“Thanda Umakhelwana Wakho Njengalokhu Uzithanda Wena”

1, 2. (a) UJesu wathi yiwuphi umlayo wesibili omkhulu kulayo yonke eMthethweni? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esizayiphendula esihlokweni lesi?

OMUNYE umFarisi owayelinga uJesu wambuza wathi: “Mfundisi, yiwuphi umlayo omkhulu kulayo yonke eMthethweni?” Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi uJesu wamphendula wathi umlayo “oyingqala njalo odlula yonke imilayo” yilo: “Thanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langengqondo yakho yonke.” UJesu waphinda wathi: “Owesibili unjengawo: ‘Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.’ ”​—Mat. 22:34-39.

² UJesu wathi kumele sithande umakhelwana wethu njengalokhu sizithanda thina. Yikho-ke singazibuza lokhu: Ngubani sibili ongumakhelwana wethu? Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana?

3, 4. (a) UJesu wasebenzisa wuphi umzekeliso ukuze aphendule umbuzo othi: “Kanti ngubani ongumakhelwana wami na”? (b) UmSamariya wayinceda njani indoda eyayintshontshelwe, yatshaywa njalo yatshiywa iqalekile? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

³ Singacabanga ukuthi umakhelwana wethu ngumuntu ohlala duze lathi esimjayeleyo njalo ohlala esinceda. (Zaga. 27:10) Kodwa khangela ukuthi uJesu wathini lapho enye indoda eyayifuna ukuzenza umuntu olungileyo imbuza isithi: “Kanti ngubani ongumakhelwana wami na?” UJesu wayiphendula ngokuyitshela umzekeliso womSamariya owayelesihawu. (Bala uLukha 10:29-37.) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi emzekelisweni lo, siyabe sikhangelele ukuthi umphristi wako-Israyeli lomLevi kube yibo omakhelwana abalothando nxa bebona indoda entshontshelweyo, yatshaywa njalo yatshiywa iqalekile. Kodwa badlula nje, angani abayiboni. Indoda le yancedwa ngumSamariya njalo amaSamariya ayengabantu ababehlonipha uMthetho kaMosi kodwa bezondwa kakhulu ngamaJuda.​—Joh. 4:9.

⁴ UmSamariya lo owayelesihawu wazama sibili ukunceda indoda le ngokuthela amanxeba ayo ngamafutha lewayini ukuze iphole. Izinhlamvu ezimbili zesiliva ezatshiyelwa umphathi wendawo ukuthi azisebenzise ukunakekela indoda le eyayilimele zazingalingana lomholo wamalanga amabili. (Mat. 20:2) Kuyazicacela-ke ukuthi ngubani sibili owaba ngumakhelwana wendoda le eyayilimele. Umzekeliso kaJesu usifundisa lokuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi sibe lesihawu njalo sibathande omakhelwana bethu.

 5. Izinceku zikaJehova zatshengisa njani ukuthi ziyabathanda omakhelwana ngesikhathi kulesiphepho esadala umonakalo eNew York?

⁵ Balutshwana kakhulu abantu abalesihawu njengomSamariya esikhulume ngaye. Siphila “ezinsukwini zokucina” ezinzima kakhulu lapho okugcwele khona abantu abangelathando, abalesihluku labangakuthandiyo okuhle. (2 Tim. 3:1-3) Ngokwesibonelo izinto zingaba nzima kakhulu nxa kube lomonakalo othile. Ngo-October 2012 kwaba lesiphepho esikhulu edolobheni laseNew York. Kwenye indawo edolobheni lelo, isiphepho sasidale umonakalo omkhulu kakhulu. Yikho-ke kulabanye abantu abahle bazitshela ukuthi ilele ngophondo, basebentshontshela labo ababevele sebelohlupho lwamagetsi kanye lokunye nje okokuziphilisa. Kodwa oFakazi bakaJehova bona benza uhlelo lokuthi bancedisane njalo bancedise labanye. Yikho-ke amaKhristu ayancedisana aphinde ancede labanye ngoba ayabathanda omakhelwana bawo. Kuyini okunye esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu?

 6. Ukutshumayela kuhambelana njani lokuthanda umakhelwana?

⁶ Tshela abanye iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. Lokhu sikwenza ‘ngokubakhuthaza ngeMibhalo’ zikhathi zonke. (Rom. 15:4) Nxa sitshumayeza omakhelwana bethu sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda ngoba siyabe sibatshela iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. (Mat. 24:14) Sibusisiwe sibili ngoba sitshela abanye umlayezo woMbuso ovela ‘kuNkulunkulu wethemba.’​—Rom. 15:13.

 7. Kutshoni ukuphatha abanye ngendlela ofuna ukuphathwa ngayo, njalo kusinceda ngani ukwenza njalo?

⁷ Phatha abanye ngendlela ofuna ukuphathwa ngayo. Isimiso lesi sitholakala emazwini uJesu awakhuluma eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni athi: “Kuzo zonke izinto yenzani kwabanye lokho elifuna bakwenze kini ngokuba lokhu yikho okugoqela uMthetho labaPhrofethi.” (Mat. 7:12) Nxa silandela okwatshiwo nguJesu endleleni esiphatha ngayo abanye, siyabe sisenza okuhambelana ‘loMthetho’ (okuGenesisi kusiya kuDutheronomi) kanye “labaPhrofethi” (amabhuku eziphrofetho aseMibhalweni yesiHebheru). EMibhalweni le kuyacaca ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasibusisa nxa sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda abanye. Esebenzisa umphrofethi wakhe u-Isaya, uJehova wathi: ‘Londoloza ukulunga wenze okuqondileyo. Ubusisiwe umuntu okwenzayo lokhu.’ (Isaya. 56:1, 2) Sibusisiwe sibili ngoba sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu njalo sibaphatha kuhle.

 8. Kungani kumele sithande izitha zethu, njalo kuyini okungenzakala nxa siqhubeka sizithanda?

⁸ Thanda izitha zakho. UJesu wathi: “Selezwa ukuthi kwathiwa, ‘Thanda umakhelwana wakho, usizonde isitha sakho.’ Kodwa mina ngilitshela ukuthi, Thandani izitha zenu, libathandazele lalabo abalihluphayo, ukuze libe ngamadodana kaYihlo osezulwini.” (Mat. 5:43-45) Umphostoli uPhawuli laye wakhuluma ngomcijo onjengalowo lapho ebhala ukuthi: “Uma isitha senu silambile, sipheni ukudla; uma somile, sinikeni okunathwayo.” (Rom. 12:20; Zaga. 25:21) UMthetho kaMosi wawusithi nxa ubabhemi wesitha sakho usuwiswe ngumthwalo, kumele usincedise ukuthi simvuse. (Eks. 23:5) Yikho-ke nxa abantu abayizitha bangancedisana, bacina sebengabangane abazwanana kakhulu. AmaKhristu amanengi atshengisa ukuthi ayazithanda izitha zawo njalo lokhu sekwenze ukuthi lazo zicine seziwaphatha kuhle. Kungasithokozisa kakhulu ukubona izitha zethu okugoqela lalezo ezilesihluku esikhulu zintshintsha zisiba ngamaKhristu eqiniso ngenxa yokuthi siyabe sizitshengise ukuthi siyazithanda.

 9. UJesu wathini ngokuxolisana lomfowethu ukuze sihlalisane ngokuthula?

⁹ ‘Zama kakhulu ukuhlalisana ngokuthula labantu bonke.’ (Heb. 12:14) Lokhu kugoqela labafowethu esikholwa labo ngoba uJesu wathi: “Uma uletha umnikelo wakho e-alithareni ubusukhumbula ukuthi umfowenu ulesikhwili lawe, tshiya khonapho isipho sakho phambi kwe-alithare. Qala uyexolisana laye umfowenu anduba ubuye uzokupha umnikelo wakho.” (Mat. 5:23, 24) UNkulunkulu uzasibusisa nxa sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda umfowethu njalo siphangisa ukuyaxolisana laye nxa kulohlupho oluthile ukuze sihlalisane ngokuthula.

10. Kungani kungamelanga sithande ukudinga amacala kwabanye?

¹⁰ Ungathandi ukudinga amacala kwabanye. UJesu wathi: “Lingehluleli funa lani lehlulelwe. Ngoba ngaleyondlela elahlulela ngayo abanye lani lizakwehlulelwa ngayo, langalesosilinganiso elisisebenzisayo lani lizalinganiselwa ngaso. Ubonelani isicucwana esiselihlweni lomfowenu, unganqinekeli ugodo olukwelakho ilihlo? Loba uzakutsho njani kumfowenu ukuthi, ‘Wothi ngikukhuphe isicucwana elihlweni lakho,’ wena ulokhu ulogodo kwelakho ilihlo? Mzenzisi, qala ususe ugodo elihlweni lakho ukuze ubone kakuhle nxa usukhupha isicucwana esiselihlweni lomfowenu.” (Mat. 7:1-5) Siyabona sibili ukuthi kugcizelelwa kucace ukuthi akumelanga sihlale sisola abanye ngokuncane abakuphambanisayo lathi kungenzakala ukuthi silokukhulu esiyabe sikuphambanisa.

11, 12. Kuyini okuqakatheke kakhulu esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu?

¹¹ Okuqakatheke kakhulu esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu yikubatshela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso njengoJesu. (Luk. 8:1) Walaya abalandeli bakhe ukuthi ‘benze abafundi ezizweni zonke.’ (Mat. 28:19, 20) Nxa sisebenza gadalala ukuthi siwenze umsebenzi lo, siyabe sizama ukunceda omakhelwana bethu ukuthi baphume endleleni ebanzi eya ekubhujisweni bangene endleleni elukhonjwana eya ekuphileni okungapheliyo. (Mat. 7:13, 14) UJehova uyasibusisa sibili nxa sisenza okusemandleni ethu ukuze sincede omakhelwana bethu ngezindaba ezinhle.

¹² Kanti njalo silingisela uJesu ngokunceda abantu ukuthi babe lobuhlobo obuhle loNkulunkulu. (Mat. 5:3) Abalalela umlayezo woMbuso sibanceda ngokubatshela “ivangeli likaNkulunkulu.” (Rom. 1:⁠1) Lokhu kwenza ukuthi babuyisane loNkulunkulu ngoJesu Khristu. (2 Khor. 5:18, 19) Yikho-ke nxa sitshumayeza omakhelwana bethu siyabe sibatshela izindaba ezinhle eziqakatheke kakhulu, futhi lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda kakhulu.

13. Uzizwa njani nxa usenza umsebenzi wokumemezela uMbuso?

¹³ Nxa silungiselela kuhle singakayibona izimpindela zethu kanye lalabo esifunda labo iBhayibhili, sizathokoza ngoba siyabe sibanceda ukuthi basebenzise izimiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilungileyo empilweni zabo. Lokhu kungenza ukuthi lowo esifunda laye iBhayibhili antshintshe. (1 Khor. 6:9-11) Kanti-ke kuyasithokozisa sibili ukubona ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubanceda njani ‘abamiselwe ukuphila okungapheliyo’ ukuthi bantshintshe lapho okumele bantshintshe khona, besebesiba lobuhlobo obuhle laye. (ImiSeb. 13:48) Yikho-ke abanengi basuka babe lethemba elibenza ukuthi basuthiseke njalo bangakhathazeki kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi bayabe sebemthemba uBaba wethu osezulwini. Uzwa njani nxa ubona abasanda kuba ngoFakazi bethuthuka ekukhonzeni? Kambe ngubani ongaphika ukuthi kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukutshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana wethu ngokwenza umsebenzi lo oqakathekileyo wokumemezela uMbuso?

14. Chasisa ngamazwi akho ukuthi uthando luchazwa njani ku-1 Khorinte 13:​4-8.

¹⁴ Nxa singakusebenzisa lokho okwatshiwo nguPhawuli mayelana lothando singahlalisana kuhle labomakhelwana bethu. Asisoze sibe lezinhlupho ezinengi, sizathokoza njalo uNkulunkulu uzasibusisa. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 13:4-8.) Ake sihlole kafitshane ukuthi uPhawuli wathini ngothando besesibona ukuthi singawasebenzisa njani amazwi akhe ukuze sihlalisane kuhle labomakhelwana bethu.

15. (a) Kungani kumele sibekezele futhi sibe lomusa? (b) Kungani kungamelanga sibe lomona kanye lokuzikhukhumeza?

¹⁵ “Uthando luyabekezela, uthando lulomusa.” UNkulunkulu uyasibekezelela njalo ulomusa kithi lanxa silesono. Yikho-ke lathi kumele sibekezele futhi sibe lomusa nxa abanye bephambanisa, bekhuluma kubi kumbe besidelela. Nxa silothando lweqiniso asisoze sibe lomhawu ngempahla yomunye umuntu kumbe izibusiso zomsebenzi wenkonzo alazo ebandleni ngoba uthando “kalulamona.” Kanti njalo uthando lwenza ukuthi singazincomi futhi singazigqaji ngoba “amehlo okuzikhukhumeza lenhliziyo ezigqajayo, okuyikho okukhokhela ababi, konke yizono!”​—Zaga. 21:4.

16, 17. Singakwenza njani lokho okuchazwe ku-1 Khorinte 13:​5, 6?

¹⁶ Uthando luzakwenza ukuthi singabenzeli okubi omakhelwana bethu. Asisoze sibaqambele amanga, sibantshontshele kumbe senze loba yini engahambisani lemithetho kaJehova kanye lezimiso zakhe. Kanti njalo uthando luzasenza sibe lendaba lokufunwa ngabanye kulokuthi sizifunele okwethu kuphela.​—Flp. 2:4.

¹⁷ Uthando lweqiniso kaluphangisi ukuthukuthela njalo “kalubambeli zikhwili.” Lokhu kutsho ukuthi asisoze senze angani silebhuku esibhalela kulo konke okubi esiyabe sikwenzelwe ngabanye. (1 Thes. 5:15) Nxa singabambela abanye izikhwili, uNkulunkulu kasoze athokoze njalo kuyabe kufanana lokuthi sikhwezela umlilo ongalavuka, usitshise uphinde utshise labanye. (Levi. 19:18) Uthando lwenza ukuthi sithokozele iqiniso njalo lanxa umuntu osizondayo angaphathwa kubi kumbe izinto zingamhambeli kuhle kalusivumeli ukuthi simhleke ngoba “kaluthokozeli okubi.”​—Bala iZaga 24:17, 18.

18. U-1 Khorinte 13:​7, 8 usifundisani ngothando?

¹⁸ UPhawuli kazange acine khonapho. Waphinda wathi uthando “luhlezi luvikela.” Lokhu kutsho ukuthi asisoze sihambe sitshela uwonke wonke nxa othile esonele, kodwa sizamthethelela. Uthando “luhlezi lukholwa” zonke izinto eziseLizwini likaNkulunkulu njalo lwenza siqakathekise konke asipha khona ukuze sandise ulwazi lwethu ngaye. Uthando “luhlezi luthemba” konke okuseBhayibhilini njalo luyasithuma ukuthi sitshele abanye ukuthi kuyini okwenza sibe lethemba. (1 Phet. 3:15) Kanti njalo nxa silezilingo siyathandaza silethemba lokuthi izinto zizakuba ngcono. Uthando “luhlezi lubekezela” kuzo zonke izinto kungaba yikonelwa, ukuhlukuluzwa kumbe ezinye izilingo. Isiphetho sendaba nansi: “Uthando kalupheli.” Abantu abalalelayo bazahlala belothando kuze kube nini lanini.

19, 20. Yisiphi iseluleko esiseMibhalweni esisikhuthaza ukuthi siqhubeke sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana wethu?

¹⁹ Sizaqhubeka sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana wethu nxa sisebenzisa iseluleko esiseBhayibhilini. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi sizabe sithanda bonke abantu, hatshi abemihlobo yethu kuphela. Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi uJesu wathi: “Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.” (Mat. 22:39) UNkulunkulu loKhristu bafuna sibathande omakhelwana bethu. Yikho-ke nxa kunzima ukutshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu, kasithandazeni ukuze uNkulunkulu asikhokhele esebenzisa umoya ongcwele. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi asibusise njalo kuzasinceda lokuthi sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana wethu.​—Rom. 8:26, 27.

²⁰ Umlayo wokuthanda omakhelwana bethu njengalokhu sizithanda thina ubizwa ngokuthi ‘ngumthetho wobukhosi.’ (Jak. 2:8) UPhawuli wathi eqeda ukukhuluma ngeminye imilayo yoMthetho kaMosi, wathi: “Leminye imilayo engabe ikhona ihlanganiswa ngomthetho lo othi: ‘Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Uthando kalwenzi ngozi kumakhelwana. Ngakho uthando luyikugcwaliswa komthetho.” (Rom. 13:8-10) Yikho-ke kumele siqhubeke sitshengisa ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana.

21, 22. Kungani kumele sithande uNkulunkulu lomakhelwana wethu?

²¹ UJesu wathi uYise “wenza ilanga lakhe liphume kwababi labalungileyo, anise izulu kwabenza okuhle lakwabangalunganga.” (Mat. 5:43-45) Yikho-ke kuhle ukuthi sinakane ngamazwi la nxa sicabangisisa ngokuthi kungani kumele sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana wethu. Kumele simthande kungelani lokuthi wenza okuhle kumbe okubi. Ezindimeni ezidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi okuqakatheke kakhulu esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana yikubatshela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Zinengi kakhulu izibusiso abangazithola nxa besamukela izindaba ezinhle njalo besebenzisa abakufundayo.

²² Sesibonile-ke ukuthi ngeke sizibale siziqede izizatho ezenza simthande ngenhliziyo yethu yonke uJehova. Kanti njalo kulokunengi esingakwenza ukuze sitshengise ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwana wethu. Nxa simthanda uNkulunkulu kanye lomakhelwana wethu siyabe silalela lokho okwatshiwo nguJesu mayelana lendaba yothando eqakatheke kakhulu. Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi siyabe sithokozisa uJehova, uBaba wethu osezulwini osithandayo.