1-3. (a) Yiyiphi inyaniso engenakuphikwa echazwa yiBhayibhile? (b) Sinokubakhetha njani abahlobo abaya kuba nempembelelo entle kuthi?

ABANTU babufana neziponji; bafunxa kwanto esondeleyo kubo. Kulula ukuba bazibone sele benezimo zengqondo, imilinganiselo nobuntu babo basondele kakhulu kubo.

² IBhayibhile iyayichaza le nyaniso engenakuphikwa, xa isithi: “Ohamba nezilumko uya kuba sisilumko naye, kodwa osebenzisana neziyatha uya kuhlelwa bububi.” (IMizekeliso 13:20) Lo mzekeliso awuthethi ngabantu nje ababonana ngebhaqo. Igama elithi “ohamba” libonisa ukuba olu nxulumano luyaqhubeka. * Enye imbekiselo yeBhayibhile iphefumla yenjenje ngale ndinyana: “Ukuhamba nomntu kubandakanya uthando nonxibelelwano.” Sidla ngokubalinganisa abantu esibathandayo, akunjalo? Kunjalo kuba kaloku iimvakalelo zethu ziye zinamathele kubantu esibathandayo, banokusibumba—enoba basibumbela iinjongo ezintle okanye ezimbi kusini na.

³ Ukuze sizigcine eluthandweni lukaThixo, kubalulekile ukuba sinxulumane nabantu abaya kuba nempembelelo entle kuthi. Sinokuyenza njani loo nto? Ngamafutshane, sinokuyenza loo nto ngokuthanda abantu abathandwa nguThixo, sakhe ubuhlobo nabahlobo bakhe. Khawukhe  uyihlafunisise le nto. Ngabaphi abahlobo esinokuzikhethela bona ababhetele kunabo baneempawu ezifunwa nguYehova kubahlobo bakhe? Ngoko makhe sixubushe ngohlobo lwabantu abathandwa nguThixo. Xa siyazi indlela uYehova azibona ngayo izinto kulo mba, sakutsho sikwazi ukukhetha abahlobo abafanelekileyo.

4. Kutheni uYehova enelungelo lokubahluza ngocoselelo abahlobo bakhe, yaye kwakutheni ukuze uYehova abize uAbraham ngokuthi “umhlobo wam”?

⁴ UYehova ubahluza ngocoselelo abahlobo bakhe. Kaloku unalo ilungelo lokwenjenjalo. Ngapha koko, uyiNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela, ibe ukuba ngumhlobo wakhe lelona lungelo lakha lalikhulu. Ngoobani ke aye akhethe ukwakha ubuhlobo nabo? UYehova uyasondela kwabo bamthembayo nabakholelwa ngokupheleleyo kuye. Masenze umzekelo ngosolusapho uAbraham, indoda eyayisaziwa ngokuba nokholo. Ayikho into enokuvavanya ukholo lobawo ongumntu njengokuba acelwe ukuba abingelele ngonyana wakhe. * Ukanti, uAbraham “kwafana nokuba wayemnikele uIsake,” ekholelwa ngokupheleleyo ekubeni “uThixo wayekwazi ukumvusa kwanakwabafileyo.” (Hebhere 11:17-19) Ngenxa yokuba uAbraham ebe nokholo olunjalo yaye eye wathobela, uYehova waye wambiza ngokuthi “umhlobo wam,” nto leyo ebonisa indlela awayemthanda ngayo.—Isaya 41:8; Yakobi 2:21-23.

5. UYehova ubajonga njani abo bamthobela benyanisekile?

⁵ UYehova ukuxabise kakhulu ukuthotyelwa ngokunyaniseka. Uyabathanda abo bagqala ukunyaniseka kuye njengeyona nto ibaluleke ukugqitha yonke enye into. (Funda eyesi-2 kaSamuweli  22:26) Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko soku-1 sale ncwadi, uYehova uyayoliswa ngabo bamthobela beqhutywa luthando. IMizekeliso 3:32 ithi: “Ukusondelelana naye kokwabo bathe tye.” Abo bazenza ngokunyaniseka izinto ezifunwa nguThixo bawongwa ngesi simemo silandelayo sivela kuYehova: Banokuba ziindwendwe “ententeni” yakhe—bavumelekile ukuba bamnqule kwaye basondele kuye nanini na befuna ukuthandaza kuye.—INdumiso 15:1-5.

6. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYesu, kwaye uYehova ubajonga njani abantu abathanda uNyana wakhe?

⁶ UYehova uyabathanda abantu abathanda okuphela koNyana amzeleyo, uYesu. UYesu wathi: “Ukuba nabani na uyandithanda, uya kuligcina ilizwi lam, yaye uBawo uya kumthanda, ibe siya kuza kuye size sihlale naye.” (Yohane 14:23) Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uYesu? Ngokuqinisekileyo ngokuthobela imiyalelo yakhe, equka ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nokwenza abafundi. (Mateyu 28:19, 20; Yohane 14:15, 21) Kwakhona sinokubonisa ukuba siyamthanda uYesu ‘ngokulandela emanyathelweni akhe ngokusondeleyo,’ silinganise indlela awayethetha nawayesenza ngayo izinto kangangoko anokwenza umntu ongafezekanga. (1 Petros 2:21) Intliziyo kaYehova iyavuya xa abo bathanda uNyana wakhe bezama ukulandela amanyathelo kaKristu.

7. Kutheni kububulumko ukuzakhela ubuhlobo nabahlobo bakaYehova?

⁷ Ukuba nokholo, ukunyaniseka, ukuthobela nokuthanda uYesu neendlela zakhe—zezinye zeempawu uYehova aye aziqwalasele kubahlobo Bakhe. Ngamnye kuthi uyatyapha ukuzibuza lo mbuzo: ‘Ngaba nabam abahlobo banazo ezi mpawu? Ngaba ndiye ndabenza abahlobo bam abantu abangabahlobo bakaYehova?’ Kuya kukunceda ukwenjenjalo. Abantu abazama ukuba neempawu zikaThixo nabashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani ngenkuthalo banokuba nempembelelo entle kuthi, banokusenza simkholise  uThixo.—Bona ibhokisi ethi “ Ngumntu Onjani Ongumhlobo Olungileyo?”

8. Yintoni oyithandayo kubuhlobo obabuphakathi (a) koNahomi noRute? (b) kwamaHebhere amathathu aselula? (c) koPawulos noTimoti?

⁸ IZibhalo zinemizekelo emininzi yabantu abaye bancedakala ngokukhetha abahlobo abalungileyo. Unokuzifundela nawe ngobuhlobo obabuphakathi koNahomi nomolokazana wakhe uRute, phakathi kwamaHebhere aselula amathathu awayengumtya nethunga eBhabhiloni, nobabuphakathi kukaPawulos noTimoti. (Rute 1:16; Daniyeli 3:17, 18; 1 Korinte 4:17; Filipi 2:20-22) Kodwa ke, siza kukhe sihl’ amahlongwane ubuhlobo obabuphakathi kukaDavide noYonatan.

9, 10. Babusekelwe entwenini ubuhlobo obabuphakathi koDavide noYonatan?

⁹ IBhayibhile ithi emva kokuba uDavide ebulele uGoliyati, “umphefumlo kaYonatan wabophana nomphefumlo kaDavide, waza uYonatan wamthanda njengomphefumlo wakhe.” (1 Samuweli 18:1) Baqala njalo ke ubuhlobo babo obathi, nangona babengalingani ngeminyaka, baqhubeka de uYonatan wafela edabini. * (2 Samuweli 1:26) Lalisekelwe entwenini iqhina elomeleleyo elaliphakathi kwaba bahlobo babini?

¹⁰ UDavide noYonatan babedityaniswa kukuthanda kwabo uThixo nangumnqweno wabo onamandla wokuqhubeka bethembekile kuye. La madoda mabini ayedityaniswa zizinto zokomoya. Nganye kuwo yayineempawu ezaziyenza ithandeke kwenye. Alithandabuzeki elokuba uYonatan wathanda inkalipho nenkuthalo yalo mfana owayelilwela ngaphandle kwedyudyu igama likaYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo  uDavide wayeyihlonela le ndoda inkulu eyayiwaxhasa ngokunyaniseka amalungiselelo kaYehova neyayibeka iimfuno zikaDavide ngaphambi kwezayo. Ngokomzekelo, khumbula okwenzekayo xa uDavide wayedimazekile, efunw’ esiqwini nguyise kaYonatan, uKumkani uSawule. Yaba nguYonatan othatha inyathelo kuqala ukuze abonise ukunyaniseka kwakhe kuye, kuba “waya kuDavide . . . ukuze asomeleze isandla  sakhe ngokubhekisele kuThixo.” (1 Samuweli 23:16) Khawuthelekelele nje indlela amele ukuba wavakalelwa ngayo uDavide xa umhlobo wakhe osenyongweni wezayo ezokumxhasa nokumkhuthaza! *

11. Yintoni oyifundayo ngobuhlobo kumzekelo kaYonatan noDavide?

¹¹ Yintoni esiyifundayo kumzekelo kaYonatan noDavide? Eyona nto ibalulekileyo esiyifundayo kukuba abahlobo kufuneka babe nemilinganiselo yokomoya efanayo. Xa sisondela kubantu abaneenkolelo ezifanayo nezethu, abanemilinganiselo  efana neyethu, nabakunqwenela njengathi ukuhlala bethembekile kuThixo, sinokukwazi ukuphakelan’ izimvo, sichazelane indlela esivakalelwa ngayo, sibaliselane amava akhuthazayo nasakhayo. (Funda amaRoma 1:11, 12) Abahlobo abacinga ngezinto zokomoya sibafumana kwabo sinqula kunye nabo. Noko ke, ngaba loo nto ithetha ukuba wonk’ ubani oza kwiintlanganiso ezikwiHolo yoBukumkani ungumhlobo olungileyo? Hayi ke, akuthethwa loo nto.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni simele sibakhethe ngocoselelo abahlobo kwanaphakathi kwamanye amaKristu? (b) Yiyiphi ingxaki awayenayo amabandla enkulungwane yokuqala, ibe loo nto yabangela ukuba uPawulos akhuphe siphi isilumkiso?

¹² Kwanangaphakathi ebandleni, simele sikhethe ngocoselelo ukuba sifuna abahlobo abaya kusakha ngokomoya. Ngaba ifanele isothuse loo nto? Hayi. Kaloku kanye njengokuba ezinye iziqhamo zomthi zinokuthatha ixesha elidana ukuba zivuthwe, namanye amaKristu ebandleni anokuthatha ixesha elidana ukuba avuthwe ngokomoya. Ngenxa yoko, kuwo onke amabandla, sifumana amaKristu akumanqanaba obumoya angafaniyo. (Hebhere 5:12–6:3) Noko ke, simele sibe nomonde yaye sibathande abasebatsha okanye ababuthathaka, kuba sifuna nabo bakhule ngokomoya.—Roma 14:1; 15:1.

¹³ Maxa wambi kusenokuvela iimeko ebandleni ezinokufuna ukuba sibalumkele abantu esinxulumana nabo. Abanye abantu basenokuziphatha ngendlela exhomis’ amehlo. Abanye basenokuba nengqumbo okanye bathande ukukhalaza. Namabandla enkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo ayenayo le ngxaki. Inkoliso yamalungu yayithembekile, kodwa kwakukho abathile ababengoobholel’ ecaleni. Ngenxa yokuba abathile ebandleni laseKorinte babengazixhasi ezinye iimfundiso zamaKristu, umpostile uPawulos walumkisa ibandla esithi: “Ningalahlekiswa. Unxulumano olubi lonakalisa imikhwa elungileyo.” (1 Korinte 15:12,  33) UPawulos walumkisa uTimoti esithi kwanangaphakathi kwamaKristu, bakho abantu abaye baziphathe ngendlela engaginyekiyo. UTimoti waxelelwa ukuba acezele kude kubantu abanjalo, angakhi ubuhlobo kunye nabo.—Funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 2:20-22.

14. Sinokuwusebenzisa njani umgaqo okwisilumkiso sikaPawulos ngokuphathelele abahlobo?

¹⁴ Sinokuwusebenzisa njani umgaqo okwesi silumkiso sikaPawulos? Ngokunganxulumani kakhulu naye nabanina—enoba ungaphakathi okanye ungaphandle kwebandla—onokuba nempembelelo engentle kuthi. (2 Tesalonika 3:6, 7, 14) Simele sibukhusele ubuhlobo bethu noYehova. Khumbula ukuba sifana neziponji, siyazifunxa izimo zengqondo kunye neendlela zabahlobo bethu abasenyongweni. Kanye njengokuba besingayi kufaka isiponji kwiviniga size silindele ukuba sifunxe amanzi, asinako ukunxulumana nabantu abanempembelelo engentle size silindele ukuba siya kufunxa izinto ezintle.—1 Korinte 5:6.

15. Yintoni onokuyenza ukuze ufumane abahlobo abathanda izinto zokomoya ebandleni?

¹⁵ Iindab’ ezimnandi kukuba maninzi kakhulu amathuba okufumana abahlobo abafanelekileyo phakathi kwabo sinqula nabo. (INdumiso 133:1) Unokubafumana njani abahlobo abathanda izinto zokomoya ebandleni? Xa uzama ukuba neempawu zikaThixo yaye ulandela iindlela zakhe, alithandabuzeki elokuba bakho abantu abacinga njengawe abaya kusondela kuwe. Kwangaxeshanye, kusenokufuneka nawe uthathe amanyathelo athile ukuze uzifumanele abahlobo abatsha. (Bona ibhokisi ethi “ Indlela Esabakha Ngayo Ubuhlobo.”) Khangela abantu abaneempawu ozifunayo. Lithobele icebiso leBhayibhile elithi “phangalalani,” wakhe ubuhlobo namakholwa elinye ibala, uhlanga okanye anezithethe ezahlukileyo kwezakho. (2 Korinte 6:13; funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 2:17.) Mus’ ukuphelela kwabo balingana nawe ngeminyaka kuphela. Ukhumbule ukuba uYonatan wayemdala  kakhulu kuDavide. Baninzi abantu abadala onokuzuza lukhulu kubuhlobo bakho nabo ngenxa yamava nobulumko babo.

16, 17. Xa elinye ikholwa lisenza buhlungu ngandlel’ ithile, kutheni singafanele sirhoxe ebandleni?

¹⁶ Iingxaki zisenokuvela ngamaxesh’ athile, kuba kaloku abantu abasebandleni abafani kwaye baneemvelaphi ezingafaniyo. Elinye ikholwa lisenokuthetha okanye lenze into esikhubekisayo. (IMizekeliso 12:18) Maxa wambi iingxaki zibangelwa kukungafani kobuntu, ukungaqondani, okanye ukungafani kweembono zabantu. Ngaba siza kukhubeka sibe yinyama xa kuvela iingxaki ezinjalo size sicezele kude ebandleni? Soze kaloku ukuba siyamthanda uYehova kunye nabantu abathandayo.

 ¹⁷ NjengoMdali noMniki-bomi wethu, uYehova ufanelwe luthando nozinikelo olupheleleyo oluvela kuthi. (ISityhilelo 4:11) Ukongezelela koko, eli bandla, akuvuyelayo ukulisebenzisa, lifanelwe yinkxaso engagungqiyo evela kuthi. (Hebhere 13:17) Ngoko ke, xa elinye ikholwa lisenza buhlungu okanye lisiphoxa ngandlel’ ithile, asiyi kurhoxa ebandleni kuba siqhankqalazela into eyenzekileyo. Singathini kaloku ukwenza into enjalo? AsingoYehova osikhubekisileyo. Ukumthanda kwethu uYehova akunakuze kusivumele ukuba simfulathele yena nabantu bakhe!—Funda iNdumiso 119:165.

18. (a) Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sikhuthaze uxolo ebandleni? (b) Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezibangelwa kukuxolela xa kukho isizathu sokwenjenjalo?

¹⁸ Ukuthanda kwethu amanye amakholwa kusenza sidale uxolo ebandleni. UYehova akaye alindele ukuba abantu abathandayo bafezeke, nathi ke sifanele sizeke mzekweni. Uthando lusenza siziyeke iimpazamo ezincinane, size sikhumbule ukuba sonke asifezekanga kwaye siyazenza iimpazamo. (IMizekeliso 17:9; 1 Petros 4:8) Uthando luyasinceda ukuba siqhubeke ‘sixolelana ngesisa.’ (Kolose 3:13) Akusoloko kulula ukusebenzisa eli cebiso. Ukuba sivumela umsindo ukuba usilawule, siya kubaxhiba abantu, mhlawumbi sicinga ukuba ingqumbo yethu yindlela yokubohlwaya. Noko ke, ukuxhiba umntu kwenzakalisa kwathina. Ukuxolela xa kukho isizathu sokwenjenjalo kusiphathela intabalala yeentsikelelo. (Luka 17:3, 4) Kusenza sibe noxolo lwengqondo nolwentliziyo, kugcina uxolo ebandleni yaye, okubaluleke nangakumbi, kukhusela ubuhlobo bethu noYehova.—Mateyu 6:14, 15; Roma 14:19.

19. Ziziphi iingxaki ezinokuvela ezisenokufuna ukuba siqhawule ubuhlobo nomnye umntu?

¹⁹ Maxa wambi, siye sicelwe ukuba siqhawule ubuhlobo bethu nomntu obelilungu lebandla. Le nto yenzeka xa umntu owaphula umthetho kaThixo engaguquki yaye esuswa kubudlelane okanye xa umntu elukhanyela ukholo ngokufundisa  imfundiso yobuxoki okanye ezahlula ebandleni. ILizwi likaThixo lichaza kakuhle ukuba simele ‘siyeke ukunxulumana’ nabantu abanjalo. * (Funda eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 5:11-13; 2 Yohane 9-11) Kusenokuba nzima kakhulu ukwahlukana nomntu obengumhlobo wethu okanye osisihlobo sethu. Ngaba siza kuma siqine, sibonise ukuba sinyaniseke kuYehova nakwimithetho yakhe enobulungisa ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izinto? Ukhumbule ukuba uYehova ukujonga njengento exabiseke kakhulu ukunyaniseka nokuthobela.

20, 21. (a) Kutheni ukususa kubudlelane kulilungiselelo lothando? (b) Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sibakhethe ngobulumko abahlobo bethu?

²⁰ Ilungiselelo lokususa kubudlelane liyindlela uYehova abonisa ngayo uthando. Njani? Ukugxotha umoni ongaguqukiyo kubonisa ukuba siyalithanda igama likaYehova elingcwele nazo zonke izinto elizimelayo. (1 Petros 1:15, 16) Ilungiselelo lokususa kubudlelane ligcina ibandla likhuselekile. Amalungu athembekileyo ayakhuselwa kwimpembelelo engentle yabo bona ngabom, ibe anokuqhubeka nonqulo lwawo esazi ukuba ibandla likhuselekile kwihlabathi elingendawo. (1 Korinte 5:7; Hebhere 12:15, 16) Uqeqesho oluqatha lubonisa ukuba uyathandwa lowo wonileyo. Kungenzeka yiloo nto kanye abeyifuna ukuze abuyele ezingqondweni aze athathe amanyathelo okubuyelana noYehova.—Hebhere 12:11.

²¹ Asinakuyikhanyela into yokuba abantu esinxulumana nabo banokuba nempembelelo enamandla kwaye banokusibumba. Ngoko kubalulekile ukuba sibakhethe ngobulumko abahlobo bethu. Xa sikhetha abahlobo bethu kwabo bangabahlobo bakaYehova, naxa sibathanda abo bathandwa nguThixo, siya kuhlala sinabona bahlobo balungileyo. Izinto esizifunxa kubo ziya kusinceda sikufeze oko sizimisele ukukwenza, ukukholisa uYehova.