Ngaba AmaKristu—Afanele Awubhiyozele Unyaka Omtsha?

MINYAKA le ngoJanuwari okanye ngoFebruwari, abantu baseAsia bathabatha olona hambo lukhulu lokubuyela emakhayeni abo. Amakhulu ezigidi zabantu zibuyela emakhayeni azo ukuze ziye kubhiyozela uNyaka oMtsha.a

Lo mbhiyozo ngowona ubalulekileyo eAsia. Omnye umbhali waseAmerika uthi “ufana nokubhiyozela uNyaka oMtsha, umhla weSine kuJulayi, umhla wokuBulela neKrismesi ngamininye.” Lo mbhiyozo uqala ngenyanga yokuqala kwikhalenda yamaTshayina okanye phakathi kukaJanuwari 21 noFebruwari 20 ngokweekhalenda zamazwe aseNtshona. Unokuqhutywa iintsuku eziliqela, kude kube ziiveki ezimbini.

Injongo yokubhiyozela uNyaka oMtsha kukuzihlambulula, ukuqukumbela unyaka omdala nokwamkela omtsha. Xa belungiselela lo mbhiyozo, abantu bacoca amakhaya abo baze bazithengele impahla entsha, kuphekwe ukutya okunento yokwenza “nobutyebi,” bahlawule amatyala abo, baze balungise neengxabano. Ngolo suku baphana izipho, banqwenelelane izinto ezintle njengobutyebi, baphane imali ekuthiwa yeyamathamsanqa, edla ngokusongelwa kumaphepha abomvu, batye ukutya okukhethekileyo, badubule iikrikethi, babukele imixhentso okanye bahlale neentsapho nabahlobo babo.

La masiko anentsingiselo enzulu. Incwadi ethi Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts: Festivals of China ithi: “Eyona nto ziyixhalabeleyo iintsapho, abahlobo nezalamane kukufumana ithamsanqa, ukuhlonela izithixo nemimoya nokufumana ubutyebi kunyaka omtsha.” AmaKristu afanele awujonge njani lo mbhiyozo ekubeni uquka izithethe ezininzi nonqulo? Ngaba afanele awenze? Ngaba uwafanele amaKristu?

“Khumbula Umthombo”

Iqhalo elithandwayo laseTshayina lithi: “Xa usela amanzi khumbula umthombo wawo.” Eli qhalo libonisa indlela abantu baseAsia ababahlonela ngayo abazali nookhokho babo. Kungokwemvelo ukuba abantwana babahlonele abazali babo ekubeni bebazala, yaye loo nto iba negalelo kule mibhiyozo.

Elona xesha liyimbalasane kwiintsapho ezininzi zaseAsiya bubusuku obandulela uNyaka Omtsha. Ngobo busuku iintsapho ezininzi zenza isibhadlalala sesidlo. Eso iba sisihlandlo sokudibana kweentsapho kwakhona yaye abantu balapho benza konke okusemandleni ukuze babe khona. Kweso sidlo akubekwa nje kuphela izihlalo zabantu abasaphilayo kodwa kubakho nezabafileyo, ekukholelwa ukuba umoya wabo ubakhona. Enye intyilalwazi ithi kweso sidlo “intsapho inxibelelana nezinyanya.” Kanti yona enye ithi “ekubeni kuye kwaphindwa kwaqiniswa umanyano phakathi kwabaphilayo nabafileyo, izinyanya ziza kuyikhusela intsapho kuwo wonke loo nyaka.” AmaKristu afanele alijonge njani eli siko?

NamaKristu kubalulekile ukuba abathande aze abahlonele abazali. Athobela ulwalathiso oluvela kuThixo oluthi: “Mphulaphule uyihlo okuzeleyo, yaye ungamdeleli unyoko ngenxa nje yokuba emdala.” (IMizekeliso 23:22) Kwakhona athobela umyalelo weBhayibhile othi: “‘Beka uyihlo nonyoko’; wona lowo ngumyalelo wokuqala onesithembiso esithi: ‘Ukuze kulunge kuwe uze uhlale ixesha elide emhlabeni.’” (Efese 6:2, 3) Liyinyaniso elokuba amaKristu okwenene ayafuna ukubathanda nokubahlonela abazali bawo.

Kwakhona, iBhayibhile iyakuncoma ukuhlanganisana kweentsapho ukuze zikhuthazane. (Yobhi 1:4; Luka 15:22-24) Nakuba kunjalo, uYehova uthi: ‘Ungaze.. uvumise. . . okanye uqhakamshelane nabangasekhoyo.’ (Duteronomi 18:10, 11 iBhayibhile YesiXhosa Yowe-1996) Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo azalele ezi zinto? Kaloku iBhayibhile iyichaza ngokucacileyo imeko yabafi. Ithi: “Kuba abaphilayo bayazi ukuba baya kufa; kodwa abafileyo, abazi nto konke konke.” Abantu abafileyo abakwazi ukuba nenxaxheba kwizinto ezenziwa ngabantu abaphilayo, yaye abanakusinceda, bengenako nokusenzakalisa, kuba akukho nto bayaziyo. (INtshumayeli 9:5, 6, 10) UNyana kaThixo, uYesu Kristu wafanisa ukufa nobuthongo obunzulu, yaye abafi baya kuvuswa kuphela eluvukweni oluzayo.—Yohane 5:28, 29; 11:11, 14.

Ukongezelela koko, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba “iziporho” “nemimoya” yabafi, yimimoya engendawo ezenza abantu abafileyo. Le mimoya iyenzela ntoni lento? Ifuna ukulahlekisa abantu ize ibalawule ngenkohlakalo. (2 Tesalonika 2:9, 10) Imiyalelo kaThixo iya sikhusela ukuze singenzakali. Ngoko ke, amaKristu ayawaphepha amasiko anento yokwenza nokunqulwa kwemimoya okanye aza kuwenza akhuselwe yiyo kuba wona athanda uYehova.—Isaya 8:19, 20; 1 Korinte 10:20-22.

Kwakhona, amaKristu afuna ukubeka “uBawo, lowo ebizwa ngaye yonke intsapho ezulwini nasemhlabeni.” (Efese 3:14, 15) Nguwuphi lo Bawo? NguMdali wethu noMniki Bomi, uYehova uThixo. (IZenzo 17:26) Ngoko ke, kufuneka sizibuze lo mbuzo xa sicinga ngamasiko oNyaka oMtsha: Uwajonga njani uYehova la masiko? Ngaba uyawathanda?—1 Yohane 5:3.

Ukunqulwa Koothixo Bentsapho

Ukubhiyozelwa konyaka omtsha kuquka amasiko athandwayo okuhlonelwa koothixo abaninzi bentsapho, njengothixo womnyango, owomhlaba okanye wonqabiseko, uthixo wobutyebi nethamsanqa, kunye nothixo wasekhitshini okanye wesitovu. Khawucinge ngesithethe esithandwayo sokunqulwa kothixo wasekhitshini.b Kukholelwa ukuba kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ngaphambi koNyaka Omtsha, lo thixo uya ezulwini ukuze anikele ingxelo ngentsapho kuMlawuli uJade, oyena thixo ubalaseleyo kubo bonke oothixo baseTshayina. Intsapho imenzela isidlo esikhethekileyo esiquka iilekese nezinye izimuncumuncu, ngethemba lokuba lo thixo wasekhitshini uza kuthetha kakuhle ngayo ezulwini. Iintsapho ziye zothule umfanekiso wakhe oseludongeni ukuze afike ngokukhawuleza ezulwini, zize maxa wambi ziqabe imilebe yakhe ngeelekese, zize loo mfanekiso ziwutshisele phandle. Kubusuku obungaphambi koNyaka Omtsha zixhoma umfanekiso omtsha ngaphezu kwesitovu, ngaloo ndlela zimmema ukuba aphinde abuye kunyaka ozayo.

Nangona kusenokubonakala kungekho nto iphosakeleyo ngamanye ala masiko, amaKristu afanele athobele oko kuthethwa liLizwi likaThixo ngonqulo. Mayela nalo mba uYesu Kristu wathi: “NguYehova uThixo wakho omele umnqule, yaye nguye yedwa omele unikele inkonzo engcwele kuye.” (Mateyu 4:10) Kucacile ke ngoko ukuba uThixo ufuna sinqule yena kuphela. Ngoba? Cinga nje ngesi sibakala: UYehova nguBawo wethu Osezulwini. Ebeya kuvakalelwa njani utata ukuba abantwana bakhe bebenokumshiya baye komnye utata? Ngaba ibingayi kuyenza buhlungu intliziyo yakhe loo nto?

UYesu wayegqala uYise osezulwini ‘njengokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso,’ yaye noYehova waxelela abanquli bakhe ukuba ‘babengamele babe nabanye oothixo ngaphandle kwakhe.’ (Yohane 17:3; Eksodus 20:3) Ngoko ke amaKristu okwenene afuna ukumkholisa uYehova yaye akafuni kumenza buhlungu ngokukhonza abanye oothixo.—1 Korinte 8:4-6.

Iinkolelo Nokusebenzelana Nemimoya

Ukubhiyozelwa kwalo Nyaka oMtsha kukwanxulumene nokuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi. Unyaka ngamnye waseTshayina uthiywa ngesinye sezilwanyana ezili-12 ezisetyenziswa xa kuvunyiswa ngeenkwenkwezi—inamba, ingwe, inkawu, umvundla nezinye. Kuthiwa eso silwanyana siba nempembelelo kubuntu nakwindlela yokuziphatha yabantu abazelwe ngaloo nyaka, okanye senze ukuba izinto ezithile zivume kuloo nyaka. Amanye amasiko enzelwa ukwamkela uNyaka oMtsha aquka ukuhlonela uthixo wobutyebi, enzelwe ukufumana “ithamsanqa.” AmaKristu afanele awajonge njani la masiko?

KwiLizwi lakhe iBhayibhile, uYehova wabakhalimela abo ‘babenqula izulu, abo babekhangela iinkwenkwezi, abo babesithi ekuthwaseni kweenyanga bazise ngezinto eziya kubafikela.’ Kwakhona wakukhalimela ukunqulwa ‘kothixo weThamsanqa’ kunye ‘noweSihlo.’ (Isaya 47:13; 65:11, 12) Kunokuba bathembele kwimpembelelo engabonakaliyo enxulunyaniswa nelemimoya okanye iinkwenkwezi, kuthiwa kubanquli bokwenyaniso: “Kholosa ngoYehova ngayo yonke intliziyo yakho, ungayami ngokwakho ukuqonda. Uze umgqale yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, kwaye uya kuwenza uthi tye umendo wakho.” (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Iinkolelo ziyabacinezela abantu kodwa inyaniso yeBhayibhile iyabakhulula.—Yohane 8:32.

Bonisa Ukuba Uyamthanda UThixo

Ukwazi imvelaphi yamasiko neenkolelo zokubhiyozela uNyaka Omtsha nokwenza isigqibo sokungabi nanxaxheba kuwo zizinto ezimbini ezahlukeneyo. Ukuba uhlala kwindawo apho kulisiko ukubhiyozelwa koNyaka oMtsha okanye ukuba intsapho yakowenu iyawubhiyozela, akunakuba lula ukwenza isigqibo.

Kuyavunywa ukuba kufuna inkalipho nokuzimisela ukuyimela into oyikholelwayo, ingakumbi xa kungelula ukwenjenjalo. Elinye ibhinqa elingumKristu elihlala eAsiya lithi: “Ndandisoyika gqitha kuba wonke umntu wayewubhiyozela uNyaka Omtsha, ndabe mna ndingatheleli.” Lancedwa yintoni? Lithi: “Into eyandenza ndakwazi ukuma ndiqine yindlela endimthanda ngayo uThixo.”—Mateyu 10:32-38.

Ngaba nawe umthanda ngaloo ndlela uYehova? Ufanele umthande, ngenxa yezizathu ezininzi. Ubomi bakho abuveli kwisithixo esithile esingaziwayo, kodwa kuYehova uThixo, ethi iBhayibhile ngaye: “Ukuwe umthombo wobomi; Ngokukhanya okuvela kuwe sinokubona ukukhanya.” (INdumiso 36:9) Asingothixo wethamsanqa okanye wasekitshini, kodwa nguYehova okwenzela izinto nosenza sikwazi ukuphila ubomi obumnandi. (IZenzo 14:17; 17:28) Ngaba uza kumthanda nawe? Qiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kukusikelela kakhulu ukuba uyamthanda.—Marko 10:29, 30.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Ukuqinisekisa Izihlobo Nezalamane Zakho Ukuba Usazithanda

Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba iintsapho nabahlobo bakhathazeke xa elinye ilungu lentsapho liyeka ukubhiyozela uNyaka oMtsha kunye nabo. Basenokuba nomsindo, bakhathazeke okanye bazive bengcatshiwe. Noko ke, kuninzi okunokwenziwa ukuze kugcinwe intsapho yonwabile. Khawuve into ethethwa ngamanye amaKristu ahlala eAsia:

UJiang uthi: “Ndatyelela izalamane zam kuselixesha elide ngaphambi kokufika koNyaka oMtsha, ndaza ndazichazela kakuhle ngesizathu sokuba ndingazi kuba nanxaxheba kumasiko athile. Ndazama ukungazideleli iinkolelo zazo ndaza ndayiphendula ngentlonelo imibuzo yazo ndisebenzisa iBhayibhile. Loo nto yasenza sancokola ngezinto ezifundiswa yiBhayibhile.”

ULi uthi: “Ngaphambi kokufika koNyaka oMtsha, ndathetha nomyeni wam ngentlonelo ndimchazela ukuba ukuze ndonwabe kufuneka ndithobele isazela sam. Kwakhona ndamchazela ukuba andizi kumhlaza xa sityelele intsapho yakowabo ngexesha leholide. Okwandothusayo kukuba ngosuku intsapho yakowabo eyayiza kunqula izinyanya ngalo, wandisa kwindawo eyahlukileyo ukuze ndiye kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu.”

UXie uthi: “Ndayiqinisekisa intsapho yam ukuba ndisayithanda ndaza ndayixelela ukuba iinkolelo zam zaziza kubuphucula ubuntu bam. Emva koko ndazama ngamandla ukubonisa iimpawu zamaKristu ezinjengobulali, imbeko nothando. Ekuhambeni kwexesha baya beluhlonela unqulo lwam. Kamva, nomyeni wam wafunda iBhayibhile waza naye waba ngumKristu.”

UMin uthi: “Ndathetha ngembeko nabazali bam. Kunokuba ndibanqwenelele “ithamsanqa,” ndabaxelela ukuba ndandisoloko ndibathandazela kuYehova, uMdali wethu, ukuba abasikelele aze abakhokelele kuxolo nolonwabo.”

UFuong uthi: “Ndabaxelela abazali bam ukuba kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba ndilinde kude ibe nguNyaka oMtsha ukuze ndibatyelele. Ndandibatyelela rhoqo. Loo nto yabenza bonwaba baza bayeka ukundichasa. Umninawa wam naye waba nomdla wokufunda iBhayibhile.”

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Panorama Stock/age Fotostock