baphinda bayinikezela—kwiminyaka emithathu kanye emva kokuba ingcolisiwe. AmaYuda ayesenza isikhumbuzo sesi siganeko nyaka ngamnye ebudeni beHanukkah, engumsitho wonikezelo.

Akusalwelwa Nqulo Ngoku Sekupolitikwa

Le mvukelo yayisele iyifezile injongo yayo. Isusiwe yonke imiqobo ethintela ukuphila ngobuYuda. Luphinde lwaqala phantsi unqulo nokunikelwa kwamadini etempileni. Kuthe ngco ngaphakathi kuwo, amaHasid awushiya umkhosi kaJudah Maccabee aza abuyela emakhayeni awo. Kodwa ngoku uJudah wayesele eneziny’ iingqondo. Wacinga ukuba xa ndinomkhosi onamandla ngolu hlobo, kutheni ndingasebenzisi kwawona lo ndimisele uburhulumente bamaYuda obuzimeleyo? Kwakungasalwelwa olwa nqulo lwaluvumbulule yonke laa mvukelo ngoku injongo yayisezezobupolitika. Kwasele kusithiwa phambili ke ngomzabalazo.

Eneqikili lokuncediswa xa esilwa nxamnye namalandela kaSeleucus, uJudah Maccabee lo watyikitya isivumelwano neRoma. Nangona wabulawa edabini ngowe-160 B.C.E., abantakwabo baqhuba nedabi. Umntakwabo Judah uJonathan wasebenzisa ubuqili ekwenzeni abalawuli abangamalandela kaSeleucus bavume ukummisela njengombingeleli omkhulu nomlawuli kwaYuda, nangona wayesengaphantsi kwegunya labo. Emva kokuba uJonathan lo eqhathiwe, wabanjwa waza wabulawa ngeyelenqe elalenziwe yiSiriya, umntakwabo uSimeon—owayengowokugqibela kubafana bakwaMaccabee—wazithabathela kuye iintambo. Ukungena kwakhe ezintanjeni uSimeon, wazincothula wazijula kude iingcambu ezazisasele zolawulo lwamalandela kaSeleucus (ngowe-141 B.C.E.). Waphinda ke uSimeon wabopha amaqhina onxibelelwano neRoma, nabalawuli abangamaYuda ke bamamkela njengomlawuli nombingeleli omkhulu. Bamiswa ngolo hlobo ke uburhulumente obuzimeleyo bamaHasmonaean bulawulwa ziiMaccabees.

IiMaccabees zaphinda zalumisela unqulo etempileni ngaphambi kokufika kukaMesiya. (Thelekisa uYohane 1:41, 42; 2:13-17.) Kodwa njengoko izenzo zababingeleli abamkela izithethe zamaGrike zabangela ukuba ububingeleli abathenjwa, kwada kwaba ngakumbi ke kumaHasmonaean. Eneneni, ukulawulwa ngababingeleli abangqondo zizele iipolitiki kunokulawulwa ngukumkani okumnombo othembekileyo kaDavide akuzange kuzise zintsikelelo zokwenene kubantu abangamaYuda.—2 Samuweli 7:16; INdumiso 89:3, 4, 35, 36.

Ngaba Ndimele Ndiboleke Imali Kumzalwana Wam?

USIMON ugulelwa nguntondo yaye ufuna iyeza elithile ngokungxamisekileyo. Kodwa uSimon yimpula kalujaca yaye akanakuba nayo imali yokulithenga. Uza kuthini bethu? Kaloku, kumKristu akhonza naye uMichael izinto azimnta’ kaNgqika ngokwasemalini. Mhlawumbi uMichael uza kumboleka imali. Noko ke, entliziyweni yakhe, uSimon uyazi ukuba limfiliba ithemba lokuba angakwazi ukuyihlawula loo mali.a

Xa uSimon esiya kuye, uMichael uba sengxakini. Uyaqonda ukuba ukufuna ngokwenene ukuncedwa kodwa urhanela ukuba uSimon akayi kukwazi ukuyihlawula le mali kuba kunzima noku kusiwa phantsi kwempumlo entsatsheni yakhe. Uza kwenza ntoni uMichael?

Kumazwe amaninzi, abantu banokulahlekelwa zizinto zabo zokuphila ngokuqhwanyaza kweliso baze bazifumane sebengenamali okanye i-inshorensi yezonyango. Imali-mboleko yebhanki isenokungafumaneki okanye ixhome kakhulu. Xa kuvela ingxaki, ekuphela kwesicombululo esisenokubonakala kukuboleka imali. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuboleka imali, kukho eminye imibandela ebalulekileyo emele iqwalaselwe.

Bala Iindleko

IZibhalo zinikela ukhokelo kubo bobabini, umbolekisi nobolekayo. Ngokuthobela esi siluleko, sinokukuphepha ukungaqondani okuninzi nokwenzakalisana ngokweemvakalelo.

Ngokomzekelo, iBhayibhile isikhumbuza ukuba singawuthabathi lula umbandela wokuboleka imali. Umpostile uPawulos wabongoza amaKristu aseRoma wathi: “Musani ukuba natyala lanto nakubani na, ngaphandle kwelokuthandana; kuba lowo umthandayo umntu olidlelane lakhe uwuzalisekisile umthetho.” (Roma 13:8) Ngokufanelekileyo, ekuphela kwetyala amele abe nalo umKristu kwamanye luthando. Ngoko, sisenokuqala sizibuze, ‘Ngaba kunyanzelekile ukuba ndiyiboleke le mali?’

Ukuba impendulo nguewe, kuya kuba bubulumko ukucinga ngemiphumo yokungena ematyaleni. UYesu Kristu wasibonisa ukuba izigqibo ezibalulekileyo zifuna ukucingisiswa nokucetywa ngobulumko. Wababuza oku abafundi bakhe: “Ngubani na kuni othi efuna ukwakha inqaba angahlali phantsi kuqala aze abale indleko, ukuze abone ukuba unokwaneleyo kusini na kokuyigqiba?” (Luka 14:28) Lo mgaqo uyasebenza xa ucinga ngokuboleka imali kumzalwana. Ukubala iindleko zemali-mboleko kuthetha ukubala indlela nexesha esiya kuyihlawula ngalo.

Lowo ubolekisayo unelungelo lokwazi indlela nexesha eya kuhlawulwa ngalo loo mali. Ngokuhlolisisa izinto ngobulumko, siya kukwazi ukumphendula ngokungqalileyo. Ngaba sizibalile iindleko zokuhlawula le mali ngexesha elifutshane ngokusengqiqweni? Kakade ke, kuya kuba lula ukuxelela umzalwana wethu sithi: “Ndiza kukuhlawula ngokukhawuleza kangangoko kunokwenzeka. Ndiqinisekile ukuba uyandithemba.” Kodwa ngaba asifanele siyisingathe imibandela enjengale ngendlela esengqiqweni ngakumbi? Sifanele sizimisele kwasekuqaleni ukuyihlawula le mali, ekubeni ikoko uYehova akufunayo kuthi. INdumiso 37:21 ithi: “Uyaboleka ongendawo, angabuyisi.”

Ngokubala indlela nexesha esiya kuyihlawula ngayo loo mali-mboleko, sizikhumbuza ngokuzibophelela kwethu okunzulu. Oku kuya kunciphisa amathuba okuzifaka ematyaleni ngokungeyomfuneko. Ukuba sinokukuphepha ukuzifaka ematyaleni, oko kuya kusinceda. IMizekeliso 22:7 ilumkisa ngelithi: “Obolekayo ngumkhonzi endodeni embolekayo.” Nokuba bobabini obolekayo nobolekwayo bangabazalwana bokomoya, imali-mboleko isenokuluchaphazela ulwalamano lwabo, ubuncinane ukusa kumkhamo othile. Ukungaqondani ngenxa yokubolekana imali kude kwaphazamisa noxolo lwamabandla athile.

Sicacise Isizathu Sokufuna Kwakho Imali

Ngokusisiseko umbolekisi unelungelo lokwazi indlela esiya kuyisebenzisa ngayo imali esiyibolekileyo. Ngaphandle kwale mali-mboleko, ngaba kukho imali esiyiboleka kwabanye? Ukuba kunjalo, simele simcacisele, ukuba siya kukwazi ukuyihlawula ngokwethu le mali.

Kubalulekile ukwahlula phakathi kwemali-mboleko yeshishini nomntu ofuna ukuqhawula ingxaki ethile. Umzalwana akanyanzelekanga ngokweZibhalo ukuba abolekise ngemali ukuze kuqhutywe ishishini, kodwa usenokuziva efuna ukunceda omnye umzalwana, ngenxa yeemeko ezingaphephekiyo, uzifumanisa engakwazi ukuhlawulela izinto ezisisiseko ezifana nokutya, impahla okanye unyango olufunekayo. Ukuthetha ngokuphandle nangokunyaniseka kule mibandela kuya kusinceda sithintele ukungaqondani.—Efese 4:25.

Kubhaleni Phantsi

Ukugcina ingxelo ebhaliweyo yesivumelwano kubalulekile ukuba sifuna ukuphepha ukungaqondani kamva. Kulula ukuzilibala iinkcukacha ezithile zesivumelwano ngaphandle kokuba zibhalwe phantsi. Kufuneka siyibhale phantsi imali ebolekiweyo nexesha eza kuhlawulwa ngalo. Kucebiseka ukuba bobabini obolekayo nombolekisi batyikitye isivumelwano yaye ngamnye wabo abe nombhalo wobuqu. IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba unaniselwano ngemali lumele lubhalwe phantsi. Kungekudala nje ngaphambi kokuba amaBhabhiloni atshabalalise iYerusalem, uYehova waxelela uYeremiya ukuba athenge isiqwenga somhlaba kwesinye sezalamane zakhe. Kunokusinceda ukuhlolisisa indlela okwenziwa ngayo oku.

UYeremiya uthi: “Ndayithenga ke intsimi kuHanameli, unyana kabawokazi, eseAnatoti, ndamlinganisela imali leyo, iishekele ezilishumi zesilivere ezineeshekele ezisixhenxe. Ndakubhala ke encwadini, ndayitywina, ndangqinisa amangqina, ndayilinganisela imali ngesikali. Ndayithabatha ke incwadi yentengo, leyo itywiniweyo inomthetho nemimiselo, naleyo ivulekileyo; ndayinikela incwadi yentengo kuBharuki unyana kaNeriya, unyana kaMaseya, emehlweni kaHanameli okabawokazi, nasemehlweni amangqina lawo abhalileyo encwadini yentengo, nasemehlweni amaYuda onke abehleli entendelezweni yentolongo.” (Yeremiya 32:9-12) Nangona lo mzekelo sinawo uphathelele intengo kunemali-mboleko, ubonisa ukubaluleka kokwenza unaniselwano ngemali ngendlela ecacileyo, nengqalileyo.—Bona IMboniselo, kaNovemba 1, 1973, iphepha 503-4.

Ukuba kuphakama iingxaki, amaKristu amele azame ukuzisingatha ngokwesiluleko sikaYesu esikuMateyu 18:15-17. Kodwa omnye umdala nokhe wazama ukunceda kwimibandela enjalo wathi: “Phantse kuzo zonke iimeko, kwakungekho sivumelwano sibhaliweyo. Umphumo woko, macala omabini babengayiqondi kakuhle indlela eyayimele ihlawulwe ngayo imali-mboleko. Ndeyisekile ukuba ukuyibhala phantsi le mibandela kukubonakalisa uthando, kungekhona ukungathembani.”

Xa senze isivumelwano, ngokuqinisekileyo simele sizabalazele ukusifeza isibhambathiso esisenzileyo. UYesu wasibongoza wathi: “Ke ilizwi lenu elithi Ewe malithethe uEwe, uHayi wenu, athethe uHayi; kuba okugqithe koku kuvela kulowo ungendawo.” (Mateyu 5:37) Ukuba kuvela ingxaki esingakhange siyivelele ize isenze singakwazi ukuhlawula imali-mboleko ngexesha elimisiweyo, simele singaphozisi maseko ukucacisela lowo usibolekileyo ngaloo meko. Mhlawumbi uya kusivumela ukuba sihlawule imali leyo ngezavenge ixesha elidana.

Sekunjalo, iimeko ezimbi azisosingxengxezo sokusikhulula kwiimbopheleleko zethu. Umntu owoyika uYehova wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze agcine isibhambathiso asenzileyo. (INdumiso 15:4) Nangona izinto zisenokungahambi ngendlela ebesicinga ngayo, simele sikulungele ukuzincama khon’ ukuze sihlawule amatyala ethu, ekubeni leyo iyimbopheleleko yethu yobuKristu.

Yiba Nobulumko Xa Ubolekisa Ngemali

Kambe ke, asingobolekayo kuphela omele ahlolisise izinto kakuhle. Nomzalwana ekubolekwa kuye imali umele abale iindleko. Siya kuba senza ngobulumko ukuba siqala ngokuzipha ixesha lokuqwalasela iimeko ngononophelo nangokuqonda. IBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba silumke, ithi: “Musa ukuba phakathi kwababambana nomnye ngesandla, phakathi kwabamela into ebolekiweyo.”—IMizekeliso 22:26.

Ngaphambi kokuzibophelela, cinga ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba umzalwana akakwazi kukuhlawula. Ngaba uya kuba sengxakini enzulu yemali? Nangona umzalwana esenokuba neenjongo ezintle, iimeko zinokuguquka okanye kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekubaleni kwakhe uye wenza impazamo. UYakobi 4:14 uyasikhumbuza: “Anikwazi oko ubomi benu buya kuba kuko ngomso. Kuba niyinkungu ebonakala ithuba elincinane ize yandule ke ithi shwaka.”—Thelekisa INtshumayeli 9:11.

Ngokukhethekileyo kwimeko yokubolekisa ngemali ngenjongo yokushishina, kuya kuba bubulumko ukuqwalasela indlela aziwa ngayo lowo ubolekayo. Ngaba waziwa ngokuthembeka nomntu onokuthenjwa, okanye akanabuchule bokusingatha imicimbi yemali? Ngaba unomkhwa wokugqiba ibandla efuna imali kubantu abahlukahlukeneyo? Kububulumko ukukhumbula la mazwi: “Isiyatha sikholwa ngamazwi onke; onobuqili uyakuqonda ukunyathela kwakhe.”—IMizekeliso 14:15.

Maxa wambi, ngenxa yemali-mboleko izinto zisenokungamhambeli kakuhle obolekiweyo. Kusenokusuka nje kube luxanduva kuye, kuze kumnxunguphalise. Ngaba sifuna loo mzalwana abe “ngumkhonzi” wethu? Ngaba imali-mboleko isenokude ichaphazele ulwalamano lwethu, imxakanise okanye ide imenze abe neentloni ukuba akakwazi kuyihlawula?

Ukuba uswele ngokwenene, ngaba asinakucinga ngokumpha kunokuba simboleke, nangona oku kusenokwenziwa kwimali encinane? IZibhalo zisikhuthaza ukuba sibe nemfesane xa sibona umzalwana wethu osweleyo. Umdumisi wavuma esithi: “Ke lona ilungisa liyababala, liphe.” (INdumiso 37:21) Uthando lumele lusishukumisele ekwenzeni konke esinako ukunceda abazalwana bethu abasweleyo.—Yakobi 2:15, 16.

Chul’ Ukunyathela

Ekubeni imali-mboleko inokubangela ingxabano, isenokuba yinto yokugqibela ukucinga ngayo kunokuba siyithabathe lula. Njengoko kuphawuliwe ngaphambilana, obolekayo umele athethe phandle nombolekisi, babhale phantsi indlela nexesha eza kuhlawulwa ngalo loo mali. Yaye xa kunzima ngokwenene, ukupha kusenokuba sesona sicombululo.

UMichael akazange amboleke uSimon imali awayeyifuna. Kunoko, uMichael wampha enganeno kule wayeyifuna. USimon wabulela ngaloo mali yokuhlawulela iyeza lomntwana wakhe. Yena uMichael wayevuyiswa kukuba ekwazile ukubonakalisa uthando lwakhe lobuzalwana. (IMizekeliso 14:21; IZenzo 20:35) Bobabini uMichael noSimon bakhangele phambili kwixesha lolawulo loBukumkani xa uKristu ‘eya kulihlangula ihlwempu elizibikayo,’ yaye akukho mntu uya kuthi, “ndiyafa.” (INdumiso 72:12; Isaya 33:24) De kube ngoko, masichul’ ukunyathela ukuba siziva sinyanzelekile ukuba siboleke imali kumzalwana wethu.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Ukuzibhala phantsi izivumelwano zemali-mboleko yimbonakaliso yothando, kungekhona ukungathembani