Hlakulela Uthando Olungasoze Lwaphela
‘Uthando lukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Uthando alusoze lwaphela nanini.’—1 KOR. 13:7, 8.
1. (a) Ngokuvamile, uthando luvezwa kanjani? (b) Uthando lwabaningi lugxile kobani nakuziphi izinto?
KUNINGI okuye kwashiwo ngothando. Le mfanelo iye yadunyiswa futhi kwaculwa ngayo. Uthando luyisidingo esiyisisekelo sabantu. Kodwa ngokuvamile luyahlanekezelwa ezincwadini nakumabhayisikobho, futhi kudayiswa inqwaba yalezi zinto. Kodwa kuyadabukisa ukuthi uthando lwangempela ngoJehova nangomakhelwane luyantuleka. Esikubona kwenzeka yilokho okwabikezelwa iBhayibheli ngokuphathelene nalezi zinsuku zokugcina. Abantu ‘bangabazithandayo nabathandi benjabulo kunokuba abathandi bakaNkulunkulu.’—2 Thim. 3:1-5.
2. Isiphi isixwayiso iBhayibheli elisinikezayo ngothando olungafanele?
2 Abantu banekhono lokubonisa uthando, kodwa iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisixwayisa ngothando olungafanele. IBhayibheli lichaza lokho okwenzekayo lapho umuntu eba nalolo thando enhliziyweni. (1 Thim. 6:9, 10) Ingabe uyakukhumbula lokho okwalotshwa umphostoli uPawulu ngoDema? Nakuba ayehamba noPawulu, uDema waqala ukuthanda izinto zezwe. (2 Thim. 4:10) Umphostoli uJohane waxwayisa amaKristu ngayo le ngozi. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 2:15, 16.) Ukuthanda izwe, izindlela nezinto zalo ezidlulayo kuyangqubuzana nokuthanda uNkulunkulu nalokho okuvela kuye.
3. Iyiphi inselele esibhekene nayo, futhi isishiya namiphi imibuzo?
3 Asiyona ingxenye yaleli zwe, kodwa sisahlala kulo. Ngakho, sibhekene nenselele yokugwema umbono wezwe osontekile ngothando. Kubalulekile ukuba singavumi ukubanjwa uthando olungafanele noma oluhlanekezelwe. Ngakho-ke, obani okufanele sihlakulele futhi sibonise uthando olunezimiso kubo? Imaphi amalungiselelo asenza sikwazi ukuhlakulela uthando olukhuthazelela zonke izinto nolungasoze lwaphela? Le nkambo isizuzisa kanjani manje futhi ilithinta kanjani ikusasa lethu? Sidinga izimpendulo ezinikezwa uNkulunkulu ukuze zisiqondise ngendlela efanele.
Ukuhlakulela Uthando NgoJehova
4. Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lukhula kanjani?
4 Ukuhlakulela into kungase kusho ukulungiselela nokukhuthaza okuthile ukuba kukhule. Cabanga ngomlimi ozikhandlayo elungisa inhlabathi abese etshala imbewu. Ulindele ukuba ikhule. (Heb. 6:7) Ngokufanayo, uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu kufanele lukhule. Yini edingekayo ukuze lokhu kwenzeke? Kumelwe silungise inhlabathi enhle yenhliziyo yethu okutshalwe kuyo imbewu yeqiniso loMbuso. Lokhu singakwenza ngokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo ukuze sandise ulwazi lwethu ngaye. (Kol. 1:10) Ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yebandla nokuhlanganyela kuyo kuyosisiza nokuba sandise ulwazi lwethu. Ingabe thina ngabanye siyazikhandla njalo ukuze sibe nolwazi olujulile?—IzAga 2:1-7.
5. (a) Yini engasisiza ukuba sifunde ngezimfanelo zikaJehova eziyinhloko? (b) Yini ongayisho ngobulungisa, ukuhlakanipha namandla kaNkulunkulu?
5 UJehova wembula ubuntu bakhe eZwini lakhe. Ngokutadisha imiBhalo nangokuqhubeka singenisa ulwazi ngoJehova singajulisa ukwazisa kwethu ngezimfanelo zakhe—ubulungisa, amandla, ukuhlakanipha futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke, uthando lwakhe olukhulu. UJehova ubonisa ubulungisa kuzo zonke izindlela zakhe nasemthethweni wakhe ophelele. (Dut. 32:4; IHu. 19:7) Singazindla ngayo yonke imisebenzi kaJehova yendalo futhi ukuhlakanipha kwakhe okuphakeme kungagxilisa kithi ukumesaba. (IHu. 104:24) Indawo yonke isinikeza nobufakazi bokuthi uJehova unguMthombo wamandla ashukumisayo nangapheli.—Isaya 40:26.
6. UNkulunkulu uye wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyasithanda, futhi lokhu kuye kwakuthinta kanjani?
6 Singathini ngemfanelo kaNkulunkulu evelele, uthando? Lubanzi kakhulu futhi lusithinta sonke. Walubonisa ngokulungiselela isihlengo ukuze kukhululwe isintu. (Funda amaRoma 5:8.) Leli lungiselelo lenzelwe lonke izwe lesintu, kodwa yilabo abasabela othandweni lukaNkulunkulu futhi babonise ukholo eNdodaneni yakhe kuphela abayozuza kulo. (Joh. 3:16, 36) Ukunikela kukaNkulunkulu ngoJesu njengomhlatshelo ohlawulela izono zethu kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba nathi simthande.
7, 8. (a) Yini edingekayo ukuze sibonise ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu? (b) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bagcina imiyalo yakhe naphezu kwaziphi izimo?
7 Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu ngenxa yazo zonke izinto asenzele zona? Yizwa le mpendulo ephefumulelwe ebalulekile: “Yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe; futhi imiyalo yakhe ayiwona umthwalo.” (1 Joh. 5:3) Yebo, ukuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu kusishukumisela ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe. Lokhu kungesinye sezizathu ezenza ukuba sifakaze ngegama nangoMbuso wakhe, okuyinto ezuzisa abanye. Ukwenza lokhu ngenhliziyo echichimayo kuwubufakazi bokuthi silalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu ngezisusa ezinhle.—Math. 12:34.
8 Abafowethu emhlabeni wonke bayaqhubeka belalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu naphezu kokuthi abantu abaningi abasinaki futhi basenqaba ngokuqondile isigijimi soMbuso. Abakhathali emizamweni yabo yokufeza inkonzo yabo ngokugcwele. (2 Thim. 4:5) Ngokufanayo, sishukunyiselwa ukuba sihlanganyele nabanye ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu nokuba sigcine yonke eminye imiyalo yakhe.
Okwenza Sithande INkosi Yethu UJesu Kristu
9. Yini uKristu ayikhuthazelela, futhi wayeshukunyiswa yini?
9 Ngaphezu kokuthanda uNkulunkulu, sinezizathu eziningi ezenza sihlakulele uthando ngeNdodana yakhe. Nakuba singakaze simbone uJesu, uthando lwethu ngaye luyakhula njengoba sifunda okwengeziwe ngaye. (1 Pet. 1:8) Yiziphi ezinye zezinto uJesu azikhuthazelela? Ngesikhathi uJesu enza intando kaYise, wazondwa ngaphandle kwesizathu, washushiswa, wamangalelwa ngamanga futhi wathukwa. Waphathwa kabi nangezinye izindlela. (Funda uJohane 15:25.) Uthando lukaJesu ngoYise osezulwini lwamshukumisela ukuba azikhuthazelele zonke lezo zimo ezivivinyayo. Umhlatshelo awenza eshukunyiswa uthando, waba isihlengo sabaningi.—Math. 20:28
10, 11. Sicabanga ngalokho uKristu asenzele khona, yini esizimisele ukuyenza?
10 Inkambo kaJesu isishukumisela esenzweni. Njengoba sicabanga ngalokho uKristu asenzele khona, uthando lwethu ngaye luyajula. Njengabalandeli bakhe, kufanele silwele ukuhlakulela nokuqhubeka sibonisa uthando olunjengolukaKristu ukuze sikhuthazele ekugcineni umyalo wakhe wokufakaza ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi.—Math. 28:19, 20.
11 Sisabela othandweni uKristu alubonisa sonke isintu, sizizwa siphoqelekile ukuba sifeze isabelo sethu ngaphambi kokuba kufike ukuphela. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 5:14, 15.) Uthando uKristu alubonisa lwaluwumgogodla ekufezeni kwakhe injongo kaNkulunkulu ngesintu. Isibonelo asishiyela sona ukuze sisilandele eduze senza ngamunye kithi abe nengxenye kuleyo njongo kaNkulunkulu. Lokhu kudinga ukuba nakanjani sihlakulele uthando ngoNkulunkulu ngezinga eligcwele ngangokunokwenzeka. (Math. 22:37) Ngokwenza lokho uJesu akufundisa nangokugcina imiyalo yakhe, sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda futhi sizimisele ukusekela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu kumnyama kubomvu, njengoba nje kwenza uJesu.—Joh. 14:23, 24; 15:10.
Ukuphishekela Indlela Ezedlula Zonke Yothando
12. UPawulu wayeshoni lapho ekhuluma ‘ngendlela ezedlula zonke’?
12 Umphostoli uPawulu wayengumlingisi kaKristu. Ngenxa yalokhu wayengasho kugcwale umlomo ukuba abafowabo bamlingise. (1 Kor. 11:1) Nakuba anxusa amaKristu aseKorinte ukuba aqhubeke efuna ngentshiseko izipho ezithile zomoya ezazikhona ekhulwini lokuqala, njengokuphulukisa nokukhuluma ngezilimi, uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi kwakunokuthile okungcono ayengakuphishekela. Kweyoku-1 Korinte 12:31 wathi: “Nokho nginibonisa indlela ezidlula zonke.” Umongo wamavesi alandelayo ubonisa ukuthi wayesho indlela ezedlula zonke yothando. Kungamuphi umqondo lwaluzedlula zonke? UPawulu wabe esekhanyisa lokho ayekusho. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 13:1-3.) Uma ayengaba namakhono athile akhethekile futhi engafeza izinto ezinkulu kodwa engenalo uthando, wayeyoba yini? Wayengezukuba yilutho! Eshukunyiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu, walicacisa kahle leli phuzu elibalulekile. Yeka indlela enamandla aligcizelela ngayo leli phuzu kithi!
13. (a) Sithini isihloko sonyaka ka-2010? (b) Kungamuphi umqondo uthando lungasoze lwaphela?
13 UPawulu ube esechaza lokho uthando oluyikho nalokho olungeyikho. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 13:4-8.) Manje, zinike isikhathi sokuzihlola ukuthi wenza kanjani endabeni yothando. Gxila ikakhulu emshwaneni wokugcina evesini 7 nasemshweni wokuqala evesini 8: ‘Uthando lukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Uthando alusoze lwaphela nanini,’ okuyisihloko sethu sonyaka ka-2010. Phawula ukuthi evesini 8, uPawulu wathi izipho zomoya, ezihlanganisa ukuprofetha nokukhuluma ngezilimi—ezazisetshenziswa lapho ibandla lobuKristu lisafufusa—zaziyoqedwa. Zaziyophela. Kodwa uthando lwaluyohlale lukhona. UJehova uyilo kanye uthando futhi uhlala phakade. Ngakho, uthando alusoze lwaphela. Luyoqhubeka lukhona phakade njengemfanelo kaNkulunkulu wethu waphakade.—1 Joh. 4:8.
Uthando Lukhuthazelela Zonke Izinto
14, 15. (a) Uthando lungasisiza kanjani ukuba sikhuthazelele izimo ezivivinyayo? (b) Kungani omunye umzalwane osemusha enqaba ukuyekethisa?
14 Yini eyenza amaKristu akhuthazelele noma iluphi uvivinyo, izimo ezinzima nezinkinga ahlangabezana nazo? Ngokuyisisekelo uthando olunezimiso. Uthando olunjalo ludlulela ngale kokudela impahla ethile. Lwenabela eqophelweni lokuzimisela ukulondoloza ubuqotho bethu ngisho nokudela ukuphila kwethu ngenxa kaKristu. (Luka 9:24, 25) Cabanga ngenkambo yokwethembeka yoFakazi abahlushwa emakamu okuhlushwa, okufukuzwa kuwo nasemajele phakathi neMpi Yezwe II nangemva kwayo.
15 UFakazi osemusha waseJalimane okuthiwa uWilhelm ukukhanyisa kahle lokhu. Kunokuba ayekethise, wahlala eqotho lapho ezodutshulwa iqembu labadubuli bamaNazi. Encwadini yokuvalelisa ayibhalela umkhaya wakubo, wathi: “Ngaphezu kwakho konke kumelwe sithande uNkulunkulu, njengoba uMholi wethu uJesu Kristu asiyala. Uma simmelela, uyosivuza.” Kamuva, esihlokweni se-Nqabayokulinda, elinye ilungu lomkhaya wakubo lathi: “Phakathi neziyaluyalu zalesi sikhathi, njengomkhaya siye saqikelela ukuba uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu luze kuqala njalo.” Yilowo moya oboniswa abaningi babafowethu kwamanje abakhuthazelela ukuboshwa e-Armenia, e-Eritrea, eNingizimu Korea nakwamanye amazwe. Laba bafowethu bahlale begxilile othandweni lwabo ngoJehova.
16. Yini abafowethu baseMalawi abaye bayikhuthazelela?
16 Ezindaweni eziningi, ukholo nokukhuthazela kwabafowethu kuvivinywa ngezinye izindlela. EMalawi, oFakazi BakaJehova bakhuthazelela ukuvinjelwa uhulumeni, ukuphikiswa kanzima nezenzo zonya eziningi iminyaka engu-26. Ukukhuthazela kwabo kwavuzwa. Lapho kugqashuka ushushiso, kwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-18 000 kulelo zwe. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-30 base bengu-38 393 inani elingaphezu kokuphindwa kabili kwelokuqala. Kuye kwaba nemiphumela ethi ayifane nakwamanye amazwe.
17. Yini abanye abasemikhayeni ehlukene ngokwenkolo ababhekana nayo, futhi kungani bekwazi ukukhuthazelela ukuphathwa kabi?
17 Abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababhekani nokuhlaselwa ngokuqondile kuphela. Ngezinye izikhathi amaKristu ngamanye aphikiswa ngonya amalungu omndeni. Ingcindezi ingavela kwamanye amalungu omkhaya noma izihlobo eziseduze. Akazange yini uJesu abikezele ukuthi lokhu kwakuyokwenzeka? Yebo, futhi abaningi baye bakubona ngawabo ukuba iqiniso kwamazwi akhe. (Math. 10:35, 36) Abevé eshumini nambili baye bakhuthazelela ukuphikiswa abazali abangebona oFakazi. Abanye baye baxoshwa ekhaya, kodwa bamukelwa oFakazi abanomusa. Abanye baye basulwa ngisho nasezincwadini zamafa. Yini eyenza ukuba laba bafowethu bakhuthazele lapho bephathwa kabi? Akulona uthando lwabo ngabafowabo kuphela, kodwa okukhulu kunakho konke, uthando lwabo oluqotho ngoJehova nangeNdodana yakhe.—1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Joh. 4:21.
18. Uthando olukhuthazelela izinto zonke luwasiza kanjani amaKristu ashadile?
18 Kunezinye izimo eziningi ekuphileni ezidinga ukuba sibonise kuzo uthando olukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Emshadweni, uthando lwenza abashadile bahloniphe amazwi kaJesu: “Lokho uNkulunkulu akubophele ndawonye makungahlukaniswa muntu.” (Math. 19:6) Lapho ebhekene “nosizi enyameni,” amaKristu ashadile kufanele azikhumbuze ukuthi uJehova uyingxenye ebalulekile emshadweni wawo. (1 Kor. 7:28) IZwi lakhe lithi ‘uthando lukhuthazelela zonke izinto,’ futhi indoda nomkayo abagqoke le mfanelo bayaqiniswa ukuze banamathelane futhi balondoloze umshado wabo.—Kol. 3:14.
19. Yini eye yenzeka phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngemva kwezinhlekelele zemvelo?
19 Uthando lusisiza ukuba sikhuthazelele zonke izinto ezikhathini zezinhlekelele zemvelo. Lokhu kwaba njalo lapho ukuzamazama komhlaba kugadla eningizimu yePeru nalapho iSiphepho uKatrina sicekela phansi izindawo eziningi zeGulf Coast yase-United States. Abazalwane abaningi balahlekelwa amakhaya abo nayimpahla yabo kulezo zinhlekelele. Uthando lwashukumisela abazalwane bethu bomhlaba wonke ukuba balungiselele izinto zokusiza, kwathi izisebenzi zokuzithandela zasiza ekwakheni kabusha amakhaya namaHholo OMbuso ayebhidlikile. Izenzo ezinjalo zibonisa ukuthi abafowethu bayathandana futhi bayakhathalelana ngazo zonke izikhathi nangaphansi kwanoma iziphi izimo.—Joh. 13:34, 35; 1 Pet. 2:17.
Uthando Alusoze Lwaphela
20, 21. (a) Kungani uthando luyigugu ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izinto? (b) Kungani uzimisele ukuphishekela indlela yothando?
20 Namuhla, sibona ukuhlakanipha kokuphishekela indlela ezedlula zonke yothando phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. Ngempela, luyindlela ezedlula zonke kunoma iziphi izimo. Phawula indlela umphostoli uPawulu aligcizelela ngayo leli qiniso. Waqale wathi izipho zomoya zaziyophela futhi wathi ibandla lobuKristu laliyodlula ebangeni lokufufusa lifinyelele ekuvuthweni. Wabe esephetha: “Nokho, manje kusele ukholo, ithemba, uthando, lokhu kokuthathu; kodwa okukhulu kunakho konke lokhu uthando.”—1 Kor. 13:13.
21 Zonke izinto esizikholelwayo ziyogcina zigcwalisekile futhi ngenxa yalokho siyophela isidingo sokuba nokholo kuzo. Ithemba esinalo ezithembisweni esilindele ukuzibona zigcwaliseka ngeke sisalidinga ngemva kokuba zonke izinto sezenziwe zaba zintsha. Kodwa kuthiwani ngothando? Lona alusoze lwaphela nanini. Luyohlale lukhona. Njengoba siyobe siphila phakade, ngokuqinisekile siyobona futhi siqonde izici eziningi ngokwengeziwe zothando lukaNkulunkulu. Lapho uphishekela indlela ezedlula zonke yothando olungasoze lwaphela ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu, ungase uhlale kuze kube phakade.—1 Joh. 2:17.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kungani kumelwe sigweme uthando olungafanele?
• Yini uthando olungasisiza ukuba siyikhuthazelele?
• Kushiwo ngamuphi umqondo ukuthi uthando alusoze lwaphela?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 27]
Isihloko sonyaka sika-2010 sithi: ‘Uthando lukhuthazelela zonke izinto. Uthando alusoze lwaphela nanini.’ —1 Kor. 13:7, 8.
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lusishukumisela ukuba sifakaze
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Uthando olungapheli lwenza abafowethu nodadewethu baseMalawi bakhuthazelela ubunzima