Ukwenza Ukukhanya Kwethu Kukhanye Ngokuqhubekayo
1 Kuyini ukukhanya? Isichazamazwi sikuchaza ngokuthi “okuthile okwenza ukwazi ukubona.” Kodwa empeleni, naphezu kobuchwepheshe bakhe obuthuthukile, umuntu akakayazi ngokuphelele impendulo yombuzo owaphakanyiswa uJehova njengoba ulotshwe kuJobe 38:24. Ingabe singaqhubeka siphila ngaphandle kokukhanya? Besingeke siphile ngaphandle kokukhanya. Ukukhanya kubalulekile ekuboneni okungokoqobo, futhi iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ngomqondo ongokomoya, “uNkulunkulu ungukukhanya.” (1 Joh. 1:5) Sincike ngokuphelele kuLowo ‘osikhanyiselayo.’—IHu. 118:27.
2 Lokhu kuyiqiniso ngomqondo ongokwenyama kodwa kuyiqiniso ngokwengeziwe ngokomoya. Inkolo yamanga iye yadukisa abantu abaningi, ibashiya ebumnyameni obungokomoya, ‘bephuthaza udonga njengempumputhe.’ (Isaya 59:9, 10) Eshukunyiswa uthando lwakhe nozwela okungenakuqhathaniswa, uJehova ‘uthumela ukukhanya kwakhe neqiniso lakhe.’ (IHu. 43:3) Izigidi ezingokoqobo zabantu abanezinhliziyo ezinokwazisa ziye zasabela, ziphuma ‘ebumnyameni, zingena ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.’—1 Pet. 2:9.
3 UJesu Kristu ufeza indima ebalulekile ekuletheni lokhu kukhanya ezweni. Wathi: “Ngize njengokukhanya ezweni ukuze wonke umuntu obeka ukholo kimi angahlali ebumnyameni.” (Joh. 12:46) Sonke isikhathi sakhe, amandla, nengcebo kwasetshenziselwa ekwenzeni ukukhanya kweqiniso kwaziwe. Walijikeleza lonke izwe lakubo, eshumayela futhi efundisa cishe kuyo yonke imizi nemizana. Wakhuthazelela ushushiso olunonya olwaluvela nhlangothi zonke, kodwa wahlala eqinile ekuthunyweni kwakhe kokusakaza ukukhanya kweqiniso.
4 UJesu wagxila ekukhetheni, ekuqeqesheni, nasekuhleleni abafundi, enomgomo okhethekile engqondweni. KuMathewu 5:14-16 sifunda iziyalezo abanikeza zona: “Nina ningukukhanya kwezwe. . . . Ukukhanya kwenu makukhanye phambi kwabantu, ukuze babone imisebenzi yenu emihle bese benika uYihlo osemazulwini inkazimulo.” NjengoJesu, kwakufanele babe ‘yizinkanyiso ezweni,’ bakhiphele ukukhanya kweqiniso kude naseduze. (Fil. 2:15) Bawamukela ngenjabulo lowo mthwalo wemfanelo, bewubheka njengenjongo yabo eyinhloko ekuphileni. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uPawulu wakwazi ukusho ukuthi izindaba ezinhle “zashunyayelwa kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.” (Kol. 1:23) Lonke ibandla lobuKristu lalimunye ekufezeni lowo msebenzi omkhulu.
5 Nathi namuhla kufanele sibonge ngokuthi siye saba phakathi kwalabo abaye ‘balahla imisebenzi yobumnyama.’ (Roma 13:12, 13) Singabonisa ukwazisa kwethu ngokulingisa isibonelo esabekwa uJesu namaKristu athembekile esikhathini esidlule. Isidingo sokuba abanye bezwe iqiniso siphuthuma kakhulu futhi sibaluleke kunanini ngaphambili emlandweni wesintu. Awukho omunye umsebenzi ongaqhathaniswa nalona ngokuphuthuma kwawo nangezinzuzo zawo ezifinyelela kude.
6 Singakhanya Kanjani Njengezinkanyiso? Indlela eyinhloko yokwenza ukukhanya kwethu kukhanye iwukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso. Ibandla ngalinye linamalungiselelo asikhathi sonke, nahlelekile okushumayela ensimini eliyabelwe. Izincwadi eziningi neziyizinhlobonhlobo zenziwa zitholakale nangezilimi eziningi. Imfundo ebanzi inikezwa ngemihlangano, nosizo lokuqeqesha abanye lunikezwa yilabo abanokuhlangenwe nakho. Amathuba okuhlanganyela avulekele amadoda, abesifazane, asebekhulile, nezingane. Umuntu ngamunye ebandleni umenywa ukuba ahlanganyele nganoma iliphi izinga elivunyelwa amakhono akhe nezimo. Yonke imisebenzi yebandla igxile ekushumayeleni, inamalungiselelo okusiza ilungu ngalinye ukuba lihlanganyele ngandlela-thile. Ukuhlanganyela njalo ngokuseduze nebandla kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokuqikelela ukuthi ukukhanya kwethu kuyaqhubeka kukhanya.
7 Singakhanya ngezindlela ezingase zingahlanganisi ubufakazi obunikezwa ngomlomo. Singadonsa ukunaka kwabanye ngokuziphatha nje kwethu. Yilokho uPetru ayekucabanga lapho eluleka: “Londolozani ukuziphatha kwenu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe, ukuze . . . zikhazimulise uNkulunkulu ngenxa yemisebenzi yenu emihle ezingofakazi bayo bokuzibonela.” (1 Pet. 2:12) Abaningi bahlulela umsebenzi noma inhlangano ngokuziphatha kwalabo abakuyo. Lapho izibukeli zibona abantu abahlanzekile ngokokuziphatha, abathembekile, abanokuthula, nabagcina umthetho, zibabheka njengabantu abahlukile futhi ziphetha ngokuthi baphila ngezindinganiso ezisezingeni eliphezulu kunalezo ezilandelwa iningi. Ngakho indoda yenza ukukhanya kwayo kukhanye uma idumisa futhi yazisa umkayo ngendlela yothando; nenkosikazi yenza okufanayo ngokuhlonipha ubunhloko bomyeni wayo. Izingane zivela njengezihlukile uma zilalela abazali bazo futhi zigwema ukuziphatha okubi kobulili nokusebenzisa izidakamizwa. Umqashwa oqotho emsebenzini wakhe, othembekile, nocabangela abanye waziswa kakhulu. Ngokubonisa lezi zimfanelo zobuKristu, senza ukukhanya kwethu kukhanye, siyimelela kahle indlela yethu yokuphila kwabanye.
8 Ukushumayela kuwukukhuluma nabanye ngalokho esiye sakufunda eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Lokho kwenziwa endaweni yesikhulumi noma ezindlini zabantu, kodwa akugcini neze kulezo zikhathi kuphela. Imisebenzi yethu yansuku zonke isenza sihlangane nabantu abaningi. Ukhuluma kangaki ngosuku nomakhelwane bakho? Bafika kangaki abantu kwakho? Bangaki abantu abehlukahlukene ohlangana nabo lapho uyothenga, ugibela ibhasi, noma usebenza emsebenzini wokuziphilisa? Uma ungumuntu osemusha osafunda, ungababala abantu oxoxa nabo usuku ngalunye? Amathuba okuxoxa nabanye cishe ayintilibathwa. Okudingeka ukwenze nje ukuba nemiqondo embalwa engokomBhalo engqondweni, iBhayibheli namapheshana athile kube seduze, bese uthatha isinyathelo kuqala sokukhuluma uma uthola ithuba.
9 Nakuba ukufakaza ngokwethukela kulula, abanye bamadolonzima ukukuzama. Bangase babe mathinta nyawo, bathi banamahloni noma banovalo kakhulu lokuxoxa nabantu abangabazi. Bangase besabe ukudonsela ukunaka kubo noma ukuthola ukusabela okunokhahlo. Labo abangomakad’ ebona ekufakazeni ngokwethukela bangakutshela ukuthi asikho isidingo sokwesaba. Abanye abantu bayafana nje nathi; banezidingo esinazo, bakhathazwa izinto ezisikhathazayo, futhi bazifunela bona nemikhaya yabo izinto esizifunayo. Abaningi bayosabela ngomusa uma bebona ubuso obumomothekayo noma bebingelelwa ngobungane. Ukuze uqale, kungase kudingeke ‘uqunge isibindi.’ (1 Thes. 2:2) Nokho, lapho usuqalile, imiphumela iyokumangalisa futhi ikujabulise.
10 Siyabusiswa Lapho Senza Ukukhanya Kwethu Kukhanye: Nazi ezinye izibonelo zokuhlangenwe nakho okuqabulayo okuwumphumela wokufakaza ngokwethukela: Inkosikazi eneminyaka engu-55 yayizama ukweqa umgwaqo. Lapho nje imoto isithi ayiyithathe, udade wayigxavula ngengalo wayidonsela endaweni ephephile, ethi: “Qaphela bo. Siphila ezikhathini ezibucayi!” Wabe esechaza ukuthi kungani lezi zikhathi ziyingozi kangaka. Lenkosikazi yabuza, “Ingabe ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova?” Njengoba yayithole enye yezincwadi zethu kudadewabo, lenkosikazi yayifuna ukuhlangana nomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi lesi senzakalo sakwenza kwenzeka.
11 Udade waqala ingxoxo nowesifazane owayesendlini yokulinda udokotela. Lona wesifazane walalelisisa wabe esethi: “Sekukaningana ngihlangana noFakazi BakaJehova; kodwa uma ngesikhathi esithile esizayo nami ngiba ngempela omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, kuyoba ngenxa yalokhu osanda kungitshela khona. Ukukulalela kunjengokuqala ukubona ukukhanya endaweni emnyama.”
12 Isenzo somusa singaba isinyathelo sokusiza abanye bafunde iqiniso. Lapho bephindela ekhaya bevela enkonzweni yasensimini, odade ababili babona isalukazi esithile esasibonakala sigula njengoba sasehla ebhasini. Bema base bebuza ukuthi sasiludinga yini usizo. Samangala kakhulu ukuthi abantu ababili esingabazi nhlobo bangabonisa isithakazelo kuso kangangokuba safuna ukwazi ukuthi yini eyayibangela lesi senzo somusa. Lokhu kwavula ithuba lokufakaza. Lesisalukazi sabanika ikheli laso ngokushesha futhi sabamema ukuba basivakashele. Isifundo saqalwa. Ngokushesha lesisalukazi saqala ukuba khona emihlanganweni futhi manje sihlanganyela iqiniso nabanye.
13 Udade osekhulile ulisebenzisa ngokunenzuzo ithuba lokufakaza ekuseni ngovivi ebhishi yasendaweni. Uhlangana nabantu abahlanza izindlu, abazanyana, omabhalane basemabhange, nabanye abahambahambayo ogwini. Uqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli, ehleli ogwini. Uye wafundisa abantu abaningana iqiniso futhi manje bangoFakazi BakaJehova.
14 Emsebenzini wakhe wokuziphilisa, udade wezwa umuntu asebenza naye ekhuluma ngenhlangano ethile yezombangazwe ayekholelwa ukuthi yayingaxazulula izinkinga zezwe. Udade wakhuluma, elandisa ngezithembiso zalokho okuzokwenziwa uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Lengxoxo emsebenzini yaholela esifundweni seBhayibheli sasekhaya, futhi ekugcineni lenkosikazi nomyeni wayo baba oFakazi.
15 Ungalokothi Ukhohlwe Ukuthi UnguFakazi! Lapho uJesu echaza abafundi bakhe ngokuthi ‘bawukukhanya kwezwe,’ wabonisa ukuthi kufanele basize abanye bazuze ekukhanyeni okungokomoya kweZwi likaNkulunkulu. Uma sisebenzisa iseluleko sikaJesu, siyoyibheka kanjani inkonzo yethu?
16 Lapho befuna umsebenzi, abanye abantu bakhetha umsebenzi oyitoho. Bayasilinganisela isikhathi nomzamo abakusebenzisa kuwo ngenxa yokuthi bakhetha ukusebenzisa isikhathi esiningi bephishekela imisebenzi abayithola inomvuzo ngokwengeziwe. Ingabe nathi sinombono ofanayo ngenkonzo yethu? Ngisho noma singase sizizwe sinesibopho futhi sizimisele ukubekela eceleni isikhathi esithile senkonzo, ingabe kufanele isithakazelo sethu esiyinhloko sibe kokunye?
17 Siqaphela ukuthi ayikho into ewukuba umKristu ngezikhathi ezithile, sazinikezela, ‘sizidela’ futhi sivuma ukulandela uJesu “njalo.” (Math. 16:24) Isifiso sethu siwukuqhubeka “ngomphefumulo wonke,” sisebenzisa ngokunenzuzo wonke amathuba okwenza ukukhanya kwethu kukhanye ukuze sifinyelele abantu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bakuphi. (Kol. 3:23, 24) Kufanele simelane nezimo zengqondo zezwe, silondoloze intshiseko yethu njengasekuqaleni, futhi siqikelele ukuthi ukukhanya kwethu kuyaqhubeka kukhanya ngokukhazimulayo. Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye baye bavumela ukuba intshiseko yabo inciphe nokukhanya kwabo kulokoze, kungabonakali uma uthe nje ukuqhela. Onjalo angadinga usizo lokuvuselela intshiseko esinciphile yenkonzo.
18 Abanye bangase bazindele ngenxa yokuthi isigijimi sethu asithandeki kwabaningi. UPawulu wathi isigijimi esingoKristu ‘siwubuwula kulabo ababhubhayo.’ (1 Kor. 1:18) Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini abanye ababeyisho, ngomfutho wathi: “Anginamahloni ngezindaba ezinhle.” (Roma 1:16) Umuntu onamahloni uyazeya noma azizwe engafaneleki. Singazizwa kanjani sinamahloni sibe sikhuluma ngoMbusi Ophakeme wendawo yonke nangamalungiselelo amangalisayo aye wawenza ukuze sijabule phakade? Akunangqondo ukuthi singazeya noma sizizwe singafaneleki uma sikhuluma ngalamaqiniso kwabanye. Kunalokho, kumelwe sizizwe sibophekile ukwenza okusemandleni ethu, sibonise ukuqiniseka kwethu kokuthi ‘akukho lutho esingaba namahloni ngakho.’—2 Thim. 2:15.
19 Ukukhanya kweqiniso okukhanyayo manje emazweni azungeze umhlaba kunikeza ithemba lokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni omusha oyipharadesi. Masibonise ukuthi siye sasithatha ngokungathi sína isiyalo sokwenza ukukhanya kwethu kukhanye ngokuqhubekayo! Uma senza kanjalo, siyoba nesizathu sokujabula njengabaphostoli okwathi nsuku zonke ‘baqhubeka ngaphandle kokuyekethisa befundisa futhi bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngoKristu, uJesu.’—IzE. 5:42.