1-2. Yiziphi izizathu ezinhle esinazo zokubonisana uthando oluqotho?

SINEZIZATHU ezinhle zokubonisa uthando oluqotho kwabanye. Yiziphi ezinye zazo? Phawula ukuthi lezi zaga eziphefumulelwe ezilandelayo ziwuphendula kanjani lo mbuzo: “Ungavumi ukuba uthando oluqotho nokwethembeka kuphele. . . . Ngokwenza kanjalo uyothola umusa nokuqonda emehlweni kaNkulunkulu nawomuntu.” “Umuntu onothando oluqotho uzizuzisa yena.” “Noma ubani ophishekela ukulunga nothando oluqotho uyothola ukuphila.”​—IzAga 3:3, 4; 11:17, mbhw.; 21:21.

² Lezi zaga ziveza izizathu ezintathu zokuthi kungani kufanele sibonise uthando oluqotho. Esokuqala, uthando oluqotho lusenza sibe igugu emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Esesibili, ngokubonisa uthando oluqotho sizizuzisa thina. Ngokwesibonelo, siba nobungane obuhlala njalo nabanye. Esesithathu, uma sibonisa uthando oluqotho sizothola izibusiso esikhathini esizayo, okuhlanganisa nokuphila okuphakade. Sinezizathu ezinhle zokulalela lesi sikhumbuzo esivela kuJehova: “Nibonisane uthando oluqotho nesihe.”​—Zak. 7:9.

3. Sizophendula miphi imibuzo kulesi sihloko?

³ Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngezimpendulo zemibuzo emine. Obani okufanele sibabonise uthando oluqotho? Yini esingayifunda encwadini kaRuthe ngokubonisa uthando oluqotho? Singalubonisa kanjani uthando oluqotho namuhla? Yiziphi izinzuzo ezitholwa yilabo ababonisa uthando oluqotho?

4. Singamlingisa kanjani uJehova ekuboniseni uthando oluqotho? (Marku 10:29, 30)

⁴ Njengoba sifundile esihlokweni esidlule, uJehova ubonisa uthando lwakhe oluqotho​—umuzwa wothando oluhlala  phakade—​kulabo abamthandayo nabamkhonzayo. (Dan. 9:4) Sifuna ukuba “abalingisi bakaNkulunkulu, njengabantwana abathandekayo.” (Efe. 5:1) Ngakho, sifuna ukubabonisa uthando oluqotho​—ukunamathelana okujulile nokuhlala njalo—​abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya.​—Funda uMarku 10:29, 30.

5-6. Ngokuvamile kusho ukuthini ukuba “qotho”?

⁵ Cishe uzovuma ukuthi uma sikuqonda kahle lokho okushiwo uthando oluqotho, siyokwazi ukulubonisa nakakhulu kulabo esikhonza nabo. Ukuze siluqonde ngokujulile uthando oluqotho, ake siluqhathanise nendlela abantu abavame ukuqonda ngayo ukuba qotho. Cabanga ngalesi sibonelo.

 ⁶ Namuhla umuntu osesebenze enkampanini eyodwa iminyaka eminingi singase simchaze ngokuthi uyisisebenzi esiqotho. Nokho, nakuba esesebenze yonke le minyaka, kungenzeka akakaze ababone abaphathi bayo. Angase angavumelani nayo yonke imithetho yayo. Akayithandi inkampani kodwa uyajabula nje ngokuthi unomsebenzi omholelayo. Uzoqhubeka esebenza aze athathe umhlalaphansi, ngaphandle-ke uma ethola umsebenzi ongcono kwenye indawo.

7-8. (a) Yini eyenza umuntu abonise uthando oluqotho? (b) Kungani sizohlola amavesi athile encwadini kaRuthe?

⁷ Umehluko phakathi kokuba qotho, njengoba kuchazwe  esigabeni 6, nokuba nothando oluqotho yisisusa somuntu. EBhayibhelini, lapho abantu bakaNkulunkulu bebonisa uthando oluqotho babenasiphi isisusa? Labo ababonisa uthando oluqotho babekwenza ngoba bethanda, hhayi ngoba bephoqelekile. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaDavide. Inhliziyo yakhe yamenza wabonisa uJonathani, umngane wakhe amthandayo, uthando oluqotho nakuba ubaba kaJonathani ayefuna ukumbulala uDavide. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi uJonathani afa, uDavide waqhubeka ebonisa uthando oluqotho endodaneni kaJonathani uMefibhosheti.​—1 Sam. 20:9, 14, 15; 2 Sam. 4:4; 8:15; 9:1, 6, 7.

⁸ Singafunda okuningi ngothando oluqotho uma sihlola amavesi athile encwadini yeBhayibheli kaRuthe. Singafunda ziphi izifundo ngothando oluqotho kubantu okukhulunywa ngabo kuleyo ncwadi? Singazisebenzisa kanjani lezo zifundo ebandleni? *

9. Kungani uNawomi aphetha ngokuthi uJehova wayemelene naye?

⁹ Encwadini kaRuthe sifunda ngendaba kaNawomi, umalokazana wakhe, uRuthe, noBhowazi indoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu eyayihlobene nomyeni kaNawomi. Ngenxa yendlala eyaba kwa-Israyeli, uNawomi nomyeni wakhe namadodana abo amabili bathuthela kwaMowabi. Ngesikhathi belapho, umyeni kaNawomi washona. Amadodana akhe amabili ashada, kodwa ngokudabukisayo nawo ashona. (Ruthe 1:3-5; 2:1) Konke lokhu kwenza uNawomi wacindezeleka nakakhulu. Usizi lwamkhungathekisa kangangokuba waphetha ngokuthi uJehova wayemelene naye. Phawula ukuthi wayiveza kanjani indlela ayezizwa ngayo ngoNkulunkulu: “Isandla sikaJehova simelane nami.” “UMninimandla Onke wenze ukuphila kwami kwaba lusizi kakhulu.” Waphinde wathi: ‘NguJehova omelane nami futhi nguMninimandla Onke ongibangele usizi.’​—Ruthe 1:13, 20, 21.

10. Wenzenjani uJehova lapho ezwa amazwi kaNawomi abuhlungu?

¹⁰ Wenzenjani uJehova lapho ezwa amazwi  kaNawomi abuhlungu? Akazange ayilahle incekukazi yakhe ecindezelekile. Kunalokho, wayibonisa uzwela. UJehova uyaqonda ukuthi “ukucindezelwa kungenza ohlakaniphile asangane.” (UmSh. 7:7) Noma kunjalo, uNawomi wayedinga usizo ukuze abone ukuthi uJehova wayengamlahlile. UNkulunkulu wamsiza kanjani? (1 Sam. 2:8) Wabangela ukuba uRuthe abonise uthando oluqotho kuNawomi. URuthe wayefuna ukubonisa uNawomi ukuthi uyamthanda futhi ngomusa wamsiza ukuba angadikibali kakhulu nokuthi akhumbule ukuthi uJehova usamthanda. Sifundani esibonelweni sikaRuthe?

11. Kungani abafowethu nodadewethu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle benamathela kulabo abacindezelekile?

¹¹ Uthando oluqotho lusenza sisize abacindezelekile. Njengoba noRuthe anamathela kuNawomi, nanamuhla abafowethu nodadewethu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle banamathela kulabo abadangele nabacindezelekile ebandleni. Bayabathanda abafowabo nodadewabo, futhi bazimisele ukwenza konke okusemandleni ukuze babasize. (IzAga 12:25, mbhw.; 24:10) Lokho kuhambisana kahle nalokho uPawulu asikhuthaza ukuba sikwenze: “Nibaduduze abacindezelekile, nisekele ababuthakathaka ngokomoya, nibabekezelele bonke.”​—1 Thes. 5:14.

12. Ngokuvamile, iyiphi indlela ephumelela kakhulu yokusiza umfowethu noma udadewethu odangele?

¹² Ngokuvamile, indlela ephumelela kakhulu yokusiza umfowethu noma udadewethu odangele ukumlalela nokumqinisekisa ngokuthi uyamthanda. UJehova uyabona lapho unaka ngomusa enye yezimvu zakhe eziyigugu. (IHu. 41:1) IzAga 19:17 zithi: “Obonisa ophansi umusa uboleka uJehova, futhi Yena uyombuyisela ngalokho akwenzayo.”

13. URuthe wehluka kanjani ku-Orpa, futhi isinqumo sikaRuthe salubonisa kanjani uthando oluqotho? (Bheka isithombe esisekhasini 1.)

¹³ Siluqonda ngokwengeziwe uthando oluqotho lapho sicabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kuNawomi ngemva kokushona komyeni wakhe namadodana akhe amabili. Lapho uNawomi ezwa ukuthi “uJehova wayebanakile abantu bakhe ngokubanika ukudla” wanquma ukubuyela ekhaya. (Ruthe 1:6) Ekuqaleni, bobabili omalokazana bakhe bahamba naye. Nokho, lapho sebesendleleni, uNawomi wabancenga kathathu ukuba babuyele kwaMowabi. Kwenzekani? Siyafunda: “U-Orpa waqabula uninazala, wabe esehamba. Kodwa uRuthe wanamathela kuye.” (Ruthe 1:7-14) Ngokukhetha ukubuyela emuva, u-Orpa walalela uNawomi, wenza lokho okwakufanele akwenze. Nokho, uRuthe wenza okungaphezu kwalokho. Naye wayengahamba, kodwa ngenxa yothando oluqotho wakhetha ukuhlala asize isihlobo sakhe esasidinga usizo. (Ruthe 1:16, 17) URuthe wakhetha ukunamathela kuNawomi, hhayi ngoba ephoqelekile kodwa ngoba ethanda. Isinqumo sikaRuthe sabonisa  uthando oluqotho lwangempela. Sithola siphi isifundo kule ndaba?

14. (a) Namuhla, abafowethu nodadewethu abanothando bakhetha ukwenzani? (b) Ngokusho kweyamaHebheru 13:16, iminikelo enjani ejabulisa uNkulunkulu?

¹⁴ Uthando oluqotho luwukwenza okungale kwalokho okulindelekile. Njengasendulo, namuhla abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bakhetha ukubonisa uthando oluqotho kwabakholwa nabo, ngisho nalabo abangakaze bababone. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho bezwa ukuthi kube nenhlekelele yemvelo, ngokushesha bafuna ukwazi ukuthi bangasiza kanjani. Lapho othile ebandleni eba nezinkinga zezimali, ngokushesha bazama ukuthola ukuthi yini abangamsiza ngayo. NjengabaseMakedoniya bangekhulu lokuqala, benza okungale kwalokho okulindelekile. Bayazidela, baphe ngisho ‘nangokungaphezu kwamandla abo’ ukuze basize abafowabo abaswele. (2 Korinte 8:3) Kumelwe ukuba uJehova ujabula kakhulu lapho ebabona bebonisa lolo thando oluqotho!​—Funda eyamaHebheru 13:16.

15-16. URuthe wakubonisa kanjani ukuphikelela?

¹⁵ Singafunda izifundo eziningi ezinhle uma sihlola indlela uRuthe asiza ngayo uNawomi. Ake sixoxe ngezimbalwa.

¹⁶ Phikelela. Lapho uRuthe ethi uzohamba nomamezala wakhe baye kwaJuda, uNawomi waqale wenqaba. Kodwa uRuthe waphikelela. Waba yini umphumela? “Lapho uNawomi ebona ukuthi uRuthe uyaphikelela ngokuthi uzohamba naye, wayeka ukumncenga.”​—Ruthe 1:15-18.

17. Yini engasenza singasheshi siyeke ukusiza?

¹⁷ Esikufundayo: Kudingeka isineke ukuze sisize labo abacindezelekile, kodwa akufanele siyeke ukuzama ukubasiza. Udade odinga usizo angase aqale enqabe lapho simsiza. * Noma kunjalo, uthando oluqotho luzosenza siqhubeke sizama. (Gal. 6:2) Siba nethemba lokuthi uzogcina evumile ukuba simsize futhi simduduze.

18. Yini okumelwe ukuba yamphatha kabi uRuthe?

¹⁸ Ungakhubeki kalula. Lapho uNawomi noRuthe befika eBhetlehema, uNawomi wahlangana nomakhelwane bakhe bakudala. Wathi kubo: “Nganginakho konke lapho ngihamba, kodwa uJehova ungenze ngabuya ngingasenalutho.” (Ruthe 1:21) Cabanga nje ukuthi uRuthe wazizwa kanjani lapho ezwa lawo mazwi kaNawomi! Wayenze konke angakwenza ukuze asize uNawomi. URuthe wayekhale kanye naye, wamduduza, waphinde wahamba naye izinsuku eziningi. Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, uNawomi wathi: “UJehova ungenze ngabuya ngingasenalutho.” Ngokusho lawo mazwi, uNawomi wabonisa ukuthi wayengakwazisi ukusekelwa uRuthe, owayemi eduze kwakhe. Cishe lokho kwamphatha kabi ngempela uRuthe! Noma kunjalo, akazange amshiye uNawomi.

19. Yini ezosisiza sinamathele kumuntu ocindezelekile?

¹⁹ Esikufundayo: Namuhla, udade angase asho into esizwisa ubuhlungu​—naphezu kwemizamo yethu yokumsiza. Kodwa kufanele sizame ukungakuvumeli lokho kusikhube. Sinamathela kudadewethu odinga usizo, sicele uJehova asisize simduduze.​—IzAga 17:17.

20. Yini eyanikeza uRuthe amandla ayewadinga ukuze akwazi ukuqhubeka?

²⁰ Nikeza isikhuthazo lapho kudingeka. URuthe wayebonise uNawomi uthando oluqotho, kodwa manje naye uRuthe wayedinga isikhuthazo. UJehova washukumisela uBhowazi  ukuba amkhuthaze. UBhowazi wathi kuRuthe: “Kwangathi uJehova angakuvuza ngalokho okwenzile, futhi kwangathi ungathola inkokhelo ephelele evela kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, oze ukuzofuna isiphephelo ngaphansi kwamaphiko akhe.” Lawo mazwi athinta inhliziyo amduduza uRuthe. Ephendula, uRuthe wathi kuBhowazi: “Ungiduduzile futhi ungiqinisekisile.” (Ruthe 2:12, 13) Amazwi kaBhowazi ayefike ngesikhathi, anikeza uRuthe amandla ayewadinga ukuze akwazi ukuqhubeka.

21. Njengoba kuchazwe ku-Isaya 32:1, 2, yini abadala abakhathalelayo abangayenza?

²¹ Esikufundayo: Ngezinye izikhathi, labo ababonisa uthando oluqotho kwabanye nabo bayasidinga isikhuthazo. Njengoba uBhowazi amncoma uRuthe ngokubonisa umusa, nabadala abaqaphelisisayo namuhla bayabancoma abafowethu nodadewethu abasiza abanye. Ukunconywa okunjalo okufike ngesikhathi, kuyabasiza abafowethu nodadewethu bathole amandla abawadingayo ukuze baqhubeke.​—Funda u-Isaya 32:1, 2.

22-23. Yashintsha kanjani indlela uNawomi ayecabanga ngayo, futhi kungani? (IHubo 136:23, 26)

²² Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, uBhowazi wanika uRuthe noNawomi isipho esiwukudla. (Ruthe 2:14-18) UNawomi wasabela kanjani? Wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova, ongahlulekanga ukubonisa uthando oluqotho kwabaphilayo nakwabafile, angambusisa.” (Ruthe 2:20a) Indlela uNawomi ayecabanga ngayo yayisishintshile! Ngaphambili wayekade ekhala ethi: “NguJehova omelane nami,” kodwa manje ngenjabulo wathi: ‘UJehova akahlulekanga ukubonisa uthando oluqotho.’ Yini okungenzeka yaba nomthelela endleleni uNawomi ayebheka ngayo izinto?

²³ UNawomi wayeseqala ukubona isandla sikaJehova  ekuphileni kwakhe. UJehova wasebenzisa uRuthe ukuze amsekele endleleni eya kwaJuda. (Ruthe 1:16) UNawomi waphinde wabona isandla sikaJehova lapho uBhowazi, omunye “wabahlengi” babo, ngothando enakekela laba besifazane ababili. * (Ruthe 2:19, 20b) Kungenzeka wacabanga, ‘Manje sengiyaqonda, uJehova akazange angishiye. Ube nami sonke lesi sikhathi!’ (Funda iHubo 136:23, 26.) Asingabazi ukuthi uNawomi wabonga ngokuthi uRuthe noBhowazi abazange bamlahle! Kumelwe ukuba bobathathu bajabula ngaleso siphetho esihle.

24. Kungani sifuna ukuqhubeka sibonisa uthando oluqotho kwesikholwa nabo?

²⁴ Sifundeni encwadini kaRuthe ngothando oluqotho? Uthando oluqotho lusenza singasheshi siyeke ukuzama ukusiza abafowethu nodadewethu abacindezelekile. Luphinde lusenze sizidele ukuze sibasize. Abadala kudingeka babakhuthaze labo ababonisa abanye uthando oluqotho. Siyajabula lapho sibona labo ababedinga usizo bephinde bethola amandla nenjabulo ekukhonzeni uJehova. (IzE. 20:35) Kodwa isiphi isizathu esibaluleke kunazo zonke esenza sibonise uthando oluqotho? Yingoba sifuna ukulingisa nokujabulisa uJehova “ochichima uthando oluqotho.”​—Eks. 34:6; IHu. 33:22.