Kungani Kumelwe Wembathe Ukuthobeka?

UMLOBI waseMelika uEdgar Allan Poe wayesanda kuqeda ukufundela abangane abathile indaba yakhe ayesanda kuyibhala. Ngokuntela bathi wayesebenzise igama leqhawe kaningi ngokweqile. UPoe wasabela kanjani? Omunye umngane wakhumbula: “Umoya wakhe wokuqhosha wawungenakukumela ukusolwa obala okunjalo, ngakho ngokuthukuthela okukhulu, ngaphambi kokuba abangane bakhe bamvimbe, wayesephonse wonke amakhasi emlilweni ovuthayo.” Yalahleka kanjalo indaba “eyayihlekisa kakhulu, ehluke ngokuphelele ezindabeni zakhe ezidabukisayo ezivamile. . . .” Ukuthobeka kwakungase kuyisindise.

Nakuba ukuqhosha kwenza abantu benze izinto ezingahlakaniphile, kudlangile emhlabeni. Kodwa izinceku zikaJehova kumelwe zehluke. Kumelwe zembathe isembatho esiklanywe kahle sokuthobeka.

Yini Ukuthobeka?

Umphostoli uPawulu wabhekisela esembathweni esihle sokuthobeka samaKristu lapho ebhalela ayekholwa nabo edolobheni lasendulo laseKolose. Wanxusa: “Ngakho-ke njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu, abangcwele, nabathandekayo, yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba [“ukuba phansi komqondo,” NW], nobumnene, nokubhekakade.”—Kolose 3:12.

Yebo, ukuthobeka “kuwukuba phansi komqondo.” “Kuwukuthobeka komqondo; ukuntuleka kokuqhosha; ubumnene.” Umuntu othobekile “unomoya ozothile; akaqhoshi.” “Unenhlonipho ejulile noma enesimilo.” (The World Book Dictionary, Umqulu I, ikhasi 1030) Ukuthobeka akubona ubugwala noma ubuthakathaka. Empeleni, ukuqhosha kubonisa ubuthakathaka, kuyilapho ukubonisa ukuthobeka ngokuvamile kudinga isibindi namandla.

EmiBhalweni igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “zithobe” ngokwezwi nezwi lisho ukuthi “zinyathelele phansi.” Kanjalo, umlobi wezAga ohlakaniphile weluleka: “Ndodana yami, uma . . . ucushiwe ngamazwi omlomo wakho, . . . uzophule, lokhu ungené esandleni somakhelwane wakho: khothama [zinyathelele phansi] phambi kwakhe, umncengisise.” (IzAga 6:1-3) Okuwukuthi, lahlela ukuqhosha eceleni, uvume iphutha lakho, ulungise izindaba.

Kumelwe Kube Ngokoqobo

Akubona bonke abantu ababonakala bethobekile abanokuthobeka okungokoqobo. Abanye abantu ababonakala bethobekile empeleni bangase babe abaqhoshayo ngempela futhi bangenza noma yini ukuze bathole abakufunayo. Bese kuba khona labo abasebenzisa isembatho sokuthobeka kokukhohlisa ukuze bahlabe abanye umxhwele. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wahlangabezana nabanye ababebonisa ‘ukuthobeka kokuzenzisa,’ futhi wabonisa ukuthi noma ubani owenza lokhu empeleni ‘wayezikhukhumeza ngeze ngengqondo yakhe yenyama.’ Umuntu onjalo ngephutha wayecabanga ukuthi ukuthola umusa kaNkulunkulu kwakuxhomeke ekutheni wayedla, aphuze, noma athinte izinto ezithile noma agcine izinsuku ezingokwenkolo yini noma cha. Yiqiniso, kungenzeka ukuthi wayebonakala emnene futhi ethobekile, kodwa ukuthobeka kwakhe kokukhohlisa kwakuyize. (Kolose 2:18, 23) Eqinisweni, kwakumholela ekucabangeni ukuthi umklomelo wokuphila wawunikwa labo ababenqaba izinto ezibonakalayo. Futhi kwakuveza uhlobo olunganakekile lokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo ngoba ukuzibekela imigoqo kokuzila kwakubhekisela ukunakekela ezintweni ezibonakalayo ayezisholo ukuthi uyazenyanya.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuthobeka okungokoqobo kuvimbela umuntu ekuboniseni ukuzazisa ekugqokeni, ekuzilungiseni, nasendleleni yokuphila. (1 Johane 2:15-17) Umuntu owembethe isembatho sokuthobeka akadonseli ukunakekela okungafanele kuye noma emakhonweni akhe. Kunalokho, ukuthobeka kumsiza ukuba aphathe abanye ngendlela yokucabangela futhi azibheke njengoba uNkulunkulu embheka. Futhi umbheka kanjani?

Umbono KaJehova

Lapho umprofethi uSamuweli esezogcoba inkosi entsha yesizwe sakwaIsrayeli, wacabanga ukuthi uJehova wayekhethe indodana kaJese uEliyabe. Kodwa uNkulunkulu watshela uSamuweli: “Ungabheki isimo sakhe nobude bomzimba wakhe, ngokuba ngimalile, lokhu uJehova engabukisi okomuntu; umuntu ubheka okusemehlweni, kepha uJehova ubheka okusenhliziyweni.” Amadodana kaJese ayisikhombisa enqatshwa. UNkulunkulu wayekhethe uDavide, owazibonakalisa eyindoda ethembekile nethobekile.—1 Samuweli 13:14; 16:4-13.

Isembatho sokuthobeka siyasivikela ekubeni abaqhoshayo, abagabadelayo—futhi abangavunyelwa uNkulunkulu. Yena “umelana nabazidlayo, kepha abathobekileyo ubapha umusa.” (Jakobe 4:6) Umbono wakhe uboniswe emazwini omhubi: “Noma uJehova ephakeme, uyanakekela nokho ophansi; uyamazi ozidlayo ekude.” (IHubo 138:6; 1 Petru 5:5, 6) Lokho uNkulunkulu akulindele ezincekwini zakhe kusobala kulombuzo, ophakanyiswe kuMika 6:8: “UJehova ufunani kuwe, kungabi-ngukwenza ukulunga kuphela nokuthanda umusa, uhambe noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka, na?”

Kwaboniswa NguNkulunkulu NoKristu

Akumangalisi ukuthi uJehova ulindele ukuba sibonise ukuthobeka! Kungenye yezimfanelo zakhe. Ngemva kokuba uNkulunkulu emsindise ezitheni zakhe, uDavide wahlabelela: “Wena [Jehova] unginikile isihlangu sensindiso yakho, . . . nobumnene [“nokuthobeka,” NW] bakho bungikhulisile.” (IHubo 18:35; 2 Samuweli 22:1, 36) Nakuba uJehova esemazulwini aphakeme, ‘uyazithoba ukubona ezulwini nasemhlabeni, uyavusa odingayo othulini, aphakamise ompofu ezaleni, ukuze amhlalise nezikhulu.’ (IHubo 113:5-8) UNkulunkulu ubonisa ukuthobeka ngokusebenzisa isihe esintwini esinesono. Ukusebenzelana kwakhe nezoni nokunikela ngeNdodana yakhe njengomhlatshelo wezono kuwukubonakaliswa kokuthobeka kwakhe, uthando, kanye nezinye izimfanelo.—Roma 5:8; 8:20, 21.

UJesu Kristu, ‘owayemnene, ethobekile ngenhliziyo,’ wabeka isibonelo sokuthobeka sobuntu esikhulu kunazo zonke. (Mathewu 11:29) Watshela abafundi bakhe: “Kepha yilowo nalowo oziphakamisayo uzakuthotshiswa, nalowo ozithobayo uzakuphakanyiswa.” (Mathewu 23:12) Lokho kwakungebona nje ubuciko bokukhuluma. Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu wageza izinyawo zabaphostoli bakhe, enza inkonzo ngokuvamile eyayenziwa izigqila. (Johane 13:2-5, 12-17) UJesu wakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokuthobeka ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni futhi uye wabonakalisa ukuthobeka kusukela ekuvuselweni kwakhe esikhundleni esiphakeme ezulwini. Ngakho uPawulu wayala ayekholwa kanye nabo ukuba ‘bashaye sengathi abanye bakhulu kunabo’ futhi babe nesimo sokuthobeka sikaJesu Kristu.—Filipi 2:3, 5-11.

Njengoba uNkulunkulu noKristu bebonisa ukuthobeka, labo abafisa ukuvunyelwa kwaphezulu kumelwe babonise lemfanelo. Uma siye saqhosha ngezinye izikhathi, kuyoba okuhlakaniphile ukuzithoba futhi sithandazele intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. (Qhathanisa nezesi-2 IziKronike 32:24-26.) Futhi esikhundleni sokuzicabangela njengabaphakeme, sidinga ukusebenzisa iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Ningazindli okuphakemeyo, kodwa yaneliswani ngokuphansi.” (Roma 12:16) Nokho, ukuthobeka kungasizuzisa kanjani thina nabanye?

Izinzuzo Zokuthobeka

Enye inzuzo yokuthobeka iwukuthi kuyasivimbela ekubeni abazazisayo. Kanjalo senza abanye bangacasuki futhi sigwema ukuphoxeka komuntu siqu uma kungabahlabi umxhwele lokho esikufezile. Kufanele sizibonge kuJehova, hhayi kithina ngokwethu.—1 Korinte 1:31.

Ukuthobeka kuyasisiza ukuba sithole isiqondiso saphezulu. UJehova wathumela ingelosi eyayinombono kuDaniyeli ngoba lowomprofethi wazithoba phambi kukaNkulunkulu lapho efuna isiqondiso nokuqonda. (Daniyeli 10:12) Lapho uEzra esezohola abantu bakaJehova baphume eBabiloni negolide nesiliva eliningi lokuhlobisa ithempeli eJerusalema wamemezela ukuba bazile ukuze bazithobe phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Waba yini umphumela? UJehova wabavikela ekuhlaseleni kwesitha phakathi nohambo oluyingozi. (Ezra 8:1-14, 21-32) NjengoDaniyeli noEzra, masibonise ukuthobeka futhi sifune isiqondiso sikaJehova kunokuzama ukufeza imisebenzi esiyinikwe uNkulunkulu ngokuhlakanipha nangamandla ethu siqu.

Uma sembethe isembatho sokuthobeka, siyobahlonipha abanye. Ngokwesibonelo, abantwana abanokuthobeka bahlonipha futhi balalele abazali babo. AmaKristu athobekile futhi ahlonipha nakholwa kanye nabo bezinye izizwe, izinhlanga, nezizinda, ngoba ukuthobeka kusenza singakhethi.—IzEnzo 10:34, 35; 17:26.

Ukuthobeka kuthuthukisa uthando nokuthula. Umuntu othobekile akalwi nakholwa nabo ngomzamo wokuthola lokho acabanga ukuthi kungamalungelo akhe. UPawulu wenza kuphela izinto ezazakha futhi ezazingeke zikhathaze unembeza womunye umzalwane. (Roma 14:19-21; 1 Korinte 8:9-13; 10:23-33) Ukuthobeka kusisiza futhi ukuba sithuthukise uthando nokuthula ngokuthethelela abanye abasonayo. (Mathewu 6:12-15; 18:21, 22) Kusishukumisela ukuba siye kumuntu owoniwe, sivume iphutha lethu, sicele intethelelo yakhe, futhi senze konke esingakwenza ukuze silungise noma yibuphi ububi okungenzeka siye sabenza. (Mathewu 5:23, 24; Luka 19:8) Uma umuntu owoniwe eza kithi, ukuthobeka kusishukumisela ukuba silungise izindaba ngokuthula ngomoya wothando.—Mathewu 18:15; Luka 17:3.

Ukusindiswa kuxhomeke ekuboniseni ukuthobeka. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuqondene noNkulunkulu, kuthiwa: “Uyasindisa abantu abathobekileyo, kepha amehlo akho aphezu kwabaqhoshileyo ukuba ubathobise.” (2 Samuweli 22:28) Lapho iNkosi uJesu Kristu ‘iqhubeka ngenxa yeqiniso nokuthobeka nokulunga,’ iyosindisa labo abazithoba phambi kwakhe nakuYise. (IHubo 45:4) Labo ababonisa ukuthobeka bangathola induduzo kulamazwi: “Funani uJehova nina nonke-bathobekileyo bomhlaba enisebenzile ukwahlulela kwakhe; funani ukulunga; funani ukuthobeka; mhlawumbe niyakusitshekelwa ngosuku lolaka lukaJehova.”—Zefaniya 2:3.

Ukuthobeka Nenhlangano KaNkulunkulu

Ukuthobeka kuholela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ekwaziseni inhlangano yakhe futhi banamathele kuyo njengabagcini bobuqotho. (Qhathanisa noJohane 6:66-69.) Uma singanikwa ilungelo lenkonzo ebesethemba ukuthi sizolithola, ukuthobeka kusisiza ukuba sibambisane nalabo abathwele imithwalo yemfanelo ebandleni. Futhi ukubambisana kwethu ngokuthobeka kubeka isibonelo esihle.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuthobeka akusenzi sibonise ukuziqhenya ngokuqondene namalungelo ethu enkonzo phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. Kuyasivimbela ekufuneni udumo ngomsebenzi esiye saba nelungelo lokuwenza enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma sikhonza njengabadala, ukuthobeka kusisiza ukuba siphathe umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngomusa.—IzEnzo 20:28, 29; 1 Petru 3:8.

Ukuthobeka Nesiyalo

Isembatho sokuthobeka sisisiza ukuba samukele isiyalo. Abantu abathobekile abafani neNkosi yakwaJuda u-Uziya, onhliziyo yakhe yaqhosha kangangokuthi wagabadela imisebenzi yobupristi. ‘Waphambuka kuJehova, wangena ethempelini ukuba ashise impepho ealtare lempepho.’ Lapho u-Uziya ethukuthelela abapristi ngoba bemqondisa, washaywa ngochoko. Yeka inkokhelo yokuntula ukuthobeka! (2 IziKronike 26:16-21; IzAga 16:18) Ungalokothi ufane noUziya futhi uvumele ukuqhosha kukuvimbele ukuba wamukele isiyalo esivela kuNkulunkulu ngeZwi laKhe nangenhlangano.

Ngokuqondene nalokhu uPawulu watshela amaKristu agcotshiwe angamaHeberu: “Senikhohliwe umyalo okhuluma kinina njengakubantwana wokuthi: Ndodana yami, ungadeleli ukulaya kwenkosi, uphele amandla, nxa usolwa yiyo, ngokuba iNkosi iyamlaya emthandayo, ishaye yileyo naleyondodana eyamukelayo. . . . Ukulaya konke okwamanje kungathi akusikho okwentokozo, kepha kungokosizi, kodwa ngasemuva kuyabathelela isithelo esihle sokulunga labo abahlakahliswé yikho.” (Heberu 12:5-11) Futhi, khumbula ukuthi ‘ukusola ngokuyala kuyindlela yokuphila.’—IzAga 6:23.

Hlala Wembethe Ukuthobeka

Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba amaKristu embathe njalo isembatho sokuthobeka! Kusishukumisela ukuba sibekezele njengabamemezeli boMbuso, sifakaze ngokuthobeka endlini ngendlu ekufuneni labo ‘abamiselwe ukuphila okuphakade.’ (IzEnzo 13:48; 20:20) Ngempela, ukuthobeka kusisiza ukuba siqhubeke silalela uNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izici, nakuba abaphikisi abaqhoshayo beyizonda inkambo yethu elungile.—IHubo 34:21.

Ngenxa yokuthi ukuthobeka kusishukumisela ukuba ‘sithembe uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu,’ yena uqondisa imikhondo yethu. (IzAga 3:5, 6) Eqinisweni, kulapho kuphela sembethe lemfanelo enhle lapho singahamba khona ngempela noNkulunkulu futhi sijabulele ukuvunyelwa nguye nesibusiso. Njengoba umfundi uJakobe abhala: “Zithobeni ebusweni beNkosi, khona iyakuniphakamisa.” (Jakobe 4:10) Ngakho-ke masembathe ukuthobeka, lesosembatho esihle esiklanywe uJehova uNkulunkulu.