1. Yintoni umahluko phakathi kwento esiyidingayo nento esiyifunayo?

KUDLA ngokuthiwa zimbalwa izinto azidingayo umntu, kodwa ezo azifunayo azipheli. Kubonakala ngathi abaninzi abawazi umahluko phakathi kwezinto eziphathekayo abazidingayo nabazifunayo. Yintoni ke umahluko? Into “oyidingayo” yinto omele nakanjani na ube nayo kuba ubomi bakho buxhomekeke kuyo. Ukutya, impahla nekhusi—ezi zizinto esizidingayo. Into “oyifunayo” yinto obungathanda ukuba nayo, kodwa eneneni ubomi bakho abuxhomekekanga kuyo.

2. Ziziphi ezinye zezinto abantu abazifunayo?

² Izinto abantu abazifunayo zisenokwahluka kakhulu, ngokwendawo abahlala kuyo. Kumazwe asakhulayo, abantu abaninzi basenokufuna nje ukuba nemali eyaneleyo yokuthenga iselfowuni, isithuthuthu, okanye isiqwenga somhlaba. Abo bahlala kumazwe afumileyo, basenokufuna impahla kanokutsho, ipomakazi lendlu, okanye umnyobo wemoto. Kodwa ke, nantsi ingozi—sisenokubanjiswa ngumgibe wokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, sihlale sifuna izinto ezingakumbi, enoba siyazidinga okanye asizidingi, enoba siyakwazi ukuzifikelela okanye asikwazi.

3. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo?

³ Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo? Kukuthi phithi zizinto eziphathekayo kunezinto zokomoya. Ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo kubonwa ngeminqweno yomntu, usukelo lwakhe nezinto ezibalulekileyo kuye. Kusenza sifune ukuwanqa izinto eziphathekayo ezininzi. Umntu othanda izinto eziphathekayo usenokungabi namali ininzi okanye athenge izinto ezinexabiso eliphezulu. Kwanabantu abangamahlwempu basenokuba ngamaxhoba okuthanda izinto eziphathekayo baze bayeke ukufuna kuqala uBukumkani.—Heb. 13:5.

4. USathana uyisebenzisa njani ‘inkanuko yamehlo’?

⁴ USathana usebenzisa ezorhwebo ukusenza sikholelwe ukuba simele sibe nezinto eziphathekayo esingazidingiyo ukuze sonwabe ebomini. Ulichule ekuvuseleleni ‘inkanuko yamehlo.’ (1 Yoh. 2:15-17; Gen. 3:6; IMize. 27:20) Ihlabathi lenza zonke iintlobo zezinto eziphathekayo, ukususela kwezona zibalaseleyo ukusa kwezona zibubudenge, ibe ezinye zazo zinomtsalane. Ngaba wakha wathenga into, hayi kuba uyidinga, kodwa kuba nje isuke yanomtsalane emehlweni xa ubuyibona kwezentengiso okanye evenkileni? Ngaba uye ekuhambeni kwexesha wafumanisa ukuba unokuphila ngaphandle kwayo? Izinto ezingabalulekanga ezinjalo zibenza nzima ubomi bethu yaye ziyasixakekisa. Zisenokusiphazamisa kwizinto ezakha ukholo esiqhele ukuzenza, njengokufunda iBhayibhile, ukuya rhoqo entsimini, ukulungiselela nokuya ezintlanganisweni. Khumbula ukuba umpostile uYohane walumkisa wathi: “Ihlabathi liyadlula nenkanuko yalo.”

5. Yintoni enokwenzeka kwabo basebenzisa amandla abo ekuwanqeni izinto eziphathekayo?

⁵ USathana ufuna sikhonze uButyebi kunokukhonza uYehova. (Mat. 6:24) Abo basebenzisa amandla abo ekuwanqeni izinto eziphathekayo bagqibela sebephila ubomi obungenanjongo, kuba ekuphela kwento abayixhalabeleyo kukwanelisa iminqweno yabo. Okubi nangakumbi kukuba, ukholo lwabo luba buthathaka yaye bahlala bedandathekile. (1 Tim. 6:9, 10; ISityhi. 3:17) UYesu wakuchaza kakuhle oku kumzekeliso wakhe womhlwayeli. Wathi xa inyaniso engoBukumkani ‘ihlwayelwa phakathi kwameva, iminqweno yezinye izinto iyangenelela, iliminxe ilizwi, lize lingabi nasiqhamo.’—Marko 4:14, 18, 19.

6. Yintoni esiyifundayo kuBharuki?

⁶ Khawucinge ngoBharuki, unobhala womprofeti uYeremiya. Xa kwakusondela ixesha lokuba iYerusalem itshatyalaliswe, uBharuki waqalisa ‘ukuzifunela izinto ezinkulu’—izinto ezingenaxabiso. Kodwa ekuphela kwento awayefanele azikhathaze ngayo yileyo uYehova wayemthembise yona, esithi: “Ndiza kukunika umphefumlo wakho.” (Yer. 45:1-5) Ngokuqinisekileyo uThixo wayengazukusindisa izinto eziphathekayo zakhe nabani na kweso sixeko xa sitshatyalaliswa. (Yer. 20:5) Njengoko sisondela ekupheleni kwale nkqubo yezinto, ngoku asiloxesha lokuzifumbela izinto eziphathekayo. Asimele silindele ukuba izinto esinazo ziza kusinda kunye nathi kwimbandezelo enkulu, enoba sizithanda okanye sizixabise kangakanani na.—IMize. 11:4; Mat. 24:21, 22; Luka 12:15.

7. Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo ngoku, yaye ngoba?

⁷ UYesu wasinika icebiso elisemagqabini lendlela esinokufumana ngayo izinto esizidingayo ebomini, singakhange side sithande izinto eziphathekayo okanye sizixhalabise  ngokungeyomfuneko. Wathetha ngale nto kwiNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni. (Mat. 6:19-21) Makhe sihlolisise oko wakuthethayo kuMateyu 6:25-34. Oko kumele kusenze ‘siqhubeke sifuna uBukumkani,’ kungekhona izinto.—Luka 12:31.

8, 9. (a) Kutheni singamele sizixhalabise ngokugqithiseleyo ngezinto esizidingayo? (b) Yintoni awayeyazi uYesu ngabantu nangezinto abazidingayo?

⁸ Funda uMateyu 6:25. UYesu waxelela abo babemphulaphule ukuba ‘bayeke ukuxhalabela imiphefumlo yabo.’ Babezixhalabisa ngezinto ezingenamsebenzi. UYesu wathi mabakuyeke oko—ibe wayenesizathu esihle sokutsho. Ukuxhalaba ngokungeyomfuneko, kwanangezinto ezibalulekileyo, kunokumphazamisa umntu, kumenze anganikeli ngqalelo kukholo lwakhe. UYesu wayebakhathalele abafundi bakhe, kangangokuba wabalumkisa izihlandlo ezine ngale ngozi kwintshumayelo yakhe.—Mat. 6:27, 28, 31, 34.

⁹ Kwakutheni ukuze uYesu athi masingazixhalabisi ngento yokutya, yokusela, okanye yokunxiba? Azibalulekanga na ezo zinto ebomini? Ngokuqinisekileyo zibalulekile! Asiyi kuxhalaba na ngokuzenzekelayo xa singenayo indlela yokuzifumana ezi zinto? Kakade siya kuxhalaba, ibe noYesu wayeyazi loo nto. Wayezazi kakuhle izinto abantu abazidingayo imihla ngemihla. Ngaphezu koko, wayezazi iimeko ezinzima ezaziza kuthwaxa abafundi bakhe kwiinkulungwane ezizayo ebudeni ‘bemihla yokugqibela, enamaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.’ (2 Tim. 3:1) Ezo meko zinzima ziquka ukungaphangeli, ukunyuka kwamaxabiso, ukunqongophala kokutya nokuhlwempuzeka okuthwaxa abantu abaninzi. Nangona kunjalo, uYesu wayeqonda nokuba ‘umphefumlo ubaluleke ngaphezu kokutya, nomzimba kunesinxibo.’

10. Xa uYesu wayefundisa abalandeli bakhe indlela yokuthandaza, wathi yintoni eyona nto imele ibaluleke ebomini babo?

¹⁰ Ekuqaleni kwentshumayelo yakhe, uYesu wafundisa abo babephulaphule ukuba bathandaze kuBawo wabo osemazulwini, bacele abanike izinto abazidingayo, bathi: “Siphe namhlanje isonka sethu sale mini.” (Mat. 6:11) Okanye, njengoko watshoyo kamva, babesenokuthi: “Siphe isonka sethu sale mini ngokwemfuneko yemini le.” (Luka 11:3) Kodwa oko akuthethi kuthi simele sihlale sicinga ngezinto eziphathekayo. Kwakuloo mthandazo, uYesu wathi mabaqale bathandazele ukufika koBukumkani bukaThixo. (Mat. 6:10; Luka 11:2) Ukuze bangaxhalabi, uYesu wabachazela indlela ebalaseleyo uYehova ayinyamekela ngayo indalo yakhe.

11, 12. Sifunda ntoni kwindlela uYehova azinyamekela ngayo iintaka zezulu? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

¹¹ Funda uMateyu 6:26. Simele ‘siqwalasele ngenyameko iintaka zezulu.’ Nangona zincinane, zitya ukutya okuninzi kakhulu, okuquka iziqhamo, iimbewu, izinambuzane nemibungu. Ngokomlinganiselo, zitya ngaphezulu gqitha kunathi. Kodwa azilimi ukuze zifumane ukutya. UYehova uzinika yonke into eziyidingayo. (INdu. 147:9) Kakade ke, akafaki kutya emilonyeni yazo! Ukutya kona kukhona kuninzi, qha kufuneka zona ziye kukufuna.

¹² UYesu wayeyigqala njengento engenakwenzeka into yokuba uYise ondle iintaka kodwa angabaniki abantu izinto abazidingayo. ^[1] (1 Pet. 5:6, 7) Akayi kufaka kutya emilonyeni yethu, kodwa usenokuyisikelela imigudu yokulima ukutya esikudingayo okanye eyokufumana imali yokuthenga izinto esizidingayo zemihla  ngemihla. Kwezinye iimeko, usenokusebenzisa abanye abantu ukuba babelane nathi ngezinto abanazo. Nangona uYesu engazange athethe ngokulungiselelwa kweentaka zezulu indawo yokuhlala, uYehova uzinike ithuku lemvelo, ubuchule kunye nezixhobo zokuzakhela iindlwane. Ngoko nathi uYehova angasinceda sifumane iindawo ezifanelekileyo esinokuhlala kuzo neentsapho zethu.

13. Yintoni engqina ukuba sibaluleke ngaphezu kweentaka zezulu?

¹³ UYesu wababuza wathi abo babemphulaphule: “Anixabisekanga ngaphezu [kweentaka zezulu] na?” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uYesu wayecinga ngokuba kungekudala wayeza kuncama ubomi bakhe ngenxa yoluntu. (Thelekisa uLuka 12:6, 7.) UYesu wayengazukufela nasiphi na esinye isidalwa esiphilayo. Akazange afele iintaka zezulu, kodwa wafela thina ukuze sikwazi ukuphila ngonaphakade.—Mat. 20:28.

14. Kutheni kungeloncedo nje ukuxhalaba?

¹⁴ Funda uMateyu 6:27. Kwakutheni ke ukuze uYesu athi, umntu ozixhalabisayo akanako ukongeza nekubhite le kubomi bakhe? Kuba ukuzixhalabisa okungeyomfuneko ngezinto esizidingayo zemihla ngemihla, akuyi kusinceda siphile ubomi obude. Kunoko, ukuxhalaba ngokugqithiseleyo kusenokubenza bufutshane ubomi bethu.

15, 16. (a) Yintoni esiyifundayo kwindlela uYehova azinyamekela ngayo iinyibiba zasendle? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esisenokuzibuza yona, yaye ngoba?

¹⁵ Funda uMateyu 6:28-30. Akukho mntu ungafuniyo ukuba nempahla entle,  ingakumbi xa esiya entsimini, okanye ezintlanganisweni nasezindibanweni. Nakuba kunjalo, ngaba simele ‘sixhalabele isinxibo’? Kwakhona uYesu utsalel’ ingqalelo yethu kumsebenzi wezandla zikaYehova. Kule imeko, sinokufunda lukhulu kwindlela ezibukeka ngayo ‘iinyibiba zasendle.’ UYesu usenokuba wayecinga ngeentyatyambo ezintle ezahlukahlukeneyo ezifana neenyibiba. Ezi ntyatyambo azenzi malaphu, yaye azithungi ukuze zinxibe. Kodwa xa zidubule zinobuhle obuthi ndijonge! Kaloku, “kwanoSolomon kulo lonke uzuko lwakhe wayengavathiswanga nanjenganye yazo”!

¹⁶ Nantsi eyona ngongoma kaYesu: “Ukuba, ke, uThixo wenjenjalo ukwambesa utyani basendle . . . , akayi kugqithisa na ukunambesa, nina nilukholo luncinane?” Ngokuqinisekileyo! Kodwa ke, abafundi bakaYesu babesilela ngandlel’ ithile elukholweni. (Mat. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20) Babemele babe nokholo olomelele ngakumbi yaye bathembele ngakumbi ngoYehova. Kuthekani ngathi? Siyikholelwa kangakanani into yokuba uYehova unomnqweno kunye namandla okusinyamekela?

17. Yintoni enokonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu noYehova?

¹⁷ Funda uMateyu 6:31, 32. Asimele sixelise abantu ‘beentlanga,’ abangenalo ukholo lokwenene kuBawo wasezulwini oluthando, obanyamekelayo abo babeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kuqala ebomini babo. Ukuzama ukuqokelela zonke ‘izinto iintlanga ezizisukela ngentumekelelo’ kuya kubonakalisa ubuhlobo bethu noYehova. Kunoko, simele siqiniseke ukuba xa sibeka izinto ezakha ukholo  kwindawo yokuqala ebomini bethu, uYehova akayi kusibandeza oko kulungileyo. ‘Uzinikelo lwethu lobuthixo’ lumele lusenze saneliseke ‘sisixhaso nesambatho.’—1 Tim. 6:6-8.

18. Yintoni uYehova ayaziyo ngaye ngamnye wethu, ibe yintoni aza kusenzela yona?

¹⁸ Funda uMateyu 6:33. Abafundi bakaKristu bamele ngalo lonke ixesha babeke uBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala ebomini babo. Xa sisenza oko, “zonke ezinye izinto ziya kongezelelwa” kuthi, kanye njengoko uYesu watshoyo. Kutheni sisitsho nje? Wachaza wathi kwivesi engaphambili: “UYihlo osemazulwini uyazi ukuba ziyimfuneko kuni zonke ezi zinto,” oko kukuthi, izinto esizidingayo ebomini. UYehova ubona kusengaphambili xa siza kudinga ukutya, impahla okanye ikhusi, nkqu nangaphambi kokuba thina sikuqonde oko. (Fil. 4:19) Uyazi nokuba yiyiphi impahla yethu eza kuguga kungekudala. Uyazi ukuba kukuphi ukutya okunesondlo esikudingayo, kunye nendawo yokuhlala efanelekileyo enokulingana intsapho yethu. UYehova uya kuqinisekisa ukuba siyakufumana oko sikudinga ngokwenene.

19. Kutheni singamele sizikhathaze ngoko kusenokwenzeka kwixesha elizayo?

¹⁹ Funda uMateyu 6:34. Phawula ukuba uYesu utsho okwesibini ukuthi: ‘Musani ukuxhalaba.’ Ufuna sijongane namaxhala osuku olunye ngexesha—siqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kusinceda. Ukuba umntu uzixhalabisa ngokungeyomfuneko ngoko kusenokwenzeka kwixesha elizayo, usenokuzama ukuthembela ngesiqu sakhe kunokuthembela ngoThixo, ibe oko kunokubonakalisa ubuhlobo bakhe noYehova.—IMize. 3:5, 6; Fil. 4:6, 7.

20. (a) Ziziphi iindlela onokumkhonza ngazo ngakumbi uYehova? (b) Yintoni onokuyenza ukuze uphile ubomi obulula?

²⁰ Kulilize ukusukelana nezinto eziphathekayo endaweni yokufuna uBukumkani kuqala. Sifanele sisukele izinto ezakha ukholo. Ngokomzekelo, ngaba unokufudukela kwibandla elidinga abavakalisi boBukumkani abangakumbi? Ngaba ungakwazi ukuba nguvulindlela? Ukuba unguvulindlela, ngaba ukhe wacinga ngokufaka isicelo sokuya kwiSikolo Sabavangeli BoBukumkani? Ngaba unokuncedisa eBheteli okanye kwiofisi yokuguqulela? Ngaba unokuncedisa kwiSebe Lasekuhlaleni Lokwakha Nelenza Iiplani, okanye uncedise ekwakhiweni kweeHolo zoBukumkani? Cinga ngendlela onokubenza lula ngayo ubomi bakho ukuze uchithe ixesha elingakumbi usebenzela uBukumkani. Cela uYehova akuncede usebenzise amacebiso akwibhokisi ethi “ Indlela Yokubenza Lula Ubomi Bakho,” uze uqalise ukuthabatha amanyathelo afunekayo ukuze ufikelele usukelo lwakho.

21. Yintoni eza kukunceda usondele ngakumbi kuYehova?

²¹ UYesu wasifundisa ukuba sifune uBukumkani, kungekhona izinto, ibe wayefanele. Kaloku, oko kuya kusinceda singazixhalabisi ngezinto esizidingayo. Sisondela ngakumbi kuYehova xa sithembela ngaye, yaye singazami ukuthenga yonk’ into ekweli hlabathi, kwanokuba sinayo imali yokuyithenga. Ukubenza lula ubomi bethu ngoku, kuza kusinceda sifumane ‘ubomi benene’ obuzayo.—1 Tim. 6:19.