1-3. Uba yintoni umphumo xa sixelisa umzekelo kaYehova wokubonisa uthando?

 “KUNOYOLO ngakumbi ukupha kunokwamkela.” (IZenzo 20:35) Loo mazwi kaYesu agxininisa le nyaniso ibalulekileyo: Uthando lokungazingci lunomvuzo. Nangona kukho uyolo olukhulu ekwamkeleni uthando, kukho uyolo olukhulu ngakumbi ekupheni, okanye ekuboniseni uthando kwabanye.

² Akukho bani ukwazi kakuhle oku kunoBawo wethu osemazulwini. Njengoko sibonile kwizahluko ezingaphambili zeli candelo, uYehova ungowona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wothando. Akukho bani ubonise uthando ngakumbi okanye kangangethuba elide kunaye. Ngoko, ayimangalisi into yokuba uYehova ebizwa ngokuba ‘nguThixo onoyolo.’—1 Timoti 1:11.

³ UThixo wethu onothando ufuna ukuba sizame ukumxelisa, ingakumbi kwinkalo yokubonisa uthando. Eyabase-Efese 5:1, 2 ithi: “Yibani ngabaxelisa uThixo, njengabantwana abaziintanda, nize niqhubeke nihamba eluthandweni.” Xa sixelisa umzekelo kaYehova wokubonisa uthando, sifumana uvuyo olukhulu lokupha. Kwakhona siba nolwaneliseko lokwazi ukuba siyamkholisa uYehova, kuba iLizwi lakhe lisibongoza ukuba ‘sithandane.’ (Roma 13:8) Kodwa kukho nezinye izizathu zokuba kufuneka ‘siqhubeke sihamba eluthandweni.’

4, 5. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sibonise uthando lokuzincama kwabo sikholwa nabo?

⁴ Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sibonise uthando kwabo sikholwa nabo? Ngokufutshane nje, kungenxa yokuba uthando lusisiseko sobuKristu bokwenyaniso. Ngaphandle kothando asinakuba nomanyano olusenyongweni namaKristu esikhonza nawo, yaye okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, asinto  yanto emehlweni kaYehova. Khawuqwalasele indlela iLizwi likaThixo elikugxininisa ngayo oku.

⁵ Ngobusuku bokugqibela bobomi bakhe basemhlabeni, uYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ndininika umyalelo omtsha, wokuba nithandane; kanye njengoko ndinithandileyo mna, ukuba nani nithandane. Ngako oko bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 13:34, 35) “Kanye njengoko ndinithandileyo mna”—ewe, siyalelwa ukuba sibonise uthando olufanayo nolo lwaboniswa nguYesu. KwiSahluko 29, siphawulile ukuba uYesu wamisela umzekelo obalaseleyo ekuboniseni uthando lokuzincama, ebeka iintswelo nezilangazelelo zabanye ngaphambi kwezakhe. Nathi simele sibonise uthando lokungazingci, yaye sifanele silubonise ngokucacileyo kangangokude lubonakale kwanakwabo bangaphandle kwebandla lobuKristu. Eneneni, uthando lokuzincama lobuzalwana luluphawu esibonwa ngalo njengabalandeli bokwenyaniso bakaKristu.

6, 7. (a) Sazi njani ukuba iLizwi likaYehova likubalaselisa kakhulu ukubaluleka kokubonisa uthando? (b) Amazwi kaPawulos abhalwe kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:4-8 agxininisa yiphi inkalo yothando?

⁶ Kuthekani ukuba asinalo uthando? Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ukuba andinalo uthando, ndisuke ndaba yixina ehlokomayo okanye icangci elikhenkcezayo.” (1 Korinte 13:1) Icangci elikhenkcezayo liyangxola. Kuthekani ngexina ehlokomayo? Ezinye iinguqulelo zithi “inkcenkce engxolayo” okanye “inkcenkce ekhenkcezayo.” Hayi indlela efaneleke ngayo le mizekeliso! Umntu ongenaluthando ufana nesixhobo somculo esenza ingxolo ethukuthezelayo nebagxothayo abantu kunokuba ibe nomtsalane kubo. Unokulunandipha njani ke umntu onjalo ulwalamano olusenyongweni kunye nabanye? Kwakhona uPawulos wathi: ‘Ndingade ndibe nalo nokholo lokususa iintaba, kodwa ukuba andinalo uthando, ndiyinto engento.’ (1 Korinte 13:2) Khawufan’ ucinge nje ukuthi, umntu ongenalo uthando ‘uyinto engento,’ phezu kwayo nje nayiphi na imisebenzi asenokuyenza! Ngaba ayicacanga na into yokuba iLizwi likaYehova likubalaselisa kakhulu ukubaluleka kokubonisa uthando?

 ⁷ Noko ke, sinokulubonisa njani olu phawu ekusebenzisaneni kwethu nabanye? Ukuphendula oko, makhe sihlolisise amazwi kaPawulos afumaneka kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:4-8. Eyona ngongoma iyintloko yezi ndinyana asilothando lukaThixo ngathi okanye uthando lwethu ngoThixo. Kunoko, uPawulos wayegxininisa indlela esifanele sibonise ngayo uthando omnye komnye. Wachaza oko lukuko uthando noko lungekuko.

 8. Ukuzeka kade umsindo kunokusinceda njani ekusebenzelaneni kwethu nabanye?

⁸ “Uthando luzeka kade umsindo.” Ukuzeka kade umsindo kuthetha ukunyamezelana ngomonde. (Kolose 3:13) Kutheni sifanele sibe nomonde? Kungenxa yokuba njengezidalwa ezingafezekanga ezikhonza ngaxhatha linye, sinokulindela ukuba maxa wambi abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu basenokusicaphukisa  yaye nathi sisenokwenza okufanayo kubo. Kodwa umonde nonyamezelo lunokusinceda ukuba simelane nokukrwempana okungephi—ngaphandle kokuphazamisa uxolo lwebandla.

 9. Ziziphi iindlela esinokubonisa ngazo ububele kwabanye?

⁹ “Uthando . . . lunobubele.” Ububele buboniswa ngezenzo zokunceda nangamazwi enkathalo. Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sikhangele iindlela zokubonisa ububele, ingakumbi kwabo banentswelo enkulu. Ngokomzekelo, ubani othile okhulileyo esikholwa naye usenokuba lilolo yaye eswele ubani onokumtyelela aze amkhuthaze. Umama ongenaqabane okanye udade ohlala kwikhaya elahluleleneyo ngokonqulo usenokufuna uncedo. Ubani ogulayo otsala nzima usenokufuna ukuva amazwi obubele avela kumhlobo onyanisekileyo. (IMizekeliso 12:25; 17:17) Xa sithabatha amanyathelo okuqala okubonisa ububele obulolo hlobo, sibonisa ukuba uthando lwethu lolokwenene.—2 Korinte 8:8.

10. Uthando lusinceda njani sixhase size sithethe inyaniso, kwanaxa kungekho lula ukwenjenjalo?

¹⁰ “Uthando . . . luvuyisana nenyaniso.” Enye inguqulelo ithi: “Uthando . . . luma ngovuyo ngakwicala lenyaniso.” Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sixhase inyaniso size ‘sithethe inyaniso omnye komnye.’ (Zekariya 8:16) Ngokomzekelo, ukuba ubani esimthandayo uye wabandakanyeka kwisono esinzulu, uthando ngoYehova—nangalowo unxaxhayo—luya kusinceda ukuba sinamathele kwimilinganiselo kaThixo kunokuzama ukubufihla, ukubuthethelela, okanye ukude sixoke ngobubi obo. Enyanisweni, kusenokuba nzima ukwenza oko. Kodwa ukuba simnqwenelela okuhle lowo simthandayo, siya kufuna ukuba afumane aze ancedwe yingqeqesho yothando kaThixo. (IMizekeliso 3:11, 12) NjengamaKristu anothando, sikwafuna “ukuziphatha ngokunyaniseka kwizinto zonke.”—Hebhere 13:18.

11. Ngenxa yokuba uthando “luthwala izinto zonke,” yintoni esifanele sizabalazele ukuyenza ngokuphathelele iintsilelo zabo sikholwa nabo?

¹¹ “Uthando . . . luthwala izinto zonke.” Elo binzana ngokoqobo lithetha ukuba “lugubungela izinto zonke.” (Kingdom Interlinear) Eyokuqala kaPetros 4:8 ithi: “Uthando lugubungela  inkitha yezono.” Ewe, umKristu oqhutywa luthando akakulangazeleli ukubhenca ukungafezeki neentsilelo zabazalwana bakhe abangamaKristu. Kwiimeko ezininzi, iimpazamo neentsilelo zabo sikholwa nabo zincinane yaye zinokugutyungelwa ngothando.—IMizekeliso 10:12; 17:9.

12. Umpostile uPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba wayekholelwa ukuba uFilemon uneentshukumisa ezilungileyo, yaye yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo kaPawulos?

¹² “Uthando . . . lukholelwa izinto zonke.” Inguqulelo kaMoffatt ithi uthando “lusoloko lukulangazelela ukukholelwa kokona kulungileyo.” Asibakrokreli ngokungafanelekanga abo sikholwa nabo, sizithandabuza zonke iintshukumisa zabo. Uthando lusinceda ‘sikholelwe ukuba baneentshukumisa ezilungileyo’ abazalwana bethu size ngaloo ndlela sibathembe. a Phawula umzekelo woku kwileta kaPawulos eya kuFilemon. UPawulos wabhala ukuze akhuthaze uFilemon ukuba alamkele ngobubele ikhoboka elabalekayo elinguOnesimo, owaba ngumKristu. Kunokuba amnyanzele uFilemon, uPawulos wambongoza ngothando. Wavakalisa intembelo yokuba uFilemon wayeya kwenza into elungileyo, esithi: “Ndeyisekile yintobelo yakho, yaye ndikubhalela ndisazi ukuba uya kwenza kwanangaphezu kwesicelo sam.” (Indinyana 21) Xa uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sibonise intembelo elolo hlobo kubazalwana bethu, oko kubashukumisela ukuba benze okona kulungileyo.

13. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba sinethemba lokuba abazalwana bethu baya kwenza okulungileyo?

¹³ “Uthando . . . luthemba izinto zonke.” Njengoko uthando lukholwa zizinto zonke, lukwathemba izinto zonke. Ngokuqhutywa luthando, sinethemba lokuba abazalwana bethu baya kwenza okulungileyo. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba umzalwana “uqutyulwe sisiphoso,” sinethemba lokuba uya kuyamkela imizamo yothando yokumlungisa. (Galati 6:1) Kwakhona sinethemba lokuba abo babuthathaka elukholweni baza kuphucula.  Sibonakalisa ukuba nomonde kubo, sisenza okusemandleni ethu ukubanceda ukuba baqine elukholweni. (Roma 15:1; 1 Tesalonika 5:14) Kwanokuba lowo simthandayo uyanxaxha, asiphelelwa lithemba lokuba ngenye imini uya kubuyela ezingqondweni aze abuyele kuYehova, njengonyana wolahleko osemzekelisweni kaYesu.—Luka 15:17, 18.

14. Kunokuvavanywa ngaziphi iindlela ukunyamezela kwethu ngaphakathi ebandleni, yaye uthando luya kusinceda ukuba sisabele njani?

¹⁴ “Uthando . . . lunyamezela izinto zonke.” Ukunyamezela kusenza simelane ngokuqinileyo nokuphoxeka okanye ubunzima. Uvavanyo lonyamezelo lwethu aluveli ngaphandle kwebandla kuphela. Maxa wambi, sisenokuvavanywa ngaphakathi ebandleni. Ngenxa yokungafezeki, ngamathub’ athile abazalwana bethu basenokusidanisa. Amazwi omnye engacinganga asenokuzikhathaza iimvakalelo zethu. (IMizekeliso 12:18) Mhlawumbi umbandela othile webandla awusingathwanga ngendlela esicinga ukuba ubufanele ukusingathwa ngayo. Ihambo yomzalwana esimhlonelayo isenokusikhubekisa, yenze sizibuze ukuba, ‘Angayenza njani umKristu into elolo hlobo?’ Xa sijamelene neemeko ezilolo hlobo, ngaba siza kurhoxa ebandleni size siyeke ukukhonza uYehova? Asisayi kwenjenjalo ukuba sinothando! Ewe, uthando luyasithintela ukuba singamfanyekiswa ziintsilelo zomzalwana ngokokude singabi sabona nantoni na elungileyo kuye okanye ebandleni liphela. Uthando lusenza ukuba sihlale sithembekile kuThixo yaye silixhase ibandla kungakhathaliseki ukuba omnye umntu ongafezekanga uthini okanye wenza ntoni.—INdumiso 119:165.

15. Liyintoni ikhwele elingafanelekanga, yaye uthando lusinceda njani ukuba siyiphephe le mvakalelo yonzakalisayo?

¹⁵ “Uthando alunakhwele.” Ikhwele elingafanelekanga linokusenza sibamonele abanye ngenxa yoko banako—izinto zabo, amalungelo abo, nobuchule babo. Ikhwele elinjalo lelokuzingca, liyimvakalelo eyonzakalisayo, yaye ukuba alipheliswa, linokuluphazamisa uxolo lwebandla. Yintoni eya kusinceda ukuba siluxhathise utyekelo ‘lokukhweleta’? (Yakobi  4:5) Ngegama nje elinye, luthando. Olu phawu luxabisekileyo lunokusenza sivuyisane nabo banamalungelo athile ebomini esingenawo thina. (Roma 12:15) Uthando lusinceda ukuba singakhubeki xa omnye enconywa ngenxa yobuchule obuthile anabo okanye ngoko akufezileyo.

16. Ukuba sibathanda ngokwenene abazalwana bethu, kutheni siya kukuphepha nje ukuqhayisa ngoko sikufezayo enkonzweni kaYehova?

¹⁶ “Uthando . . . alugwagwisi, alukhukhumali.” Uthando luyasithintela ukuba singaqhayisi ngeziphiwo zethu okanye ngoko sikufezileyo. Ukuba sibathanda ngokwenene abazalwana bethu, singathini ukusoloko siqhayisa ngempumelelo esinayo kubulungiseleli okanye ngamalungelo esinawo ebandleni? Ukuqhayisa okunjalo kunokubadimaza abanye, kubenze bazive bephantsi. Uthando alusivumeli ukuba siqhayise ngoko uThixo asenza sikufeze enkonzweni yakhe. (1 Korinte 3:5-9) Ngapha koko, uthando “alukhukhumali,” okanye ngokutsho kwenye inguqulelo, “alunazingcamango ziphakamileyo zokuzicingela ukuba lubalulekile.” Uthando luyasithintela ukuba singaziphakamisi.—Roma 12:3.

17. Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sibonise luphi ulwazelelelo kwabanye, yaye ke ngoko yihambo enjani esiya kuyiphepha?

¹⁷ “Uthando . . . aluziphathi ngokungandilisekanga.” Umntu oziphatha ngokungandilisekanga uziphatha ngendlela engafanelekanga okanye ecaphukisayo. Ikhondo elinjalo asililo elothando, kuba libonisa ukungazikhathaleli iimvakalelo nempilo-ntle yabanye. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uthando lunobubele obusishukumisela ukuba sibe nolwazelelelo ngabanye. Uthando lukhuthaza ukuba nesimilo, ihambo yobuthixo, nokuhlonela abo sikholwa nabo. Ngoko, uthando aluyi kusivumela ukuba sibandakanyeke ‘kwihambo elihlazo’—eneneni, nakuphi na ukuziphatha okuya kubothusa okanye kubacaphukise abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu.—Efese 5:3, 4.

18. Kutheni umntu onothando enganyanzelisi ukuba yonke into yenziwe ngendlela yakhe?

¹⁸ “Uthando . . . alufuni ezalo izilangazelelo.” Enye inguqulelo ikubeka ngolu hlobo oku: “Uthando alunyanzelisi ezalo iimbono.” Umntu onothando akanyanzelisi ukuba yonke into  yenziwe ngendlela yakhe, ngokungathi ezakhe iimbono zisoloko zichanile. Akabagagameli abanye, ebanyanzela ukuba batshintshe uluvo lwabo. Ukuba nenkani ngolo hlobo kubhenca ukuba nekratshi, yaye iBhayibhile ithi: “Ikratshi liphambi kokuwa.” (IMizekeliso 16:18) Ukuba sibathanda ngokwenene abazalwana bethu, siya kuzihlonela izimvo zabo, yaye ukuba kuyimfuneko, siya kukulungela ukuyekelela. Umoya wokuyekelela uyavisisana namazwi kaPawulos athi: “Ngamnye makafune, kungekhona ingenelo yakhe, kodwa eyomnye umntu.”—1 Korinte 10:24.

19. Uthando lusinceda ukuba sisabele njani xa abanye besicaphukisa?

¹⁹ “Uthando . . . alucaphuki. Alunanzondo.” Uthando alucatshukiswa msinya koko abanye bakuthethayo okanye bakwenzayo. Liyinyaniso elokuba, kuyinto engokwemvelo ukucaphuka xa abanye besicaphukisa. Kodwa kwanokuba sinesizathu esibambekayo sokuba nomsindo, uthando aluhlali lucaphukile. (Efese 4:26, 27) Asigcini ingxelo yamazwi okanye izenzo ezikhubekisayo, ngokungathi sizibhala encwadini ukuze zingalibaleki. Kunoko, uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sixelise uThixo wethu onothando. Njengoko sibonile kwiSahluko 26, uYehova uyaxolela xa kukho isizathu esibambekayo sokwenjenjalo. Xa esixolela, uyalibala, oko kukuthi, akasohlwayi kwixesha elizayo ngenxa yezo zono. Ngaba asinambulelo kusini na kuba uYehova engenanzondo?

20. Sifanele sisabele njani xa ubani esikholwa naye egaxeleka ebubini aze abandezeleke?

²⁰ “Uthando . . . alubi nemihlali ngentswela-bulungisa.” Enye inguqulelo ikubeka ngolu hlobo oku: “Uthando . . . aluvuyiswa zizono zabanye abantu.” Yona inguqulelo kaMoffatt ithi: “Uthando aluvuyi xa abanye bephambuka.” Uthando aluyoliswa yintswela-bulungisa, ngoko asikuqwabazeli iliso ukuziphatha okubi kwalo naluphi na uhlobo. Sisabela njani xa ubani esikholwa naye egaxeleka esonweni aze abandezeleke ngenxa yoko? Uthando alusayi kusivumela ukuba sivuye, ngokungathi sithi ‘Tshotsho! Uvune oko ebekuhlwayele!’ (IMizekeliso 17:5) Kodwa siyavuya xa umzalwana obewile ngokomoya ephakama kwakhona.

21-23. (a) Wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos xa wathi “uthando aluze lutshitshe”? (b) Yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko sokugqibela?

²¹ “Uthando aluze lutshitshe.” Wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos ngaloo mazwi? Njengoko umongo ubonisa, wayexubusha ngeziphiwo zomoya awayenazo amaKristu okuqala. Ezo ziphiwo zazingumqondiso wokuba uThixo wayekholisiwe lelo bandla lalisandul’ ukusekwa. Kodwa asingawo onke amaKristu awayekwazi ukuphilisa, ukuprofeta, okanye ukuthetha ngeelwimi. Noko ke, kwakungenamsebenzi oko, kuba ezo ziphiwo zokwenza imimangaliso zaziza kuphela kakade. Ukanti, ikho yona into eyayingasokuze iphele, nto leyo mKristu ngamnye awayenako ukuyihlakulela. Yayibalasele ngakumbi, ihlala ithuba elide ngakumbi, kunaso nasiphi na isiphiwo sokwenza imimangaliso.  UPawulos wada wayibiza ngokuba ‘yindlela egqwesileyo.’ (1 Korinte 12:31) Yayiyintoni le “ndlela egqwesileyo”? Yayiyindlela yothando.

²² Eneneni, uthando lobuKristu awaluchazayo uPawulos “aluze lutshitshe,” oko kukuthi, alusayi kuze luphele. Kude kube ngoku, abalandeli bokwenyaniso bakaYesu basaphawulwa ngothando lwabo lokuzincama lobuzalwana. Ngaba asibuboni na ubungqina bothando olunjalo kumabandla abakhonzi bakaYehova emhlabeni wonke? Olo thando luya kuhlala lukho ngonaphakade, kuba uYehova ubathembisa ubomi obungunaphakade abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo. (INdumiso 37:9-11, 29) Ngamana singaqhubeka sisenza okusemandleni ethu ‘ukuqhubeka sihamba eluthandweni.’ Ngokwenjenjalo, siya kuba noyolo olungakumbi olubangelwa kukupha. Ngaphezu koko, sinokuqhubeka siphila—ewe, siqhubeke sibonisa uthando—ngonaphakade, sixelise uThixo wethu onothando, uYehova.

²³ Kwesi sahluko esiqukumbela icandelo elithetha ngothando, sixubushe ngeendlela esinokubonisa ngazo uthando omnye komnye. Kodwa ngenxa yeendlela ezininzi esingenelwa ngazo luthando lukaYehova—kuquka amandla, okusesikweni nobulumko bakhe—kuhle ukuzibuza ukuba, ‘Ndinokumbonisa njani uYehova ukuba ndimthanda ngokwenene?’ Loo mbuzo uza kuxutyushwa kwisahluko sethu sokugqibela.