1. Kuyini uJesu akhuluma ngakho kakhulu ngobusuku bokucina elabafundi bakhe?

NGOBUSUKU bokucina uJesu elabafundi bakhe wakhuluma ngothando okwezikhathi ezingaba ngu-30. Waqonqosela abafundi bakhe ukuthi kwakumele ‘bathandane.’ (Joh. 15:12, 17) Babezathandana kakhulu okokuthi abantu babezabona ukuthi bangabalandeli bakhe beqiniso. (Joh. 13:34, 35) Uthando uJesu ayekhuluma ngalo kayisilo thando lokukhuluma ngomlomo nje, kodwa luthando lweqiniso olungenza umuntu afele abanye. Wathi: “Kakho olothando olukhulu kulaye onikela ukuphila kwakhe kubangane bakhe. Lingabangane bami uma lisenza lokho engiliyala khona.”​—Joh. 15:13, 14.

2. (a) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baziwa ngani? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni lesi?

² Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baziwa ngokuthi balothando lweqiniso njalo bamanyene. (1 Joh. 3:10, 11) Bayathandana kakhulu kungelani lokuthi bavela kuwaphi amazwe, bangumhlobo bani, bakhuluma limi bani loba bakhulele ngaphi. Kodwa nansi imibuzo eqakathekileyo esizaxoxa ngayo: Kungani uthando luqakatheke kakhulu esikhathini lesi esiphila kuso? Uthando lukaJehova  loJesu lusakha njani? Thina ‘singabakha’ njani abanye futhi sitshengise ukuthi siyabathanda?​—1 Khor. 8:1.

3. Ukuhlupheka kubangela ukuthi abanye bacine besenzani?

³ Siphila ‘ezikhathini ezinzima’ ezigcwele ‘inhlupho losizi.’ (2 Tim. 3:1-5; Hubo. 90:10) Abantu abanengi bayahlupheka kakhulu okokuthi sebebona ukufa kungcono kulokuphila. Minyaka yonke abantu abedlula 800 000 bayazibulala, okutsho ukuthi kufa umuntu oyedwa ngemizuzwana engu-40 kuphela. Okudanisayo yikuthi lamanye amaKhristu acina esezibulala ngenxa yenhlupho eziwehlelayo.

4. Ngobani okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhilini abake bafisa ukufa?

⁴ Lasendulo ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekileyo ezaziphakathi kosizi zakhathazeka kakhulu zaze zafisa ukufa. Ngokwesibonelo uJobe wafuthelwa waze wakhuluma ngelohawulayo wathi: “Ngiyayeyisa impilo yami; kangiloyisi ukuphila.” (Jobe. 7:16; 14:13) LoJona wadana kakhulu waze wathi: “Khathesi-ke Jehova, susa ukuphila kwami, ngoba kungcono kimi ukufa kulokuphila.” (Jona. 4:3) Umphrofethi owayethembekile u-Elija laye wake wacela ukuthi afe ngenxa yobunzima ayephakathi kwabo. Wathi: “Kwanele, Jehova, susa ukuphila kwami.” (1 AmaKho. 19:4) Lanxa amadoda la athembekileyo ayesefisa ukufa, uJehova wayewathanda futhi wayefuna aqhubeke ephila. Kulokuthi awasole wawanceda ukuthi alwisane lobunzima ayephakathi kwabo njalo aphinde abe lesifiso sokuphila ukuze enelise ukuqhubeka emkhonza.

5. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sibathande kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu?

⁵ Lanxa abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi bengeke bakhalale impilo, abanye bathwele amagabha avuzayo yikho kumele sibakhe ngothando. Abanye bayahlukuluzwa njalo bayachothozwa. Abanye basebenza labantu abahlala bebagcona futhi bebanyeya. Kanti njalo abanye baswela sona isikhathi sokuphumula ngenxa yokuthi kumele basebenze ubusuku lemini ukuze bangaxotshwa emsebenzini. Abanye badliswa imbuya ngoluthi ezimulini zabo. Kungenzakala ukuthi bahlala bechothozwa ngomkabo abangamkhonziyo uJehova. Inhlupho zonke lezi zibaqeda amandla abazalwane bethu futhi zenza bazibone bengasibantu balutho. Pho ngubani ongabanceda?

6. Uthando lukaJehova lusakha njani?

⁶ Uthando lukaJehova kalupheli. Lokho kuyasiqinisa ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uzahlala esithanda. Kumele ukuthi ama-Israyeli aba lamandla lapho esizwa amazwi kaJehova athi: ‘Wena uligugu njalo udumile ebusweni bami, ngiyakuthanda. Ungesabi, ngoba ngilawe.’ (Isaya. 43:4, 5) Lawe ungaba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uyakuthanda kakhulu ngoba uyinceku yakhe. * ILizwi lakhe lithi: “Ulamandla okusindisa. Uzathokoza kakhulu ngawe.”​—Zef. 3:16, 17.

7. Uthando lukaJehova lufanana njani lolukamama omunyisayo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁷ UJehova uthembisa abantu bakhe ukuthi uzabaqinisa futhi abaduduze kungelani lokuthi baphakathi kwaluphi uhlupho. Uthi: “Lizamunya, lithwalwe enhlangothini, lidlaliswe  emadolweni. Njengalowo unina amduduzayo, ngokunjalo mina ngizaliduduza.” (Isaya. 66:12, 13, TBS) Akucabange ukuthi usana lukholisa njani nxa unina eluthwele elokhu eludlalidlalisa! LoJehova uyazithanda kakhulu izinceku zakhe njengomama othanda usana lwakhe. Ngakho ungaqali ukuthandabuza ukuthi lawe uqakathekile kuJehova. Kakuthontisi!​—Jer. 31:3.

8, 9. Uthando lukaJesu lusiqinisa njani?

⁸ UNkulunkulu “walithanda ilizwe waze wanikela iNdodana yakhe iyiyo yodwa ukuze kuthi loba ngubani okholwa kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe lokuphila okungapheliyo.” (Joh. 3:16) Lokhu ngokunye okwenza amaKhristu eqiniso angathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uyawathanda. LoJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyasithanda kakhulu ngokusifela futhi lokho kuyasiqinisa. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ukuthi akukho ‘okungasehlukanisa lothando lukaKhristu,’ kungelani lokuthi “yikuhlupheka kumbe ukudubeka.”​—Rom. 8:35, 38, 39.

⁹ Kwezinye izikhathi singacwila phakathi kosizi size sizizwe siphela amandla futhi singasakukholisi ukukhonza uJehova. Kodwa nxa singakhumbula ukuthi uKhristu usithanda kangakanani, sizakuba lamandla okubhensela ubunzima esikubo. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 5:14, 15.) Uthando lukaJesu lwenza sibekezele njalo singakhalali ukuphila lanxa sihlupheka ngenxa yokuhlukuluzwa, ukudana, ukukhathazeka enhliziyweni kumbe ukwehlelwa ngumonakalo wemvelo.

10, 11. Ngobani okumele baqinise abazalwane abaphakathi kwezinhlupho? Chaza.

¹⁰ UJehova usebenzisa lebandla ukuze asakhe ngothando. Lathi singatshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda ngokuqinisa abafowethu labodadewethu. Kumele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sibatshengise ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda futhi uyabaqakathekisa. (1 Joh. 4:19-21) Umphostoli uPhawuli wakhuthaza amaKhristu wathi: “Qinisanani njalo lakhane, njengoba impela likwenza.” (1 Thes. 5:11) Abadala bebandla bayakwenza lokhu, kodwa sonke kumele sitshengise ukuthi siyabathanda abafowethu labodadewethu ngokubaduduza langokubakha. Nxa singenza njalo, siyabe silingisela uJehova loJesu.​—Bala uRoma 15:1, 2.

 ¹¹ Abanye abafowethu labodadewethu abahlutshwa ngumkhuhlane wokuhlulukelwa bangaya kwabezempilakahle ukuze belatshwe futhi bathole uncedo olufaneleyo. (Luk. 5:31) Lanxa abadala kanye labanye ebandleni bekwazi ukuthi kabasibodokotela, kabahlali nje bagoqe izandla. Bayakwazi ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi ‘baqinise abalovalo kumbe abahlulukelweyo, basize ababuthakathaka, babekezelele wonke umuntu.’ (1 Thes. 5:14) Yikho sonke kumele sitshengise ukuthi siyabazwela futhi siyababekezelela abadanileyo. Kufanele sikhulume labo ngomusa ukuze sibakhe. Wena uyabaduduza yini abanye? Nxa ungathola indlela zokuqinisa abafowethu labodadewethu abahlulukelweyo, uzenelisa ukubasiza.

12. Omunye udadewethu waqiniswa njani ngabazalwane akhonza labo?

¹² Ukududuza abahlulukelweyo kunceda ngani? Omunye udadewethu waseYurophu wathi: “Kwezinye izikhathi ngize ngicabange ukuzibulala, kodwa ibandla liyangisekela. Kungasibafowethu labodadewethu ngabe sengafa. Bayangikhuthaza futhi bayangithanda kakhulu. Lanxa bebalutshwana ebandleni abakwaziyo ukuthi ngilomkhuhlane wokuhlulukelwa, bonke bahlala bengincedisa. Omunye umzalwane lomkakhe bangiphatha njengomntanabo njalo bayanginakekela ubusuku lemini.” Lanxa abanye bethu bengeke benelise ukwenza njengemuli le, kukhona esingakwenza ukuze sisize abakhathazekileyo. *

13. Kufanele senzeni ukuze sakhe abanye?

¹³ Lalelisisa. (Jak. 1:19) Nxa unika umzalwane wakho indlebe ngesikhathi ekutshela okumhluphayo, uyabe utshengisa ukuthi uyamthanda. Zibuze ukuthi kunguwe osebunzimeni lobo ubuyabe usizwa njani futhi umbuze imibuzo ezakwenza uzwisise ubuhlungu akubo. Nxa ungalalelisisa, uzakwenelisa ukumzwela umzalwane wakho njalo umqinise. Ubuso bakho labo bumele butshengise ukuthi uyamthanda sibili lokuthi ulendaba laye. Nxa efuna ukukuthululela isifuba sakhe, woba lesineke futhi ungambambi umlomo ngoba ukulalela yikho okungakunceda ukuthi uzwisise okusenhliziyweni yakhe. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi akuthembe futhi akulalele nxa usuzama ukumqinisa. Nxa engabona ukuthi ulendaba laye, angaduduzeka kakhulu.

14. Kungani kumele sikhethe kuhle amabala?

¹⁴ Khetha kuhle amabala. Kumele sikhethe kuhle esikukhulumayo ukuze singabakhubi labo esizama ukubaduduza. Phela singacina sisehluleka ukubakha lanxa isifiso silaso. IBhayibhili lithi: “Amazwi okubhuda agwaza njengenkemba kodwa ulimi lohlakaniphileyo luyelapha.” (Zaga. 12:18) Lanxa singafuni ‘ukugwaza’ abadanileyo ngamazwi abuhlungu, kwezinye izikhathi singabazwisa ubuhlungu singahlosanga ukwenza njalo. Yikho ukuze sibakhe ngothando, kufanele sibe lesihawu, sizibuze ukuthi aluba bekuyithi esisesimeni esinjalo besingafuna ukuphathwa njani.​—Mat. 7:12.

15. Kuyini esingakusebenzisa ukuze sakhe abanye ngothando?

¹⁵ Baduduze ngeLizwi likaNkulunkulu. (Bala uRoma 15:4,5.) IMibhalo Engcwele  ilamazwi angasiduduza futhi asiqinise ngoba ivela ‘kuNkulunkulu onika ukubekezela lenkuthazo.’ Kanti njalo silamabhuku amanengi angasinceda ukuthi sizwisise iBhayibhili. Singasebenzisa Ibhuku Lokuchwayisisa LaboFakazi BakaJehova kanye le-Watch Tower Publications Index ukuze sithole imibhalo engasisiza ukuthi silwisane laloba yibuphi ubunzima obungasehlela. Amabhuku la angasinceda lokuthi sithole amavesi esingawasebenzisa ukududuza lokukhuthaza abafowethu labodadewethu.

16. Kumele sibe njani nxa sifuna ukuqinisa umKhristu ohlulukelweyo?

¹⁶ Woba lesihawu lesineke. Kuqakathekile ukuthi nxa siqinisa abanye sibe lesihawu lesineke ukuze kukhanye ukuthi siyabathanda. UJehova ‘nguYise wesihawu loNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke’ njalo ‘ulesihawu sobubele’ ezincekwini zakhe. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 1:3-6; Luk. 1:78; Rom. 15:13) UPhawuli laye wayelesihawu futhi ebaphatha ngesineke abanye, waze wabhala wathi: “Saba mnene kini njengomama esondla abantwana bakhe abancinyane. Salithanda kakhulu sathokoza ukuhlanganyela lani kungayisikho evangelini likaNkulunkulu kuphela kodwa lasekuphileni kwethu, ngoba lina laselithandeka kakhulu kithi.” (1 Thes. 2:7, 8) Nxa lathi singaba lesineke, uNkulunkulu angasisebenzisa ukuphendula imithandazo yomuntu ohlulukelweyo.

17. Kuyini okungamelanga sikukhangelele kubafowethu labodadewethu?

¹⁷ Ungakhangeleli ukuthi abazalwane benze okuphezu kwamandla abo. Nxa ungahlala ukhangelele ukuthi abafowenu labodadewenu kabasoze baphambanise, uzadana ngoba sonke siyawenza amaphutha. (UmTshu. 7:21, 22) Khumbula ukuthi uJehova kalindelanga ukuthi senze okungaphezu kwamandla ethu. Yikho nxa singamlingisela, sizenelisa ukubekezelela abazalwane bethu. (Efe. 4:2, 32) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sibancome ngalokho abakwenzayo kulokuthi sibasole ngokuthi kabenzi konke okusemandleni abo loba sibaqathanise labanye. Nxa singabakhuthaza, bazabona ukuthi siyabathanda futhi bazakukholisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu.​—Gal. 6:4.

18. Kungani kufanele siqhubeke sisakha abanye ngothando?

¹⁸ UJehova uyaziqakathekisa kakhulu zonke izimvu zakhe. LakuJesu ziligugu, yikho wafa ukuze zihlawulelwe izono. (Gal. 2:20) Lathi siyabathanda kakhulu abafowethu labodadewethu njalo sifuna ukubaphatha njengeqanda. Pho singenzani ukuze sihlale sibaqinisa? Kumele ‘senze imizamo yonke yokwenza okusilethela ukuthula njalo sisizane.’ (Rom. 14:19) Sisilindele ngabomvu isikhathi lapho esizaphila khona ePharadayisi, kungasela lutho olusikhathazayo! Ukufa esakulethelwa ngu-Adamu, ukugula, izimpi, ukuhlukuluzwa, inhlupho zemuli kanye lokudana kuyabe kungasekho. Ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokubusa kukaKhristu, abantu bayabe bengaselasono. Labo abazahlala bethembekile nxa abantu sebelingwa okokucina bazakwamukelwa nguJehova uNkulunkulu ukuthi babe ngamadodana akhe asemhlabeni njalo bazathola ‘inkululeko elenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ (Rom. 8:21) Yikho-ke sonke kasiqhubekeni sibathanda abanye futhi sibakha, sincedisane ukuze siwuthole umvuzo lo omkhulu njalo othokozisayo.