Umphostoli uPetru wayelwa nobuthakathaka bakhe. Cabanga ngalezi zibonelo ezimbalwa. Ngesikhathi uJesu echaza ukuthi wayezohlupheka futhi afe kanjani ukuze kugcwaliseke iziprofetho zeBhayibheli, uPetru wamkhuza. (Marku 8:​31-33) Kaningi uPetru nabanye abaphostoli baphikisana ngokuthi ubani omkhulu kunabanye. (Marku 9:​33, 34) Ngobusuku bokugcina ngaphambi kokufa kukaJesu, ngamawala uPetru wahlasela umuntu wamsusa indlebe. (Joh. 18:10) Ngobusuku obufanayo uPetru wesaba, waphika kathathu ukuthi uyamazi umngani wakhe uJesu. (Marku 14:​66-72) Lokho kwenza uPetru wakhala kalusizi. UJesu akazange amdikile umphostoli wakhe owayedumele kakhulu. Ngemva kokuba uJesu esevusiwe, wanika uPetru ithuba lokuba aphinde amqinisekise ukuthi usamthanda. UJesu watshela uPetru ukuba eluse izimvu zakhe. (Joh. 21:​15-17) UPetru wakwenza lokho uJesu akusho. WayeseJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekoste futhi wayephakathi kwabokuqala abagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. w23.09 22 ¶6-7

Umphostoli uPetru wanxusa abadala ayekanye nabo, wathi: “Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu.” (1 Pet. 5:​1-4) Uma ungumdala, siyazi ukuthi uyabathanda abafowenu nodadewenu futhi uyafuna ukubelusa. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi ungase ube nomuzwa wokuthi umatasa kakhulu noma ukhathele kakhulu ukuba ungafeza leso sabelo. Yini ongayenza? Tshela uJehova indlela ozizwa ngayo. UPetru wabhala: “Uma umuntu ekhonza, makakhonze njengoncike emandleni anikezwa nguNkulunkulu.” (1 Pet. 4:11) Kungenzeka ukuthi abafowenu nodadewenu babhekene nezinkinga ezingeke zixazululeke ngokuphelele manje. Kodwa khumbula ukuthi “umalusi omkhulu,” uJesu Kristu, angabasiza ngaphezu kwendlela wena ongabasiza ngayo. Angabasiza namuhla nasezweni elisha. Into nje uNkulunkulu ayicelayo kubadala ukuba bathande abafowabo, beluse abafowabo futhi babe “izibonelo emhlanjini.” w23.09 29-30 ¶13-14

Kumele sigweme ukusebenzisa ukucabanga kwabantu. Uma sibheka izinto ngendlela abantu abazibheka ngayo, singase singamnaki uJehova nemithetho yakhe. (1 Kor. 3:19) “Ukuhlakanipha kwaleli zwe” kuvame ukwenza abantu benze ngokwezifiso zabo ezingalungile. AmaKristu ambalwa asePhergamu naseThiyathira athonywa imibono yabantu ababeziphatha kabi nababekhonza izithixo ababehlala kulawo madolobha. UJesu wawanika iseluleko esiqinile womabili la mabandla ngenxa yokubekezelela kwawo ukuziphatha kabi ngokocansi. (IsAm. 2:​14, 20) Namuhla, abantu esiphila nabo bangase bazame ukusithonya ukuba samukele imibono yabo engalungile. Amalungu omndeni nabantu esibajwayele bangase bazame ukusenza sizizwe kabi, kube sengathi sikholwe kakhulu, bese besikhuthaza ukuba sithi ukuxegisa. Ngokwesibonelo, bangase bathi ukwanelisa izifiso zethu akusho lutho nokuthi imithetho yeBhayibheli yokuziphatha isiphelelwe isikhathi. Ngezinye izikhathi singase sicabange ukuthi isiqondiso uJehova asinikeza sona asanele. Singase silingeke nokuba ‘seqele ngale kwezinto ezilotshiwe.’—1 Kor. 4:6. w23.07 16 ¶10-11