1. NgokukaMathewu 24:9, kungani kungafanele simangale lapho izwe lisizonda?

UJEHOVA wasidala sakwazi ukuthanda futhi saba nesidingo sokuthandwa. Ngakho lapho kuba khona osizondayo, sizwa ubuhlungu mhlawumbe size sesabe. Ngokwesibonelo, uGeorgina udade ohlala eYurophu uthi: “Lapho ngineminyaka engu-14, umama wayengizonda ngoba ngangikhonza uJehova. Ngazizwa ngilahliwe, ngaqala nokungabaza ukuthi ngingumuntu olungile.” * UMfoweth’ uDanylo uthi: “Ngesikhathi amasosha engishaya, engithuka futhi engisabisa ngenxa yokuthi nginguFakazi KaJehova, ngethuka futhi ngazizwa ngihlazekile.” Kubuhlungu ukuzondwa ngaleyo ndlela, kodwa akusimangazi. UJesu wabikezela ukuthi siyozondwa.—Funda uMathewu 24:9.

2-3. Kungani abalandeli bakaJesu bezondwa?

² Izwe liyabazonda abalandeli bakaJesu. Kungani? Yingoba njengoJesu, asiyona “ingxenye yezwe.” (Joh. 15:17-19) Ngenxa yalokho, nakuba sibahlonipha ohulumeni, siyakwenqaba ukubakhulekela noma ukukhothamela izinto ezibamelelayo. Sikhulekela uJehova kuphela. Sisekela ukubusa kukaNkulunkulu okunokulunga—ilungelo uSathane “nenzalo” yakhe abalwisana nalo. (Gen. 3:1-5, 15) Sishumayela ngokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uwukuphela kwethemba lesintu nokuthi maduze uzobhubhisa bonke labo abaphikisana nawo. (Dan. 2:44; IsAm. 19:19-21) Lowo myalezo uyizindaba ezinhle kwabamnene kodwa uyizindaba ezimbi kwababi.—IHu. 37:10, 11.

³ Siyazondwa nangenxa yokuthi siphila ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu elungile. Le mithetho iphambene kakhulu nokuziphatha  kwaleli zwe okungenasimilo. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abaningi sebeyamukela ngokukhululekile imikhuba yokuziphatha eyihlazo, efana neyabantu uNkulunkulu ababhubhisa eSodoma naseGomora. (Jude 7) Ngenxa yokuthi sinamathela emithethweni yeBhayibheli mayelana nokuziphatha, abantu abaningi bahlekisa ngathi futhi bathi asinawo umqondo ovulekile.—1 Pet. 4:3, 4.

4. Yiziphi izimfanelo ezisiqinisayo lapho abantu besizonda?

⁴ Yini engasisiza sikhuthazele lapho abantu besizonda futhi besithuka? Kudingeka sikukholelwe ngokuqinile ukuthi uJehova uzosisiza. Njengehawu, ukholo lwethu ‘lungacima yonke imicibisholo evuthayo yomubi.’ (Efe. 6:16) Kodwa sidinga okungaphezu kokholo. Sidinga nothando. Kungani? Ngoba uthando “alucasuki.” Lubekezelela futhi lukhuthazelela zonke izinto ezibuhlungu. (1 Kor. 13:4-7, 13) Ake sibone indlela ukuthanda uJehova, abafowethu nodadewethu, ngisho nezitha zethu okusisiza ngayo sikhuthazelele inzondo.

5. Indlela uJesu amthanda ngayo uYise yamqinisa kanjani?

⁵ Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokuba abulawe yizitha zakhe, uJesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe abaqotho: “Ngiyamthanda uBaba, [ngakho] ngenza njengoba nje uBaba engiyalile.” (Joh. 14:31) Indlela uJesu amthanda ngayo uJehova yamqinisa wakwazi ukubhekana nezilingo ezaziseza. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova lungenza okufanayo nakithi.

6. Ngokwencwadi yamaRoma 5:3-5, izinceku zikaJehova zizizwa kanjani lapho zikhuthazelela ukuzondwa yizwe?

⁶ Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kusize izinceku zikaJehova zakwazi ukukhuthazelela ushushiso. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho inkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda iyala abaphostoli ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kwabenza ‘balalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.’ (IzE. 5:29; 1 Joh. 5:3) Lolo thando olungenakugqashuka luqinisa nabafowethu namuhla, abaningi abama baqine lapho ohulumeni abanonya nabanamandla belwisana nabo. Kunokuba sidikibale, sikubheka njengelungelo ukukhuthazelela ukuzondwa yizwe.—IzE. 5:41; funda amaRoma 5:3-5.

7. Kufanele senzenjani lapho amalungu omndeni esiphikisa?

⁷ Mhlawumbe uvivinyo lwethu olukhulu luvela kubantu basemndenini. Lapho siqala ukubonisa uthando lwethu ngeqiniso, amanye amalungu omndeni angase acabange ukuthi sikhohlisiwe. Abanye bangase bacabange ukuthi siyahlanya. (Qhathanisa noMarku 3:21.) Bangaze ngisho basihlukumeze. Lokhu akufanele kusimangaze. UJesu wathi: “Izitha zomuntu kuyoba abantu bomndeni wakhe.” (Math. 10:36) Noma kunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izihlobo zethu zisibheka kanjani, siyenqaba ukuziphatha njengezitha zethu. Lapho uthando lwethu ngoJehova lukhula, iyakhula nendlela esibathanda ngayo abantu. (Math. 22:37-39) Kodwa asinakulokotha siyekethise endleleni esilalela ngayo imithetho nezimiso zeBhayibheli ukuze nje sijabulise omunye umuntu.

8-9. Yini eyasiza omunye udade wakwazi ukuma aqine naphezu kokuphikiswa kanzima?

⁸ UGeorgina, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, wakwazi ukuma aqine naphezu kokuphikiswa kanzima umama wakhe. UGeorgina uyachaza: “Mina nomama saqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi. Kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha lapho sengifisa ukuya emhlanganweni, umama wavele wangijikela, waqala ukungiphikisa.  Ngathola ukuthi wayesexhumana nezihlubuki, futhi wayesesebenzisa izimfundiso zazo lapho ekhuluma nami. Wayengithuka, angidonse ngezinwele, angiklinye, alahle nezincwadi zami. Lapho sengina-15, ngabhapathizwa. Umama wazama ukungiyekisa ukukhonza uJehova ngokungiyisa endaweni egcina amantombazane ahluphayo, amanye ayesebenzisa izidakamizwa futhi eyizigebengu. Ukuphikiswa kunzima nakakhulu lapho kuqhamuka kumuntu okufanele ngabe uyakuthanda, akunakekele.”

⁹ Yini eyasiza uGeorgina wakwazi ukukhuthazela? Uthi: “Ngosuku umama angijikela ngalo, ngangisanda kuqeda ukulifunda lonke iBhayibheli. Ngase ngiqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi ngithole iqiniso, futhi ngazizwa ngisondelene kakhulu noJehova. Ngangithandaza njalo kuye futhi wayengizwa. Ngesikhathi ngihlala endaweni yamantombazane, udade othile wangimemela emzini wakhe, satadisha iBhayibheli ndawonye. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, abafowethu nodadewethu ebandleni bangiqinisa. Bangiphathisa okwelungu lemindeni yabo. Ngazibonela ngawami ukuthi uJehova unamandla kunabaphikisi bethu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bangobani.”

10. Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo ukuthi uJehova uzoyenza?

¹⁰ Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ukuthi akukho lutho ‘olungasihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.’ (Roma 8:38, 39) Ngisho noma singahlupheka okwesikhashana, uJehova uyohlale engakithi, esiduduza futhi esiqinisa. Njengoba sibonile endabeni kaGeorgina, uJehova ubuye asebenzise abafowethu nodadewethu abasithandayo ukuze asisize.

11. Uthando uJesu aluchaza kuJohane 15:12, 13 lwaluyobasiza kanjani abafundi bakhe? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹¹ Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokuba uJesu afe, wakhumbuza abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandane. (Funda uJohane 15:12, 13.) Wayazi ukuthi uthando lokuzidela lwalungabasiza bakwazi ukuhlala benobunye futhi bakhuthazelele ukuzondwa izwe. Cabanga ngesibonelo sebandla laseThesalonika. Amalungu aleli bandla ayelokhu eshushiswa kusukela ngesikhathi elamiswa ngaso. Nokho, abazalwane nodade bakulelo bandla baba izibonelo zobuqotho nothando. (1 Thes. 1:3, 6, 7) UPawulu wabakhuthaza  ukuba baqhubeke bebonisa uthando, bakwenze lokhu “ngisho nakakhulu.” (1 Thes. 4:9, 10) Uthando lwaluyobenza bakwazi ukududuza abacindezelekile, basekele nababuthakathaka. (1 Thes. 5:14) Bayilalela imiyalo kaPawulu, ngoba encwadini yakhe yesibili ayibhala ngemva konyaka, uPawulu wayengasho la mazwi kubo: ‘Uthando enithandana ngalo nonke luyanda.’ (2 Thes. 1:3-5) Uthando lwabo lwabasiza bakhuthazelela ubunzima noshushiso.

12. Phakathi nesikhathi sempi, abazalwane nodade kwelinye izwe babonisa kanjani ukuthi bayathandana?

¹² Cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kuDanylo, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, kanye nomkakhe. Lapho kubhebhetheka impi edolobheni ababehlala kulo, baqhubeka beya emihlanganweni, benza konke abangakwenza ukuze bashumayele futhi babela abafowabo nodadewabo ukudla ababenakho. Ngelinye ilanga, kwafika amasosha ahlomile emzini kaDanylo. UDanylo uthi; “Bangiphoqa ukuba ngiyeke ukuba nguFakazi. Lapho ngenqaba, bangishaya, benza sengathi bayangidubula kanti badubula ngaphezu kwekhanda lami. Ngaphambi kokuba bahambe, bangisabisa ngokuthi bazobuya bezodlwengula umkami. Kodwa ngokushesha abafowethu basifaka esitimeleni saya kwelinye idolobha. Angisoze ngalukhohlwa uthando lwalabo bafowethu. Lapho sifika edolobheni elisha, abazalwane bendawo basinika ukudla, bangisiza ngathola umsebenzi nendawo yokuhlala! Ngenxa yalokho, sakwazi ukukhoselisa nabanye oFakazi ababebalekele impi.” Izibonelo ezifana nalezi zibonisa ukuthi uthando lobuKristu lungasisiza sikhuthazelele inzondo.

13. Umoya ongcwele usisiza kanjani sikhuthazele enkonzweni kaJehova ngisho noma abantu besizonda?

¹³ UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathande izitha zabo. (Math. 5:44, 45) Ingabe kulula ukukwenza lokho? Lutho neze! Kodwa kungenzeka ngosizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. Izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu zihlanganisa uthando, kanye nokubekezela, umusa, ubumnene nokuzithiba. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Lezi zimfanelo ziyasisiza sikhuthazelele inzondo. Abaphikisi abaningi baye bashintsha ngenxa yokuthi indoda enguFakazi, noma inkosikazi,  ingane noma umakhelwane baye babonisa lezo zimfanelo ezijabulisa uNkulunkulu. Abaphikisi abaningi sebengabafowethu nodadewethu. Ngakho, uma kunzima ukuthanda labo abakuzondayo ngenxa yokuthi ukhonza uJehova, thandazela umoya ongcwele. (Luka 11:13) Qiniseka ngokugcwele ngokuthi indlela kaNkulunkulu ihlale ingcono kakhulu.—IzAga 3:5-7.

14-15. Incwadi yamaRoma 12:17-21 yamsiza kanjani uYasmeen ukuba athande umyeni wakhe ngisho noma ayemphikisa?

¹⁴ Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaYasmeen ohlala eMpumalanga Ephakathi. Ngesikhathi eba nguFakazi KaJehova, umyeni wakhe wacabanga ukuthi wayekhohlisiwe futhi wazama ukumyekisa ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Wamthuka, wacela izihlobo, umfundisi nomthakathi ukuba bamsabise futhi bamsole ngokuthi uhlukanisa umndeni wakhe. Umyeni wakhe waze ngisho wamemeza ethuka abazalwane njengoba kwakuqhubeka umhlangano webandla! UYasmeen wayehlale ekhala ngenxa yokuphathwa kabi.

¹⁵ EHholo LoMbuso, abafowethu nodadewethu bamduduza futhi bamqinisa. Abadala bamcela ukuba asebenzise amazwi asencwadini yamaRoma 12:17-21. (Yifunde.) UYasmeen uthi: “Kwakunzima. Kodwa ngacela uJehova ukuba angisize, futhi ngenza konke okusemandleni ukuze ngisebenzise lokho okushiwo iBhayibheli. Ngakho lapho umyeni wami ephonsa udoti ekhishini ngamabomu, ngangiwuqoqa. Lapho engithuka, ngangiphendula ngomoya ozolile. Nalapho egula, ngangimnakekela.”

16-17. Ufundani esibonelweni sikaYasmeen?

¹⁶ UYasmeen wayibona imiphumela emihle yokubonisa umyeni wakhe uthando. Uthi: “Umyeni wami waqala ukungethemba nakakhudlwana ngoba wayazi ukuthi ngiyohlale ngikhuluma iqiniso. Waqala ukungilalela ngenhlonipho lapho sixoxa ngenkolo, wavuma nokuthi uzokwenza ikhaya libe nokuthula. Manje usengikhuthaza ukuba ngiye emihlanganweni yebandla. Sekunoshintsho oluphawulekayo emndenini wethu futhi sekunokuthula okukhulu. Isifiso sami nje siwukuthi ngelinye ilanga inhliziyo yomyeni wami ithinteke, amukele iqiniso futhi sikhonze uJehova ndawonye.”

¹⁷ Isibonelo sikaYasmeen sibonisa ukuthi uthando “lubekezelela zonke izinto, . . . luthemba zonke izinto, lukhuthazelela zonke izinto.” (1 Kor. 13:4, 7) Inzondo ingaba nzima futhi izwise ubuhlungu, kodwa uthando  lunamandla kakhulu. Luyanqoba. Lujabulisa nenhliziyo kaJehova. Kodwa ngisho noma abaphikisi beqhubeka besizonda, singakwazi ukuqhubeka sijabula. Kanjani?

18. Kungani singajabula lapho sizondwa?

¹⁸ UJesu wathi: “Niyajabula noma nini lapho abantu benizonda.” (Luka 6:22) Asizikhetheli ukuzondwa. Asizami ukuba abafel’ ukholo. Pho kungani singajabula lapho sizondwa? Nazi izizathu ezintathu. Esokuqala, lapho sikhuthazela, samukelwa uNkulunkulu. (1 Pet. 4:13, 14) Esesibili, ukholo lwethu luyavivinywa bese luqina. (1 Pet. 1:7) Esesithathu, sizothola umvuzo ongenakuqhathaniswa nalutho—ukuphila okuphakade.—Roma 2:6, 7.

19. Kungani abaphostoli bajabula ngemva kokushaywa?

¹⁹ Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba uJesu evusiwe, abaphostoli baba nenjabulo ayekhulume ngayo. Bajabula ngesikhathi beqeda kushaywa futhi beyalwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi ‘baba nelungelo lokuhlupheka ngenxa yegama likaJesu.’ (IzE. 5:40-42) Babethanda iNkosi yabo kakhulu kunokwesaba ukuzondwa izitha zabo. Lolo thando balubonisa ngokushumayela izindaba ezinhle “ngaphandle kokuyekethisa.” Abafowethu abaningi namuhla bayaqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka naphezu kobunzima. Bayazi ukuthi angeke awukhohlwe umsebenzi wabo nothando abalubonisa egameni lakhe.—Heb. 6:10.

20. Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²⁰ Abantu baleli zwe bazolokhu besizonda uma nje sisaphila kulona. (Joh. 15:19) Kodwa akudingeki sesabe. Njengoba sizobona esihlokweni esilandelayo, uJehova ‘uyobaqinisa futhi abavikele’ abaqotho bakhe. (2 Thes. 3:3) Ngakho masiqhubeke sithanda uJehova, abafowethu nodadewethu, sithande ngisho nezitha zethu. Uma silalela lesi seluleko, sizohlale sinobunye futhi sinokholo oluqinile, sizoletha udumo kuJehova, sifakazele nokuthi uthando lunamandla kunenzondo.