasia tokangá ke ʻi he Kingdom Hall kei taimi ke tokoni ki he fakatahaʻangá. ʻOku houngaʻia lahi foki mo e kau sevāniti ʻoku haʻu kei taimí ke fakafeʻiloaki ki honau fanga tokouá mo fai foki ha ngāue ʻoku fiemaʻú.

Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku fiemaʻu ʻa e mapuleʻi kitá mo e akonekiná ki he tauhi-taimí. ʻOku ʻikai ke fai peheé ke hoko ʻo hangē ha kautaú, ka ko e fai ʻi he ʻofa ki hotau kaungā-Kalisitiané mo fakaʻapaʻapa ki he maau fakateokalatí. Ko e konga ʻeni ʻo e tangata foʻou ʻa ia ʻoku tau feinga ke ʻaí. (Kolose 3:​10, 12) Sinoemeʻa, ʻoku tau fiemaʻu ke tau hangē ko ʻetau Tamai fakahēvaní ko e ʻOtua ko Sihová, ʻa ia ʻokú ne akoʻi mai kiate kitautolu “ko e meʻa kotoa ʻoku ai hano taimi.”​—Koheleti 3:1.

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]