UThimothewu—Wayekulu­ngele Futhi Ezimisele Ukukhonza

“USULUNGILE?” Wake wawubuzwa lowo mbuzo?—Umuntu owayekubuza wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi ingabe usuzilungiselele yini. Ngokwesibonelo, kungenzeka lowo muntu wayeqonde ukuthi: ‘Usuzitholile izincwadi zakho zokufunda? Usuqedile ukufunda?’ Njengoba sizobona, uThimothewu wayekulungele.

UThimothewu wayezimisele futhi. Ingabe uyazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokho?— Lapho uThimothewu emenywa ukuba azokhonza uNkulunkulu, waba nesimo sengqondo senye yezinceku zikaNkulunkulu, eyathi: “Nangu mina! Thuma mina.” (Isaya 6:8) Ngenxa yokuthi uThimothewu wayekulungele futhi ezimisele ukukhonza, wajabulela ukuphila okuhle. Ungathanda ukuzwa ngako?—

UThimothewu wazalelwa eListra, indawo eqhele ngamakhulu amakhilomitha ukusuka eJerusalema. Uninakhulu uLowisi nonina, u-Evnike, babengabafundi abakhuthele bemiBhalo. Ngisho nalapho uThimothewu esewusana, baqala ukumfundisa ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu.—2 Thimothewu 1:5; 3:15.

Kungenzeka ukuthi lapho uThimothewu esanda kweva eshumini nambili, umphostoli uPawulu, kanye noBarnaba, bavakashela eListra phakathi nohambo lokuqala olude lokushumayela. Kungenzeka umama noninakhulu kaThimothewu baba amaKristu ngalesi sikhathi. Ungathanda yini ukuzwa ngezinkinga uPawulu noBarnaba ababhekana nazo?— Abantu ababengawathandi amaKristu bajikijela uPawulu ngamatshe, bamqumba phansi, base bemhudulela ngaphandle komuzi. Babecabanga ukuthi ufile.

Labo ababekukholelwa lokho uPawulu ayekufundisa bamngunga, wayesevuka. Ngakusasa, uPawulu noBarnaba bahamba, kodwa babuyela eListra ngemva kwesikhashana. Lapho bebuyela, uPawulu wanikeza inkulumo futhi watshela abafundi: “Kumelwe singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.” (IzEnzo 14:8-22) Ingabe uyazi ukuthi uPawulu wayesho ukuthini?— Wayesho ukuthi abanye babeyoba uhlupho kulabo abakhonza uNkulunkulu. Kamuva, uPawulu wabhalela uThimothewu: ‘Bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu bayoshushiswa.’—2 Thimothewu 3:12; Johane 15:20.

Lapho uPawulu noBarnaba behamba eListra, babuyela ekhaya. Ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva, uPawulu wakhetha uSila ukuba ahambe naye, futhi bobabili baphindela ezindaweni uPawulu ayeke wazivakashela beyokhuthaza abafundi abasha. Lapho befika eListra, yeka indlela uThimothewu ajabula ngayo ngokubona uPawulu futhi! Wajabula nakakhulu lapho emenywa ukuba ahambe noPawulu noSila. UThimothewu wasamukela isimemo. Wayekulungele futhi ezimisele ukuhamba.—IzEnzo 15:40–16:5.

Laba bazalwane abathathu bahambisana ibanga elide, base begibela isikebhe. Lapho befika ogwini, bahamba baya eThesalonika eGrisi. Lapha, abaningi baba amaKristu. Kodwa abanye bathukuthela, bakha isixuku. Ukuphila kukaPawulu, uSila noThimothewu kwakusengozini, ngakho baya eBhereya.—IzEnzo 17:1-10.

UPawulu wayekhathazeke ngamakholwa amasha eThesalonika, ngakho wathumela uThimothewu khona. Uyazi ukuthi kungani?— Kamuva uPawulu wachazela amaKristu aseThesalonika: ‘Ukuze aniqinise futhi aniduduze ukuze kungabikho muntu odumalayo.’ Ingabe uyazi ukuthi kungani uPawulu anika uThimothewu osemusha lesi sabelo esiyingozi?— Phela, labo baphikisi babengamazi kahle uThimothewu, futhi wayezimisele ukuhamba. Lokho kwakudinga isibindi esikhulu! Kwenzekani kulolo hambo? Lapho uThimothewu ephindela kuPawulu, wamtshela indlela abaseThesalonika ababethembeke ngayo. Ngakho uPawulu wababhalela: “Siye saduduzeka ngani.”—1 Thesalonika 3:2-7.

UThimothewu wakhonza noPawulu iminyaka eyishumi eyalandela. UPawulu wabe eseboshwa eRoma, futhi uThimothewu, naye owayesanda kukhululwa ejele, wahamba waya kuye. Lapho esejele, uPawulu wabhalela abaseFilipi, mhlawumbe esebenzisa uThimothewu njengonobhala. UPawulu wathi: ‘Ngithemba ukuthumela kini uThimothewu, ngoba anginaye omunye othembeke kangaka futhi ozonikhonza kangcono.’—Filipi 2:19-22; Hebheru 13:23.

Yeka ukuthi lawo mazwi kumelwe ukuba amthokozisa kangakanani uThimothewu! UPawulu wayemthanda kakhulu uThimothewu ngoba wayekulungele futhi ezimisele ukukhonza. Sithemba ukuthi nawe uyoba njalo.