Ingabe Kufanele AmaKristu Agubhe Unyaka Omusha WamaShayina?

MINYAKA yonke ngo-January noma ngo-February, abantu base-Asia abayizigidigidi abahlala kwamanye amazwe babuyela e-Asia ukuze bayoba nemindeni yabo, bagubhe uNyaka Omusha WamaShayina.a

UNyaka Omusha WamaShayina uwumkhosi obaluleke kakhulu ekhalendeni lase-Asia. Omunye umbhali wezincwadi waseMelika wathi: “Ufana noNcibijane . . . noKhisimusi kuhlangene.” Lo mkhosi uqala ngenyanga yokuqala ekhalendeni lamaShayina, noma phakathi kuka-January 21 kuya ku-February 20 ekhalendeni laseNtshonalanga. Uthatha izinsukwana kuya emasontweni amabili.

Ngokuyisisekelo, lo Nyaka Omusha ugujwa ngenjongo yokuqala kabusha, ukuvalelisa okudala nokwamukela okusha. Ukuze balungele lo mkhosi, abantu bahlanza futhi bahlobise imizi yabo, bathenge izingubo ezintsha zokugqoka, bapheke ukudla okunamagama acishe afane nalawo okufiselana “inhlanhla” noma “ukuchuma,” bakhokhe izikweletu balungise nezingxabano abanazo. Ngosuku lonyaka omusha, bangase baphane izipho bafiselane okuhle; ngokuvamile bafiselana ukuceba nokuchuma. Baphana izimvilophu ezibomvana okuthiwa ezemali yenhlanhla, badle ukudla kwekhethelo, baqhumise ama-firecracker, babukele abantu abadansa begqoke izingubo ezimibalabala eziyimifanekiso yama-dragon noma amabhubesi, noma bajabulele leli holidi nomndeni kanye nabangane.

La masiko asho lukhulu. Incwadi ethi Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts: Festivals of China iyachaza: “Into imindeni, abangane nezihlobo abayikhathalela kakhulu ukuqiniseka ukuthi bathola izinhlanhla, bahloniphe onkulunkulu nemimoya, futhi bafiselane impumelelo onyakeni omusha.” Njengoba kuhileleke amasiko amaningi kangaka nemikhuba yenkolo, kufanele amaKristu awubheke kanjani lo mkhosi? Ingabe kufanele avele angene emshungwini wokugubha la masiko? Ingabe lo mkhosi uwalungele amaKristu?

“Ubokhumbula Ukuthi Avelaphi”

Kunesaga sesiShayina esidumile esithi: “Lapho uphuza amanzi, ubokhumbula ukuthi avelaphi.” Lesi saga sibonisa inhlonipho ejulile abantu abaningi base-Asia abanayo ngabazali babo nangokhokho. Ngenxa yokuthi abazali babaletha emhlabeni, kulindelekile ukuba abantwana babonise inhlonipho, ebaluleke kakhulu-ke lapho sekugujwa uNyaka Omusha.

Enye yezinto ezidla ubhedu emindenini eminingi yase-Asia, ubusuku obandulela uNyaka Omusha. Ngalobo busuku, imindeni eminingi iyahlangana ukuze ijabulele idili elikhethekile. Lesi kuba yisikhathi sokuhlangana komndeni futhi abantu kuleliya zwe benza konke okusemandleni ukuze bangaphuthi. Izihlalo azibekelwa amalungu omndeni akhona kuphela kodwa zibekelwa nabangasekho, okukholelwa ukuthi imimoya yabo isuke ikhona. Enye i-encyclopedia ithi kulesi sidlo “kuba nokukhulumisana kwangempela phakathi kwamadlozi kanye namalungu omndeni.” Enye incwadi ithi, “njengoba kuvuselelwa ubuhlobo obusha phakathi kwabaphilayo nabafileyo, okhokho bazovikela umndeni kuwo wonke unyaka.” AmaKristu kufanele alibheke kanjani leli siko?

Ukuthanda nokuhlonipha abazali kubalulekile nakumaKristu. Alalela iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu: “Lalela uyihlo owakuzala, futhi ungamedeleli unyoko ngoba nje esegugile.” (IzAga 23:22) Aphinde alalele lo myalo weBhayibheli: “‘Hlonipha uyihlo nonyoko’; okuwumyalo wokuqala onalesi sithembiso: ‘Ukuze kukuhambele kahle futhi uhlale isikhathi eside emhlabeni.’” (Efesu 6:2, 3) Yebo, amaKristu eqiniso afuna ukuthanda nokuhlonipha abazali bawo!

IBhayibheli liyakutusa nokuba imindeni ihlangane ndawonye futhi ikhuthazane. (Jobe 1:4; Luka 15:22-24) Yize kunjalo, uJehova uyayala: “Akufanele kutholakale kuwe noma ubani . . . obuza konemimoya . . . nanoma ubani obuza kwabafileyo.” (Duteronomi 18:10, 11) Kungani lokhu kwenqatshelwe? Kungenxa yokuthi iBhayibheli lisitshela ngesimo sangempela sabafileyo. Lithi: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayokufa; kodwa abafileyo bona abazi lutho.” Njengoba abafileyo bengazi lutho, ngeke bakwazi ukwenza lutho olwenziwa abaphilayo; ngeke bakwazi ukusisiza noma ukusilimaza. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 6, 10) INdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, yafanisa ukufa nobuthongo obukhulu, futhi abafileyo bayoze baphaphame kuphela kulobo buthongo ovukweni oluzayo.—Johane 5:28, 29; 11:11, 14.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ‘imimoya’ yabafileyo eqinisweni yimimoya emibi esuke iziguqule abantu abafileyo. Iziguqulelani abafileyo? Ukuze idukise abantu ibenze balawulwe yiyona! (2 Thesalonika 2:9, 10) Eqinisweni, imiyalo kaNkulunkulu isivikela ekulimaleni okubuhlungu. Ngakho-ke, ngenxa yokuthanda uJehova kanye nokufuna ukuphepha, amaKristu awagwema ngokuhlakanipha noma yimaphi amasiko ahlobene nokukhulekelwa kwamadlozi noma ukufuna ukuvikelwa yiwo.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amaKristu afuna ukuhlonipha “uBaba, eqanjwe ngaye yonke imindeni yasezulwini neyasemhlabeni.” (Efesu 3:14, 15) Ngubani lo Baba? NguMdali wethu noMniki-kuphila, uJehova uNkulunkulu. (IzEnzo 17:26) Ngakho, lapho sicabangela amasiko ahlobene nokugujwa koNyaka Omusha, senza kahle ngokuzibuza: UJehova uwabheka kanjani la masiko? Ingabe ayamukeleka kuye?—1 Johane 5:3.

Ukuhlonipha Onkulunkulu Basekhaya

Imigubho yoNyaka Omusha WamaShayina inamasiko amaningi athandwayo okuhlonipha onkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi basekhaya, njengonkulunkulu womnyango, owomhlaba noma unkulunkulu oqapha umuntu, owengcebo kanye nonkulunkulu wekhishi noma wesitofu. Cabangela isiko elithandwayo lokuhlonipha unkulunkulu wekhishi.b Le nkolelo ithi lapho kusasele izinsukwana ngaphambi koNyaka Omusha, lo nkulunkulu uthatha uhambo alubangise ezulwini ukuze ahambise umbiko ophathelene nomndeni kuMbusi uJade, owunkulunkulu ophakeme kunabo bonke onkulunkulu bamaShayina. Umndeni umphathisa isidlo esikhethekile, amaswidi kanye namakhekhe ngethemba lokuthi uzohambisa umbiko omuhle ngawo. Ukuze umfisele uhambo olusheshayo, umndeni wehlisa isithombe sakhe, ngezinye izikhathi uninde izindebe zaso ngamaswidi bese usikhiphela ngaphandle usishise. Ngobusuku bangaphambi koNyaka Omusha, uphanyeka phezu kwesitofu isithombe esisha salowo nkulunkulu, ngaleyo ndlela ummema ukuba aphinde abuye ekhaya nakulo nyaka omusha.

Nakuba amasiko amaningi engase abonakale emsulwa, amaKristu afuna ukwenza lokho uNkulunkulu akushoyo lapho kuziwa ekukhulekeleni. Ekhuluma ngale ndaba, uJesu Kristu wathi: “NguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okumelwe umkhulekele, futhi nguye yedwa okumelwe unikele kuye inkonzo engcwele.” (Mathewu 4:10) Kusobala ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna sikhulekele yena kuphela. Kungani kunjalo? Cabangela lokhu: UJehova unguBaba wethu wasezulwini. Ubaba ongumuntu angazizwa kanjani lapho ingane yakhe imhlamuka bese ilalela omunye ubaba? Ubengeke yini ezwe ubuhlungu obujulile?

UJesu wayebheka uYise wasezulwini ‘njengowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso,’ noJehova ngokwakhe watshela abakhulekeli bakhe ngokucacile ukuthi akufanele ‘babe nabanye onkulunkulu’ ngaphandle kwakhe. (Johane 17:3; Eksodusi 20:3) Ngakho-ke, amaKristu eqiniso afuna ukujabulisa uJehova; awafuni ukumdumaza noma ukumzwisa ubuhlungu ngokukhonza abanye onkulunkulu.—1 Korinte 8:4-6.

Izinkolelo-ze Nokusebenzelana Nemimoya

UNyaka Omusha WamaShayina ubuye uhlobane nokufundwa kwezinkanyezi. Unyaka ngamunye, ikhalenda lamaShayina lethiwa ngelinye lamagama ezilwane ezingu-12 eziseshadini lawo lokufunda izinkanyezi—udrako, ihlosi, inkawu, unogwaja, nezinye. Kunenkolelo yokuthi isilwane senza abantu abazalwe ngalowo nyaka ukuba babe nobuntu nokuziphatha okuthile noma senza lowo nyaka kube unyaka wenhlanhla uma ufuna ukwenza izinto ezithile. Amanye amasiko amaningi okugubha uNyaka Omusha WamaShayina, ahlanganisa ukuhlonipha unkulunkulu wengcebo noma wenhlanhla, ahloselwe ngokukhethekile ukuletha “inhlanhla.” AmaKristu kufanele awabheke kanjani la masiko?

EZwini lakhe iBhayibheli, uJehova wabasola labo abaphendukela ‘kubakhulekeli bamazulu, ababheka izinkanyezi, abanikeza ulwazi ekwethwaseni kwezinyanga ngokuphathelene nezinto ezizobehlela.’ Wakulahla nokukhulekelwa ‘kukankulunkulu weNhlanhla’ kanye ‘nonkulunkulu weSimiselo.’ (Isaya 47:13; 65:11, 12) Kunokuba bathembele ezintweni eziyindida nezingabonakali okungenzeka zihlobene nemimoya noma izinkanyezi, abakhulekeli bakaJehova beqiniso bayatshelwa: “Thembela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mqaphele kuzo zonke izindlela zakho, yena uyokwenza izindlela zakho ziqonde.” (IzAga 3:5, 6) Yebo, izinkolelo-ze zigcina abantu bebophekile, kodwa amaqiniso eBhayibheli ayabakhulula.—Johane 8:32.

Bonisa Uthando Onalo NgoNkulunkulu

Ukwazi umsuka wamasiko nezinkolelo-ze zemikhosi yoNyaka Omusha WamaShayina kuyisiqalo; kodwa ukunquma ukungahlanganyeli kungenye indaba. Uma uhlala emphakathini lapho uNyaka Omusha WamaShayina ugujwa minyaka yonke, noma uma emndenini wakini ukugubha uNyaka Omusha kuyisiko, ubhekene nesinqumo esinzima.

Akekho ongaphika ukuthi kudinga isibindi nokuzimisela ukuqina naphezu kokuphikiswa. Omunye wesifazane ongumKristu ohlala e-Asia uthi: “Ngangesaba ngoba wonke umuntu wayewugubha uNyaka Omusha, kepha mina ngingawugubhi.” Yini eyamsiza? “Ukuhlakulela uthando olujulile ngoNkulunkulu kwangisiza ngakwazi ukuqina.”—Mathewu 10:32-38.

Ingabe unalo uthando oluqine kanjalo ngoJehova? Ziningi izizathu zokumthanda. Uphila nje akungenxa yesimangaliso esithile esiyindida, kodwa kungenxa kaJehova uNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli elithi ngaye: “Ukuwe umthombo wokuphila; ngokukhanya okuvela kuwe siyakwazi ukubona ukukhanya.” (IHubo 36:9) NguJehova okunakekelayo nowenza ujabulele ukuphila, hhayi unkulunkulu wenhlanhla noma wekhishi. (IzEnzo 14:17; 17:28) Ingabe nawe uzobonisa ukuthi uyamthanda? Uma umthanda, qiniseka ngokuthi uyokubusisa ngokucebile.—Marku 10:29, 30.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Ukuqinisekisa Abangane Nezihlobo

Kuyaqondakala ukuthi lapho ilungu lomndeni liyeka ukugubha uNyaka Omusha, lokho kungase kubamangaze abangane nezihlobo. Bangase bacasuke, baphatheke kabi, baze ngisho babe nomuzwa wokuthi liyabalahla. Nokho, kuningi okungase kwenziwe ukuze kuhlale kunokujabula emndenini. Ake uzwe lokho okwashiwo amaKristu ahlala ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene zase-Asia:

UJiang: “Kusasele isikhathi kufike uNyaka Omusha, ngahamba ngayovakashela izihlobo zami, ngazichazela kahle izizathu zami zokungasahlanganyeli emasikweni athile athandwayo. Ngakugwema ngobuhlakani ukululaza izinkolelo zazo futhi ngayiphendula ngenhlonipho imibuzo ezazingibuza yona ngisebenzisa iBhayibheli. Sagcina sesixoxa kamnandi ngezinye izinto eziseBhayibhelini.”

ULi: “Ngaphambi kokufika koNyaka Omusha WamaShayina, ngamtshela ngomusa nangenhlonipho umyeni wami ukuthi kumelwe ngihloniphe unembeza wami ukuze ngibe umuntu ojabule ngempela. Ngamthembisa ukuthi ngeke ngimbangele amahloni lapho sivakashele abakubo ngaleli holidi. Ngamangala kabi lapho engiyisa kwenye indawo ukuze ngiye emhlanganweni wobuKristu ngosuku abakubo ababezokhulekela ngalo okhokho babo.”

UXie: “Ngabaqinisekisa abasekhaya ukuthi ngiyabathanda, ngabatshela nokuthi izinkolelo zami zizothuthukisa ubuntu bami. Ngabe sengisebenza kanzima ukuze ngibonise izimfanelo zobuKristu ezinjengobumnene, ukungacunuli nothando. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bagcina sebeyihlonipha inkolo yami. Kamuva, umyeni wami watadisha iBhayibheli, naye waba umKristu weqiniso.”

UMin: “Ngakhuluma nabazali bami ngomoya ophansi futhi ngababonisa inhlonipho. Kunokuba ngibafisele ‘inhlanhla’ ngabatshela ukuthi ngihlale ngibathandazela kuJehova, uMdali wethu, ukuba ababusise futhi abanike ukuthula nenjabulo.”

UFuong: “Ngatshela abazali bami ukuthi asikho isidingo sokuba ngilinde uNyaka Omusha ngaphambi kokuba ngibavakashele. Ngiyabavakashela njalo. Lokhu kuye kwabajabulisa kakhulu futhi abasangigxeki. Umfowethu omncane naye waqala ukuba nesithakazelo ekwazini iqiniso leBhayibheli.”

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 20]

Panorama Stock/age Fotostock