Mawakhiwe Uthando
Mawakhiwe Uthando
“Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke.”—MATHEWU 22:37.
1. (a) Yiziphi ezinye zezinto ezihlakulelwa umKristu? (b) Iyiphi imfanelo yobuKristu ebaluleke kunazo zonke, futhi ngani?
UMKRISTU uhlakulela izinto eziningi ukuze abe yisikhonzi esiphumelelayo. Incwadi yezAga iqokomisa ukubaluleka kolwazi, ukuqonda nokuhlakanipha. (IzAga 2:1-10) Umphostoli uPawulu wakhuluma ngesidingo sokholo oluqinile nethemba elinamandla. (Roma 1:16, 17; Kolose 1:5; Heberu 10:39) Ukukhuthazela nokuzithiba nakho kubalulekile. (IzEnzo 24:25; Heberu 10:36) Nokho, kunesici esisodwa okuthi uma sintuleka, kuphazamiseke zonke ezinye izimfanelo futhi singazenza zibe yize leze. Leso sici uthando.—1 Korinte 13:1-3, 13.
2. UJesu wakubonisa kanjani ukubaluleka kothando, futhi lokhu kuphakamisa miphi imibuzo?
2 UJesu wabonisa ukubaluleka kothando lapho ethi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:35) Njengoba uthando luwuphawu lomKristu weqiniso, kudingeka sizibuze imibuzo enjengokuthi, Luyini uthando? Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukuthi uJesu wathi lubonakalisa abafundi bakhe ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye? Singaluhlakulela kanjani uthando? Obani okufanele sibathande? Ake sixoxe ngale mibuzo.
Luyini Uthando?
3. Uthando lungachazwa kanjani, futhi kungani luhilela kokubili ingqondo nenhliziyo?
3 Enye incazelo yothando ithi ‘ngumuzwa wokusondelana nomunye ngokufudumele.’ Luyimfanelo eshukumisela abantu ukuba basebenzele ukuzuzisa abanye, ngezinye izikhathi ngendlela ebalahlekisela okukhulu. Ngokwendlela oluchazwa ngayo eBhayibhelini, uthando luhilela kokubili ingqondo nenhliziyo. Ingqondo inendima yayo ngoba umuntu othandayo wenza lokhu enolwazi, eqaphela ukuthi yena nabanye abantu abathandayo bonke banobuthakathaka kanye nezimfanelo ezinhle. Ingqondo ihilelekile futhi ngoba kukhona abantu umKristu abathanda ngoba azi ngokufunda kwakhe iBhayibheli ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulindele ukuba abathande—mhlawumbe ngokungavumelani nomuzwa wakhe wemvelo. (Mathewu 5:44; 1 Korinte 16:14) Noma kunjalo, ngokuyisisekelo uthando lusuka enhliziyweni. Uthando lwangempela njengoba lwambulwe eBhayibhelini alulona nje olusengqondweni. Luhilela ubuqotho obujulile nokuzihilela ngokugcwele ngokomzwelo.—1 Petru 1:22.
4. Uthando luyisibopho esinamandla ngayiphi indlela?
4 Abantu abanobugovu abavami ukuba nobuhlobo bothando ngempela ngoba umuntu onothando ukulungele ukubeka izithakazelo zomunye ngaphambi kwezakhe. (Filipi 2:2-4) Amazwi kaJesu athi “kukhona injabulo eyengeziwe ekupheni kunekhona ekwamukeleni” ayiqiniso ngokukhethekile lapho ukupha kuyisenzo sothando. (IzEnzo 20:35) Uthando luyisibopho esinamandla. (Kolose 3:14) Ngokuvamile luhilela ubungane, kodwa izibopho zothando zinamandla kunezobungane. Ngesinye isikhathi ubuhlobo bokukhangana phakathi kwendoda nomkayo buchazwa ngokuthi uthando; nokho, uthando iBhayibheli elisikhuthaza ukuba siluhlakulele luhlala njalo kunokukhangana ngokomzimba. Lapho umbhangqwana uthandana ngempela, uhlala unamathelene ngisho noma ubuhlobo obungokwenyama bungasenakwenzeka ngenxa yobuthaka bokuguga noma ngenxa yokukhubazeka komunye wabo.
Uthando—Imfanelo Esemqoka
5. Kungani uthando luyimfanelo esemqoka kumKristu?
5 Kungani uthando luyimfanelo esemqoka kumKristu? Okokuqala, kungenxa yokuthi uJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandane. Wathi: “Ningabangane bami uma nenza lokho enginiyala ngakho. Nginiyala ngalezizinto, ukuba nithandane.” (Johane 15:14, 17) Okwesibili, ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uyisibonelo esivelele sothando, futhi njengabakhulekeli bakhe kufanele simlingise. (Efesu 5:1; 1 Johane 4:16) IBhayibheli lithi ukungenisa ulwazi ngoJehova noJesu kusho ukuphila okuphakade. Singasho kanjani ukuthi siyamazi uNkulunkulu uma singazami ukuba njengaye? Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando.”—1 Johane 4:8.
6. Uthando lungasenza kanjani silinganisele ezicini ezihlukahlukene zokuphila kwethu?
6 Uthando lubalulekile ngesizathu sesithathu: Lusisiza ukuba silinganisele ezicini ezihlukahlukene zokuphila kwethu futhi lunezele isisusa esihle kulokho esikwenzayo. Ngokwesibonelo, kubalulekile ukungenisa ulwazi lweZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokuqhubekayo. KumKristu, ulwazi olunjalo lunjengokudla. Lumsiza ukuba akhulele ekuvuthweni futhi enze izinto ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu. (IHubo 119:105; Mathewu 4:4; 2 Thimothewu 3:15, 16) Nokho, uPawulu waxwayisa: “Ulwazi luyakhukhumeza, kodwa uthando luyakha.” (1 Korinte 8:1) Cha, akukho lutho olubi ngolwazi olunembile. Inkinga ikithina—sinokuthambekela kwesono. (Genesise 8:21) Uma lingekho ithonya lothando elisenza silinganisele, ulwazi lungenza umuntu akhukhumale, acabange ukuthi ungcono kunabanye. Lokho ngeke kwenzeke uma ngokuyisisekelo eshukunyiswa uthando. “Uthando . . . aluzigabisi, alukhukhumali.” (1 Korinte 13:4) UmKristu oshukunyiswa uthando akaqhoshi ngisho noma ethola ulwazi olujulile. Ulwazi lumgcina ethobekile futhi lumenze angafuni ukuzenzela igama.—IHubo 138:6; Jakobe 4:6.
7, 8. Uthando lusisiza kanjani ukuba sigxile ezintweni ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe?
7 UPawulu wabhalela abaseFilipi: “Yilokhu engiqhubeka ngikuthandazela, ukuba uthando lwenu luvame nakakhulu ulwazi olunembile nokuqonda okugcwele; ukuba niqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe.” (Filipi 1:9, 10) Uthando lobuKristu luyosisiza ukuba silandele lesi sikhuthazo sokuqiniseka ngezinto ezibaluleke ngokwengeziwe. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngamazwi kaPawulu kuThimothewu: “Uma noma ubani ezama ukufinyelela isikhundla sombonisi, ufisa umsebenzi omuhle.” (1 Thimothewu 3:1) Phakathi nonyaka wenkonzo ka-2000, inani lamabandla emhlabeni wonke landa ngo-1 502, laba yingqikithi entsha engu-91 487. Ngakho, kunesidingo esikhulu sabadala abengeziwe, futhi labo abafinyelela leli lungelo kufanele banconywe.
8 Nokho, labo abafinyelela amalungelo okwengamela bayolondoloza ukulinganisela okuhle uma behlala bekhumbula injongo yalelo lungelo. Ukumane ube negunya noma ukuvelela kakhudlwana akuyona into ebalulekile. Abadala abajabulisa uJehova bashukunyiswa uthando ngaye nangabafowabo. Abazifuneli ukuvelela noma ukuba nethonya. Ngemva kokweluleka abadala bamabandla ukuba balondoloze isimo sengqondo esihle, umphostoli uPetru wagcizelela isidingo ‘sokuthobeka kwengqondo.’ Weluleka bonke ebandleni: “Zithobeni ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla.” (1 Petru 5:1-6) Noma ubani ofinyelela leli lungelo wenza kahle ngokucabanga ngesibonelo sabadala abaningi emhlabeni wonke, abadala abazikhandlayo, abathobekile futhi ngenxa yalokho abayisibusiso emabandleni akubo.—Heberu 13:7.
Isisusa Esihle Sisisiza Ukuba Sikhuthazele
9. Kungani amaKristu ehlale ecabanga ngezibusiso uJehova azithembisile?
9 Ukubaluleka kokushukunyiswa uthando kubonakala nangenye indlela. Labo abaphishekela ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngenxa yothando, iBhayibheli libathembisa izibusiso ezicebile manje nezibusiso ezinhle ngendlela esingenakuyicabanga esikhathini esizayo. (1 Thimothewu 4:8) UmKristu ozikholelwa ngokunamandla lezi zibusiso futhi oqinisekayo ukuthi uJehova “uba umvuzi walabo abamfuna ngobuqotho,” uyasizakala ukuba ame eqinile okholweni. (Heberu 11:6) Iningi lethu lilangazelela ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu futhi linanela umuzwa womphostoli uJohane: “Amen! Woza, Nkosi Jesu.” (IsAmbulo 22:20) Yebo, ukuzindla ngezibusiso esiyozithola uma sithembekile kusiqinisela ukuba sikhuthazele, njengoba nje ukuhlala ecabanga ‘ngenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe’ kwasiza uJesu ukuba akhuthazele.—Heberu 12:1, 2.
10, 11. Ukushukunyiswa uthando kusisiza kanjani ukuba sikhuthazele?
10 Nokho, kuthiwani uma isifiso sethu sokuphila ezweni elisha siwukuphela kwesisusa sethu sokukhonza uJehova? Khona-ke kungaba lula ukuba siphelelwe ukubekezela noma singaneliseki lapho izinto ziba nzima noma izenzakalo zingenzeki ngendlela noma ngesikhathi ebesisilindele. Singaba sengozini embi yokukhukhuleka. (Heberu 2:1; 3:12) UPawulu wakhuluma ngowayekade engumngane wakhe, uDema, owamlahla. Ngani? Ngoba ‘wayethanda isimiso samanje sezinto.’ (2 Thimothewu 4:10) Noma ubani okhonza ngenxa yezizathu zobugovu nje kuphela usengozini yokwenza okufanayo. Angase akhangwe amathuba amvulekela manje ezweni futhi angabe esazimisela ukuzidela ngethemba lokuthola izibusiso ezizayo.
11 Nakuba kufanelekile futhi kungokwemvelo ukuba nesifiso sokuthola izibusiso zesikhathi esizayo nokophulwa ovivinyweni esikufiselayo, uthando lwakha ukwazisa kithi ngalokho okufanele kube mqoka ekuphileni kwethu. Into ebalulekile yintando kaJehova, hhayi eyethu. (Luka 22:41, 42) Yebo, uthando luyasakha. Lusenza saneliswe ukulindela uNkulunkulu wethu ngokubekezela, sigculiswe yinoma yiziphi izibusiso asinika zona futhi siqiniseka ukuthi ngesikhathi sakhe esifanele siyothola yonke into ayithembisile—nangaphezulu. (IHubo 145:16; 2 Korinte 12:8, 9) Okwamanje, uthando lusisiza ukuba siqhubeke sikhonza ngaphandle kobugovu ngoba “uthando . . . aluzifuneli izinzuzo zalo siqu.”—1 Korinte 13:4, 5.
Obani AmaKristu Okufanele Abathande?
12. NgokukaJesu, obani okufanele sibathande?
12 UJesu wanikeza isimiso esibanzi mayelana nokuthi obani okufanele sibathande lapho ecaphuna izinkulumo ezimbili eMthethweni KaMose. Wathi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke” wathi futhi, “Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.”—Mathewu 22:37-39.
13. Singakufunda kanjani ukuthanda uJehova yize singenakumbona?
13 Ngokwamazwi kaJesu, kusobala ukuthi ngokuyinhloko kufanele sithande uJehova kuqala. Nokho, asizalwa sinothando olukhule ngokugcwele ngoJehova. Kumelwe siluhlakulele. Lapho siqala ukuzwa ngaye, sakhangwa nguye ngenxa yalokho esakuzwa. Kancane kancane, safunda indlela alungiselela ngayo isintu umhlaba. (Genesise 2:5-23) Safunda ngendlela aye wasebenzelana ngayo nesintu, ukuthi akasilahlanga lapho isono singena emkhayeni wesintu ekuqaleni, kodwa wathatha izinyathelo zokusihlenga. (Genesise 3:1-5, 15) Wasebenzelana ngomusa nalabo ababethembekile, futhi ekugcineni waletha iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuze sithethelelwe izono zethu. (Johane 3:16, 36) Lolu lwazi olwandayo lwasenza samazisa nakakhulu uJehova. (Isaya 25:1) INkosi uDavide yathi yamthanda uJehova ngenxa yokukhathalela kwaKhe kothando. (IHubo 116:1-9) Namuhla, uJehova uyasinakekela, asiqondise, asiqinise futhi asikhuthaze. Lapho sifunda okwengeziwe ngaye, izinga esimthanda ngalo lijula ngokwengeziwe.—IHubo 31:23; Zefaniya 3:17; Roma 8:28.
Singalubonisa Kanjani Uthando Lwethu?
14. Iyiphi indlela esingabonisa ngayo ukuthi uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu luqotho?
14 Yebo, baningi emhlabeni abathi bayamthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa indlela abenza ngayo ikuphikise abakushoyo. Singazi kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda ngempela uJehova? Singakhuluma naye ngomthandazo simtshele ukuthi sizizwa kanjani. Futhi singenza ngendlela ebonisa uthando lwethu. Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Noma ubani oligcinayo izwi [likaNkulunkulu], ngempela uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwenziwe lwaphelela kulomuntu. Ngalokhu sinolwazi lokuthi sisebunyeni naye.” (1 Johane 2:5; 5:3) Phakathi kwezinye izinto, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisitshela ukuba sihlangane ndawonye futhi siphile ukuphila okuhlanzekile, kokuziphatha okuhle. Siyabugwema ubuzenzisi, sikhuluma iqiniso futhi sigcine ukucabanga kwethu kuhlanzekile. (2 Korinte 7:1; Efesu 4:15; 1 Thimothewu 1:5; Heberu 10:23-25) Sibonisa uthando ngokunikeza usizo olungokwenyama kulabo abaswele. (1 Johane 3:17, 18) Futhi asizigodli ekutsheleni abanye ngoJehova. Lokho kuhlanganisa ukuhlanganyela ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso emhlabeni wonke. (Mathewu 24:14; Roma 10:10) Ukulalela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ezintweni ezinjalo kuwubufakazi bokuthi uthando lwethu ngoJehova luqotho.
15, 16. Uthando ngoJehova lwakuthinta kanjani ukuphila kwabaningi ngonyaka odlule?
15 Uthando ngoJehova lusiza abantu ukuba benze izinqumo ezinhle. Ngonyaka odlule, uthando olunjalo lwashukumisela abantu abangu-288 907 ukuba banikezele ukuphila kwabo kuye futhi babonakalise leso sinqumo ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ukuzinikezela kwabo kwakunenjongo. Kwasho ushintsho ekuphileni kwabo. Ngokwesibonelo, uGazmend wayengesinye sezihlabani ze-basketball eziqavile e-Albania. Kwaba yiminyaka ethile yena nomkakhe betadisha iBhayibheli, futhi naphezu kwezithiyo bagcina befaneleka ukuba babe abamemezeli boMbuso. Ngonyaka odlule, uGazmend wabhapathizwa njengomunye wabangu-366 ababhapathizwa e-Albania ngonyaka wenkonzo ka-2000. Iphephandaba elithile lanyathelisa indaba ekhuluma ngaye lathi: “Ukuphila kwakhe kunenjongo, futhi ngenxa yalokhu, yena nomkhaya wakhe bajabulela isikhathi esimnandi kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwabo. Kuye, okubalulekile akusekhona ukuthi kungakanani angakuthola ekuphileni, kodwa kunalokho, sekuwukuthi kungakanani angaphana ngako ukuze asize abanye abantu.”
16 Ngokufanayo, udade owayesanda kubhapathizwa owayesebenzela inkampani kawoyela eGuam wathola ithuba elilingayo. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi elokhu enyuselwa ezikhundleni eziphakeme emsebenzini, ekugcineni wanikwa ithuba lokuba yiphini likamongameli lokuqala ngqá lomuntu wesifazane emlandweni wenkampani. Nokho, manje wayesenikezele ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova. Ngakho ngemva kokuxoxa nomyeni wakhe ngale ndaba, walenqaba leli thuba futhi kunalokho wahlela ukusebenza ngezikhathi ezithile kuphela ukuze akwazi ukuthuthukela ekubeni yisikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele, iphayona. Uthando ngoJehova lwamshukumisela ukuba afune ukukhonza njengephayona kunokuba aphishekele izithakazelo zaleli zwe ezingokwezimali. Eqinisweni, emhlabeni wonke uthando olunjalo lwashukumisela abangu-805 205 ukuba bahlanganyele ezicini ezihlukahlukene zenkonzo yokuphayona phakathi nonyaka wenkonzo ka-2000. Yeka ukubonakaliswa kothando nokholo okwenziwa yilawo maphayona!
Sishukunyiselwa Ukuthanda UJesu
17. Yisiphi isibonelo esihle sothando esisibona kuJesu?
17 UJesu uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu somuntu oshukunyiswa uthando. Ekuphileni kwakhe kwangaphambi kobuntu, wayemthanda uYise futhi esithanda nesintu. Ekhuluma sakuhlakanipha uqobo lwako, wathi: “Nganginaye ngiyingcweti yomsebenzi, ngiyintokozo yakhe imihla ngemihla, ngijabula phambi kwakhe isikhathi sonke, ngijabula ezweni lomhlaba wakhe, intokozo yami ikanye namadodana abantu.” (IzAga 8:30, 31) Uthando lukaJesu lwamshukumisela ukuba adele indawo yakhe ezulwini azalwe njengosana olungenakuzisiza. Wababekezelela futhi waba nomusa kwabathobekile futhi wahlukunyezwa yizitha zikaJehova. Ekugcineni, wafela sonke isintu esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa. (Johane 3:35; 14:30, 31; 15:12, 13; Filipi 2:5-11) Yeka isibonelo esihle sesisusa esifanele!
18. (a) Siluhlakulela kanjani uthando ngoJesu? (b) Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda uJesu?
18 Lapho labo abanesimo esifanele senhliziyo befunda ukulandisa kokuphila kukaJesu emaVangelini futhi bezindla ngezibusiso eziningi abaye bazilethelwa yinkambo yakhe yokwethembeka, lokhu kukhulisa uthando olujulile ngaye ngaphakathi kubo. Thina namuhla sinjengalabo uPetru ayekhuluma nabo lapho ethi: “Nakuba ningakaze nimbone [uJesu], niyamthanda.” (1 Petru 1:8) Uthando lwethu silubonisa lapho siba nokholo kuye futhi silingisa ukuphila kwakhe kokuzidela. (1 Korinte 11:1; 1 Thesalonika 1:6; 1 Petru 2:21-25) Ngo-April 19, 2000, ingqikithi yabangu-14 872 086 yakhunjuzwa ngezizathu esinazo zokuthanda uJesu lapho beseSikhumbuzweni sokufa kwakhe saminyaka yonke. Yeka ukuthi kwakuyinani elikhulu kangakanani lelo! Futhi yeka indlela okusiqinisa ngayo ukwazi ukuthi baningi kangaka abanesithakazelo ensindisweni etholakala ngomhlatshelo kaJesu! Ngempela, uthando uJehova noJesu abanalo ngathi nothando esinalo ngabo luyasakha.
19. Yimiphi imibuzo emayelana nothando okuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?
19 UJesu wathi kufanele sithande uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla. Kodwa wathi futhi kufanele sithande nomakhelwane wethu njengoba sizithanda thina. (Marku 12:29-31) Kuhlanganisa bani lokho? Futhi uthando lwethu ngomakhelwane lusisiza kanjani ukuba silondoloze ukulinganisela okuhle nesisusa esifanele? Le mibuzo kuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Uyakhumbula?
• Kungani uthando luyimfanelo ebalulekile?
• Singakufunda kanjani ukuthanda uJehova?
• Ukuziphatha kwethu kukufakazela kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova?
• Silubonisa kanjani uthando esinalo ngoJesu?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Izithombe ekhasini 10, 11]
Uthando lusisiza ukuba silinde impumuzo ngesineke
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Umhlatshelo omkhulu kaJesu usishukumisela ukuba simthande