1-2. Zeziphi izizathu esinazo zokubonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kwabanye?

 SINEZIZATHU ezivakalayo zokubonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kwabanye. Zeziphi ezinye zazo? La mazwi eBhayibhile anokusinceda siwuphendule lo mbuzo: “Ungaze wahlukane nothando olungagungqiyo nokuthembeka. . . . Uza kutsho wamkeleke uze ube ngumntu onobulumko emehlweni kaThixo nawabantu.” “Umntu onothando olungagungqiyo uyazinceda.” “Umntu oleqa ubulungisa nothando olungagungqiyo uza kufumana ubomi.”​—IMize. 3:3, 4; 11:17, umbhalo osemazantsi; 21:21.

² Ezi vesi zichaza izizathu ezithathu zokuba sibonise uthando olungagungqiyo. Esokuqala kukuba ukulubonisa kusenza sithandwe nguYehova. Esesibini kukuba xa silubonisa, kuncedakala kwathina. Ngokomzekelo, sitsho sibe ngabahlobo nabanye abantu. Esesithathu kukuba siza kufumana iintsikelelo, nobomi obungunaphakade xa silubonisa. Nyhani kuyasinceda ukuthobela amazwi kaYehova athi: “Niphathane ngothando nenceba.”​—Zek. 7:9.

3. Siza kuphendula eyiphi imibuzo kweli nqaku?

³ Kweli nqaku, siza kuphendula imibuzo emine. Sifanele silubonise kubani uthando olungagungqiyo? Incwadi kaRute isifundisa ntoni ngokubonisa uthando olungagungqiyo? Sinokulubonisa njani uthando olungagungqiyo namhlanje? Baza kufumana ntoni abo babonisa uthando olungagungqiyo?

4. Sinokulubonisa koobani uthando olungagungqiyo njengoYehova? (Marko 10:29, 30)

⁴ Kwinqaku elidlulileyo sifunde ukuba uYehova ubonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kubantu abamthandayo nabamkhonzayo.  (Dan. 9:4) Sifuna ‘ukulinganisa uThixo, njengabantwana abathandwayo nguye.’ (Efe. 5:1) Ngoko nathi sifanele silubonise kubazalwana noodade.​—Funda uMarko 10:29, 30.

5-6. Igama elithi ukuthembeka linokuthetha ntoni?

⁵ Yinyani into yokuba xa sisazi ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba nothando olungagungqiyo, siza kutsho sikwazi ukulubonisa kubazalwana noodade. Ukuze siluqonde kakuhle uthando olungagungqiyo makhe silufanise nokuthembeka. Nanku umzekelo.

 ⁶ Namhlanje umntu osele eneminyaka emininzi esebenzela inkampani kuye kuthiwe uthembekile kuloo nkampani. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba njengokuba ekule nkampani zange khe wadibana nabaphathi bayo. Mhlawumbi ngamanye amaxesha ukhe angavumelani nezigqibo ezenziwa ngabaphathi. Kodwa akayeki ukusebenza kuloo nkampani kuba engafuni ukugxothwa, eyidinga nemali. Usebenza apho de afumane iimali zakhe zomhlala-phantsi. Okanye uyeka kuphela xa efumana umsebenzi obhetele kwenye indawo.

7-8. (a) Siyintoni isizathu sokuba sibe nothando olungagungqiyo? (b) Kutheni siza kufunda incwadi kaRute nje?

⁷ Umahluko phakathi kokuthembeka ekuthethwa ngako  kwisiqendu 6 nothando olungagungqiyo, sisizathu sokuba kuboniswe olo thando. Sasiyintoni isizathu sokuba abakhonzi bakaThixo babonise uthando olungagungqiyo ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile? Zange balubonise kuba benyanzelekile, balubonisa kuba befuna. Cinga ngoDavide. Intliziyo yakhe yamenza wamthanda ngokungagungqiyo umhlobo wakhe uYonatan nangona utata kaYonatan wayefuna ukumbulala. Emva kweminyaka emininzi eswelekile uYonatan, uDavide waphinda wabonisa olu thando kunyana wakhe uMefibhoshete.​—1 Sam. 20:9, 14, 15; 2 Sam. 4:4; 8:15; 9:1, 6, 7.

⁸ Sinokufunda into eninzi ngothando olungagungqiyo kwincwadi kaRute. Ziintoni esinokuzifunda ngothando olungagungqiyo kubantu ekuthethwa ngabo kule ncwadi? Singazisebenzisa njani ezo zinto ebandleni? b

9. Kwakutheni ukuze uNahomi acinge ukuba uThixo ulwa naye?

⁹ Kule ncwadi sifunda ngebali likaNahomi, uRute umolokazana wakhe, nendoda eyayisoyika uThixo izalana nomyeni kaNahomi, uBhohazi. Ngenxa yendlala eyayikwaSirayeli, uNahomi, umyeni wakhe, noonyana babo ababini bemka baya kwaMowabhi. Umyeni kaNahomi wasweleka belapho. Oonyana babo ababini batshata, kodwa nabo basweleka. (Rute 1:3-5; 2:1) Ezi zinto zamkhathaza kakhulu uNahomi. Wade wacinga ukuba uYehova ulwa naye. Khawuve nantsi indlela awayethetha ngayo ngoThixo: “UYehova undijikele.” “USomandla ubenze krakra ubomi bam.” Waphinda wathi: ‘NguYehova ondijikeleyo kwaye nguSomandla ondizisele intlungu.’​—Rute 1:13, 20, 21.

10. Wathini uYehova ngale nto yayithethwa nguNahomi?

¹⁰ Wathini uYehova ngale nto yayithethwa nguNahomi? Zange amlahle. Wabonisa ukuba uyavelana naye.  UYehova uyazi ukuba “ingcinezelo ingasiphambanisa isilumko.” (INtshu. 7:7) Kodwa uNahomi kwakusafuneka ancedwe abone ukuba uYehova wayengamlahlanga. Wamnceda njani ke uThixo? (1 Sam. 2:8) Wenza uRute wamthanda ngokungagungqiyo. URute wayefuna uNahomi azi ukuba uyamthanda ibe wamkhuthaza ukuze abone ukuba noYehova usamthanda. Sifunda ntoni thina kuRute?

11. Kutheni abazalwana noodade bezama ukubanceda abanye xa betyhafile?

¹¹ Xa sinothando olungagungqiyo siza kuzama ukubanceda abo batyhafileyo. URute zange amshiye uNahomi. Nathi bazalwana noodade, sifanele sibe kunye nabo batyhafileyo ebandleni. Siyabathanda abazalwana noodadewethu, ngoko sizama ukubanceda nangeyiphi na indlela. (IMize. 12:25; 24:10) NoPawulos wayesikhuthaza ukuba senze le nto xa wathi: “Nibathuthuzele abakhathazekileyo, nibaxhase abatyhafileyo, nibe nomonde kubo bonke.”​—1 Tes. 5:14.

12. Yeyiphi eyona ndlela idla ngokusebenza yokunceda abazalwana noodade abatyhafileyo?

¹² Eyona ndlela idla ngokusebenza yokunceda abazalwana noodade abatyhafileyo kukubamamela nokubenza babone ukuba uyabathanda. UYehova uyayithanda into oyenzayo yokunceda abakhonzi bakhe. (INdu. 41:1) IMizekeliso 19:17 ithi: “Umntu omphatha kakuhle osweleyo uboleka uYehova, ibe uza kumhlawula ngaloo nto.”

13. Isigqibo sikaRute sasahluke njani kwesikaOrpa? URute walubonisa njani uthando olungagungqiyo? (Jonga umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

¹³ Into eyenzeka kuNahomi emva kokusweleka komyeni noonyana bakhe ababini, isenza siluqonde kakuhle uthando olungagungqiyo. Wathi akuva ukuba “uYehova ubakhumbule abantu bakhe waza wabanika ukutya,” waqonda ukuba makagoduke. (Rute 1:6) Oomolokazana bakhe ababini bahamba naye. Endleleni, uNahomi wabacenga kwade kwakathathu ukuba bajike baye kwaMowabhi. Kwenzeka ntoni? Sifunda ukuba, “uOrpa waphuza umazala wakhe waza wemka. Kodwa yena uRute akazange amshiye.” (Rute 1:7-14) UOrpa wenza le nto wayeyixelelwa nguNahomi, wajika waya kwaMowabhi. URute yena wenza into engaphezu kwale uNahomi wayemxelela yona. Naye wayenokukhetha ukuhamba, kodwa wazimisela ukungahambi kuba emthanda ngokungagungqiyo. (Rute 1:16, 17) Zange akhethe ukuba kunye noNahomi kuba enyanzelekile, wakhetha kuba efuna. URute wabonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kuNahomi. Sifunda ntoni kule nto yenziwa nguRute?

14. (a) Abazalwana noodade abaninzi bafana njani noRute? (b) AmaHebhere 13:16 athi singamvuyisa njani uThixo?

¹⁴ Xa sibonisa uthando olungagungqiyo  siyazincama ukuze sincede abanye. Njengakudala abazalwana noodade abaninzi namhlanje baye babonisa uthando olungagungqiyo ngokunceda nabantu abangabaziyo. Ngokomzekelo xa beve ukuba bekukho intlekele yemvelo, bakhawuleza bazame ukuqonda ukuba banganceda njani. Xa umntu ebandleni eneengxaki zemali, baye bakhawuleze bajonge ukuba yintoni ayidingayo baze bamncede. NjengamaKristu ebandla laseMakedoni benza into engaphezu kwale ibilindelwe. Bancama ixesha labo, futhi ‘banikela kangangoko banako’ ukuze bancede abazalwana babo abadingayo. (2 Kor. 8:3) UYehova uye avuye kakhulu xa ebona bebonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kanje!​—Funda amaHebhere 13:16.

15-16. URute wabonisa njani ukuba akancami?

¹⁵ Sinokufunda izinto ezibalulekileyo kuRute noNahomi. Nazi ezinye zazo.

¹⁶ Sukuncama. Xa uRute wathi kuNahomi uza kuhamba naye xa esiya kwaYuda, uNahomi zange avume. Kodwa uRute zange ancame. Kwenzeka ntoni emva koko? “Akubona uNahomi ukuba uRute akajiki, wamyeka.”—Rute 1:15-18.

17. Yintoni efanele isenze singancami?

¹⁷ Sifunda ntoni? Akukho lula ukunceda umntu osentlungwini, kodwa akufuneki simncame. Masithi udade unengxaki kodwa akavumi ukuba simncede. c Uthando olungagungqiyo lufanele lusenze sithi nca kuye singamshiyi. (Gal. 6:2) Sifanele sibe nethemba lokuba uza kude asivumele simncede kwingxaki anayo.

18. Yintoni eyayinokukhathaza uRute?

¹⁸ Sukukhathazeka. Xa uNahomi noRute befika eBhetelehem, uNahomi wadibana nabamelwane bakhe. Wathi kubo: “Ndahamba ndinento yonke, kodwa uYehova undibuyise ndingasenanto.” (Rute 1:21) Inoba wayeziva njani uRute xa uNahomi ethetha kanje? Wayencame yonke into ukuze ancede uNahomi. Walila naye, emthuthuzela, wahamba naye indlela ende ngeenyawo. Kodwa phezu kwazo zonke ezo zinto, uNahomi uthi: “UYehova undibuyise ndingasenanto.” URute wayeme ecaleni koNahomi, kodwa amazwi awawathethayo uNahomi enza kwangathi akanambulelo ngento amenzele yona. Inoba wakhathazeka nyhani uRute! Kodwa zange amshiye uNahomi.

19. Yintoni eza kukunceda uhlale ukunye nomntu osentlungwini?

¹⁹ Sifunda ntoni? Namhlanje udade osentlungwini unokuthetha rhabaxa nangona uzama ukumnceda. Kodwa mayingakukhathazi loo nto. Sukumshiya udadewenu. Cela uYehova akuncede ukwazi ukumthuthuzela.​—IMize. 17:17.

20. Yintoni eyanceda uRute wanamandla okuqhubeka enceda uNahomi?

²⁰ Khuthaza. URute wabonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kuNahomi, kodwa naye wayekudinga ukukhuthazwa. UYehova wenza ukuba akhuthazwe nguBhohazi. Wathi uBhohazi kuRute: “Wanga uYehova angakuvuza ngale nto uyenzileyo, yaye kwanga unganomvuzo opheleleyo ovela kuYehova, uThixo kaSirayeli, oye wafuna indawo yokuzifihla phantsi kwamaphiko akhe.” Loo mazwi amnandi amkhuthaza uRute. Wade wathi kuBhohazi: “Uye wandithuthuzela, wandomeleza.” (Rute 2:12, 13) URute wakhuthazwa nguBhohazi kanye ngexesha awayeludinga  ngalo olo khuthazo. Watsho wanamandla okunyamezela.

21. Ngokwencwadi kaIsaya 32:1, 2, abadala babanceda njani abazalwana noodade?

²¹ Sifunda ntoni? Abantu ababonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kwabanye, bayakudinga nabo ukukhuthazwa. UBhohazi wancoma uRute kuba eye wenzela uNahomi ububele. Nanamhlanje ke, abadala bayabancoma abazalwana noodade ebandleni xa bebona benceda abanye. Xa bebancoma ngolu hlobo abazalwana noodade babanika amandla okuqhubeka benceda abanye.—Funda uIsaya 32:1, 2.

22-23. Yatshintsha njani indlela awayeziva ngayo uNahomi? Kwakutheni? (INdumiso 136:23, 26)

²² Ekuhambeni kwexesha uBhohazi wapha uRute noNahomi ukutya. (Rute 2:14-18) Wathini uNahomi emva kokuba bephiwe ukutya? Wathi: “Makasikelelwe nguYehova, oye waqhubeka ebathanda abaphilayo nabafileyo.” (Rute 2:20a) Yayitshintshe nyhani indlela acinga ngayo uNahomi! Ngaphambi koku, wayelila ekhathazekile esithi: “UYehova. . . undijikele,” kodwa ngoku wayevuya esithi: ‘UYehova uye waqhubeka enothando.’ Yintoni eyayincede uNahomi wayeka ukuba sentlungwini?

²³ UNahomi wade waqonda ukuba uYehova ebengakhange amshiye. UThixo wayesebenzise uRute ukuze abe kunye noNahomi kolo hambo lwalusiya kwaYuda. (Rute 1:16) UNahomi waphinda wabona ukuba uncedwa nguYehova xa uBhohazi, omnye “wabahlawuleli” bakhe wabenzela ububele. d (Rute 2:19, 20b) Mhlawumbi wathi, ‘Ndiyayibona ngoku le nto, uYehova  ebengandishiyanga. Ebekunye nam ngalo lonke eli xesha.’ (Funda iNdumiso 136:23, 26.) Inoba wavuya nyhani xa efumanisa ukuba uRute noBhohazi abakhange bamncame! Mhlawumbi yabavuyisa bonke into yokuba uNahomi ephinde wamkhonza evuya uYehova.

24. Kutheni sifuna ukuhlala sibonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kubazalwana noodade?

²⁴ Sifunde ntoni kwincwadi kaRute ngothando olungagungqiyo? Uthando olungagungqiyo lusenza singabancami abazalwana noodade abasentlungwini. Lusenza sizame iindlela zokubanceda. Abadala bafanele babancome futhi babakhuthaze abo babonisa uthando olungagungqiyo kwabanye. Xa sibona abantu esibancedileyo bemkhonza bevuya uYehova, nathi sitsho sivuye. (IZe. 20:35) Yintoni ke eyona nto isenza siqhubeke sibonisa uthando olungagungqiyo? Silubonisa kuba sifuna ukuvuyisa uYehova “ophuphuma luthando olungagungqiyo,” sifuna nokufana naye.​—Eks. 34:6: INdu. 33:22.