Abelusi Abanothando, Izimvu Ezithembayo

EZIKHATHINI zeBhayibheli ukunamathelana okuseduze phakathi kukamalusi nezimvu zakhe kwase kuyisaga. Ngokuvamile umalusi wayengumnikazi wezimvu noma ilungu lomkhaya womninizo. Ekuseni wayeya esibayeni futhi abize umhlambi wakhe phakathi kwemihlambi eminingana evalelwe lapho. Wayezazi izimvu zakhe; zazilazi izwi lakhe. Wayengaziqhubi—wayezihola futhi zazimlandela. Wayeziqondisa emadlelweni aluhlaza nasemanzini acwebile. Esimweni sezulu esibi kusihlwa, wayezibuyisela esibayeni noma azikhoselise emgedeni. Esimweni sezulu esipholile, wayehlala nazo ebusuku ngaphansi kwezinkanyezi—njengoba kwakunjalo ekwindla lonyaka ka-2 B.C.E. lapho abelusi “babehlezi endle, belinda umhlambi wabo ebusuku.”—Luka 2:8.

Izimvu zazibethemba abelusi bazo. Eziningi zazinikezwa amagama achazayo—madlebe ahlukene, msila okhuluphele, buso obumnyama, nhlophekazi. Lapho umalusi ebiza amagama azo, zazisabela. Omunye umcwaningi wayefuna ukukuqinisekisa lokhu lapho edlula umhlambi wezimvu. Ulandisa okulandelayo: “Khona-ke ngamcela [umalusi] ukuthi abize imvu yakhe eyodwa. Wenza kanjalo, futhi ngokuphazima kweso yashiya idlelo layo nabangane bayo, yagijimela ezandleni zikamalusi, inezimpawu zenjabulo, futhi ngokulalela okufanele engingakaze ngikubone ngaphambili kunanoma yisiphi esinye isilwane. Futhi kuyiqiniso ukuthi kulelizwe, ‘umfokazi azisoze zamlandela, kodwa ziyakumbalekela.’”

UJesu waqinisekisa okuningi okungenhla lapho ethi unguMalusi Omuhle wabalandeli bakhe abanjengezimvu: ‘Izimvu ziyalizwa izwi lakhe; ubiza ezakhe izimvu ngamagama, aziholele phandle [kwesibaya]. Nxa esezikhiphile ezakhe zonke, uhamba phambi kwazo, izimvu zimlandele, ngokuba zilazi izwi lakhe. Kepha umfokazi azisoze zamlandela, kodwa ziyakumbalekela, ngokuba zingalazi izwi labafokazi. Mina ngingumalusi omuhle; ngiyazazi ezami, nezami ziyangazi, njengalokhu uBaba uyangazi, nami ngiyamazi uBaba; ngidela ukuphila kwami [umphefumulo wami] ngenxa yezimvu.’—Johane 10:3-5, 14, 15.