Yintoni Ephosakeleyo Ngokuthanda Imali?

UPAUL noMary babenevenkile enkulu kwindawo yaseAfrika eyayihlwempuzekile.a Ngokusebenza nzima ubusuku nemini, babefumana izityhwentywe zemali. Ekuhambeni kwexesha uMary wayenokuqhayisa ngendlu enkulu entsha eyayizaliswe yifanitshala ekowona mgangatho uphakamileyo. Yena uPaul, wakwazi ukuqhuba umnyobo wenqwelo-mafutha.

Ngenye imini uPaul wafikelwa liqela elichasene norhulumente. Ngetshova lathi: “Sifuna ukuba ishishini lakho linikele ngee-R250 ngenyanga ukuxhasa umbutho wethu.” Bengafuni ukuthabath’ icala kumzabalazo wezopolitiko, ngenkalipho uPaul noMary abazange bavume. Ngenxa yokungathabath’ icala kwabo, bakrokrelwa ukuba babexhaswa ngurhulumente ngemali. Ngenye impela-veki, ngoxa uPaul noMary babeye edolophini, ivenkile yabo yaphangwa, yaye ikhaya labo nenqwelo-mafutha yabo zatshiswa.

Eneneni le yingxelo elusizi, kodwa ngaba sinokufunda okuthile kuyo? Abaninzi abaye basebenza nzima ukuze babe zizityebi basenokuba abazange bathwaxwe yintlekele eyabaphulukanisa nobutyebi babo, kodwa kuthekani ngekamva? Kutheni iBhayibhile isithi “abo banga bangaba zizityebi, beyela ekuhendweni, nasesibatheni, nasezinkanukweni ezininzi ezibubudenge ezenzakalisayo; zona zibatshonisayo abantu ekonakaleni, nasekutshabalaleni”?—1 Timoti 6:9.

Imbono Elungeleleneyo Ngemali

Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, umKristu wokwenyaniso umele anyamekele iintswelo zokwenyama zakhe okanye zamalungu entsapho axhomekeke kuye. Iimeko, ezinjengokungaqeshwa okanye iingxaki zempilo, maxa wambi zisenokubangela oku kube nzima. Kwelinye icala, umKristu othi ngabom akutyeshele ukunyamekela intsapho yakhe “ulukhanyele ukholo, unobubi ngaphezu kongakholwayo.”—1 Timoti 5:8.

Kwezinye iindawo ezisemaphandleni, abantu baziphilisa ngokuzilimela ukutya baze bafuye nempahla. Abanye akukho mfuneko yokuba basebenzise imali, bafumana izinto eziyimfuneko ebomini ngokunanisa ngezinto nangokwenza imisebenzi ethile. Noko ke, eyona ndlela ixhaphakileyo esetyenziswa ngabantu ukunyamekela iintsapho kukufumana uhlobo oluthile lomsebenzi wengqesho ukuze bafumane umvuzo. Basebenzisa imali abayifumeneyo ukuze bathenge ukutya nezinye izinto ezifak’ isandla kwimpilo-ntle yeentsapho zabo. Ukongezelela, imali elondolozwe ngobulumko isenokunikela umlinganiselo wenkuseleko ngamaxesha obunzima okanye entlekele. Ngokomzekelo, isenokusetyenziswa ekuhlawuleni iindleko zonyango okanye ukulungisa izinto ezibalulekileyo kwikhaya likabani. Kungenxa yoko le nto iBhayibhile ngokuchanileyo isithi “imali ingumthunzi” nokuba “ilungele iinto zonke.”—INtshumayeli 7:12; 10:19.

Ngenxa yokuba imali ifeza okuninzi kangaka, kukho ingozi yokuba nembono engachananga ngamandla ayo. UmKristu kufuneka akwazi ukusikelwa kwayo imida xa ithelekiswa nezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo. Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile ithelekisa ixabiso lemali nobulumko bukaThixo, ithi: “Ubulumko bungumthunzi, imali ingumthunzi; ke ukugqithisela kokwazi, kukuba ubulumko buyabasindisa abo banabo.” (INtshumayeli 7:12) Kungayiphi indlela ubulumko bukaThixo obunale ngenelo ngaphezu kwemali?

Isifundo Kumaxesha Adluleyo

Iziganeko ezenzeka eYerusalem ngonyaka wama-66 C.E. zibonisa ingenelo yobulumko bukaThixo ngaphezu kwemali. Emva kokoyisa imikhosi yamaRoma ehlaselayo, kuyabonakala ukuba amaYuda aseYerusalem ayekholelwa kwelokuba amashishini ayeqhuba kakuhle. Enyanisweni, aqalisa ukuvelisa eyawo imali ebhiyozela inkululeko yawo eyayisandul’ ukufumaneka. Iingqekembe zawo zemali zazigximfizwe amabinzana anjengelithi “Ngenxa yenkululeko yaseZiyon” nelithi “IYerusalem Engcwele,” ngesiHebhere. Nyaka ngamnye omtsha, ayesenza iingqekembe zemali ezintsha ezaziphawulwe ngokuthi “unyaka wesibini,” “unyaka wesithathu” nangokuthi “unyaka wesine.” Abembi bezinto zakudala baye bafumana kwaneengqekembe ezimbalwa ezingaqhelekanga ezinombhalo othi “unyaka wesihlanu,” nyaka lowo ohambelana nonyaka wama-70 C.E. Ngaba amaKristu angamaYuda ayijonga imali entsha yamaYuda njengomqondiso wenkululeko ehlala ihleli?

Akunjalo. Ngenxa yokuba ayekhumbula amazwi obulumko eNkosi yawo. UYesu wayekuxele kwangaphambili ukuhlasela kwamaRoma okwenzeka ngowama-66 C.E. Wayenikele icebiso kubalandeli bakhe lokuba xa kusenzeka oko, babefanele ‘baphume bemke eYerusalem.’ (Luka 21:20-22) Imbali inikela ubungqina bokuba amaKristu angamaYuda enza kanye oko. Ngokucacileyo ayekulungele ukulahlekelwa ngumhlaba, zizinto zawo namathuba ezoshishino ngenxa yokushiya iYerusalem. Kwiminyaka emine kamva, imikhosi yamaRoma yabuya yaza yarhangqa eso sixeko.

Ngokutsho kwengqina lokuzibonela, umbhali-mbali uJosephus, “kwakukho intaphane yegolide kweso siXeko.” Sekunjalo izityhwentywe zemali azizange ziyisindise iYerusalem kwindlala, eyathi ngokuthe ngcembe “yaba mbi ngakumbi” yaza “yatshabalalisa imizi neentsapho.” Abanye abemi baginya iingqekembe zegolide baza bazama ukusaba kweso sixeko. Kodwa babulawa ziintshba zabo, ezathi zabakrazula izisu ukuze zifumane imali. UJosephus uthi: “Kwabazizityebi, kwakuyingozi ngokufanayo ukuhlala nokusaba kweso siXeko; kuba ngokuzingxengxezela ngokuthi ayanikezela, amadoda amaninzi ayebulawa ngenxa yemali yawo.”

Kwiinyanga ezingaphantsi kwezintandathu ukususela ekuqaleni kokurhangqwa kwayo, iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa, yaye abemi balapho abangaphezu kwesigidi bafa ngenxa yendlala, yobhubhane wesifo nangenxa yekrele. Ukuthanda imali kwamfamekisa abaninzi, kwabafaka entshabalalweni nasekonakaleni, ngoxa ukusebenzisa amazwi obulumko kwenza ukuba akwazi ukusaba amaKristu angamaYuda.

Eso yayingekuphela kwesiganeko sembali ethe imali yasilela ukubanceda abantu ngexesha lamanqam. Hayi indlela ukuthanda imali ekunokuba yinkosi ekhohlakeleyo ngayo! (Mateyu 6:24) Ngaphezu koko, isenokukuphulukanisa nolonwabo lwangoku.

Ulonwabo Olungenakuthengwa Ngemali

Umnqweno onzulu wokuba sisityebi usenokumfamekisa umntu angaziboni izinto ezininzi ezibangela ulonwabo nezingafuni mali ininzi. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngolwalamano oluvuyisayo lwentsapho, abahlobo bokwenyaniso, izinto ezimangalisayo zendalo, ukutshona kwelanga okubukelekayo, izandi zeendudumo ezivakala kamnandi, isibhakabhaka esineenkwenkwezi, izimbo ezingaqhelekanga zezilwanyana, okanye iintyatyambo nemithi kwihlathi elingonakaliswanga.

Enyanisweni, abanye abantu abazizityebi banexesha elingakumbi lokunandipha ulonwabo olukhankanywe ngasentla, kodwa abaninzi baxakeke gqitha bazama ukulondoloza okanye ukwandisa ubutyebi babo. Kusenokubonakala kumangalisa, kodwa amaxesha amaninzi ulonwabo lucezela kwanakwabo banexesha elikhululekileyo. Oku kuyabamangalisa abaphandi bezi mini. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Money Motive—A Study of an Obsession uThomas Wiseman ubuza oku: “Sinokusicacisa njani isibakala sokuba into enqwenelwa kangaka ngabantu abaninzi, nekholelwa ukuba luhlobo oluthile lozifo-zonke, ize ithi xa ifunyenwe kufuneke ibe nemiphumo eyahlukahlukeneyo esusela kudano ukusa kwintlekele?”

Enye into esenokuphelisa ulonwabo kumntu osisityebi bubunzima bokwazi abona bahlobo bakhe bokwenyaniso. UKumkani uSolomon owayesisityebi waqonda ukuba “ekwandeni kwezinto ezilungileyo bayanda abazidlayo zona.” (INtshumayeli 5:11) Abantu abaninzi abazizityebi baba nenkxalabo yokuzama ukulondoloza okanye ukwandisa ixabiso lobutyebi babo. Ngokufuthi oku kubenza bangalali buthongo bumnandi. IBhayibhile ithi: “Bumnandi ubuthongo bosebenzayo, nokuba incinane, nokuba ininzi into ayidlayo; ke intabalala yesityebi ayisivumeli ukuba silale buthongo.”—INtshumayeli 5:12.

Ukuthanda imali kusenokonakalisa ulwalamano phakathi entsatsheni nakubahlobo ngenxa yokuba kusenokulingela ubani kwizenzo zokunganyaniseki nezolwaphulo-mthetho. Abathandi bemali ngokufuthi babhenela ekungcakazeni. Okubuhlungu kukuba umnqweno wesihlandlo esinye nje ngakumbi sokungcakaza ukhokelela abaninzi ematyaleni. Ugqirha wengqondo waseMzantsi Afrika wathi: “Athi esiza kum, [amakhoboka okungcakaza] ngokuqhelekileyo abe sele engenako ukuncedakala, ephulukene nemisebenzi, amashishini, amakhaya yaye ngokufuthi iintsapho zawo ziba seziwashiyile.” Hayi indlela esinyanise ngayo isilumkiso seBhayibhile esithi: “Indoda enyanisekileyo ineentsikelelo ezininzi; ke yena ongxamayo ukuba sisityebi, akabi msulwa.”—IMizekeliso 28:20.

‘Buzenzela Amaphiko Buphaphazele’

Esinye isizathu esibangela ukuba ukuthanda imali kube yingozi kangaka sikukuba oorhulumente babantu baye bazingqina bengakwazi ukusebenzisana ngokupheleleyo okanye ukuqinisekisa ukuba imali ihlala inexabiso elingaxengaxengiyo kumhlaba wonke; kwaye abakwazanga ukuthintela ukuphela kwemisebenzi, ukudodobala kwezoqoqosho nokuhla kwamaxabiso okuthenga kwezamashishini. Ubuqhinga, ubusela nokunyuka kwamaxabiso ezinto kukwabethelela inyaniso yamazwi aphefumlelweyo athi: “Musa ukuzidinisa ngokufuna ubutyebi; yeka okwakho ukuqonda. Amehlo akho uya kuwasukelisa ubutyebi na, bungekho nje? Kuba bona buzenzela amaphiko, buphaphazela njengexhalanga elisinge ezulwini.”—IMizekeliso 23:4, 5.

Ukunyuka kwamaxabiso ezinto. Ngokuqinisekileyo loo ngxaki ayipheleliswanga kumazwe ahlwempuzekileyo kuphela. Ngaphambilana kule nkulungwane, ukunyuka kwamaxabiso ezinto ngokukhawuleza kwathwaxa namazwe asembindi Yurophu ahambele phambili kwezoshishino. Ngokomzekelo, ngaphambi kweMfazwe Yehlabathi I, imark yaseJamani phantse yayilingana nesheleni yaseBritani, nefranc yaseFransi okanye ilira yaseItali. Iminyaka elishumi kamva, isheleni, ifranc nelira zaziphantse zilingane neemark ezili-1 000 000 000 000. Kunawuphi umphumo ebantwini ukunyuka kwamaxabiso ezinto kwiindawo ezimi kakuhle ngokwemali? Kwincwadi yakhe ethi When Money Dies, uAdam Fergusson uthi, “Ukuba oko kwenzeka kumazwe awoyiswayo awayencedisana neJamani ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1920 yinto esinokunikela ngayo ugwebo, ngoko [ukuwohloka okungokwemali] kuvulela ukubawa, ugonyamelo, ukungonwabi nentiyo, ezalwa ngokubanzi luloyiko, kangangokuba akukho butho labantu elinokusinda lingangxwelerhekanga yaye lingaguqukanga.”

Ngowe-1923, iJamani yaphinda yaliguqula ixabiso lemali yayo ngokucima oonothi abali-12 ukuze iimark ezindala ezili-1 000 000 000 000 ngephanyazo zilingane nemark enye entsha. Le nkqubo yakunqumamisa ukunyuka kwamaxabiso ezinto kodwa yaba neminye imiphumo emibi. UFergusson uthi: “Ukumiselwa okutsha kwemeko ezinzileyo engokwasemalini, kwatshonisa amawaka, izigidi zahluthwa izinto ukuphila kwazo okuxhomekeke kuzo, kwapheliswa amathemba kwabangakumbi abazizigidi, ngokungangqalanga kwabiza ixabiso elikhulu ngakumbi ekwafuneka lonke ihlabathi lilihlawule.” Kuyabonakala ukuba “ixabiso elikhulu” umbhali owayecinga ngalo lalikukuvela kobuNazi nokuqhambuka kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II.

Isibakala sokuba ukuba nemali eninzi ebhankini kungazange kubancede nganto abaninzi mandulo sifanele sibe sisilumkiso esisengqiqweni kula maxesha okungaqiniseki kwezoqoqosho ehlabathini lonke. UNyana kaThixo walumkisa ngelokuba imali yayingayi kunceda nto leyo ngokuqinisekileyo eye yenzeka amaxesha amaninzi. (Luka 16:9) Kodwa okona kusilela kukhulu kwemali nokuya kusasazeka ngokubanzi kuya kufika xa uYehova uThixo egweba eli hlabathi lingendawo. “Abunyusi ubuncwane ngemini yokuphuphuma komsindo; ubulungisa buyahlangula ekufeni.”—IMizekeliso 11:4.

Ngoko ke, hayi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba ngamnye wethu azabalazele ukulondoloza ukuba nokuma okulungileyo naBahlobo bethu bokwenyaniso, uYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu!

Umthombo Wolonwabo Oluhlala Luhleli

UPaul noMary, abakhankanywe ekuqaleni, babengamaNgqina kaYehova. Kangangeminyaka emininzi babenesabelo kumsebenzi wexesha elizeleyo wokushumayela. Noko ke, umnqweno wabo wobutyebi wababangela ukuba bayeke ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla lamaKristu, yaye bayeka ukwabelana nabanye ngokholo lwabo kubulungiseleli basesidlangalaleni. Kodwa ke bavuka ngokomoya. Emva kokuba ephangiwe nekhaya lakhe lonakalisiwe uMary wathi: “Ngoku ndiyayibona indlela ekungekho ngqiqweni ngayo ukuchitha ixesha namandla am onke kwinto enokuphelela eluthuthwini.” Okuvuyisayo kukuba esi sibini safunda isifundo ngaphambi kokuba sishiywe lixesha. Ewe, eyona ngozi inkulu esenokubangelwa kukuthanda imali yileyo yokuhluthwa komntu ulwalamano oluhle noYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu. Ngaphandle kwaba Bahlobo, liliphi ithemba esinokuba nalo lokusinda esiphelweni seli hlabathi lingendawo sisindela kwihlabathi elitsha elithenjisiweyo lobulungisa?—Mateyu 6:19-21, 31-34; 2 Petros 3:13.

Enoba uzigqala usisityebi okanye ulihlwempu, kulumkele ukukhulisa uthando ngemali. Sebenzela ekufumaneni nasekulondolozeni obona butyebi buxabisekileyo—ukuma okuhle noYehova uThixo. Oku ungakwenza ngokunikela ingqalelo ngamaxesha onke kwisimemo esingxamisekileyo esithi: “UMoya nomtshakazi bathi, Yiza. Lowo uvayo makathi, Yiza. Lowo unxaniweyo makeze; lowo uthandayo, makawathabathe amanzi obomi ngesisa.”—ISityhilelo 22:17.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8, 9]

Amacala amabini engqekembe akroliweyo ebudeni bemvukelo yamaYuda aphawulwe ngombhalo othi “unyaka wesibini”

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.