UTHIMOTHI bekakhamba kabuthaka endleleni ephuma ekhabo, bekaqale phambili ngabovu kilokho okuzako. Abakhambisani bakhe bebadosa phambili njengombana bakhamba badlula iindawo uThimothi azijayeleko. Njengombana baraga ngekhambo labo, batjhiya idorobho leListra elisentabeni njengombana behlela phasi balitjhiya ngemva kwabo. UThimothi bekamomotheka nakacabanga ngonina nogogwakhe, abazibetha isifuba ngaye begodu balinga ukufihla iinyembezi zabo njengombana bambona akhamba. Inga-kghani angajika, abavalelise kwamaswaphela?

UPowula bekanande amuthi rhedlu uThimothi, anande amomotheke nakamqalako nje, khona azokukhuthazeka. UPowula bekazi bona uThimothi uneenhloni okufanele alwisane nazo, kodwana bekathabile ukubona itjiseko yesokaneli. UThimothi obekasese mutjha, okungenzeka besele akhulela ebusokaneni, bekamhlonipha tle uPowula, amthanda. Nje-ke uThimothi bekalandela indoda ekhutheleko nethembekileko le njengombana athatha ikhambo elizombeka kude nekhaya. Bebazokukhamba ngeenyawo nangeskepe, baqalane neengozi ezinengi ekhambweni labo. UThimothi bekangazi bona usazokubuya na ekhaya.

Yini ebangele isokaneli ukuthi likhethe ipilo enjengale? Ngiziphi iimbusiso ebelizozithola ezingenza lizidele kangaka? Yeke, ukukholwa kwakaThimothi kungakuqinisa njani ukukholwa kwethu namhlanjesi?

Akhesibuyele emuva eminyakeni emibili namkha emithathu, sithathe kwanga iListra yindawo uThimothi akhulele kiyo njengombana kubonakala ngasuthi wakhulela khona vele. Bekuyindawo encani, yemakhaya ejame yodwa begodu ebeyihlanu kwemilanjana yamanzi. Abantu bendawo leyo kungenzeka bebasazi isiGirigi, nanyana kunjalo bebakhuluma isiLayikhawoniya. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga kwavuka itjhada elikhulu emzini lo. AmaKrestu amabili aziinthunywa zevangeli, umpostoli uPowula nomkhambisanakhe uBharinabhasi, bafika bavela e-Ikhoniyo elidorobho elikhulu eliseduze. Njengombana batjhumayela endaweni enabantu abanengi, uPowula wabona indoda erholopheleko eyabonisa ukukholwa kwamambala. Nje-ke, uPowula wapholisa indoda leyo ngokwekarisomraro!—IzEnzo 14:5-10.

Esikhathini esidlulileko, inengi labantu beListra kungenzeka belikholelwa eenolwaneni ezikhuluma ngabosingazimu abazitjhugulula babe babantu benyama, banande bavakatjhele abantu ephasinapha. Ngalokho-ke, abantu bebacabanga bona uPowula nguHerimesi begodu uBharinabhasi bebathi nguZewusi! Yeke kwaba budisana ngamaKrestu amabili la bona avimbe abantu bangawenzeli umhlabelo.—IzEnzo 14:11-18.

Nokho, kwabanye abantu beListra isenzakalwesi bekungasilivakatjho labosingazimu ekukhulunywa ngabo eenolwaneni; bekusisenzakalo samambala esikarisako. Ngokwesibonelo, uYunike umma omJuda owatjhada nendoda yomGirigi engasilikholwa, nonina uLowisi, bebalalele uPowula noBharinabhasi ngetjiseko ekulu nethabo. Emaswapheleni nanzi-ke iindaba woke amaJuda athembekileko abekalindele ukuzizwa—uMesiya ufikile begodu uzalise zoke iimphorofido ezitlolwe ngaye emiTlolweni!

Cabanga nje bona kwamthinta njani ukuvakatjha kwakaPowula uThimothi. “Kwebuntwaneni” uThimothi ubandulwe bona athande imiTlolo ecwengileko yesiHebheru. (2 Thimothi 3:15) Njengonina nogogwakhe, uThimothi bekabona ukuthi uPowula noBharinabhasi bakhuluma iqiniso ngoMesiya. Cabanga ngendoda erholopheleko uPowula ayipholisako. Kubayini? Lokha uThimothi aseselisokana kungenzeka bekayibona indoda  erholopheleko le iinkhathi ezinengi eendleleni zeListra. Nje-ke, bekukokuthoma uThimothi abona indoda le ikwazi ukukhamba! Akusimangazi bona uYunike noLowisi baba maKrestu, noThimothi walandela. Nanamhlanjesi, abogogo nababelethi bangafunda okunengi kuLowisi noYunike. Inga-kghani ungabakhuthaza abantu abatjha?

Labo ababa maKrestu eListra bathaba bajekezela nabezwa ngalokho okufunyenwe balandeli bakaKrestu. Kodwana bafumana nokuthi ukuba mlandeli kaJesu kunemiphumela yakhona. Abatjhutjhisi abatjhisekela ikolo ngokweqileko abamaJuda we-Ikhoniyo nase-Anthiyorhiya bafika eListra, bavusa irawurawu ebantwini bendawo leyo bona bavukele uPowula noBharinabhasi. Kuthe kusesenjalo, isiqubuthu esinenturhu satjhinga kuPowula samkghadlha ngamatje, samdula phasi. Nasiqedako samdosela ngaphandle komuzi samtjhiya lapho arabhalele sicabanga bona ufile.—IzEnzo 14:19.

Nokho, abalandeli bakaJesu beListra baya kuPowula, bambungelela. Batjhaphuluka nababona ukuthi uPowula uyasikinyeka. Nguye loya asikima, ngesibindi atjho abuyela godu eListra! Kwathi ngelanga elilandelako, uPowula noBharinabhasi batjhiya iListra baya eDerbe bona baragele phambili nomsebenzabo wokutjhumayela. Ngemva kokobana bathole abalandeli neDerbe baba nesibindi babuyela godu eListra nanyana bekuyingozi ukwenza njalo. Kwaba namuphi umphumela? “Baqinisa . . . . abafundi.” Nayiragako indaba le ithi, ‘babakhuthaza bona baragele phambili ngokukholwa.’ Akhucabange uThimothi awavule woke amehlwakhe njengombana alalelisise uPowula noBharinabhasi bafundisa amaKrestu ngokuthi umvuzo walokho abakulindileko mkhulu kunanyana ngibuphi ubudisi abaqalene nabo. Bathi kibo: “Kufuze sidlule ebunzimeni obunengi ngaphambi kobana singene embusweni kaZimu.”—IzEnzo 14:20-22.

UThimothi wambona uPowula aphila ngokuvumelana nalokho ebekakutjho, waba nesibindi sokuqalana nesizi khona azakutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi ebantwini. Nje-ke, uThimothi bekazi bona nakangalandela isibonelo sakaPowula, abantu beListra bebazomtlhorisa, nobabakhe kungenzeka amhlanukele. Nanyana kunjalo, uThimothi bekangekhe avumele ubudisobu bumenze atjhentjhe indlela afuna ukulotjha ngayo uZimu. Nanamhlanjesi, banengi abantu abatjha abafana noThimothi. Ngokuhlakanipha, bakhetha abangani abanokukholwa okuqinileko, abangabakhuthaza bonyana nabo baqinise ukukholwa kwabo. Abavumeli ukutlhoriswa kubenze bafulathele uZimu weqiniso!

Njengombana kutjhiwo ekuthomeni, kungenzeka ivakatjho lakaPowula elilandelako laba seminyakeni  emibili namkha emithathu elandelako. Akhucabange bona bebathabe kangangani ekhabo likaThimothi lokha uPowula nakafikako, nje besele akhamba NoSilasi. NoPowula bekathabe tle. Bekazibonela ngewakhe amehlo umphumela walokho akutjalileko ngeendaba ezimnandi eListra. ULowisi noYunike, besele bamaKrestu athembekileko, ‘anokukholwa kweqiniso’ uPowula akubuka khulu. (2 Thimothi 1:5) Kuthiwani-ke ngoThimothi obekasesemutjha?

UPowula wafumana ukuthi isokana eliseselitjheli besele livuthiwe kunamhla bathoma ukufika endaweni le. “Abazalwana . . . bebambuka” uThimothi, ingasi beListra kwaphela, kodwana nebe-Ikhoniyo, engaba libanga elimakhilomitha ayi-32 ukutjhinga etlhagwini yepumalanga. (IzEnzo 16:2) Nje-ke umbuzo oba khona kukobana yini emenze waduma kangaka?

“Imitlolo ecwengileko” uThimothi ayifundiswa ngugogwakhe nonina “kwebuntwaneni” beyinesiluleko esilisizo ebantwini abatjha. (2 Thimothi 3:15) Nasi isibonelo sesiluleko okukhulunywa ngaso: “Khumbula umdali wakho emalangeni wobutjha bakho.” (UMtjhumayeli 12:1) Amezwi la asebenza khulu kuThimothi ngemva kokuthi abe mKrestu. Wabona ukuthi indlela engcono yokuthi akhumbule uMdali wakhe oMkhulu bekukukuthi atjhumayele iindaba ezimnandi ezimalungana neNdodana kaZimu, uKrestu. Njengombana isikhathi sikhamba, kancanikancani uThimothi wafunda ukuhlula iinhloni ebekanazo ebezimenza azikhuje bekarhidlwe livalo nakufanele atjele abanye ngeendaba ezimnandi ezimalungana noKrestu.

Amadoda egade abarholi emabandleni ayibona ituthuko kaThimothi. Kusemtarini bona bathinteka ngaphakathi nababona isokana eliseselitjheli lakha belikhuthaza boke abantu ebeliphila nabo. Kodwana ebekuqakatheke khulu kukobana uJehova bekamtjhejile uThimothi. Ngikho uZimu aphefumulela iimphorofido ngoThimothi lo—okungenzeka bekuzizinto ebekazozenzela amabandla amanengi ngelinye ilanga. Ngesikhathi uPowula abavakatjhela, watjheja ukuthi uThimothi bekangaba mkhambisani olisizo kwamambala emsebenzini wokutjhumayela nokuvakatjhela amabandla. Abazalwana beListra bavuma. Bese balibeka izandla isokana eliseselitjheli, lokho bekutjengisa bona bekakhethelwa isabelo esikhethekileko okufuze asenzele uJehova uZimu.—1 Thimothi 1:18; 4:14.

Nasicabangasisa kuhle ngesenzakalwesi, asingabazi bona uThimothi wasala abambe ongenzasi, begodu wakuthatha njengelungelo elikhulu ukuthenjwa kangaka nokuphathiswa umsebenzi omkhulu lo. Bekakulungele ukukhamba. * Nanyana kunjalo, ubaba kaThimothi ogade angasimKrestu yamhlalela njani indaba yokuthi indodanakhe ikhethe ukuba mtjhumayeli omKrestu okhamba avakatjhela ezinye iinarha? Kungenzeka bekamfisela okuhlukileko ngekusasa lakhe. Kuthiwani-ke ngonina nogogo likaThimothi, bebacabangani? Inga-kghani bebazibetha isifuba ngaye kukulapho ngakelinye ihlangothi balinga ukufihla amatshwenyeko abanawo ngokuphepha kwesokana eliseselitjheli? Kungokwemvelo ukuzizwa njalo, beyingekho into embi ngalokho.

Esiqiniseka ngakho kukuthi uThimothi wakhamba. Njengombana kuhlathululiwe ekuthomeni kwesihlokwesi, wathomisa ukuphila kokukhambela ezinye iinarha nompostoli uPowula. Njengombana atjhiya iListra emva, nanyana ngiyiphi ihlabathi ayigadanga ngamapatlagwanakhe, nanyana ngikuphi ukurhwatjhazela kotjani ebekwenzeka nakabugadangako, woke amagadango lawo bekamtjhidisela kude nekhabo. Kuthe ngemva kokukhamba ibanga elide, amadoda amathathu la agcina afikile e-Ikhoniyo. UThimothi wathoma ukuqalisisa njengombana uPowula noSilasi bethula iinqophiso ezitja ezivela emkhandlwini wamaKrestu eJerusalema begodu bakha nokukholwa kwabazalwana be-Ikhoniyo. (IzEnzo 16:4, 5) Kodwana lokho bekusesesithomo, okukhulu bekuseza.

Ngemva kokuvakatjhela amabandla weGalatiya, iinthunywa zevangelezi zazitjhiya emva iindlela zamaRoma ezibanzi nezipheyiviweko zakhamba amakhilomitha amanengi ngeenyawo zivundla iindawo ezibanzi ezimibundu zeFrigiya, zitjhinga etlhagwini ngemva kwalokho ziye etjhingalanga. Njengombana bezihlala zilalela nazinqotjhiswa mumoya kaZimu ocwengileko, zaya neTrowasi, zakhwela isikepe zaya eMasedoniya. (IzEnzo 16:6-12) Kuthe nakusesenjalo, uPowula watjheja bona uThimothi bekalisizo kangangani. Wamtjhiya eBheriya noSilasi. (IzEnzo 17:14) Kube nesikhathi lapha uPowula athumela khona isokana eliseselitjheli lilodwa eThesalonika. UThimothi uthe nakafika lapho walingisa lokho ebekwenziwa boPowula ebekakuqale ngokukhulu ukutjhejisisa soke isikhathesi akhamba nabo, wakha ukukholwa kwamaKrestu athembekileko weThesalonika.—1 Thesalonika 3:1-3.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uPowula watlola ngoThimothi wathi: “Anginaye omunye onjengaye onetjisakalo engazenzisiko ngepilo yenu.” (Filipi 2:20) Ukuba negama  elihle njalo azange kuzenzakalele. UThimothi walisebenzela budisi, akhonza ngokuzithoba begodu wabekezela ngokuthembeka nakaqalene neentjhijilo ezibudisi. Kwamambala lesi sibonelo esihle tle ebantwini abatjha namhlanjesi! Nje-ke, nawe njengomuntu omutjha ungalibali bona kusezandleni zakho ukuthi uzenzela igama elinjani. Nawusesemutjha, unethuba elikarisako lokuzenzela igama elihle ngokwenza uJehova uZimu eze qangi ekuphileni kwakho ngokuhlonipha abantu, ubaphathe ngomusa.

UThimothi usebenzise isikhathi esinengi khulu esiyiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-14 asebenza nomnganakhe umpostoli uPowula. Yena noPowula bavelelwe ziingozi ezinengi ebezikhambisana nomsebenzabo, bebaba neekhathi ezithabisako ndawonye. (2 Korinte 11:24-27) Khekwaba nesikhathi lapha uThimothi abotjhelwa khona ukukholwa kwakhe. (Hebheru 13:23) Bekakhona ngesikhathi uPowula atjengisa ukuthi ubathanda kangangani abafowabo nabodadwabo abamaKrestu nokuthi utshwenyeka kangangani ngabo. Kungebangelo uPowula wamtlolela wathi: ‘Ngikhumbula iinyembezi zakho.’ (2 Thimothi 1:4) Alingisa uPowula, kubonakala ngasuthi uThimothi wafunda ‘ukulila kanye nalabo abalilako,’ azwelana nabo khona azokwazi ukubakhuthaza nokubaduduza. (Roma 12:15) Kwanga soke singafunda ukwenza njalo!

Akusirari-ke bona ngokukhamba kwesikhathi uThimothi waba mrholi omKrestu osibonelo esihle. Kungebangelo uPowula angakhenge amphathise umsebenzi wokuvakatjhela amabandla, wokuwaqinisa nokuwakhuthaza kwaphela, kodwana wabuye wamphathisa nokobana abeke amadoda afanelekela ukuba badosiphambili bebandla nabasekeli bawo.—1 Thimothi 5:22.

UPowula bekamthanda kwamambala uThimothi, amupha iinluleko neeyalo esokaneni eliseselitjha njengobaba othanda indodanakhe. Wayala uThimothi bona athuthukise iimphiwo zakhe zokukhonza uZimu nokuthi ituthukwakhe ibonakale. (1 Thimothi 4:15, 16) Wakhuthaza uThimothi bona angavumeli ubutjha bakhe—mhlamunye nokusaba namkha ukuba neenhloni—kumenze athule nakufanele athathe amagadango aqinileko ajame ehlangothini lokulungileko. (1 Thimothi 1:3; 4:6, 7, 11, 12) UPowula wabuye waluleka uThimothi bona angaqalana njani nokugula ebekusolo kumtshwenya, okungenzeka ukuthi bekatshwenywa mathumbu.—1 Thimothi 5:23.

Kwafika isikhathi lapha uPowula sekabona khona ukuthi sesifikile isikhathi sokobana afe; kubonakala kwanga bekazokubulawa esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo. Ngalokho wathumela incwadi yokugcina ephefumulelweko kuThimothi. Beyinamezwi athinta ihliziyo la: “Yenza msinyana uze lapha uzongibona.” (2 Thimothi 4:9) UPowula bekamthanda tle uThimothi; wambiza ngokuthi, “indodanami uThimothi engimthandako nothembekileko eKosini.” (1 Korinte 4:17) Akusimangazi-ke bona bekafuna uThimothi abe hlanu kwakhe njengombana isikhathi sakhe sokufa besele siseduze! Ngamunye wethu kufuze azibuze, ‘Inga-kghani abantu bafuna ngibe hlanu kwabo, khona ngizobatjhiriya nabaqalene nobudisi?’

UThimothi wakwazi na ukuyokufika kuPowula ngesikhathi? Asazi. Esikwaziko kukobana bekahlala enza koke okusemandlenakhe ukududuza nokukhuthaza uPowula kuhlanganise nabanye abanengi. Waphila ngokuvumelana nehlathululo yebizo lakhe elithi Thimothi, elitjho ukuthi “Loyo Odumisa UZimu.” Begodu usitjhiyele isibonelo esihle khulu sokuthi sisilandele soke kungakhathaliseki bona sibadala namkha sisesebatjha.