Uke waqaphela yini ukuthi abantu abaphana kakhulu ekuphileni kwakho ngokuvamile babonakala bejabule kakhulu futhi banelisekile? Cabanga ngakho isikhashana. Mhlawumbe umngane, okuphana kwakhe kubonakala kungenamkhawulo—ngesikhathi sakhe, ukuhlakanipha kwakhe, ukuxhumana kwabo, ukuthulula ngenxa yabanye nganoma iyiphi indlela abangayenza ngaphandle kokulindela indebe. Kuyisenzo esithulile, esingaguquguquki sokunikeza esilolonga impilo yonke. Sivame ukucabanga ngokuphana njengokuthengiselana okulula, umcimbi wesikhathi esisodwa obangelwe isidingo. Kodwa kuthiwani uma kuyinto ejule kakhulu? Kuthiwani uma kungelona nje uphawu lomuntu olungile, kodwa umgomo oyisisekelo wempilo echichima ngempela, ukhiye wokuvula iqiniso eliphikisayo elizwakala njengombuso obheke phansi? Kuyisimiso esiphakamisa ukuthi imfihlo yokuba nokuningi ayitholakali ekubambeleleni ngokuqinile, kodwa ekuvuleni izandla zethu.
Uphawu oluqoshwe emlandweni
Lo mbono awumusha; kuyintambo yegolide elukwe emakhulwini eminyaka okholo. Ukupha bekulokhu kungenye yezimpawu zobuKristu, impendulo ephilayo ekukholweni kuNkulunkulu onguYe uqobo umnikezeli omkhulu. IBandla lokuqala, njengoba kuchazwe encwadini yeZenzo, laliwumphakathi ophilayo lapho abantu babebelana ngalokho ababenakho, bethengisa izinto zabo ukuze babele noma ubani oswele. Basekela abafelokazi, nezintandane, benakekela abampofu, futhi baxhasa abaphostoli ngezimali nokusabalalisa ivangeli. Lokhu kwakungeyona nje isisa; kwakuwukubonakaliswa okunamandla kwendlela entsha yokuphila. Kwaba wumoya owaqhuma ukukhula kwebandla, abantu abangaphandle kwenkolo babuka bemangala umphakathi owawunakekela owakhe kanye nabanye.
Indaba yezingane ezilahliwe
Mhlawumbe ayikho indaba ebonisa lokhu kupha okukhulu ngamandla ukwedlula izenzo zamaKristu okuqala eMbusweni WaseRoma. Kulowo mphakathi, iqoqo—umbuso, isizwe—saziswa ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye. Umuntu, ikakhulukazi obuthakathaka, wayebhekwa njengongalahlwa. Kwakuwumkhuba ovamile nowamukelekayo ukuba imikhaya ilahle izingane ezisanda kuzalwa ezingafunwa ezindundumeni zobulongwe nasezindundumeni zikadoti, zisale zifa uma zigula, zibuthakathaka, noma zingafunwa. Kuyisithombe esihlasimulisayo, kodwa bekuyiqiniso elimangalisayo. Kulobu bumnyama angena amaKristu, ehlome ngenkolelo yenguquko: wonke umuntu unenani elikhulu ngoba udalwe ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Babedabula ezindundumeni zikadoti, befuna lezi zimpilo ezincane ezilahliwe. Babahlenga, babamukela, babakhulise njengezabo. Uma umntwana wayegula kakhulu ukuba aphile, babemnakekela ngesisa aze adlule emhlabeni. Futhi uma bethola umntwana osewashona, babemngcwaba ngendlela efanele, enesithunzi. Imigede yase-Italy ifakaza buthule ngalobu bubele obujulile, obugcwele amathuna amancane angenakubalwa abhalwe amagama anjengokuthi “indodakazi yokutholwa” noma “indodana yokutholwa.” Lesi bekungesona isinyathelo esibaliwe sobudlelwano bomphakathi; kwakuwukusebenza okulula, okunamandla kombono wezwe owabona kufanelekile lapho umhlaba wabona imfucuza.
Ifa lokunakekelwa nolwazi
Leli fa lokunakekelwa laqhubeka likhula phakathi neminyaka. Phakathi neNkathi Ephakathi eYurophu, kwakuyizindela ezingamaKristu nezithunywa zevangeli ezaba inetha lokuphepha emphakathini. Bangenisa abagulayo nabampofu, bapha abalambile ukudla, futhi bahlalisa abahambi abakhathele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bathatha indima ebalulekile yothisha, beqoqa abafana abancane emphakathini ukuze babafundise. Sona kanye lesi senzo sokupha—ukwabelana ngolwazi ngokukhululekile—sibe wusizo ekulondolozeni ukufunda nokuhlakanipha phakathi neNkathi Yobumnyama. Kamuva, ekhulwini lesine, amaKristu aqala ukumisa izibhedlela zokuqala, akha izindawo ezizinikele zokunakekela abagulayo. Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, noma nini lapho izithunywa zevangeli zingena ezifundeni ezintsha, enye yezinto zokuqala ezazivame ukuzisungula kwakuyisibhedlela noma umtholampilo wezokwelapha. Ungasabona leli gugu namuhla emagameni ezibhedlela eziningi: iSaint Jude, iHoly Spirit Hospital, iBaptist Medical Center. Kunjalo nangamakhaya ezintandane nasemakhaya ezingane. Lo mlando awulona nje iqoqo lamaqiniso; kufakazela ukuthi ukunikela ngokunikela kuyingxenye ye-DNA yethu engokomoya. Yilokho esibizelwe ukuba yikho.
Ukubonisa umuphi wokugcina
Kungani lokhu kushukunyiswa kugxilile okholweni lobuKristu? Ngoba kuwukubonakaliswa koqobo kukaNkulunkulu. Uyisidalwa esiphana kakhulu esikhona. Akadali ngamaqoqo amancane, ancishanayo. Akapende nje imbali eyodwa yasendle; Umboza insimu yonke ngabo amasonto ambalwa akhazimulayo, ukuze nje sizizwele ubuhle babo. Akenzi nokuphuma kwelanga okukodwa, okumaphakathi; njalo ekuseni, Upenda ubuciko obuyingqayizivele obumangalisayo esibhakabhakeni. Ubuhlakani bukaNkulunkulu kanye namalungiselelo akhe ayaqina, athululelwa mina nawe ukuze sikuzwe futhi sikujabulele. Ukuphila ngokuphana kuwukuqala ukuthatha izimpawu zikaBaba wethu waseZulwini, owathanda umhlaba kangangokuthi Wanikela ngesipho Sakhe esiyigugu kakhulu. Uma sikhetha ukunikela, singena ekugelezeni kwesimo Sakhe uqobo.
Umgomo wombuso obheke phansi
Ukuphila ngale ndlela kudinga ukushintsha kwengqondo okujulile, ngoba uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usebenza ngezimiso eziphikisana ngokuphelele nomqondo wezwe. Umbuso obheke phansi. Umhlaba usitshela ukuthi siqongelele, sifune ukupha abanye, sivikele okungokwethu ukuze siqinisekise ukuthi sinokwanele. Kodwa uJesu uthi, “Yiphani, khona niyakuphiwa” ( Luka 6:38 ). “Kukhona ohlakazayo, nokho anda kakhulu, kukhona nogodlayo ngokufanele, kepha kuholela ebumpofu” (IzAga 11:24). Lokhu akuwona nje umuzwa omuhle; kungumthetho womoya. Abantu abacebe kakhulu emhlabeni bavame ukuphana kakhulu, ngoba bayaqonda ukuthi izinsiza zinamandla. Imali iyimali; ihloselwe ukugeleza. Lapho sinikela ngezimpilo zethu ngenxa yabanye, ukuphila kwethu siqu kuyacetshiswa. Lapho siphuzisa abanye, nathi ngokwethu siyophuziswa. Leli iqiniso elihle, eliyindida lempilo ephilwa ngokuhambisana nomklamo kaNkulunkulu.
Ukuhlwanyelela isivuno awukwazi ukubona okwamanje
Umphostoli uPawulu uqhathanisa ukupha nokuhlwanyela imbewu. Umlimi akahlwanyeli imbewu futhi ulindele isihlanga sombila esikhule ngokugcwele ngakusasa. Uhlwanyela ngesikhathi esisodwa ngokukholwa kube yisivuno esikhathini esizayo. Ngezinye izikhathi, singahlwanyela ngokuphana futhi singayiboni imbuyiselo esheshayo, okungase kusidumaze. Ngakufunda kabuhlungu lokhu engadini yami ngomunye unyaka. Ngalandela iseluleko esisheshayo, ngaphonsa umcako phansi, futhi ngatshala imbewu yami. Umphumela? Iziqu zommbila ezimfushane, eziqinile kanye nesivuno esincane. Bengingasola imbewu noma inhlabathi futhi ngiyeke ukulima phakade. Kodwa ukwehluleka kwakungekho emthethweni wokuhlwanyela; kwakungenxa yokuntula kwami ukukhuthala okufanele. Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngenza kahle. Ngahlola inhlabathi ngathola ukuthi yayishoda ngemisoco emikhulu. Ngalungisa inhlabathi, ngatshala futhi, futhi kulokhu, ngangilungiselela isivuno sangempela. Ngezinye izikhathi sisola uNkulunkulu lapho ukupha kwethu kungabonakali “kusebenza,” kodwa asikawenzi umsebenzi ezinhliziyweni zethu. Ukuhlwanyela kuyisenzo sokholo sesikhathi esizayo. Izinto ozivunayo empilweni yakho namuhla cishe ziwumphumela wembewu owayitshala eminyakeni edlule. Uma uhlwanyela ngokungaguquki eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu nasezimpilweni zabanye, ekugcineni uyofinyelela eqophelweni lapho ukuvuna kuqala ukukufica.
Ukusuka emqondweni wokuswela uye empilweni yokuceba
Ekugcineni, ingcebo yeqiniso ayihlangene kakhulu nenombolo eku-akhawunti yakho yasebhange. Inakho konke okwenzayo ngendlela obona ngayo umhlaba. Kuqala emqondweni wakho. Singaphila nengqondo enomkhawulo, yokushoda ethi kuningi okumele sikuhambe. Lo mqondo ukholelwa ukuthi uma unokuthile, kusho ukuthi kuncane kimi, ukudala ukuncintisana, umona, nokwesaba. Kodwa umbono wezwe weBhayibheli ungenye yezinsiza ezingapheli. Kungumqondo ophumelelayo othi uNkulunkulu ungumthombo, futhi usinika amandla okuthola ingcebo—ubuciko, imibono, amathuba—okumisa umsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni (Dut. 8:18). Uma wenza lokho kushintsha emqondweni wakho, usuka ekusweleni uye enaleni, usuvele ucebile, ngisho noma i-akhawunti yakho yasebhange ingekho. Umphefumulo wakho uqala ukuchuma kuqala, bese uqala ukubonakala ezweni elikuzungezile. Uyabona ukuthi konke kungokukaNkulunkulu noma kunjalo, futhi singabaphathi bezinsiza Zakhe. Lokhu kusikhulula ekukhathazekeni kobunikazi futhi kusibeka njengabaphathi abajabulayo bokuchichima kwamalungiselelo Akhe.
Akuwona umcimbi, ukuthi ungubani
Lokhu kusiletha ephuzwini elibaluleke kakhulu: ukupha akukona ukusabela esidingweni; kumayelana nokunquma ukuthi uzoba luhlobo luni lomuntu. Akuwona umcimbi wesikhathi esisodwa; yindlela yokuphila esikhetha ukuyihlakulela. Ingabe uyafuna ukuba umuntu oyisisetshenziswa sabanye? Ingabe ufuna ukuphilela inzuzo engaphezu kwakho nje? Lesi yisinqumo esisenza ezinhliziyweni zethu phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Kumayelana nokuthatha isinqumo sokuba umuphi ojabulayo, ngisho nojabule, ngoba isimo senhliziyo sibaluleke kakhulu kuNkulunkulu kunenani lesipho. Umuntu ophanayo ngumuntu othanda ukuba naye. Bakhululekile ngezinhliziyo zabo, injabulo yabo, ulwazi lwabo, nezinto zabo. Bahlala bexhumanisa abantu, babelana ngemibono, futhi bafuna izindlela zokubusisa abanye. Ukuphila kwabo kuvele kugcwale, futhi uma useduze kwabo, kukwenza ufune ukuba njalo, nawe.
Uhlangothi olujabulisayo lokuboleka
Ukuphila le mpilo yokuvula izandla kusho ukuthi kwesinye isikhathi uzosetshenziswa. Kusho futhi ukuthi izinto ngeke zihlale zihamba njengoba bekuhleliwe, futhi kufanele ulunge ngalokho. Lesi sifundo ngisifunde ngendlela emangalisayo lapho udadewethu engiboleka imoto yakhe ngesandla esivulekile. Ngayibuyisela kuye iminyene futhi incane kakhulu kunangesikhathi ngiyithola, ngemva kokuyiphenya ngengozi. Ingabe lokho kwamyekisa ukuba umuntu ophanayo? Cha. Eqinisweni, ekugcineni wathola imoto entsha esivumelwaneni! Ngesinye isikhathi, mina nomkami saboleka imoto yethu kumngane waseKapa ingoduso yakhe eyayifunda ukushayela. Wehlelwa yingozi emotweni yakhe, ngakho sambolekisa ngeyethu ngesikhathi eyakhe isesitolo. Ngosuku, waya kolanda imoto yakhe eyayisanda kulungiswa. Washayela imoto yethu kanti ingoduso yakhe yahamba ngemoto yayo ngemuva kweyethu. Elangeni lokuqala elibomvu, waphinde waxuba igesi nebhuleki, wagasela ngemuva emotweni yethu wamthumela emotweni eyayiphambi kwakhe—naleyo eyayisanda kuphuma kuso leso sitolo somzimba ngemva kokulungiswa engozini edlule! Ungathukuthela ngalezo zikhathi noma ungahleka futhi wethembe ukuthi uNkulunkulu usebenza ngezindlela ezimangalisayo nezingaqondakali. Ukupha ngezinye izikhathi kuza nezingozi, kodwa ukuphila okuphilwa uMbuso Wakhe kuwufanele ngaso sonke isikhathi.
Umhlahlandlela osebenzayo wokupha kwansuku zonke
Pho, siqala kanjani ukuphila le mpilo echichimayo? Idlulela ngalé kwezikhwama zemali zethu. Singaphana ngokwethu izimali, ngokweshumi, ngeminikelo, nangokupha abampofu. Singaphana ngokwethu izimpahla, ebolekisa ngenjabulo. Singaphana ngokwethu isikhathi, esiza abanye amahora ambalwa. Singaphana ngokwethu oxhumana nabo, sibe “ihinge loMoya oNgcwele” elixhumanisa abantu nezinsiza kanye nabanye esibaziyo abangafaka imibono yamasu. Singaphana ngokwethu Imininingwane futhi ulwazi, sihlanganyela ngokukhululekile lokho esikufundile. Ezweni lethu eliphazamisekile, esinye sezipho ezinkulu kakhulu ukuphana kwethu ukunakwa futhi gxila-isipho sokuba khona ngokugcwele, ukutshala imali ebudlelwaneni ngokubeka amafoni ethu phansi, ukubheka othile emehlweni, nokubuza, "Uqhuba kanjani ngempela?" Futhi ekugcineni, kufanele sizilolonge ukuphana okungokomoya. Ugcine nini ukuxoxa ngendaba yakho ngalokho uNkulunkulu akwenzele kona? Ukuvangela kuwumuntu oyedwa otshela omunye ukuthi uNkulunkulu ube nomthelela kanjani ezimpilweni zabo futhi wanikeza umsoco womphefumulo wabo. Lena indlela uMbuso wanda ngayo—usebenzisa abantu abaphila ukuphila okugcwele kangangokuthi abakwazi ukuzibamba ngaphandle kokuhlanganyela.
Ukwakha ifa elihlala njalo
Ekugcineni, ingabe ukuzwile ngempela ukupha kukaNkulunkulu? Ungumuphi, hhayi ukuze athole okuthile njengembuyiselo, kodwa ngoba lokho kuyisimo Sakhe uqobo. Lapho sihlala siseduze Naye, yilapho siba njengaYe kakhulu. Isimemo silula. Okokuqala, thandaza umthandazo olula: “Nkulunkulu, ngenze ngibe umuntu ophanayo.” Okwesibili, qala ukusebenzisa lonke ithuba olibonayo lokuphana, kungaba kumakhelwane, abangani nomndeni wakho, noma ibandla lakho. ETestamenteni Elisha, ingelosi yatshela induna yekhulu engumRoma uKorneliyu ukuthi imikhuleko yakhe nokunikela kwakhe kwakukhuphukele phambi kukaNkulunkulu njengesikhumbuzo (Izenzo 10:4). Cabanga ngalokho. Esikwenzayo lapha emhlabeni ngezinsiza uNkulunkulu asinika zona kwakha isikhumbuzo ezulwini. Asigcini nje ngokuziphilisa; senza impilo, futhi sakha ifa eliyonanela kuze kube phakade. Yilokho ingcebo yangempela yokuphila kokuphana.
Lesi sihloko siyinhlanganisela yomlayezo omkhulu lapha.
