Ukuphila Nezinselele Zokukhula

“SIPHILA iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa nje kuphela—engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili, uma sinamandla; kodwa kunye nje esilethela kona, izinkathazo nosizi; ngokushesha siyafa, singabe sisaba khona.” (IHubo 90:10, Today’s English Version) Le ngoma esankondlo esineminyaka engu-3 000 ikhona, ifakazela ukuthi inkinga yokuguga indala kakhulu. Naphezu kwentuthuko ebabazekayo kwezokwelapha, ezinye izici zokukhula zisabangela “izinkathazo nosizi” ngokukhethekile. Yiziphi, futhi abanye abantu babhekana kanjani nalezi zinselele?

Ukuguga Ingqondo Ibe Ikhaliphile

Ngokukhathazeka okukhulu, uHans oneminyaka engu-79 uthi: “Into engiyesaba kunazo zonke ukukhohlwa.” Njengabantu abaningi asebekhulile, uHans wayekhathazwa indaba yokukhohlwa. Wayenovalo lokuthi wayezolahlekelwa yilokho enye imbongi yamandulo eyakubiza ngokuthi ‘isitsha segolide’—ubuchopho obuyigugu kanye nezinkumbulo ezaziswa kakhulu. (UmShumayeli 12:6) UHans wabuza: “Ingabe ukulahlekelwa ingqondo kuyisici esivamile sokuguga?”

Uma njengoHans uye wakhohlwa amagama athile, noma uzibuza ukuthi iziqubu ezinjalo zokukhohlwa ziwukuqala kokulahlekelwa ingqondo okungathí sina yini, sicela uqiniseke ngalokhu: Abantu babo bonke ubudala bayakhohlwa, futhi ushintsho oluthile ekusebenzeni kwengqondo yomuntu osekhulile alusho ukuthi uselahlekelwe yingqondo.a Nakuba kuyinto evamile ukuba bakhohlwe, “ingqondo yabaningi asebekhulile iyaqhubeka isebenza kahle kakhulu kuze kube yilapho sebeqeda inkambo yabo yokuphila,” kubhala uDkt. Michael T. Levy, usihlalo wesayensi yokuziphatha kwabantu eStaten Island University Hospital, eNew York.

Yiqiniso, intsha iyabadlula abantu asebekhulile ngokukhumbula imininingwane ethile ngokushesha. Kodwa “uma uyibekela eceleni indaba yokukala isikhathi,” kusho udokotela wezinzwa uRichard Restak, “abantu asebekhulile benza kahle nabo kule ndaba njengentsha.” Empeleni, uma zifundiswe kahle futhi ziqeqeshwe ngendlela efanele, izingqondo eziphile kahle zabantu asebekhulile ziyaqhubeka zifunda, zikhumbula, zithuthuka nokuthuthuka emakhonweni athile akhethekile.

Izinkinga Zokukhohlwa Nokuphazamiseka Okungelapheka

Nokho, kuthiwani lapho umuntu ebhekana nezinkinga ezingathí sina zokukhohlwa? Ngisho noma kunjalo, akumelwe asheshe aphethe ngokuthi usenenkinga yokulahlekelwa yingqondo. Ukuphazamiseka okuningi okungelapheka abantu ababa nakho lapho sebekhulile kungabangela izinkinga zokukhohlwa nokuphithana kwengqondo okungavamile, okwenzeka kungazelelwe. Ukuphazamiseka okunjalo ngokuvamile kubizwa ngokungafanele ngokuthi “ukuguga” noma “ukusangana”—ngisho nodokotela abangenalwazi kulo mkhakha benza leli phutha elifanayo ngezinye izikhathi. Lokhu akugcini nje ngokuzilulaza iziguli esezikhulile kodwa kungabangela nokuba zithole imithi yokwelashwa engafanele. Kungaba yini okunye kwalokhu kuphazamiseka?

Ukuphithana kwengqondo okungavamile okwenzeka kungazelelwe kungabangelwa ukungondleki kahle, ukuntuleka kwamanzi emzimbeni, ukuphelelwa igazi, ukulimala ekhanda, izinkinga zegilo, ukuntuleka kwamavithamini, ukungezwani komzimba nemithi ethile, ngisho noshintsho oluthile endaweni ezungezile olukhungathekisayo. Izinkinga zokukhohlwa zingabangelwa nawukucindezeleka isikhathi eside, kanti laziwa kahle neqiniso lokuthi izifo ezithathelwanayo zibangela ukuphithana kwengqondo kubantu asebekhulile. Ukucindezeleka nako kungabangela izinkinga zokukhohlwa nokuphithana kwengqondo ezigulini esezikhulile. Ngakho-ke “ukuphithana kwengqondo okwenzeka kungazelelwe,” kuxwayisa uDkt. Levy, “akufanele neze kushaywe indiva noma kuthathwe kalula ngokuthi kuwukuphithana kwengqondo okungenakwelashwa.” Ukuhlolisiswa udokotela kungasiza ekutholeni umsuka walezi zimpawu zokugula.

Ukubhekana Nokucindezeleka

Ukucindezeleka akukusha kubantu, ngisho nasezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile imbala. Cishe eminyakeni engu-2 000 edlule, umphostoli uPawulu kwadingeka ukuba eluleke amaKristu ayekhonza kanye nawo: “[Kumelwe] nikhulume ngokududuzayo nemiphefumulo ecindezelekile.” (1 Thesalonika 5:14) Kulezi zikhathi esiphila kuzo ezicindezelayo, leso sidingo sikhulu nakakhulu. Nokho, kuyadabukisa ukuthi ukucindezeleka kwabantu asebekhulile ngokuvamile akubonakali noma kudidaniswa nesinye isifo.

Ngenxa yokwanda kwemibono eyiphutha yokuthi abantu bazizwa belahliwe futhi imizwelo yabo iguquguquka kakhulu njengoba beya bekhula ngeminyaka, abanye abantu kanye nabantu asebekhulile uqobo bangase babheke lezi zimpawu zokugula njengesici esivamile nje sokuguga. “Nokho, lokhu akunjalo,” kusho incwadi ethi Treating the Elderly. “Ukucindezeleka kwabantu asebekhulile akusona isici esivamile senqubo yokuguga.”

Ukucindezeleka okubeleselayo—ngokungafani nokudabuka okuvamile noma iziqubu zokuba nomzwangedwa—kuyisifo esingathí sina esingase sibe nemiphumela emibi kakhulu futhi akufanele neze kushaywe indiva. Uma ukucindezeleka kungelashwa, kungaba kubi kakhulu futhi kugxile kangangokuba iziguli ezingenathemba zingakhetha ukuzibulala. Usizi lokucindezeleka ezigulini esezikhulile, ukuthi “isifo eselapheka kunazo zonke izifo zokuphazamiseka kwengqondo singaba futhi namathuba amakhulu okubulala isiguli,” kuchaza uDkt. Levy. Uma ukucindezeleka kuqhubeka, kungase kudingeke ukuba isiguli selashwe udokotela onolwazi ngezifo zokuguquguquka kwemizwelo.b—Marku 2:17.

Abantu abacindezelekile bangase baqiniseke ngokuthi uJehova “unothando futhi unesihe.” (Jakobe 5:11) “Useduze nalabo abaphukile enhliziyweni.” (IHubo 34:18) Yebo, nguJehova ngokuyinhloko “oduduza abacindezelekile.”—2 Korinte 7:6, New American Standard Bible.

Asikho Isidingo Sokuzizwa Ungelutho

“Ungangilahli esikhathini sokuguga; ungangishiyi lapho nje amandla ami ephela,” kuthandaza inkosi ethembekile uDavide eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-3 000 edlule. (IHubo 71:9) Ngisho nakuleli khulu lama-21, kuvamile ukuba bazizwe kanjalo abantu asebekhulile abanovalo lokuthi ngeke besabhekwa njengabantu abawusizo. Kalula nje, ukulinganiselwa kwamandla ngenxa yobuthakathaka bempilo kungabangela umuntu ukuba azizwe engasafaneleki, futhi ukuphoqelelwa ukuba athathe umhlalaphansi kungase kumenze azizwe engasabalulekile.

Nokho, ngokugxila kulokho esikwazi ukukwenza kunokudunyazwa yilokho esingasenamandla okukwenza, singase sikwazi ukulondoloza umuzwa wokuthi sibalulekile futhi siwusizo. Maqondana nalokhu, umbiko weZizwe Ezihlangene watusa ‘ukuba umuntu aqhubeke ethuthuka ngemfundo ayithola esikoleni nangolwazi oluvamile azitholela lona ekuphileni, ngokuhileleka ezinhlanganweni zomphakathi nangokwenza imisebenzi yenkolo.’ U-Ernest waseSwitzerland, ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova futhi oyingcweti esithathe umhlalaphansi kwezokubhaka, uyisibonelo sabantu abaye bazuza ‘ngokuqhubeka bethuthuka ngokufunda.’ Esevile eminyakeni engu-70 yobudala, wanquma ukuthenga i-computer nokufunda indlela yokuyisebenzisa. Kungani anquma kanjalo, kuyilapho ontanga yakhe abaningi bezesaba kangaka izinto zobuchwepheshe? Uyachaza: “Okokuqala, ukuze ngigcine ingqondo yami isebenza njengoba ngiya ngikhula. Futhi okwesibili, ukuze ngizigcine nginolwazi oluhle ngezinto zobuchwepheshe futhi lolo lwazi lungangisiza ekucwaningeni kwami ngeBhayibheli nasemisebenzini engiyenza ebandleni lobuKristu.”

Ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini eminingi ezuzisayo kungagcwalisa izidingo eziningi eziyisisekelo zabantu asebekhulile: Kubenza bazizwe benenjongo futhi benelisekile kanti kungabasiza nokuba bazuze imadlana ethile. Inkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yaqaphela ukuthi kuyisibusiso sikaNkulunkulu ngomuntu ukuba “ajabule futhi enze okuhle phakathi nokuphila kwakhe; nokuthi wonke umuntu adle futhi empeleni aphuze abone okuhle ngawo wonke umsebenzi wakhe onzima.”—UmShumayeli 3:12, 13.

Ukwenza Konke Okusemandleni Ethu

Emiphakathini eminingi, abantu asebekhulile yibona abadlulisela ulwazi kanye nezindinganiso zokuziphatha nezingokomoya esizukulwaneni ngasinye esilandelayo. INkosi uDavide yabhala: “O Nkulunkulu, njengoba sengigugile futhi ngimpunga ungangilahli! Yiba nami njengoba ngimemezela ngamandla akho kuzo zonke izizukulwane ezisazofika.”—IHubo 71:18, Today’s English Version.

Kodwa kuthiwani lapho amandla abantu asebekhulile eselinganiselwe kakhulu ngenxa yempilo noma izimo ezithile? Lesi simo siyamcasula uSarah oneminyaka engu-79, ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi owaveza komunye umdala ongumKristu indlela azizwa edumala ngayo. Lo mdala wakhumbuza uSarah ngesimiso seBhayibheli esithi ‘ukunxusa komuntu olungileyo kunamandla amakhulu.’ (Jakobe 5:16) Lo mdala uyachaza: “Kuyo yonke le minyaka edlule, uye wakha ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu. Manje nathi ungasenza sizuze kulobo buhlobo owabakha ngokuba usithandazele kuNkulunkulu lapho uwedwa.” USarah wakhuthazeka kakhulu lapho lo mdala ethi: “Sarah, siyayidinga kakhulu imithandazo yakho.”

Njengoba uSarah aqaphela, umthandazo uyindlela ezuzisayo futhi enenjongo abantu abaningi asebekhulile abazikhandla ngayo imini nobusuku ukuze kuzuze abanye. (Kolose 4:12; 1 Thimothewu 5:5) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, imithandazo enjalo isiza abantu asebekhulile abathembekile ukuba basondele ‘kuMuzwi womthandazo,’ uJehova.—IHubo 65:2; Marku 11:24.

Abantu asebekhulile abanamandla alinganiselwe kodwa abangabagodleli abanye ulwazi abanalo nengcebo bayigugu emiphakathini yabo. Bafakazela iqiniso lokuthi “ubumpunga bungumqhele wobuhle lapho butholakala endleleni yokulunga.”—IzAga 16:31.

Nokho, singase sibuze: Ikusasa lisiphatheleni njengoba sikhula ngeminyaka? Ingabe kunengqondo ukulangazelela ukuphila okungcono lapho sesigugile?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

Ngokuvamile, abantu abagugile baba nomuzwa wokuthi abanakwa kuleli zwe lanamuhla elisheshayo

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Indlela Ongabasiza Ngayo Asebekhulile

◼ Londoloza Isithunzi Sabo. ‘Ungayisoli ngokhahlo indoda endala, kodwa yiba mnene kuyo njengoyihlo nakubantu besifazane abadala njengawonyoko.’—1 Thimothewu 5:1, 2, Analytical-Literal Translation of the New Testament of the Holy Bible.

◼ Lalelisisa. ‘Kumelwe usheshe ukuzwa, wephuze ukukhuluma, wephuze ukuthukuthela.’—Jakobe 1:19.

◼ Bonisa Ububele. “Nonke yibani nomqondo ofanayo, nibonisa ukuzwelana, ninothando lobuzalwane, ninobubele besisa, nithobekile engqondweni, ningabuyiseli okubi ngokubi noma ukuthukwa ngokuthuka.”—1 Petru 3:8, 9.

◼ Qaphela Isikhathi Okudingeka Ngaso Isikhuthazo. “Izwi elikhulunywe ngesikhathi esifanele linjengama-apula egolide ezitsheni zesiliva.”—IzAga 25:11.

◼ Bameme Ezintweni Ozenzayo. “Landelani inkambo yokungenisa izihambi.”—Roma 12:13.

◼ Nikeza Usizo Olungokoqobo. “Noma ubani onezinto zaleli zwe zokusekela ukuphila futhi abone umfowabo eswele nokho amvalele umnyango wobubele bakhe besisa, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luhlala ngayiphi indlela kuye? Bantwanyana, masibe nothando, hhayi ngezwi noma ngomlomo, kodwa ngesenzo nangeqiniso.”—1 Johane 3:17, 18.

◼ Bekezela. “Gqokani uthando lomzwelo, umusa, ukuthobeka, ubumnene, nokubekezela.”—Kolose 3:12.

Ngokunakekela abantu asebekhulile, sibonisa inhlonipho ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu uqobo ngoba iZwi lakhe lithi: “[Kumelwe] ubonise ukucabangela ixhegu [noma isalukazi].”—Levitikusi 19:32.

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

Ukuhlolisiswa ngudokotela kungaba usizo