Imikhaya Emikhulu Enobunye Enkonzweni KaNkulunkulu
Umhubi wabhala: “Abantwana bayifa elivela kuJehova, Isithelo sesisu singumvuzo. Njengemicibisholo esandleni seqhawe Banjalo abantwana bobusha. Iibusisiwe indoda emgodla wayo ugcwele bona.”—IHubo 127:3-5.
YEBO, abantwana bangaba isibusiso esivela kuJehova. Futhi njengoba nje umcibi ethola ukwaneliseka ngokwazi indlela angayiqondisa ngayo imicibisholo esemgodleni wakhe, kanjalo nabazali bathola injabulo lapho beqondisa izingane zabo endleleni eholela ekuphileni okumi phakade.—Mathewu 7:14.
Kudala, imikhaya ‘enemigodla egcwele’ abantwana abaningi yayivamile kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngeminyaka ababesekuthunjweni ngayo eGibithe: “Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bazala, bachuma, banda, baba baningi; izwe lagcwala bona.” (Eksodusi 1:7) Ukuqhathanisa inani lama-Israyeli angena eGibithe nenani lalawo aphuma khona kusikisela ukuthi imikhaya enezingane eziyishumi yayiyimikhaya esesilinganisweni esiphakathi!
Kamuva, uJesu wakhulela emkhayeni ongase ubonakale umkhulu kwabaningi namuhla. UJesu wayeyizibulo, kodwa uJosefa noMariya baba namanye amadodana amane namadodakazi athile. (Mathewu 13:54-56) Ukuthi babenezingane eziningi kangaka cishe kwenza kuqondakale ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuba uMariya noJosefa baqale uhambo besuka eJerusalema bengaqaphele ukuthi uJesu akekho eqenjini.—Luka 2:42-46.
Imikhaya Emikhulu Namuhla
Namuhla, amaKristu amaningi anquma ukuba nemikhaya emincane ngenxa yezizathu ezingokomoya, ezingokomnotho, ezingokwenhlalo nezinye. Nokho, imikhaya emikhulu isavamile emiphakathini eminingi. Ngokwe-State of the World’s Children 1997, isifunda esinezinga lenzalo eliphezulu kunazo zonke i-Afrika eseningizimu yeSahara. Lapho, owesifazane uzala izingane eziyisithupha ngokwesilinganiso.
Kubazali abangamaKristu abanemikhaya emikhulu, ukukhulisa izingane zabo ngendlela yokuba zithande uJehova akulula kangako, kodwa abaningi benza kanjalo ngempumelelo. Impumelelo ixhomeke ekubeni umkhaya ube nobunye ekukhulekeleni okuhlanzekile. Amazwi omphostoli uPawulu ebandleni laseKorinte asebenza ngezinga elifanayo emikhayeni yamaKristu namuhla. Wabhala: “Manje ngiyanikhuthaza, bafowethu, . . . ukuba nonke nikhulume ngokuvumelana, nokuba kungabi nakuhlukana phakathi kwenu, kodwa ukuba nihlangane ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga.” (1 Korinte 1:10) Ubunye obunjalo bungafinyelelwa kanjani?
Abazali Kumelwe Babe Abantu Abangokomoya
Isici esiyinhloko siwukuthi abazali kumelwe bazinikele ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu. Cabangela lokho uMose akusho kuma-Israyeli: “Yizwa, Israyeli: uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, munye; wothanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo onke amandla akho. Lawa mazwi engikuyala ngawo namuhla ayakuba senhliziyweni yakho, ubafundise impela wona abantwana bakho, uwakhulume lapho uhlezi endlini yakho, nalapho uhamba endleleni, nalapho ulala, nalapho uvuka.”—Duteronomi 6:4-7.
Phawula ukuthi uMose wathi imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kudingeka ibe ‘sezinhliziyweni’ zabazali. Kulapho kuphela lapho abazali bengathambekela khona ekufundiseni izingane zabo izinto ezingokomoya njalo. Eqinisweni, lapho abazali beqinile ngokomoya, baba magange ukufundisa izingane zabo izinto ezingokomoya.
Ukuze umuntu abe umuntu ongokomoya futhi athande uJehova ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke, kubalulekile ukufunda, ukuzindla nokusebenzisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu njalo. Umhubi wabhala ukuthi umuntu ozijabulisa ngomthetho kaJehova nowufunda “imini nobusuku” uyakuba “njengomuthi otshaliwe ngasemifuleni yamanzi, othela isithelo sawo ngesikhathi sawo, oqabunga lawo lingabuni, nakho konke akwenzayo uyakuba nenhlanhla kukho.”—IHubo 1:2, 3.
Njengoba nje umuthi uthela isithelo esihle uma uniselwa njalo, ngokufanayo, imikhaya eyondliwayo ngokomoya ithela izithelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, kube ludumo kuJehova. Isibonelo salokhu umkhaya ka-Uwadiegwu, ohlala eNtshonalanga Afrika. Nakuba u-Uwadiegwu nomkakhe benezingane ezingu-8, bobabili bakhonza njengamaphayona avamile, noma izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezingoFakazi BakaJehova. Uthi: “Umkhaya wethu uye walondoloza isifundo somkhaya seBhayibheli iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20. Siye safundisa izingane iZwi likaNkulunkulu kusukela ziseyizinsana, hhayi esifundweni sethu somkhaya kuphela kodwa nasenkonzweni nangezinye izikhathi. Zonke izingane zethu zingabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, futhi nguthumbu kuphela, oneminyaka eyisithupha, ongakabhapathizwa.”
Ukusebenza Njengeqembu
IBhayibheli lithi: “Indlu iyakhiwa ngokuhlakanipha.” (IzAga 24:3) Emkhayeni, ukuhlakanipha okunjalo kwenza ukuba kusetshenzwe njengeqembu. “Ukaputeni” weqembu lomkhaya ngubaba; uyinhloko yomkhaya emiswe uNkulunkulu. (1 Korinte 11:3) Umphostoli uPawulu ophefumulelwe wagcizelela ukubaluleka komthwalo wemfanelo wobunhloko lapho ebhala: “Uma noma ubani engabondli [kokubili ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo nangokomoya] abakubo siqu, futhi ikakhulukazi labo abangamalungu endlu yakhe, uluphikile ukholo futhi mubi kakhulu kunomuntu ongenalo ukholo.”—1 Thimothewu 5:8.
Ngokuvumelana nalesi seluleko esiseZwini likaNkulunkulu, amadoda angamaKristu kudingeka anakekele ingokomoya lomkawo. Uma amakhosikazi esindwa imisebenzi yasekhaya, ingokomoya lawo liyophazamiseka. Kwelinye izwe lase-Afrika, umKristu osanda kubhapathizwa wakhononda kubadala ebandleni ayekulo ngokuthi umkakhe ubonakala engenandaba nezinto ezingokomoya. Abadala basikisela ukuthi umkakhe udinga usizo olungokoqobo. Ngakho le ndoda yaqala ukumsiza ngemisebenzi yasekhaya. Yasebenzisa nesinye isikhathi imsiza ukuba athuthukise indlela afunda ngayo nolwazi lwakhe lweBhayibheli. Wasabela kahle, futhi manje wonke umkhaya umunye enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu.
Obaba kudingeka bakhathalele nengokomoya lezingane zabo. UPawulu wabhala: “Nani bobaba, ningabacasuli abantwana benu, kodwa qhubekani nibakhulisa ngesiyalo nangokuqondisa umqondo kukaJehova.” (Efesu 6:4) Lapho abazali belalela isiyalo sokungabacasuli abantwana, kanye nesiqondiso sokubaqeqesha, abantwana bazizwa beyingxenye yeqembu lomkhaya. Ngenxa yalokho, izingane cishe ziyosizana futhi zikhuthazane ekufinyeleleni imigomo engokomoya.
Ukusebenza njengeqembu kuhilela ukunikeza izingane imithwalo yemfanelo engokomoya lapho seziyilungele. Omunye ubaba, umdala ongumKristu onezingane ezingu-11, uvuka ekuseni kakhulu aqhubele eziningana zazo izifundo ngaphambi kokuba aye emsebenzini. Esezindadlana, ngemva kokuba zibhapathiziwe, ziyashintshana ekusizeni abafowabo nodadewabo abancane, okuhlanganisa ukuhlanganyela ekubafundiseni iBhayibheli. Ubaba uyaqondisa, atuse imizamo yazo. Eziyisithupha zalezi zingane zibhapathiziwe, futhi ezinye ziyaqhubeka zisebenzela ukufinyelela lowo mgomo.
Ukuxoxisana Okuhle Nemigomo Efanayo
Okubalulekile emikhayeni enobunye ukuxoxisana okunothando nokuba nemigomo efanayo engokomoya. UGordon, umdala ongumKristu ohlala eNigeria, ungubaba wezingane ezingu-7 ezineminyaka yobudala ephakathi kuka-11 no-27. Eziyisithupha zazo zingamaphayona, njengabazali. Uthunjana, osanda kubhapathizwa, uhlanganyela njalo emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi nomkhaya. Amadodana amabili asemadala ayizinceku ezikhonzayo ebandleni.
UGordon wayeyiqhubela ngokwakhe ingane ngayinye isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngaphandle kwalokho, lo mkhaya unesimiso esigcwele semfundo yeBhayibheli. Njalo ekuseni uyahlangana ukuze ucabangele itekisi leBhayibheli bese ulungiselela imihlangano yebandla.
Omunye wemigomo obekelwe ilungu ngalinye lomkhaya uwukufunda zonke izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda neze-Phaphama! Muva nje, unezele ukufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke esimisweni sawo. Ngokuxoxa ngalokho akufundayo, amalungu omkhaya ayakhuthazana ukuba aqhubeke nalo mkhuba.
Isifundo somkhaya seBhayibheli samasonto onke sesigxile kangangokuthi akekho odinga ukukhunjuzwa—wonke umuntu ubheka phambili kuso. Phakathi neminyaka edlule, okuhlanganiswayo esifundweni, isimo saso kanye nobude besikhathi sesifundo somkhaya kuye kwashintshashintshwa ngokuvumelana neminyaka nezidingo zezingane. Lo mkhaya uye wasondelana nezinye izinceku ezithembekile zikaNkulunkulu, futhi lokhu kuye kwaba nomphumela ozuzisayo ezinganeni.
Njengomkhaya, benza izinto ndawonye bazibekele nesikhathi sokuzijabulisa. Kanye ngesonto bajabulela “ubusuku bomkhaya,” obuhlanganisa ukuphicaphicana, amahlaya amahle, ukudlala upiyano, ukulandisa izindaba nokuphumula. Ngezikhathi ezithile, uya olwandle nakwezinye izindawo ezithakazelisayo.
Ukuncika KuJehova
Akukho kulokhu okungenhla okululaza ubunzima bokukhulisa imikhaya emikhulu. “Kuyinselele enkulu ukuba ngubaba omuhle ezinganeni ezingu-8,” kusho omunye umKristu. “Kudingeka ukudla okuningi okungokwenyama nokungokomoya ukuze ziqiniswe; kumelwe ngisebenze kanzima ukuze ngithole imali eyanele ukuze ngizondle. Izingane ezindala zevile eshumini nambili leminyaka, futhi zonke njengoba zingu-8 zisafunda esikoleni. Ngiyazi ukuthi ukuqeqesha okungokomoya kubalulekile, nokho ezinye zezingane zami zinenkani futhi azilaleli. Ziyangidabukisa, kodwa ngiyazi ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi nami ngenza izinto ezidumaza inhliziyo kaJehova, futhi uyangithethelela. Ngakho kumelwe ngiqhubeke ngesineke ngilungisa izingane zami kuze kube yilapho zisanguluka.
“Ngizama ukulandela isibonelo sikaJehova sokusibekezelela ngoba efisa ukuba wonke umuntu aphenduke. Ngiyatadisha nomkhaya wami, futhi ezinye zezingane zami zisebenzela ukufinyelela umgomo wokubhapathizwa. Angenciki emandleni ami ukuze ngithole imiphumela; amandla ami angafeza okuncane. Ngizama ukusondela ngokwengeziwe kuJehova ngomthandazo bese ngisebenzisa isaga esithi: ‘Themba kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, ungenciki kokwakho ukuqonda. Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.’ UJehova uyongisiza ukuba ngiqeqeshe izingane zami.”—IzAga 3:5, 6.
Ungayeki!
Ngezinye izikhathi ukuqeqesha izingane kungase kubonakale kuwumsebenzi ongabongwa kuwo, kodwa ungalokothi uyeke! Qhubeka uwenza! Uma izingane zakho zingasabeli kahle noma zingayazisi imizamo yakho manje, zingase zenze kanjalo kamuva. Kuthatha isikhathi ukuba ingane ikhule ibe umKristu othela izithelo zomoya.—Galathiya 5:22, 23.
UMonica, ohlala eKenya, uzalwa nezingane ezingu-9. Uthi: “Abazali bethu basifundisa iqiniso leBhayibheli kusukela siseyizinsana. Ubaba wayetadisha izincwadi zobuKristu nathi masonto onke. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe, isifundo sasingabi ngosuku olufanayo njalo. Ngezinye izikhathi, lapho ebuya emsebenzini, wayesibona sidlala ngaphandle abese esitshela ukuthi ngemva kwemizuzu emihlanu kwakumelwe sonke singene endlini ukuze kuqhutshwe isifundo sethu seBhayibheli. Ngemva kwesifundo sethu seBhayibheli, sasikhuthazwa ukuba sibuze imibuzo noma sixoxe nganoma iziphi izinkinga.
“Wayeqikelela ukuthi sizihlanganisa nezingane ezihlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ubaba wayevame ukuvakashela esikoleni eyobuza othisha ngokuziphatha kwethu. Ngesinye isikhathi evakashile wezwa ukuthi abafowethu abathathu abadala babelwe nabanye abafana futhi ngezinye izikhathi babedelela. Ubaba wabajezisa ngokuziphatha ngokungafanele, kodwa wazinika isikhathi sokuchaza ngokomBhalo ukuthi kungani kwakudingeka baziphathe ngendlela yokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.
“Abazali bethu basibonisa izinzuzo zokuba khona emihlanganweni ngokulungiselela nathi izingxenye zomhlangano. Saqeqeshwa ukuba sibe izikhonzi ngokuba nezikhathi zokuprakthiza ekhaya. Kusukela siseyizinsana sasihamba nabazali bethu enkonzweni yasensimini.
“Namuhla, abafowethu ababili abadala bangamaphayona akhethekile, omunye udadewethu uyiphayona elivamile, omunye oshadile nonomkhaya, unguFakazi oshisekayo. Odadewethu ababili abancane, oneminyaka engu-18 nonengu-16, bangabamemezeli ababhapathiziwe. Abafana ababili abancane basaqeqeshwa. Sengikhonze ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova laseKenya iminyaka emithathu. Ngiyabathanda futhi ngiyabazisa abazali bami ngoba bangabantu abangokomoya; basibekela isibonelo esihle.”
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi unezingane ezingaki, ungayeki ukuzisiza endleleni eya ekuphileni okumi phakade. Lapho uJehova ebusisa imizamo yakho, uyonanela amazwi omphostoli uJohane ngokuphathelene nezingane zakhe ezingokomoya: “Anginaso isizathu esikhulu sokubonga kunalezizinto, ukuba ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami baqhubeka behamba eqinisweni.”—3 Johane 4.