Phumelela Ekuphepheni Umgibe Wokubawa
“Abo banga bangaba zizityebi, beyela ekuhendweni, [“nasemigibeni,” NW].”—1 TIMOTI 6:9.
1. Kutheni sifanele siyilumkele imigibe?
IGAMA elithi ‘umgibe’ lisenokukwenza ucinge ngomzingeli obeka isigu sokuthiyela ixhoba elingaphaphanga. Noko ke, uThixo usichazele ngokucacileyo ukuba eyona migibe iyingozi, ayizozigu zokoqobo, kodwa yinto enokusibambisa ngokomoya okanye ngokokuziphatha. UMtyholi unobuchule bokugcayisela.—2 Korinte 2:11; 2 Timoti 2:24-26.
2. (a) UYehova usinceda njani ukuze siphephe imigibe eyingozi? (b) Luluphi uhlobo lomgibe ekunikelwa ingqalelo ngokukhethekileyo kulo ngoku?
2 UYehova uyasinceda ngokusazisa ngeminye yemigibe kaSathana emininzi neyahlukahlukeneyo. Ngokomzekelo, uThixo usilumkisa ngelithi imilebe, okanye imilomo yethu, inokuba ngumgibe ukuba sithetha ngokungenabulumko, ngobungxamo, okanye ngento ebekungafanelekanga sithethe ngayo. (IMizekeliso 18:7; 20:25) Ikratshi linokuba ngumgibe, kukwangumgibe nokunxulumana nabantu abanomsindo. (IMizekeliso 22:24, 25; 29:25) Kodwa makhe sinikele ingqalelo kwenye into engumgibe: “Abo banga bangaba zizityebi, beyela ekuhendweni, [“nasemigibeni,” NW], nasezinkanukweni ezininzi ezibubudenge ezenzakalisayo; zona zibatshonisayo abantu ekonakaleni.” (1 Timoti 6:9) Oko kubangela loo mgibe kunokushwankathelwa ngegama elithi “ukubawa.” Nangona ngokufuthi ukubawa kubonakala ngokuzimisela ekubeni ube sisityebi, eneneni ukubawa kungumgibe ngeendlela ezininzi.
UYehova Uyasilumkisa Ngengozi
3, 4. Imbali yabantu yamandulo iqulethe siphi isifundo ngokubawa?
3 Ngokusisiseko, ukubawa kukunqwenela ngokungekho ngqiqweni okanye ngokugqithiseleyo ukuba nezinto ezingakumbi, enoba yimali, izinto eziphathekayo, igunya, isini, okanye ezinye izinto. Asingabokuqala ukuba sengozini kumgibe wokubawa. Emva phayaa kumyezo wase-Eden, ukubawa kwabambisa uEva kwaza kwalandela ngoAdam. Iqabane likaEva elalinamava ngakumbi ebomini kunaye, lalifundiswe ngokobuqu nguYehova. UThixo wayebanike ikhaya eliyiparadisi. Babenokunandipha intabalala yokutya okulungileyo nokuziintlobo ngeentlobo, okuveliswe kumhlaba ongangcoliswanga. Babenokulindela ukuzala abantwana abafezekileyo, ababeya kuhlala nabo baze bakhonze kunye nabo uThixo ngokungenasiphelo. (Genesis 1:27-31; 2:15) Ngaba oko kwakungayi kubonakala kwanele ukukholisa nawuphi na umntu?
4 Ukanti, xa ubani enezinto ezaneleyo oko akwenzi ukuba ukubawa kungabi ngomgibe. UEva wabanjiswa kukuba nethemba lokufana noThixo, kukuba nenkululeko engakumbi nokuzibekela imilinganiselo yakhe. Kubonakala ukuba uAdam wayefuna ukuba nobudlelane obungapheliyo neqabane lakhe elihle, kungakhathaliseki ukuba oko kwakuya kuba nawuphi na umphumo. Ekubeni naba bantu bafezekileyo babanjiswa kukubawa, unokusiqonda isizathu sokuba ukubawa kunokuba yingozi kuthi.
5. Kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba siphephe umgibe wokubawa?
5 Simele sizilinde ngasekubaweni kuba umpostile uPawulos uyasilumkisa: “Anazi na, ukuba abangemalungisa abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo? Musani ukulahlekiswa; abenza umbulo, nabakhonzi bezithixo, nabakrexezi, nezifebe, namadoda alalanayo, namasela, namabawa, . . . abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” (1 Korinte 6:9, 10) Kwakhona uPawulos wasixelela oku: “Ke umbulo, nako konke ukungcola, nokubawa, makungakhe kukhankanywe phakathi kwenu.” (Efese 5:3) Ngoko ukubawa akufanele kube yinto ephambili kwincoko yethu ngenjongo yokwanelisa inyama yethu engafezekanga.
6, 7. (a) Yiyiphi imizekelo eseBhayibhileni ebonisa indlela ekunokuba namandla ngayo ukubawa? (b) Kutheni loo mizekelo ifanele ibe sisilumkiso kuthi?
6 UYehova wabangela ukuba kubhalwe imizekelo ukuze asilumkise ngengozi yokubawa. Khumbula ukubawa okwabonakaliswa nguAkan. UThixo wathi iYeriko yayifanele itshatyalaliswe, kodwa igolide, isilivere, ubhedu, kunye nesinyithi zazifanele zigcinelwe Yena. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuqaleni uAkan wayezimisele ukuwuthobela loo myalelo, kodwa wabanjiswa kukubawa. Wathi akufika eYeriko, kwaba ngathi ukukhenketho lokuthenga apho wayebona khona izisulu ezingathethekiyo, kuquka nengubo entle eyayibonakala ilungele kanye yena. Ngoxa wayethabatha igolide nesilivere exabisa amawaka eerandi, kunokwenzeka ukuba wayesithi, ‘Elinjani lona ithamsanqa! Oku kufana nokuba.’ Kwakunjalo kanye! Ngokubawela oko kwakufanele kutshatyalaliswe okanye kudluliswe, weba izinto zikaThixo, yaye oko kwabangela ukuba uAkan aphulukane nobomi bakhe. (Yoshuwa 6:17-19; 7:20-26) Kwakhona, phawula umzekelo kaGehazi noYuda Skariyoti.—2 Kumkani 5:8-27; Yohane 6:64; 12:2-6.
7 Asifanele sisibethe ngoyaba isibakala sokuba aba bathathu bakhankanywe ngasentla yayingengobahedeni ababengayazi imilinganiselo kaYehova. Kunoko, babezahlulele kuThixo. Bonke babeyibonile imimangaliso engeyayibethelele kubo amandla kaThixo nokubaluleka kokuba nenkoliseko yakhe. Sekunjalo, babanjiswa ngumgibe wokubawa. Nathi sinokulonakalisa ulwalamano lwethu noThixo ukuba sivumela ukubawa kusibambise nangayiphi na indlela. Ziziphi iintlobo okanye iindlela zokubawa ezinokuba yingozi ngokukhethekileyo kuthi?
Ukubanjiswa Ngumgibe Wokuba Nobutyebi Okanye Izinto Eziphathekayo
8. IBhayibhile inikela siphi isilumkiso ngobutyebi?
8 Inkoliso yamaKristu iye yaziva izilumkiso ezicacileyo eziphuma eBhayibhileni ezinxamnye nokuthanda ubutyebi, okanye ukuzama ukuba sisityebi. Kutheni ungazihlolisisi ezinye zazo, njengoko zifumaneka kuMateyu 6:24-33; Luka 12:13-21; nakweyoku-1 kuTimoti 6:9, 10? Ngoxa usenokuvakalelwa kukuba uyasamkela yaye uyasithobela eso siluleko, ngaba bekungenakwenzeka ukuba uAkan, uGehazi, noYuda bathi bayavumelana naso? Licacile elokuba, simele senze okungakumbi kunokuvumelana naso nje kuphela ngengqondo. Sifanele silumke ukuze umgibe wokubawela ubutyebi okanye izinto eziphathekayo ungabuchaphazeli ubomi bethu bemihla ngemihla.
9. Kutheni sifanele sihlolisise isimo sethu sengqondo ngokuthenga izinto?
9 Kubomi bemihla ngemihla, maxa wambi kuye kufuneke sithenge—ukutya, impahla yokunxiba, kunye nezinto zasendlwini. (Genesis 42:1-3; 2 Kumkani 12:11, 12; IMizekeliso 31:14, 16; Luka 9:13; 17:28; 22:36) Kodwa ezorhwebo zikhuthaza umnqweno wokufumana izinto ezingakumbi kunye nezona zinto zintsha. Izibhengezo ezininzi ezikumaphephandaba, amaphephancwadi nakumabonwakude, zizinto ezifihlakeleyo ezikhuthaza ukubawa. Izinto ezinjalo ezinomtsalane zisenokubakho nasezivenkileni ezineeblawuzi, iibhatyi, iilokhwe neejezi, izihlangu ezitsha, izinto ze-elektroniki, kunye neekhamera. Kuyinto efanelekileyo ngamaKristu ukuzibuza, ‘Ngaba ukuthenga izinto kuye kwaba yeyona nto ndiyithandayo nephambili ebomini bam?’ ‘Ngaba ngokwenene ziyimfuneko kum izinto ezintsha endizibonayo, okanye ngaba ezorhwebo zityala imbewu yokubawa kum?’—1 Yohane 2:16.
10. Nguwuphi umgibe wokubawa oyingozi ngokukhethekileyo emadodeni?
10 Ukuba ukuthenga izinto kungumgibe oqhelekileyo kumabhinqa, kumadoda amaninzi ukufumana imali engakumbi kungumgibe. UYesu wawuzekelisa lo mgibe ngendoda esisityebi eyayifumana ingeniso entle kodwa yayizimisele ‘ukuwisa oovimba bayo yakhe abangaphezulu kwabo ukuze izihlanganisele khona zonke izilimo zayo nezinto zayo ezilungileyo.’ UYesu akazange ashiye mathandabuzo ngengozi yokwenza oko: “Lumkani, nizilinde ngasekubaweni.” (Luka 12:15-21) Enoba sizizityebi okanye asizizo, sifanele sisithobele eso siluleko.
11. UmKristu usenokubanjiswa njani kukubawela imali engakumbi?
11 Ukubawela imali engakumbi, okanye izinto ezinokuthengwa ngemali, ngokufuthi kuqalisa ngendlela efihlakeleyo. Kusenokuvela indlela yokuba sisityebi ngokukhawuleza—mhlawumbi ithuba lokufumana imali eninzi ngeendlela eziyingozi zotyalo-mali. Okanye ubani usenokuhendelwa ekubeni afumane imali ngoshishino oluthandabuzekayo okanye olungekho mthethweni. Olu hlobo lokubawa lusenokuba namandla kakhulu, lusenokubambisa. (INdumiso 62:10; IMizekeliso 11:1; 20:10) Bambi kwibandla lamaKristu baye baqalisa ishishini benethemba lokuba abazalwana babo ababathembileyo baya kuba ngabona bathenga kakhulu. Ukuba injongo yabo ibingekuko ukunikela izinto eziyimfuneko okanye inkonzo eyimfuneko ‘ngokubulaleka besebenza okulungileyo ngezandla zabo,’ kodwa besenza imali ngokuxhaphaza amanye amaKristu, ngoko benza izinto ngendlela ebonakalisa ukubawa. (Efese 4:28; IMizekeliso 20:21; 31:17-19, 24; 2 Tesalonika 3:8-12) Ukubawela ukufumana imali kuye kwakhokelela abathile ekungcakazeni ngokubheja, ukudlala amahashe, okanye ngokudlala ilottery. Abanye, bengabonakalisi luvelwano nangqiqo, ngokungxama baye baqalisa ukumangalelana emthethweni benethemba lokufumana okanye ukuhlawulwa imali eninzi.
12. Kutheni sisazi ukuba ukubawela ubutyebi kusenokoyiswa?
12 Ezi zinto zikhankanywe ngasentla zizinto ekufanelekileyo ukuba sizihlolisise ngokobuqu kuzo ukuze sibone ngokunyanisekileyo enoba asingenwanga kukubawa kusini na. Kwanokuba kunjalo, sinokuguquka. Khumbula ukuba uZakeyu waguquka. (Luka 19:1-10) Ukuba nabani na ufumanisa ukubawela ubutyebi okanye izinto eziphathekayo kuyingxaki, ufanele azimisele njengoZakeyu ukuze asinde kuloo mgibe.—Yeremiya 17:9.
Ukubawa Kwezinye Iinkalo Zobomi
13. INdumiso 10:18 isixelela ngawuphi omnye umgibe wokubawa?
13 Bambi bakufumanisa kulula ukubona ingozi yokubawa ngokuphathelele imali okanye izinto eziphathekayo kunezinye iindlela okubonakala ngazo. Esinye isichazi-magama sesiGrike sithi amagama aguqulelwa ngokuthi “ukubawa” okanye “ukunyoluka” anengcamango “‘yokufuna okungakumbi,’ ngokuphathelele igunya njl. njl. kunye nezinto.” Ewe, sinokubanjiswa ngokuthi ngokubawa sifune ukuba negunya kwabanye, mhlawumbi kukufuna bagubhe xa bephantsi kwegunya lethu.—INdumiso 10:18.
14. Ukunqwenela igunya bekuyingozi kweziphi iinkalo?
14 Ukususela kwimihla yamandulo abantu abangafezekanga bebekunandipha ukuba negunya phezu kwabanye. UThixo wabona kusengaphambili ukuba umphumo obuhlungu wesono sabantu uya kwenza ukuba amadoda amaninzi ‘abalawule’ abafazi bawo. (Genesis 3:16) Noko ke, le ntsilelo iye yaphumela ngaphaya kweqhina lomtshato. Kwiminyaka engamawaka kamva, umbhali weBhayibhile waphawula ukuba ‘umntu ugunyazela umntu kube kubi kuye.’ (INtshumayeli 8:9) Ngokuqinisekileyo ufanele ukuba uyayazi indlela oko okuye kwayinyaniso ngayo kwimicimbi yezobupolitika neyezomkhosi, kodwa ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba nathi kwindawo esikuyo, sizabalazela ukufumana igunya lobuqu elingakumbi?
15, 16. Kukweziphi iinkalo asenokubanjiswa kuzo umKristu ngumnqweno wokufuna igunya elingakumbi? (Filipi 2:3)
15 Sonke sinxulumana nabanye abantu—kwiintsapho zethu ezisondeleyo okanye izalamane, emsebenzini wethu wempangelo okanye esikolweni, phakathi kwabahlobo, nasebandleni. Ngamaxesha athile, okanye ngokufuthi, sisenokwenza izigqibo ngoko kuya kwenziwa, nendlela okanye ixesha okuya kwenziwa ngalo. Akukho nto iphosakeleyo okanye embi kuloo nto. Noko ke, ngaba ngokugqithiseleyo siyakunandipha ukusebenzisa naliphi na igunya esisenokuba sinalo? Ngaba sisoloko sifuna ukwenza izigqibo zokugqibela size ngokungakumbi sifune ukwenza nezinye? Abaphathi okanye abaqeshi behlabathi ngokufuthi babonakalisa esi simo sengqondo ngokufuna kuphela abantu abavumelana nabo, abangavakalisi zimvo zokungavumelani nabo nabangawuceli-mngeni umoya wehlabathi wabo baphetheyo wokufuna (wokubawela) igunya.
16 Lo ngumgibe ofanele uphetshwe xa kuqhutywana namanye amaKristu. UYesu wathi: “Niyazi ukuba abaphathi beentlanga bayazigagamela, nabo bazizikhulu benza ngegunya kuzo. Ze kungabi njalo ke phakathi kwenu nina; osukuba enga angaba mkhulu phakathi kwenu, makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu.” (Mateyu 20:25, 26) Ukuthobeka okunjalo kufanele kubonakale xa abadala abangamaKristu beqhubana nabanye abadala, nezicaka zolungiselelo, kunye nomhlambi. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba umnqweno wokuba negunya usenokubonakaliswa ngumveleli owongamelayo othetha nabanye abadala kuphela ngemicimbi engephi kodwa azenzele ngokwakhe zonke izigqibo ezibalulekileyo? Ngaba ngokwenene ukulungele ukwabela abanye imisebenzi? Kusenokubakho iingxaki ukuba isicaka solungiselelo esiqhuba intlanganiso yasentsimini besinyanzelisa ngokungekho ngqiqweni kumalungiselelo aso, side sibeke nemithetho.—1 Korinte 4:21; 9:18; 2 Korinte 10:8; 13:10; 1 Tesalonika 2:6, 7.
17. Kutheni kufanelekile ukuqwalasela ukutya xa sixubusha ngomgibe wokubawa?
17 Ukutya yenye inkalo abaninzi ababanjiswa kuyo kukubawa. Kambe ke, kungokwemvelo ukunandipha ukutya nesiselo; iBhayibhile iyakwamkela oko. (INtshumayeli 5:18) Ukanti, akuyonto ingaqhelekanga ukuba ukubawela ezi zinto kuye kukhula njengoko ixesha lihamba, kude kudlulele ngaphaya kokuthanda nje ukutya okumnandi nokwaneleyo. Ukuba le ibingeyiyo inkalo abafanele bayixhalabele abakhonzi bakaThixo, kutheni iLizwi likaYehova lisithi kwiMizekeliso 23:20: “Musa ukuba phakathi kwamasela-wayini, naphakathi kwamadla-kudla”? Kodwa, siwuphepha njani lo mgibe?
18. Sisenokuzihlolisisa njani ngokobuqu ngokuphathelele ukudla nesiselo?
18 UThixo akathi abantu bakhe bafanele bathobele umthetho ongqongqo olawula indlela abadla ngayo. (INtshumayeli 2:24, 25) Kwaye akakwamkeli nokuba senze ukudla nesiselo ezona zinto ziphambili esincokola ngazo nesizicebayo. Sinokuzibuza oku, ‘Ngaba ndiba nehlombe kakhulu xa ndithetha ngesidlo endiye ndasifumana okanye endiceba ukusifumana?’ ‘Ngaba ndisoloko ndithetha ngokudla nangesiselo?’ Enye indlela esinokubonakala ngayo kusenokuba kwindlela esisabela ngayo xa sisidla isidlo esingasilungiselelanga okanye esingasihlawulelanga, mhlawumbi xa siziindwendwe kwelinye ikhaya okanye xa kukho ukutya kwindibano yamaKristu. Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba ngoko sitya ngaphezu kwendlela esiqhele ukutya ngayo? Siyakhumbula ukuba uEsawu ngokungeyomfuneko wavumela ukutya kwaba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo, nto leyo eyamzisela intlekele eyahlala ihleli.—Hebhere 12:16.
19. Ukubawa kunokuba yingozi njani ngokuphathelele ukuziyolisa ngokwesini?
19 UPawulos usilumkisa ngomnye umgibe: “Ke umbulo, nako konke ukungcola, nokubawa, makungakhe kukhankanywe phakathi kwenu, njengoko kubafaneleyo abangcwele.” (Efese 4:17-19; 5:3) Eneneni, sisenokubawela ukuziyolisa ngokwesini. Kambe ke, oku kuzonwabisa kufumaneka ngokufanelekileyo kwiqhina lomtshato. Uthando olunzulu olunxulumene nolu hlobo lokuziyolisa lufak’ isandla ekuncedeni indoda nomfazi bahlale bezinikele omnye komnye kangangeminyaka emininzi betshatile. Noko ke, bambalwa abantu abaya kukhanyela ukuba ihlabathi lanamhlanje liye lagxininisa kakhulu kwisini, likugqala oku njengokuziphatha okuhle nangona enyanisweni kuyimbonakaliso yokubawa okwakhankanywa nguPawulos. Ngokukodwa loo mbono iphosakeleyo yokuziyolisa ngokwesini yamkelwa ngokulula ngabo bazichanaba ekuziphatheni okubi nakumanyala axhaphakileyo namhlanje kwimifanekiso eshukumayo, kwiivideo, kumaphephancwadi amaninzi nakwiindawo zokuzonwabisa.
20. AmaKristu anokubonakalisa njani ukuba ayilumkele ingozi yokubawa kwimibandela engokwesini?
20 Ingxelo engokona kukaDavide noBhatshebha ibonisa ukuba omnye wabakhonzi bakaThixo unokubanjiswa ngumgibe wokubawela isini. Nangona wayenokuziyolisa emtshatweni wakhe, uDavide wawuvumela wakhula umnqweno wesini esingafanelekanga. Ebona indlela awayenomtsalane ngayo umfazi kaUriya, akazange ayilawule indlela awayecinga ngayo yaye akazange akuphephe ukuziyolisa ngokungafanelekanga kunye naye. (2 Samuweli 11:2-4; Yakobi 1:14, 15) Ngokuqinisekileyo simele siluchase olu hlobo lokubawa. Kwanakwiqhina lomtshato kufanelekile ukukuchasa ukubawa. Oku kuquka ukuchasa ukuba nentlobano zesini ngeendlela ezibaxiweyo. Indoda ezimisele ukuphepha ukubawa kule nkalo ngokunyanisekileyo iya kuba nomdla kwiqabane layo, ukuze nayiphi na indlela yocwangciso-ntsapho abayikhethayo bobabini ingabangeli ukufumana kwayo uyolo kube yeyona nto ibalulekileyo ngaphezu kwempilo yomfazi wayo yangoku neyexesha elizayo.—Filipi 2:4.
Qhubeka Uzimisele Ukukuphepha Ukubawa
21. Kutheni ingxubusho yethu engokubawa ingafanele isidimaze?
21 UYehova akanikeli zilumkiso ngenxa yokuba engasithembi. Uyazi ukuba abakhonzi bakhe abazinikeleyo bafuna ukumkhonza ngokunyaniseka, yaye uqinisekile ukuba uninzi lwabo luya kuqhubeka lusenjenjalo. Ngokuphathelele abantu bakhe xa bebonke, unokuthetha amazwi afana nalawo wawathetha ngoYobhi xa wayethetha noSathana: “Umgqalile na kodwa umkhonzi wam uYobhi: ukuba akukho unjengaye ehlabathini, indoda egqibeleleyo, ethe tye, emoyikayo uThixo, etyekayo ebubini?” (Yobhi 1:8) UBawo wethu wasezulwini, onothando nosithembayo uyasilumkisa ngemigibe eyingozi, njengaleyo inxulumene neentlobo zokubawa, kuba ufuna siqhubeke singenabala yaye sithembekile kuye.
22. Sifanele senze ntoni ukuba isifundo sethu siye sabonisa inkalo esisengozini kuyo ngokobuqu okanye esibuthathaka kuyo?
22 Ngamnye kuthi uye wazuz’ ilifa utyekelo lokubawa, yaye sisenokuba siye sanalo ngakumbi ngenxa yokuphenjelelwa leli hlabathi lingendawo. Kuthekani ukuba ebudeni besifundo sethu ngokubawa—ngokuphathelele ubutyebi, izinto eziphathekayo, igunya, ukudla, okanye ukuziyolisa ngokwesini—uye wabona indawo obuthathaka kuyo? Ngoko sebenzisa eli cebiso likaYesu: “Nokuba ke isandla sakho sithe sakukhubekisa, sinqamle sona; kukulungele kanye ukuba ungene ebomini usisilima, kunokuba uthi unezandla zozibini, umke uye esihogweni.” (Marko 9:43) Yenza naziphi na iinguqulelo eziyimfuneko kwisimo sengqondo okanye kwizinto ozithandayo. Wuphephe umgibe oyingozi wokubawa. Ngaloo ndlela ngoncedo lukaThixo, usenokungena “ebomini.”
Ndifunde Ntoni?
◻ Kutheni sifanele siwulumkele umgibe wokubawa?
◻ Kungaziphi iindlela onokusibambisa ngazo umgibe wokubawela ubutyebi okanye izinto eziphathekayo?
◻ Ukubawa kunokuba yingozi njani kwezinye iinkalo zobomi?
◻ Sifanele sibe nesimo sengqondo esinjani ngabo nabuphi na ubuthathaka esinabo ngokuphathelele ukubawa?