Ukukhulisa Abantwana Bakho Ukuba Bathande UJehova
“Ndodana yami, uma inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami iyakuthokoza, yebo, eyami.”—IzAga 23:15.
1. Iyiphi injabulo ekhethekile abazali abangaba nayo, futhi yini wena njengomzali okumelwe uyenze ngakho?
YEKA injabulo okuyiyo ukubona abantwana abancane bekhula futhi beba izikhonzi ezivuthiwe zikaNkulunkulu! Kancane kancane bathuthukisa isithakazelo sokwazi izinto, bangenisa ulwazi, bazuza ikhono, bahambisana neqiniso lobuKristu, bathuthukisa ukuvuthwa, bazinikezela ngokwabo kuNkulunkulu futhi babe yizinceku zakhe ezithembekile. Uma ungumzali, ungabasiza kanjani abantwana bakho kulendlela enhle? Ngokusobala lokhu kufuna umzamo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabuza ukuthi abantu ‘bangakholwa kanjani yilowo abangezwanga ngaye,’ nokuthi bangezwa kanjani kungekho oshumayelayo?—Roma 10:14.
2. Singabasiza kanjani abantwana bethu ukuba bazise uJehova uNkulunkulu?
2 Abantwana abancane banemibuzo eminingi. Uvemvane, inyoni, imbali, umucu wotshani, isibhakabhaka, inkanyezi—zonke izinto ezinjalo zibahlaba umxhwele. Yeka amathuba amahle lokhu okusinikeza wona okukhuluma ngoMdali nangezizathu zethu zokumbonga! Umhubi waloba: “Kuhle ukumbonga uJehova.” (IHubo 92:1) Ungambonga ngezimangaliso ezingokwemvelo, ngezidingo zezinto ezibonakalayo nangeqiniso leZwi lakhe. Abantwana bakho bayokubona ukubonga kwakho futhi abasoze neze bakukhohlwe.—IHubo 8:3, 4; 19:1; Roma 1:20; Duteronomi 8:10; IzAga 22:6.
3. Iyini indlela enhle yokufundisa abantwana bethu? Nikeza izibonelo.
3 Abantwana abancane bayazithanda izindaba. UNkulunkulu wayekwazi lokhu. Waloba izindaba eziningi eziyiqiniso eBhayibhelini—izindaba ezingafundisa ngisho abantwana abancane kakhulu ngezindlela zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, lezi zibonisa ukuthi kumelwe sibe nokholo njengoba kwenza uAbrahama, sithembele kuYe ngendlela uJoshuwa noKalebi abenza ngayo, simlalele ebusheni njengoba kwenza uSamuweli noThimothewu, futhi sime siqinile okholweni njengezinsizwa uShadreki, uMishaki, noAbedinego.a
4. Iziphi izibonelo esinazo zabantwana abafunda izindlela zikaNkulunkulu, kokubili namuhla nangezikhathi zeBhayibheli?
4 Abantwana bafunda ngokushesha. Bafunda amaculo okukhangisa nezinto eziningi ngezinye izikhathi ofisa sengathi ngabe abazizwanga. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukubasiza bafunde ngoNkulunkulu nangezindlela zakhe! Abantu abaningi baye baphawula indlela abanganikeza ngayo izimpendulo ezinhle emhlanganweni wobuKristu, nendlela abangahlanganyela ngayo eSikoleni SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini besebasha. Abasha abanjalo bayizibonelo ezingokoqobo zokubaluleka kwezeluleko zeBhayibheli zokuqeqesha abantwana. Abazali abangamaIsrayeli kwakumelwe bafundise abantwana babo njalo, ngisho “nabantwana [abancane]” kwakumelwe balethwe bazokuzwa umthetho kaNkulunkulu ufundwa. Amadodana abo kwakumelwe alalele futhi “afunde ukwesaba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”—Duteronomi 31:12, 13; 6:5-9.
5, 6. Ungabasiza kanjani abantwana bakho ukuba bafunde izindlela zikaNkulunkulu?
5 Ungase wazi okuningi ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi kunjalo nangabantwana bakho. Abaluzuzi ulwazi njengefa. Kukuwena njengomzali ukubafundisa izinto ezimangalisayo zikaNkulunkulu nokwenza lokhu kukhange, ukuze bafune ukufunda.
6 Ingabe abantwana bakho bayaziqonda izimfundiso zeBhayibheli? Ingabe baye bazifunda izimiso zalo zokuphila kwansuku zonke? Unaso yini isifundo somkhaya seBhayibheli esiqhutshwa njalo nabo? Uma besebancane, uye wafunda yini nabo incwadi Ukulalela UMfundisi Omkhulu, nezihloko zayo ezingamashumi amane nesithupha ezilotshelwe bona? Uma uye wakwenza lokho, futhi abantwana sebebadadlana, uye watadisha yini nabo Ubusha Bakho—Ukuthola Okungcono Kakhulu Kubo obunikeza ukwaziswa okuvelele okusiza intsha ukuba ibhekane nokuphila? IBhayibheli lithi “kusukela ebuntwaneni” uThimothewu osemusha wafundiswa izinto ezinjalo. Ukukhathalela kukaJakobe ‘ijubane lokuhamba kwabantwana’ endleleni yabo yokuya eSeyiri kubonisa ukubaluleka kokuzivumelanisa ngokwakho nalokho abangakwenza. Ukutadisha kwenu ndawonye kumelwe kube sezingeni abangaliqonda, futhi kube kude ngokunengqondo ngokobudala babo.—2 Thimothewu 3:15; Genesise 33:14.
Amandla Eqiniso
7, 8. (a) Kungani ulwazi lweqiniso lubaluleke kakhulu? (b) Abazali bangabasiza kanjani abantwana babo ukuba bazise imihlangano yobuKristu?
7 Iqiniso likaNkulunkulu linamandla amakhulu. Lingashintsha ukucabanga nobuntu babantu asebekhulile. IBhayibheli lithi “nikhumule umuntu omdala ongowenkambo yokuqala, . . . Nenziwe-basha emoyeni wengqondo yenu.” (Efesu 4:22-24; Kolose 3:9, 10) Ngenxa yokuba namandla angako, iqiniso lobuKristu linganikeza isivikelo esikhulu kubantwana bakho. Ngokuphindaphindiwe abantu abasha babonisa ukwazisa ngemizamo evamile eyenziwa abazali babo yokubayisa emihlanganweni lapho kuxoxwa khona ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ekuqaleni bebefuna ukuya noma cha. Omunye osemusha wathi: “Ngangingakuthandi ukuya ekuqaleni. Ngangingaqondi kahle. Khona-ke ngajabula ngempela ngoba ngathola ukuthi: Kanti ngifunda ngeBhayibheli!”
8 Abazali abaningi balungiselela kusengaphambili nabantwana babo, ngakho abantwana bayoqonda. Abanye bakhuthaza abantwana babo ukuba bakhumbule amaphuzu ambalwa emhlanganweni futhi baxoxe ngalawa endleleni eya ekhaya. Singazicabangela izingxoxo ezinjalo ezijabulisayo njengoba imikhaya yamaIsrayeli ibuya ekukhulekeleni kwayo eJerusalema.—Duteronomi 31:10-13; Luka 2:41, 42.
Inkonzo YobuNkulunkulu
9, 10. Ungenzani ukuze usize abantwana bakho bazise futhi bajabulele inkonzo yobuKristu?
9 Maqondana nokuhlanganyela emsebenzi wokushumayela obala, abantwana bakho bangase babheke inkonzo yokwesaba uNkulunkulu ngendlela uJeremiya ayibheka ngayo: “Awu, Nkosi Jehova! Bheka, angikwazi ukukhuluma, ngokuba ngingumntwana.” Ngakho-ke, kubalulekile ukubaqeqesha, kancane kancane. Ngokuvumelana nobudala babo nentuthuko bangangqongqotha emnyango, bameme, bafunde umbhalo weBhayibheli, bahambise izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini emakhaya omakhelwane babo, mhlawumbe baqhube ngisho nezifundo zeBhayibheli.—Jeremiya 1:6, 7.
10 Isimo sakho siyobathonya kakhulu abantwana bakho. UFakazi osemusha uthi: “Umama uyijabulela ngempela inkonzo. Ngaso sonke isikhathi abuya ngaso unokuthile okuhle kokukulandisa.” Lapho abantu abasha benza imisebenzana eyengeziwe ukuze unina asebenze inyanga yonke njengephayona (umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele), baba nomuzwa wokuthi bayingxenye yomsebenzi wakhe futhi babheka phambili ekubeni namathuba anjalo nabo. Oneminyaka engamashumi amabili nanye ubudala wathi: “Abazali bami ngaso sonke isikhathi babekwenza kwaziwe ukuthi babecabanga ukuthi ukuphayona kuyindlela enhle kakhulu yokuphila.” Omunye osemusha wachaza: “Angikhumbuli ngisho nesikhathi esisodwa lapho ukuphayona kwakungabekiwe njengomgomo.” Abantu abasha bangajabula futhi babe nokuhlangenwe nakho okujabulisayo ekukhonzeni uJehova, ngoba ‘uwuNkulunkulu ojabulayo,’ futhi uKristu Jesu ‘uwumbusi wababusi ojabulayo.’—1 Thimothewu 1:11; 6:15.
Ukwazisa
11-13. Ziyini ezinye zezinzuzo ukholo lwakho oluzinikeza abantwana bakho maqondana (a) nokwesaba isikhathi esizayo? (b) nokwesaba ukufa?
11 Kubalulekile ukuqiniseka ukuthi abantwana bakho bayazazisa izinto abanazo okungenzeka ukuthi abanye abantu abanazo.
12 Enye into abanayo ukulondeka. Intsha yanamuhla ngokuvamile ixoxa ngezinkinga zezwe esikoleni, futhi izibona ku-TV. Ixoxa ngokungcola, impi yeathomu, nokunokwenzeka ukubhujiswa kwezwe. Ngokungafani nayo, oFakazi abasebasha bayaqiniseka futhi banomuzwa wokulondeka. Bayazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu akanakubangela ukuba izinto zifinyelele lapho, kodwa ‘uyobhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba.’—IsAmbulo 11:18.
13 Abangane babo abaningi besatshiswa ukufa. Oneminyaka eyi-13 wathi: “Ukukhula nokuba nethemba lokufa akubonakali kulungile.” Abantwana bakho bayazi ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi abafileyo “abezwa lutho,” futhi ‘abanamcabango,’ ngakho-ke abafileyo abakwazi ukuhlushwa. Bayazi futhi ukuthi imiBhalo ithembisa ukuphila—ukuthi abantu abaningi emathuneni ‘bayophuma,’ ngoba kuyoba khona ‘uvuko osukwini lokugcina.’ Abantwana bakho bangawafunda lamazwi aduduzayo eBhayibhelini kumShumayeli 9:5, 10; IHubo 146:4; Johane 5:28, 29 nakuJohane 11:11-25.
14. Kungani ukuba neqiniso kumelwe kube okubalulekile kubantwana bakho?
14 Futhi, ingabe abantwana bakho bayakuqaphela ukubaluleka kweqiniso abanalo? UFakazi osemusha wathi: “Okwangidonsela eqinisweni yilokho eliyikho—iqiniso. Ngaso sonke isikhathi ngifuna ukuchazelwa izinto, ngibuza njalo ukuthi: Kungani? IBhayibheli licace kakhulu, ungathembela ngempela kulo.” UJesu wathi: “Neqiniso liyakunikhulula.” Liye lakhulula izinkulungwane, hhayi nje ebugqilini benkolo kodwa futhi emilalisweni, ekuziphatheni okubi, engozini yezifo zokubhajwa, ekukholelweni ezeni, ezimfundisweni zamanga, nasekukhathazekeni nasezinkathazweni eziphawula lelizwe elibi.—Johane 8:32.
15. Kokubili abazali nabantwana kumelwe bashukunyiswe kanjani yiqiniso eliphawulwe: (a) ku-1 Johane 4:9, 10? (b) ku-2 Petru 3:13?
15 Ubafundisile yini abantwana bakho ukubaluleka kothando lukaNkulunkulu nomusa? Ingabe bayakwazisa yini okwakushiwo ukuthumela kwakhe iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni njengesihlengo? (1 Johane 4:9, 10; Roma 8:38, 39) Ingabe banawo amathemba okuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi? (2 Petru 3:13) Ukwazisa kwakho siqu izibusiso ezinjalo kuyokhuthaza abantwana bakho ukuba bakhule ekuzaziseni. ImiBhalo ithi abazali kumelwe besabe uNkulunkulu futhi bagcine imiyalo yakhe “ukuze kube-kuhle kubo nakubantwana babo kuze kube-phakade.”—Duteronomi 5:29.
16. Yini abantwana okumelwe basizwe bayiqaphele ngokubaluleka kweZwi likaNkulunkulu emkhayeni wakubo?
16 Ingabe abantwana bakho bayaqaphela ukuthi ulwazi lweZwi likaNkulunkulu luwenzeleni umkhaya wenu? Kunokwenzeka abantwana benu banabangane esikoleni labo ngenxa yedivosi, abanomama ababili noma abathathu noma obaba. Uma umkhaya wakho ungohlangene, lapho abazali beye banamathelana omunye komunye isikhathi eside, ingabe abantwana benu bayakwazisa ukuthi lokhu kusekuvumelaneni nezimiso zeBhayibheli? (Heberu 13:4) Ingabe bayakuqaphela ukuthi izimiso ezitholakala eBhayibhelini ziyabasiza ukuba babe nomuzwa wokulondeka, wobungane, ukuba ngowothile, injongo, ukuqondisa, ukufeza okuthile nokubaluleka kobuntu lokho abantu abaningi abasha abangazange babe nakho?
17, 18. (a) Abantwana bangabona kanjani ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu libalulekile kubo: (a) emikhayeni ehlukene ngokwenkolo? (b) emikhayeni enomzali oyedwa?
17 Kodwa kungenzeka uyacabanga: ‘Umkhaya wami uhlukene—umyeni wami (noma umfazi) akazisebenzisi izimiso ezinjalo.’ Lokho akukuvimbeli ukuba uzisebenzise. IBhayibheli lithi amadoda angakholwa angase ‘azuzwe ngaphandle kwezwi ngenkambo yabafazi bawo.’ Uma umngane wakho ongakholwa engahlatshwa umxhwele isibonelo sakho esihle, cabanga ngomphumela wokusebenzisa kwakho okwethembekile izimiso zokulunga okungaba nawo kubantwana bakho!—1 Petru 3:1, 2.
18 Noma kungenzeka ungumzali oyedwa, kumelwe ukhulise abantwana bakho uwedwa. Uma kunjalo, batshele abantwana bakho lenkinga. Sekelanani. Benze babone umahluko phakathi kokuphila kwabo nokwalokho kweminye imikhaya enomzali oyedwa abayaziyo. Yeka isibusiso abanaso sokuhlala emkhayeni ongangenwa ubudakwa, ukuba umlutha wotshwala, ubufebe neminye imisebenzi yenyama!—1 Korinte 6:9, 10; Galathiya 5:19-21.
Imisebenzi Emihle
19, 20. (a) Abazali bangabasiza kanjani abantwana babo ukuba bagcwalise izidingo zokukhulumisana nobungane? (b) Namiphi imiphumela?
19 Abantwana badinga ukudlala. Esinye sezimo ezijabulisayo iBhayibheli elisihlanganisa nokubuyiselwa kwethempeli eJerusalema siwukuthi “abafana namantombazane bedlala ezitaladini zayo.” (Zakariya 8:5) Nabantwana bayasidinga isikhathi sakho. Kungokuchitha isikhathi sakho nabo kuphela, ubenza baxoxe, nokulalela ngempela lokho abakushoyo, okungenza ukwazi ukuxhumana nabo, wazi ngezinkinga zabo futhi ube usizo. Nakuba abantwana abangamaKristu bengazigubhi izinsuku ezithile zamaholide ezinendabuko yobuqaba, abazali babo ngokuvamile babalungiselela izikhathi ezinhle—ukuvakasha, umbuthano noma ukujabula okuhle komkhaya. Bathola izipho ezikhathini ezithile phakathi nonyaka. Eminye imikhaya iba nemicimbi lapho kuvakashe ogogo. Abazali bakhuthaza ubungane obuhle namanye amaKristu asemasha. Uma umkhaya ungawodwa, abantwana bangabhalelana nabangane abahlangana nabo emihlanganweni yobuKristu.
20 Omunye ubaba ubabuza njalo abantwana bakhe: “Ingabe nizizwa nincishwe okuthile ngandlela-thile ngenxa yokholo lwenu?” Impendulo ithi: “Akunjalo neze!” Osemusha, lapho eqhathanisa ukuphila kwakhe nalokho kwabafunda naye, wathi: “Ukuphela kwento engilahlekele izinkathazo eziningi.”
Usizo Lwangaphandle
21. Nakuba beqaphela ukuthi ukuqeqesha abantwana kuwumthwalo wemfanelo wabazali, abanye bangasiza kanjani?
21 Umthwalo wemfanelo wokufundisa abantwana bethu ungowethu siqu. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ubaba kumelwe ahole, futhi umama kumelwe asize. Lithi: “Ndodana yami, yizwa ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawushiyi umthetho kanyoko.” (IzAga 1:8; Efesu 6:4) Kodwa lokhu akusho ukuthi abanye abakwazi ukusiza. Ibandla liwumkhaya, futhi ngokuphindaphindiwe abantu abadala abavuthiwe baxoxa ngosizo olukhethekile othile ebandleni alunikeza lapho besebasha. OFakazi abashisekayo bakhumbula ngothando abantu ababayisa enkonzweni yobuKristu esikhathini esidlule. Abantu abasha bayakwazisa ngempela lapho abantu abadala beba nesikhathazelo esinjalo kubo futhi bebasiza ukuba bahlale endleleni eqondile.—IzAga 13:20.
Isibonelo Sakho Siqu
22. Sibaluleke ngani isibonelo osibekayo?
22 Kubalulekile ngabantwana bakho ukuba babone ukuthi ubheke kuNkulunkulu ukuze uthole ukuqondiswa futhi uye wenza iZwi lakhe laba yingxenye yakho—ukuthi ulikholelwa ngempela futhi uyalisebenzisa ekuphileni kwakho. (IHubo 143:10) Babona isimo sakho. Uma ubheka imihlangano njengento encane, ukhetha abadala, ugxeka amalungu ebandla futhi unciphisa isikhathi esichithwa enkonzweni kaJehova, kunokwenzeka ukuthi abantwana bakho bayolandela isibonelo sakho esibi. Kodwa uma ubheka lamalungiselelo angokomoya njengesibusiso esihle kakhulu esivela kuJehova, kunokwenzeka ukuthi abantwana bakho bayokwenza kanjalo nabo. Ukukhulisa abantwana ngokuyinhloko akukhona ukwenza izinto ezimbalwa ezinkulu kodwa izinto eziningi ezincane. Uma wenza izinto ezincane kahle usuku ngalunye, ngokunokwenzeka uyokwazi ukusingatha noma iziphi ezinkulu ezingaphakama.—Luka 16:10; Mathewu 25:21.
23. Lokho okulindele kungabathinta kanjani abantwana bakho?
23 Kubaluleke kakhulu ngabantwana bakho ukwazi indawo ekhethekile abanayo enhliziyweni yakho. Kumelwe bazi ukuthi uyabathanda ngempela, nokuthi ungadumazeka uma behluleka ukulandela izimiso zokwesaba uNkulunkulu. USolomoni waloba: “Ndodana yami, uma inhliziyo yakho ihlakanipha, inhliziyo yami iyakuthokoza, yebo, eyami.” Futhi: “Uyise wolungileyo uyakwethaba nokwethaba.” (IzAga 23:15, 24) Kodwa kuthiwani uma—njengoba abantwana bakho bekhula futhi mhlawumbe befuna ukuzimela—benza okuthile oye waxoxa ngakho futhi kanjalo bazi ukuthi lokho akulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu? Ungasheshi uphelelwe ithemba noma uyeke ukuzama ukusiza. Khumbula ukuthi nabo futhi abaphelele, kungase kwenzeke ukuthi bathola ubunzima obukhulu esikhathini senguquko. Naphezu kokudumazeka kwakho, qhubeka ubonisa ngendlela enokuqonda, nokho eqinile nesobala, ukuthi ukulandela izimiso zikaNkulunkulu kuyobalethela okuhle kakhulu ngempela.—Jakobe 3:2.
24. Imuphi umvuzo abazali abangawethemba uma beye bakhulisa abantwana babo ngokwezimiso zokwesaba uNkulunkulu?
24 Kuyajabulisa ukubona abantwana bethu bekhula beba amadoda akahle nabafazi, ukubabona bethwala imithwalo yabo yemfanelo futhi besebenzisa ekuphileni izinto esizama ukubafundisa zona. Njengoba uPawulu akhuthaza uThimothewu osemusha, ngakho-ke sithi kubantwana bethu: “Khuthalela ukuba uziveze uthembekile kuNkulunkulu, isisebenzi esingenamahloni, esiqondisa kahle izwi leqiniso.” (2 Thimothewu 2:15) Khona-ke singasho ngabantwana bethu abangokwenyama, okuyofuneka futhi babe abangokomoya: “Anginayo intokozo enkulu kunaleyo yokuba ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni.”—3 Johane 4.
“Elokugcina, bazalwane, konke okuyiqiniso, konkeokuhloniphekayo, konke okulungileyo, konke okumhlophek konke okuthandekayo, konke okutusekayo, noma kukhona okuhle, noma kukhona okubongekayo, zindlani ngalokho.”—Filipi 4:8.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Lena nezinye izindaba eziningi ilandiswe ngolimi oluqondakala kalula kubantwana abancane kwethi INcwadi Yami Yezindaba ZeBhayibheli, etholakala kubanyathelisi balomagazini, noma kunoma yimuphi woFakazi BakaJehova.
Ingabe Uyawakhumbula Lamaphuzu?
◻ Kungani kumelwe sithembeke ekufundiseni abantwana bethu ngoNkulunkulu nangeqiniso lakhe?
◻ Ungayenza kanjani imihlangano yobuKristu ibe ngethakazelisayo kubantwana bakho?
◻ Njengabazali abanothando, siyobahola kanjani abantwana bethu, kancane kancane, enkonzweni yokwesaba uNkulunkulu?
◻ Sifuna ukuqiniseka ngokuthi bazisa ziphi izibusiso?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 21]
Abantwana badinga ukukhuzwa, ukuqondiswa nokubekelwa imincele. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ubuwula buboshelwe enhliziyweni yomntwana,” (IzAga 22:15) Kodwa lapho abazali benesithakazelo esanele sokubeka imincele nesokubona ukuthi abantwana babo bayayazi bayayiqonda futhi baphile ngayo, abantwana bazizwa belondekile—abazali babo abanakubavumela ukuba benze izinto ezingase zibalimaze.
[Izithombe ekhasini 22, 23]
Njengoba umuntu omusha evuthwa ngokomzimba . . . abazali bangasiza ukuthuthuka kwakhe ngokomoya