56—Ukusikelela Abantwana
[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuMat. 19:13-15; Marko 10:13-16; Luka 18:15-17.]
UYesu wasoloko engumthandi wabantwana. Wayelwamkela uvelwano lwabo lobuntwana, kwanothando lwabo oluvulekileyo nolungonakalanga. Ukudumisa okuzaliswe ngumbulelo okuphuma emilebeni yabo kwakuyingoma ezindlebeni zaKhe, ziwuhlaziya umoya waKhe xa exinezelwe kukuhlangana nabantu abanobuqhophololo nabangabahanahanisi. Kuyo yonke indawo uMsindisi awayesiya kuyo, ukungabi nabungozi kwembonakalo yakhe, indlela yaKhe, eyayizolile nenobubele, yakutsalela kuYe ukuthandwa nokuthenjwa ngabantwana.ULw 511.1
Phakathi kwamaYuda, yayiqhelekile into yokuba abantwana baziswe phambi komfundisi othile, ukuze abeke izandla phezu kwabo ukuba abasikelele; kodwa abafundi boMsindisi bacinga ukuba umsebenzi waKhe wawubaluleke kakhulu ukuba angaphazanyiswa ngale ndlela. Bathi xa oomama besiza kuye nabantwanana babo, abafundi babakhangela ngendlela engenalo uthando. Bacinga ukuba aba bantwana bancinane kakhulu ukuba bangazuza nto ekuzeni kuYesu, baza bagqiba kwelokuba uya kunganeliseki bubukho babo. Sekunjalo, yaba ngabo kanye abafundi angazange aneliseke ngabo. UMsindisi wayeyiqonda inkathalo nomthwalo woomama ababezama ukuqeqesha abantwana babo ngokwelizwi likaThixo. Wayeyivile imithandazo yabo. Yena ngokwaKhe wayebatsalele phambi kwaKhe. ULw 511.2
Omnye umama kunye nomntwana wakhe balishiya ikhaya besiya kuhlangana noYesu. Endleleni wamxelela ummelwane wakhe ngohambo lwakhe, waza ummelwane wafuna ukuba uYesu asikelele nabakhe abantwana. Ngoko bababaninzi oomama abahlanganayo, benabantwana baboabancinane.Abanyebabantwana babesele bedlulile eminyakeni yobusana bangabantwana nolutsha. Bathi oomama bakuwuvakalisa umnqweno wabo, uYesu wasikwa yimfesane, wasiva isicelo sabo esinoloyiko neenyembezi. Walinda kodwa ukuba abone ukuba abafundi babeza kubaphatha njani. Wathi akubona bebagxotha oomama, becinga ukuba banceda yena, wasuka wababonisa impazamo yabo, esithi, “Bavumeleni abantwana beze kum, ningabaleli; kuba ubukumkani bukaThixo bubobabo banjalo.” Wabawolela kuYe abantwana, wabeka izandla phezu kweentloko zabo, wabanika intsikelelo ababeyizele. Oomama bathuthuzeleka. Babuyela kumakhaya abo bomeleziwe besikelelekile ngamazwi kaKristu. Baya bakhuthazeka ukuba bawuthabathe umthwalo wabo ngochulumanco olutsha, basebenze benethemba ngabantwana babo. Oomama namhlanje, kufuneka bawamkele amazwi kaYesu ngolo kholo lunye. UKristu unguMsindisi osondeleyo kakhulu ngokwenene namhlanje kwanjengoko wayebawolile wabafunqula abantwanana ezingalweni zaKhe kwelakwaYuda. Abantwana abotha imililo emakhayeni ethu bathengwe ngegazi laKhe njengoko babenjalo abantwana bakudala. ULw 512.1
UYesu uyazana nomthwalo wentliziyo yomama ngamnye. Lowo wayenomama owayezamana nobuhlwempu nengcungcutheko uyavelana naye wonke umama obulalekayo. Lowo wathabatha uhambo olude ukuze akhulule intliziyo esexhaleni yentokazi yomKanan, unokwenza kangangoko koomama banamhlanje. Lowo wabuyisela kumhlolokazi waseNayin unyana wakhe ekuphela kwakhe, uyachukunyiswa namhlanje yintlungu kamama. Kuyo yonke intlungu naso sonke isidingo, uyayinika intuthuzelo noncedo.ULw 512.2
Oomama mabeze kuYesu neengxaki zabo. Baya kufumana ubabalo olwaneleyo ukubanceda ekulawuleni abantwana babo. Amasango avulelwe wonke umama onga angabeka imithwalo yakhe ezinyaweni zoMsindisi. Lowo wathi, “Bavumeleni abantwana beze kum, ningabaleli,” usabamema oomama ukuba bakhokelele abantwana babo abancinane ekusikelelweni nguYesu. Nosana olusezingalweni zikamama walo, lunako ukuhlala phantsi kwethunzi likaSomandla ngokholo lukamama walo othandazayo. UYohane umBhaptizi wazaliswa nguMoya Oyingcwele kususela ekuzalweni kwakhe. Ukuba singahlala sixhumene noThixo, nathi singakwazi ukulindela ukuba uMoya kaThixo ubumbe abantwanana bethu, kwakwimizuzu yasebuncinaneni babo. ULw 512.3
Ebantwaneni abaziswa ukuba bahlangane naYe, uYesu wabona amadoda nabafazi ababeya kubaziindlamafazobabalolwaKhe namalungu obukumkani baKhe. Wazi ukuba aba bantwana babeza kumphulaphula bamamkele njengoMhlanguli wabo ngokulula kakhulu kunabantu abakhulileyo, abaninzi kubo ababethanda ilizwe nabantliziyo zilukhuni. Ekufundiseni kwaKhe, wahla waya kumgangatho wabo. Yena, iNgangalala yezulu, akazange akudelele ukuphendula imibuzo yabo, wasuka wazenza lula izifundo zaKhe ezibalulekileyo, ukuze zihlangabezane nokuqonda kwabo kobuntwana. Watyala ezingqondweni zabo iimbewu zenyaniso, ekwathi emva kweminyaka, zakhula, zathwala isiqhamo esisa ebomini obungunaphakade. ULw 515.1
Iseyinyaniso into yokuba abantwana bazamkela lula iimfundiso zeendaba ezilungileyo; iintliziyo zabo zivulekile ngakwiimpembelelo zezulu, zomelele ukuzigcina izifundo ezamkelweyo. Abantwana abancinane banokuba ngamaKristu, babe namava ngokweminyaka yabo. Kudingeka ukuba bafundiswe ngezinto zasemoyeni, abazali bamele ukuba babanike lonke ithuba, ukuze bakwazi ukuba nezimilo ezimo yazo ifana nesimilo sikaKristu. ULw 515.2
Ootata noomama bamele ukubakhangela abantwana babo njengamalungu osapho lweNkosi, olunikelwe kubo ukuba balufundisele izulu. Izifundo thina ngokwethu esizifunda kuKristu, kufuneka sizinike abantwana bethu, njengoko iingqondo eziselula zinako ukuzamkela, kancinane, kancinane zivulelwe ubuhle bemithetho-siseko yezulu. Ngaloo ndlela, ikhaya lobuKristu lithi libe sisikolo, apho abazali basebenza njengeetitshala zasemhlabeni, lo gama uKristu ngokwaKhe engumluleki oyintloko. ULw 515.3
Ekusebenzeleni inguquko yabantwana bethu, akufuneki silindele imvakalelo esisaqhwithi njengesibonakalaliso esifunekayo sokoyiswa kwesono. Kwaye kungadingeki ukwazi elona xesha abathe baguquka ngalo. Kufuneka sibafundise ukuba bazise zonke izono kuYesu, bacele uxolelo, bakholwe ukuba uyabaxolela, kwaye ebamkela njengoko wamkela abantwana xa Yena ngokwaKhe wayelapha emhlabeni. ULw 515.4
Xa umama efuna ukuba abantwana bakhe bamthobele kuba bemthanda, ubafundisa izifundo zokuqala ebomini bobuKristu. Uthando lukamama, emntwaneni lumele uthando lukaKristu, kanti ke, aba bancinane, abamthembayo bamthobele umama wabo, bafunda ukumthemba bamthobele uMsindisi. ULw 515.5
UYesu waba ngumzekelo wabantwana, kanti ke wayekwanguwo nomzekelo katata. Wayethetha njengonegunya, laye ilizwi laKhe linamandla; kanti ke, kuko konke ukuthetha kwaKhe namadoda angabantu abakrwada nabandlongondlongo, akazanga walisebenzisa nokuba libe linye ilizwi elingenabo ububele okanye elingenayo imbeko. Ubabalo lukaKristu entliziyweni liya kunika isidima esiphuma ezulwini novo olufanelekileyo. Luya kuthambisa konke okulukhuni, kuthomalalise konke okurhabaxa nokungenabo ububele. Luya kubakhokelela ootata noomama ukuba babaphathe abantwana babo njengezidalwa ezichubekileyo, njengoko nabo ngokwabo bebengathanda ukuphathwa. ULw 515.6
Bazali, ekuqeqesheni kwenu abantwana benu, fundani izifundo athe uThixo wazinika endalweni. Ukuba ungakhulisa intyatyambo eyipinki okanye irozi, ungenza njani? Buza kumlimi ukuba yeyiphi indlela aye enze ngayo ukuze amasebe namagqabi akhule kakuhle kakhulu, nokuze aveze ukuma kakuhle nokubukeka. Uya kukuxelela ukuba kwakungekuko ukuphatha rhabaxa, kungengamizamo indlongondlongo; kuba oku bekuya kuzaphula izikhondo eziethe-ethe. Kwakungokunakekela okuncinane, okuphindaphindwa rhoqo. Wayewenza ufume umhlaba, azikhusele izityalo ezikhulayo kwingqele ehlaselayo nelanga eligqatsayo, aze uThixo azenze ziqhame zibe neentyatyambo ezithandekayo. Ekuphatheni abantwana benu, landelani indlela yomlimi. Ngokuchukumisa ngobunono, ngokulungiselela ngothando, zamani ukuzilungisa izimilo zabo ngokomzekelo wesimilo sikaKristu. ULw 516.1
Khuthazani ukubonakalaliswa kothando ngakuThixo nangakomnye nomnye. Isizathu sokuba kubekho amadoda nabafazi abantliziyo zilukhuni kangaka emhlabeni kungokuba uthando lwenene luye lwabonwa njengobuthakathaka, lwaza lwatyhafiswa, lwacinezelwa. Indalo elunge kakhulu yaba bantu iye yafuthaniselwa kwasebuntwaneni; kwaye ngaphandle kokuba uthando lwezulu lunganyibilikisa ukuzithanda kwabo okubandayo, uvuyo lwabo luya konakala ngonaphakade. Ukuba singa abantwana bethu banganomoya kaYesu wothando, kunye novelwano olubonakalaliswa ziingelosi kuthi, kufuneka sikhuthaze iimvakalelo ezinobubele nothando lobuntwana.ULw 516.2
Abantwana mabafundiswe ukubona uKristu endalweni. Mabathatyathwe kuphunywe nabo kuyiwe kwindawo ebethwa yimpepho, phantsi kwemithi emikhulu, nasegadini; kanti ke, nakuyo yonke imisebenzi emangalisayo okanyeemihleyendalo mabafundiswe ukubababone imbonakalo yothando lwaKhe. Bafundiseni ukuba [uKristu] wenza imithetho elawula zonke izinto eziphilayo,nokubawenzanathiimithetho,nokuba le mithetho yeyokonwabisa nokuvuyisa thina. Musani ukubadinisa ngemithandazo emide neziluleko ezidinisayo, kodwa, ngezifundo ngendalo, mabafundiswe ukuthobela umthetho kaThixo.ULw 516.3
Ngexesha nizuza ukuthenjwa ngabo njengabalandeli bakaKristu, kuya kubalula ukubafundisa ngothando olukhulu athe wasithanda ngalo. Xa nizama ukuzicacisa iinyaniso zosindiso, nibalathisa abantwana kuKristu onguMsindisi wabo, iingelosi ziya kuba secaleni kwenu. INkosi iya kunika ootata noomama ubabalo lokudala umdla wabantwanana babo kwibali elixabisekileyo loSana lwaseBhetelehem, olulithemba lehlabathi ngokwenene. ULw 517.1
Xa uYesu wayesithi kubafundi baKhe mabangabaleli abantwana ukuba baze kuYe, wayebhekisa kubalandeli baKhe bazo zonke izizukulwana,--kumagosa ebandla, abalungiseleli [abafundisi], abancedi [amagosa], nawo onke amaKristu. UYesu utsalela kuYe abantwana, ekwasiyalela nathi, esithi kuthi, Bavumeleni ukuba baze; ngokungathi uthi, Baya kuza ukuba anibathinteli. ULw 517.2
Musani ukuvuma ukuba isimilo senu esingafaniyo nesikaKristu simveze ngolunye uhlobo uYesu. Musani ukubagcina kude kuYe abantwanana ngokubanda nokubangqongqo kwenu. Maningaze nibanike izizathu zokuba babe nengqondo yokuba intando yezulu ayisokuze ibe ngamava amnandi kubo xa nithe nakhona. Musani ukuthetha ngenkolo njengento abangenako ukuyiqonda abantwana, okanye nenze ngokungathi bebengalindelekanga ukuba bangamamkela uKristu ebuntwaneni babo. Musani ukubanika imbono embi yokuba inkolo kaKristu yinkolo yosizi, nokuba, ekuzeni kuMsindisi, kufuneka bancame konke okwenza ukuba ubomi bube nokonwatyelwa. ULw 517.3
Njengoko uMoya Oyingcwele esebenza ezintliziyweni zabantwana, sebenzisana nomsebenzi waKhe. Bafundiseni ukuba uMsindisi uya babiza, nokuba akukho nto inokumnika uvuyo olukhulu kunokuba bazinikele kuYe kwasekutyatyambeni nasebutsheni beminyaka yabo. ULw 517.4
UMsindisi uyixabise ngothando olungenamda imiphefumlo athe wayithenga ngegazi elilelaKhe. Ilibango lothando lwaKhe. Uyiqaphele ngolangazelelo olungathethekiyo. Intliziyo yaKhe iphumela kubo, kungekuphela kubantwana abaziphethe kakuhle, kodwa kwabo bathe ngemfuza baneempawu zesimilo ezingathandekiyo. Abazali abaninzi abaqondi ukuba banoxanduva olungakanani ngenxa yezi mpawu zabantwana babo. Abanabo ububele nobulumko bokuzisebenza iimpawu zaba bonayo, nabathe babenza banjalo bona ngokwabo bengabazali. UYesu ukhangela kwaba bantwana ngemfesane. Uyamlanda unobangela wesiqhamo.ULw 517.5
Isisebenzi sikaKristu, sinako ukuba ngumthunywa kaKristu ekutsaleleni aba bantwana kuMsindisi. Ngobulumko nobuchule angakwazi ukubaqamangela kweyakhe intliziyo, akwazi ukubanika isibindi nethemba, ukuze athi, ngobabalo lukaKristu, ababone beguquka isimilo, ukuba kube nokuthiwa ngabo, “Ubukumkani bukaThixo bubobabo banjalo.” ULw 517.6