Landela Indlela Enhle Kakhulu Yothando
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU uwukwenziwa samuntu kothando. (1 Johane 4:8) INdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, wathi kufanele sithande uNkulunkulu nomakhelwane wethu. (Mathewu 22:37-40) Phela, uNkulunkulu uphethe indawo yonke ngesisekelo salemfanelo! Ngakho-ke ukuze sithole ukuphila okuphakade noma kuphi, kumelwe silandele indlela yothando.
UNkulunkulu wabonisa uthando ngesizwe sakwaIsrayeli kodwa kamuva wayilahla leyonhlangano ngenxa yokungathembeki. Ngemva kwalokho wayesephawula ibandla labafundi bakaJesu njengenhlangano yaKhe entsha. Kanjani? Ngezibonakaliso ezikhethekile zomoya ongcwele ezazibanika amandla okukhuluma ngezilimi nokuprofetha. Ngaleyondlela, ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., amaJuda namaproselite angu-3 000 aba ngamakholwa futhi ayishiya inhlangano endala angena kwekaNkulunkulu entsha. (IzEnzo 2:1-41) Njengoba iziphiwo zomoya kamuva zazidluliselwa ngabaphostoli bakaJesu, izibonakaliso ezinjalo zanqamuka lapho befa. (IzEnzo 8:5-18; 19:1-6) Kodwa ngalesosikhathi iziphiwo zase zibonise ukuthi umusa kaNkulunkulu wawuphezu kukaIsrayeli ongokomoya.—Galathiya 6:16.
Izimangaliso eziwumphumela weziphiwo zomoya zazizuzisa. Nokho, ukubonisa uthando noma ukukhathalela okungenabugovu ngabanye kubaluleke kakhulu kunokuba neziphiwo zomoya. Umphostoli uPawulu wakubonisa lokhu encwadini yakhe yokuqala kwabaseKorinte (cishe ngo-55 C.E.). Kuyona wakhuluma ngothando ‘njengendlela enhle kakhulu.’ (1 Korinte 12:31) Leyondlela kuxoxwa ngayo kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 13.
Ngaphandle Kothando, Asilutho
UPawulu wathi: “Noma ngikhuluma ngezilimi zabantu nezezingelosi, kepha ngingenalo uthando, ngiyithusi elikhencezayo nensimbi encencethayo.” (1 Korinte 13:1) Ngaphandle kothando, bekungeke kusho lutho ukukhuluma ngolimi lwabantu oludluliselwa ngomoya noma ngolimi lwasezulwini lwezingelosi. UPawulu wakhetha ukukhuluma amagama ayisihlanu akhayo kunayizinkulungwane eziyishumi ngolimi abantu ababengaluqondi. (1 Korinte 14:19) Umuntu ongenaluthando ubeyofana ‘nethusi elikhencezayo’—umsindo ocasulayo—noma “nensimbi encencethayo” engenakuvumelana. Ukukhuluma ngezilimi okungenaluthando kwakungeyona indlela eduduzayo, eyakhayo ngokomoya yokudumisa uNkulunkulu neyokusiza abantu bakhe. Namuhla, sibonisa uthando ngokusebenzisa inkulumo eqondakalayo enkonzweni yobuKristu.
Lomphostoli uthi ngokulandelayo: “Noma nginokuprofetha, ngiqonda izimfihlakalo zonke nokwazi konke, noma nginokukholwa konke ngangokuba ngingagudluza izintaba, kepha ngingenalo uthando, angiyinto yalutho.” (1 Korinte 13:2) Ukuprofetha ngokuyisimangaliso, ukuqonda okukhethekile izimfihlakalo ezingcwele, nolwazi oludluliselwe ngomoya kungase kubazuzise abanye kodwa hhayi labo abaneziphiwo ezinjalo uma abaphiwe bengenaluthando. UPawulu wasebenzisa ukuqonda kwakhe okukhethekile izimfihlakalo ezingcwele ekusizeni abanye, futhi isipho solwazi samenza wakwazi ukubikezela ukusinda kwezisulu zokuphuka komkhumbi. (IzEnzo 27:20-44; 1 Korinte 4:1, 2) Nokho, ukuba ‘wayenokwazi konke nokukholwa konke’ kodwa engenaluthando, wayeyoba yize phambi kukaJehova.
Namuhla, umoya kaJehova wenza oFakazi bakhe ukuba baqonde iziprofetho zeBhayibheli nezimfihlakalo ezingcwele futhi uyabaqondisa ekudluliseleni ulwazi olunjalo kwabanye. (Joweli 2:28, 29) Umoya uveza futhi ukholo oludingekayo ukuba sinqobe izithiyo ezingangezintaba. (Mathewu 17:20) Njengoba umoya wenza lezizinto, akulungile ukufuna udumo lomuntu siqu kuzona. Asilutho ngaphandle kokwenza izinto kube udumo kuNkulunkulu futhi sibe nothando ngaye nabantu esikanye nabo.—Galathiya 5:6.
Asizuzi Ngokuzidela Okungenaluthando
UPawulu wathi: “Noma ngabela abampofu konke enginakho, noma nginikela umzimba wami ukuba ushiswe, kepha ngingenalo uthando, akungisizi ngalutho.” (1 Korinte 13:3) Ngaphandle kothando, uPawulu wayengeke azuze ukuba wayephisane ngakho konke ayenakho ukuze asuthise abanye. UNkulunkulu usivuza ngenxa yothando olusenza siphe izipho, hhayi ngenxa yenani lazo noma ngoba sifuna udumo njengabaphanayo, njengoAnaniya noSafira abanamanga. (IzEnzo 5:1-11) UPawulu wabeka isibonelo esihle ngokuzinikela ngothando ngokuqondene nenkonzo yokusiza amakholwa aseJudiya.—1 Korinte 16:1-4; 2 Korinte 8:1-24; 9:7.
Ngisho nokufel’ ukholo okungenaluthando njengofakazela iqiniso akusho lutho kuNkulunkulu. (IzAga 25:27) UJesu wakhuluma ngomhlatshelo wakhe kodwa akazange aqhoshe ngawo. Kunokuba aqhoshe wazinikela ngokuzithandela eqhutshwa uthando. (Marku 10:45; Efesu 5:2; Heberu 10:5-10) Abafowabo abangokomoya ‘banikela imizimba yabo ibe-ngumnikelo ophilileyo’ enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu hhayi ekufelen’ ukholo kokuzifunela udumo kodwa ngezindlela ezingekhona ukubukisa ezidumisa uJehova nezibonisa uthando lwabo ngaye.—Roma 12:1, 2.
Ezinye Izindlela Uthando Oluyosenza Senze Ngazo
UPawulu wabhala: “Uthando luyabekezela, uthando lumnene.” (1 Korinte 13:4a) Kwabaningi, ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kusukela esonweni sika-Adamu kuye kwasho ukuphenduka okuholela ekusindisweni. (2 Petru 3:9, 15) Uma sinothando, siyobafundisa ngesineke abanye iqiniso. Siyogwema intukuthelo engokwemizwelo futhi siyoba ngabacabangelayo nabathethelelayo. (Mathewu 18:21, 22) Uthando lumnene futhi, sidonseleka kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yobumnene bakhe. Isithelo somoya wakhe sobumnene sisenza singafuni okwengeziwe kwabanye kunalokho akufunayo kithina. (Efesu 4:32) Uthando lusenza sibe mnene ngisho nakubantu abangabongi.—Luka 6:35.
UPawulu wanezela: “Alunamhawu, uthando aluzigabisi, aluzikhukhumezi.” (1 Korinte 13:4b) Umhawu uwumsebenzi wenyama oyokhipha umuntu eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu. (Galathiya 5:19-21) Uthando lusenza singabi namhawu ngalokho omunye umuntu anakho noma izimo ezinhle. Uma ethola ilungelo lenkonzo ebesilifisa, uthando luyosenza sijabule naye, simsekele, futhi sibonge uNkulunkulu ngokumsebenzisa ukuze azuzise ibandla.
Njengoba uthando ‘lungazigabisi,’ alusishukumiseli ukuba siqhoshe ngalokho uNkulunkulu asivumela ukuba sikwenze enkonzweni yakhe. Abanye baseKorinte baqhosha sengathi iziphiwo zomoya zazivela kubona, kodwa zazivela kuNkulunkulu, njengoba kunjalo ngamalungelo enhlanganweni yakhe yosuku lwanamuhla. Ngakho, kunokuqhosha ngokuma kwethu enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu, masiqaphele ukuba singawi. (1 Korinte 1:31; 4:7; 10:12) Uthando “aluzikhukhumezi,” kodwa umqondo womuntu ongenaluthando ungase ugcwale ukuzikhukhumeza. Abantu abanothando abazizwa bebakhulu kunabanye.—1 Korinte 4:18, 19; Galathiya 6:3.
Aluziphathi Ngokungafanele, Aluzifuneli Okwalo, Alucunuki
Uthando “aluziphathi ngokungafanele, aluzifuneli okwalo, alucunuki.” (1 Korinte 13:5a) Luthuthukisa imikhuba emihle, ukuziphatha kokwesaba uNkulunkulu, inhlonipho ngegunya, nokuziphatha okufanele emihlanganweni yobuKristu. (Efesu 5:3-5; 1 Korinte 11:17-34; 14:40; qhathanisa noJuda 4, 8-10.) Njengoba uthando lwenza wonke umuntu azizwe edingekile, njengazo zonke izitho zomzimba womuntu, ibandla elinothando liyindawo yokuthula nesiphephelo. (1 Korinte 12:22-25) Kunokuba ngobugovu ‘luzifunele okwalo’, uthando lusenza sidele amalungelo ethu ngezinye izikhathi futhi sibonise isithakazelo kwabanye nasenhlala-kahleni yabo. (Filipi 2:1-4) Uthando lusenza ‘sibe yikho konke kubo bonke, ukuze sisindise abanye’ ngenkonzo yethu.—1 Korinte 9:22, 23.
Uthando “alucunuki.” Ukuthukuthela kuwumsebenzi wenyama enesono, kodwa uthando lusenza ‘sephuze ukuthukuthela.’ (Jakobe 1:19; Galathiya 5:19, 20) Ngisho noma sinezizathu zokuthukuthela, uthando alusenzi sihlale sicunukile, ngaleyondlela sinikeze uDeveli indawo. (Efesu 4:26, 27) Ikakhulukazi abadala kumelwe bagweme intukuthelo uma abakholwa nabo behluleka ukusebenzisa ukusikisela okuthile.
UPawulu wathi futhi ngothando: “Alunagqubu.” (1 Korinte 13:5b) Uthando alugcini uhlu lokoniwa, njengokungathi kuyabalwa. Lubona okuhle kwesikholwa nabo futhi aluphindiseli ngokoniwa kwangempela noma okucatshangwayo. (IzAga 20:22; 24:29; 25:21, 22) Uthando lusisiza ukuba “sijonge okokuthula.” (Roma 14:19) UPawulu noBarnaba baxabana futhi bathatha izindlela ezehlukene enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, kodwa uthando lwalungisa lokho kungezwani futhi lwabenza bangabambelana igqubu.—Levitikusi 19:17, 18; IzEnzo 15:36-41.
Luthambekele Ekulungeni Naseqinisweni
Ngokuphathelene nothando, uPawulu waqhubeka wathi: “Aluthokozi ngokungalungile, kepha luthokozela iqiniso.” (1 Korinte 13:6) Abanye bathola intokozo kokungalungile kangangokuthi “abalali, uma bengenzanga okubi.” (IzAga 4:16) Kodwa enhlanganweni kaNkulunkulu asixabani omunye nomunye noma sijabule uma omunye eyengwe isono. (IzAga 17:5; 24:17, 18) Ukuba kwakunothando olwanele ngoNkulunkulu nokulunga ebandleni laseKorinte, ukuziphatha okubi kwakungeke kubekezelelwe lapho. (1 Korinte 5:1-13) Phakathi kokunye, uthando ngokulunga lusenza singayijabuleli imibukiso engalungile yethelevishini, yamabhayisikobho, noma yemidlalo yasesiteji.
Uthando “luthokozela iqiniso.” Lapha iqiniso liqhathaniswa nokungalungi. Ngokusobala lokhu kusho ukuthi uthando lusenza sijabule ngethonya lokulunga lelo iqiniso elinalo kubantu. Sithola injabulo ezintweni ezakha abantu neziqhubekisela phambili injongo yeqiniso nokulunga. Uthando lusenza singawakhulumi amanga, lusinikeza injabulo lapho abaqotho betholakala bengenacala, futhi lusenza sijabule ekunqobeni kweqiniso likaNkulunkulu.—IHubo 45:4.
Indlela Uthando Olubhekana Ngayo Nezinto Zonke
Eqhuba incazelo yakhe yothando, uPawulu waloba: “Lubekezelela izinto zonke, lukholwa yizinto zonke, luthemba izinto zonke, lukhuthazelela izinto zonke.” (1 Korinte 13:7) “Lubekezelela izinto zonke,” uthando luvimbela inzondo njengoba uphahla olungavuzi lwenza emvuleni. Uma umuntu esona kodwa kamuva acele intethelelo, uthando lusenza sibekezelele ukoniwa, sithethelele osonile kunokuba sihlebe ngakho. Ngothando sizama ‘ukumzuza umfowethu.’—Mathewu 18:15-17; Kolose 3:13.
Uthando “lukholwa yizinto zonke” eziseZwini likaNkulunkulu futhi lusenza sibonge ngokudla okungokomoya okulungiselelwa ‘ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Nakuba singakhohliseki kalula, uthando lusenza singabi nenhliziyo engakholwa futhi lusivimbela ekubeni sithi esikholwa nabo banezisusa ezimbi. (UmShumayeli 7:21, 22) Uthando futhi “luthemba izinto zonke” ezilotshwe emiBhalweni, njengamaqiniso aphathelene noMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sishukunyiswa uthando, sithemba futhi sithandazela umphumela omuhle kakhulu ezimweni ezivivinyayo. Uthando lusishukumisela futhi ukuba sitshele abanye isizathu sethemba lethu. (1 Petru 3:15) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uthando “lukhuthazelela izinto zonke,” kuhlanganise nokoniwa. (IzAga 10:12) Uthando ngoNkulunkulu lusisiza futhi ukuba sikhuthazelele ushushiso nezinye izilingo.
UPawulu wenezela: “Uthando alusoze lwaphela.” (1 Korinte 13:8a) Alunakuphela noma lwehluleke njengoba uJehova engenakuphela. Njengoba uNkulunkulu wethu waphakade ewukwenziwa samuntu kothando, lemfanelo ayisoze yaphela. (1 Thimothewu 1:17; 1 Johane 4:16) Indawo yonke iyolokhu ibuswa uthando. Ngakho-ke masithandazele ukuba uNkulunkulu asisize sinqobe izici zobugovu futhi sibonise lesithelo somoya wakhe esingapheli.—Luka 11:13.
Izinto Ezaziyodlula
Ekhomba phambili, uPawulu wabhala: “Kepha nokuba kukhona [iziphiwo zokuprofetha, “NW”], kuyakukhawuka; nokuba kuyizilimi, ziyakunqamuka; nokuba kungukwazi, kuyakukhawuka.” (1 Korinte 13:8b) “Iziphiwo zokuprofetha” zenza ababenazo ukuba basho iziprofetho ezintsha. Nakuba iziphiwo ezinjalo zadlula ngemva kokumiswa kwebandla lobuKristu njengenhlangano kaNkulunkulu, amandla akhe okuprofetha awadluli, futhi iZwi lakhe liqukethe zonke iziprofetho esizidingayo manje. Ikhono elidluliselwa ngomoya lokukhuluma ngezilimi nalo laphela, nokwazi okukhethekile “kwakhawuka,” njengoba kwakubikezelwe. Kodwa iZwi likaJehova eliphelele lisinikeza lokho esidinga ukukwazi ukuze sisinde. (Roma 10:8-10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bagcwele umoya wakhe futhi baveza izithelo zawo.
UPawulu waqhubeka: “Ngokuba sazi inxenye, siprofetha inxenye. Kepha nxa sekufikile okupheleleyo, lokho okuyinxenye kuyakukhawuka.” (1 Korinte 13:9, 10) Iziphiwo zokwazi nokuprofetha zazingaphelele. Ngokusobala, isiprofetho esinjalo sasinganingilizwa, futhi umprofethi ngamunye wayelembula ngokungaphelele ikusasa, eswela ulwazi oluphelele ngalokho ayekubikezela. Nokho, manje ukuqonda isiprofetho kuya kuphelela kancane kancane. Ngokwesibonelo, amaqiniso agcwalisa isiprofetho seBhayibheli aqinisekisa ukuthi uJesu wathola igunya lobukhosi phezu kwesintu ngo-1914. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi, ‘besisesikhathini sokugcina’ futhi sijabulela ukukhula okuqhubekayo olwazini olungokomoya nasekuqondeni isiprofetho seBhayibheli. (Daniyeli 12:4) Ngenxa yalokho, sifinyelela olwazini oluphelele futhi “okupheleleyo” kumelwe ukuba kuseduze.
Imfanelo Enkulu Kakhulu Iyasala
Ebhekisela entuthukweni yebandla, uPawulu waloba: “Lapho ngisengumntwana, ngakhulumisa okomntwana ngaqondisa okomntwana, ngazindlisa okomntwana; kuthé sengiyindoda, ngayeka okobuntwana.” (1 Korinte 13:11) Njengoba umntwana enza okuthile ngesisekelo solwazi nokukhula ngokomzimba okulinganiselwe angathonyeka kalula, njengokungathi uyashwibeka embhedeni onyakazayo. Kodwa indoda ikhule kakhulu ngokomzimba, inolwazi oluningi, futhi ngokuvamile ayithonyeki kalula. Isiye yalahla imicabango, izimo zengqondo, nezindlela zobuntwana. Ngokufanayo, ngemva kokuba inhlangano kaNkulunkulu yasemhlabeni iphume ebuntwaneni bayo, wanquma ukuthi yayingasazidingi iziphiwo zomoya zokuprofetha, izilimi, nolwazi. Nakuba amalungu osuku lwanamuhla alelibandla, manje eselikhulile ngeminyaka, enomuzwa futhi wokungazidingi iziphiwo ezinjalo, ayathokoza ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngaphansi kwesiqondiso somoya wakhe.
UPawulu wenezela: “Ngokuba manje sibona esibukweni kalufifi; kodwa lapho sobukana ubuso nobuso; manje ngazi inxenye, kepha lapho ngiyakwazi ngokuphelele, njengokuba kade ngaziwa ngokuphelele.” (1 Korinte 13:12) Ngesikhathi ibandla lisewusana, kwakungakabi isikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokwambula izinto ezithile. Ngenxa yalokho, zazibonakala kalufifi, njengokungathi amaKristu ayebuka esibukweni sensimbi esingacwazimuli kahle. (IzEnzo 1:6, 7) Kodwa sesingalé kokubona kalufifi. Ukugcwaliseka komfuziselo nesiprofetho kubonakala ngokukhanyayo, ngoba lesi yisikhathi sikaNkulunkulu sokwambula. (IHubo 97:11; Daniyeli 2:28) Nakuba uPawulu ngokwakhe ayemazi uNkulunkulu, ukumazi ngokuphelele uJehova nokuba nobuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu naYe kwakuyofika lapho lomphostoli evuselwa ekuphileni kwasezulwini, ngaleyondlela ethola umvuzo ophelele wenkambo yakhe yobuKristu.
Ephetha ukulenza samuntu kwakhe uthando, uPawulu waloba: “Manje kumi ukukholwa, nokwethemba, nothando, lokho kokuthathu; kepha okukhulu kulokho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Naphezu kokungabikho kweziphiwo ezimangalisayo zomoya, ibandla manje linolwazi olwengeziwe oluphelele nesizathu sokholo olucebile, ithemba, nothando. Linokholo lokuthi yonke into uNkulunkulu ayithembisile ifana nesigcwalisekile. (Heberu 11:1) Izici zokholo ziyophela lapho izinto ezibikezelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu zigcwaliseka. Izici zethemba ziyophela lapho sibona izinto esinethemba lazo. Kodwa uthando luyohlala phakade. Ngakho-ke, kwangathi bonke oFakazi BakaJehova bangaqhubeka belandela indlela enhle kakhulu yothando.