Uthando Lwenu Malukhule

 1. Obani abasiza ekumisweni kwebandla laseFilipi?

NGESIKHATHI umphostoli uPawulu, uSila, uLuka noThimothewu befika eFilipi okwakuyidolobha elalingaphansi kweRoma, bathola abantu abaningi ababethanda ukuzwa izindaba ezinhle. Labo bazalwane abane ababenentshiseko basiza kwamiswa ibandla futhi bonke abafundi baqala ukuhlangana cishe emzini kaLidiya, udade owayethanda ukwamukela izivakashi.—IzE. 16:40.

 2. Yisiphi isimo esinzima leli bandla elalizobhekana naso kungekudala?

² Kungekudala, leli bandla elalisanda kumiswa lalizobhekana nesimo esinzima. USathane wabangela ukuba abantu ababezonda iqiniso bamelane nomsebenzi wokushumayela owawenziwa yilawo maKristu athembekile. UPawulu noSila baboshwa, bashaywa futhi bagqunywa ejele. Ngemva kokukhululwa ejele, bavakashela abafundi abasha babakhuthaza. UPawulu, uSila noThimothewu babe sebehamba kulelo dolobha kodwa kubonakala sengathi uLuka yena wasala. Babeyokwenzenjani abafowethu nodadewethu bakulelo bandla elalisanda kumiswa? UJehova wabasiza ngomoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze baqhubeke bezikhandla enkonzweni yakhe. (Fil. 2:12) Shono nje uPawulu ayeziqhenya ngabo!

 3. Yini uPawulu ayithandazela njengoba kuboniswe kweyabaseFilipi 1:9-11?

³ Eminyakeni engaba yishumi kamuva, uPawulu wabhalela ibandla laseFilipi incwadi. Lapho ufunda leyo ncwadi, kulula ukubona ukuthi uPawulu wayebathanda ngempela abafowabo. Wabhala: “Nginilangazelela nonke ngothando lomzwelo olunjengalolo uKristu Jesu analo.” (Fil. 1:8) Wabatshela ukuthi wayebathandazela. Wacela uJehova ukuba abasize bathandane nakakhulu, baqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu, bangabi nasici, bagweme ukukhubekisa abanye futhi baqhubeke bethela isithelo sokulunga. Nathi namuhla, singazuza emazwini kaPawulu athinta inhliziyo. Ngakho, ake sifunde lokho uPawulu akubhalela abaseFilipi. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 1:9-11.) Sizobe sesixoxa ngalokho akusho nokuthi thina singakusebenzisa kanjani ekuphileni kwethu.

 4. (a) Ngokweyoku-1 Johane 4:9, 10, uJehova wabonisa kanjani ukuthi usithanda kakhulu? (b) Kufanele simthande kangakanani uNkulunkulu?

⁴ UJehova wabonisa ukuthi usithanda kakhulu ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ize la emhlabeni izofela izono zethu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:9, 10.) Uthando lukaNkulunkulu olungenabugovu lusenza nathi simthande. (Roma 5:8) Kufanele simthande kangakanani uNkulunkulu? UJesu wawuphendula lowo mbuzo ngesikhathi etshela umFarisi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho.” (Math. 22:36, 37) Sifuna ukuthanda uNkulunkulu ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu. Sifuna nothando esimthanda ngalo lukhule usuku nosuku. UPawulu watshela abaseFilipi ukuthi uthando lwabo kwakufanele ‘luvame kakhulu.’ Yini esingayenza ukuze simthande nakakhulu uNkulunkulu?

 5. Yini esingayenza ukuze simthande nakakhulu uNkulunkulu?

⁵ Ukuze simthande uNkulunkulu kudingeka simazi. IBhayibheli lithi: “Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Joh. 4:8) Umphostoli uPawulu waveza ukuthi uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu luyokhula lapho siba ‘nolwazi olunembile nokuqonda okuphelele’ ngaYe. (Fil. 1:9) Ngesikhathi siqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli, saqala ukumthanda uNkulunkulu nakuba sasingazi yonke into ngaye. Ngakho lapho sifunda okwengeziwe ngoJehova, uthando lwethu ngaye lwakhula. Yingakho kubalulekile ukutadisha iBhayibheli njalo futhi sizindle ngalokho esikufundayo!—Fil. 2:16.

 6. Ngokweyoku-1 Johane 4:11, 20, 21, yini eyokwenzeka uma sithanda uNkulunkulu?

⁶ Indlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo iyosenza sithande nabafowethu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:11, 20, 21.) Singase sicabange ukuthi kuyozenzakalela nje ukuthi sithande abafowethu nodadewethu. Angithi sonke sikhonza uJehova futhi silwela ukumlingisa. Silandela isibonelo sikaJesu, owasithanda kakhulu kangangokuba waze wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi kungase kube nzima ukulalela umyalo wokuba sithandane. Cabanga ngesibonelo salokho okwenzeka ebandleni laseFilipi.

 7. Yini esiyifunda esiyalweni sikaPawulu esasiya ku-Evodiya noSintike?

⁷ U-Evodiya noSintike babengodade abashisekayo ‘ababezabalaza’ kanye nomphostoli uPawulu. Nokho, kungenzeka baba nokungaboni ngaso linye futhi baxabana. Encwadini ayibhalela ibandla ababekulo lab’ odade, uPawulu wabagagula ngamagama u-Evodiya noSintike futhi wabayala ngokucacile ukuba balungise ukungezwani kwabo. (Fil. 4:2, 3) UPawulu wabona kudingeka nokuba atshele ibandla lonke: “Qhubekani nenza zonke izinto ngaphandle kokububula nokuphikisana.” (Fil. 2:14) Ngokungangabazeki, isiyalo sikaPawulu esingagunci asigcinanga ngokusiza lab’ odade abathembekile kuphela kodwa sasiza bonke ebandleni ukuba bathandane nakakhulu.

 8. Iyiphi inkinga enkulu engenza kube nzima ukuthanda abafowethu nodadewethu, futhi yini engasisiza?

⁸ Njengo-Evodiya noSintike, nathi singase sibhekane nenkinga enkulu engenza kube nzima ukuthanda abafowethu nodadewethu—ukugxila emaphutheni abawenzayo. Sonke siyawenza amaphutha usuku nosuku. Lapho siqhubeka sicabanga ngamaphutha abanye, kuyoba nzima ukubathanda. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umfowethu ekhohliwe ukufika azosisiza sihlanze iHholo loMbuso singase sicasuke. Uma singase siqale ukubala wonke amaphutha aye awenza, siyocasuka nakakhulu futhi uthando lwethu luyoncipha. Uma ubhekene nenkinga efanayo ebandleni, kuyokusiza ukucabanga ngaleli qiniso: UJehova uwabona wonke amaphutha esiwenzayo thina nalawo enziwa umfowethu esinenkinga naye. Nokho, usasithanda sonke naphezu kwawo wonke lawo maphutha. Ngenxa yalokho, kudingeka silingise uthando lukaJehova futhi siqhubeke sigxila ezintweni ezinhle abafowethu abazenzayo. Uma silwela ukubathanda abafowethu, siyosondelana nakakhulu futhi sibe nobunye.—Fil. 2:1, 2.

 9. Zihlanganisani ‘izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu’ uPawulu akhuluma ngazo kumaKristu aseFilipi?

⁹ UJehova ngomoya wakhe ongcwele waqondisa uPawulu ukuba atshele amaKristu aseFilipi ukuba ‘aqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu.’ Nathi namuhla kudingeke senze okufanayo. (Fil. 1:10) Lezo zinto ezibalulekile zihlanganisa ukungcweliswa kwegama likaJehova, ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zakhe nokuthula nobunye ebandleni. (Math. 6:9, 10; Joh. 13:35) Lapho sibonisa ukuthi lezi zinto zibaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwethu, siyobe sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova.

10. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze uJehova asibheke njengabangenasici?

¹⁰ UPawulu wabuye wathi kumelwe ‘singabi nasici.’ Lokhu akusho ukuthi kumelwe singawenzi amaphutha. Ngeke singawenzi amaphutha njengoJehova. Kodwa uJehova uyosibheka njengabangenasici uma senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sikhulise uthando lwethu futhi siqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu. Enye indlela esibonisa ngayo uthando ukuzimisela ukungabakhubi abanye.

11. Kungani kumelwe sigweme ukukhubekisa abanye?

¹¹ Umyalo wokugwema ukukhubekisa abanye ubaluleke kakhulu. Singabakhubekisa kanjani abanye? Singabakhubekisa ngezinto esizijabulisa ngazo, indlela esigqoka ngayo kanye nemisebenzi yokuziphilisa esiyikhethayo. Ngezinye izikhathi kungase kungabi ukuthi into esiyenzayo yimbi. Kodwa uma kuwukuthi leyo nto ilimaza unembeza wothile noma iyamkhuba, kumelwe siyiyeke ngempela. UJesu wathi kungcono kugaxwe entanyeni yethu itshe lokugaya futhi siphonswe olwandle kunokuba sikhubekise omunye wezimvu zakhe!—Math. 18:6.

12. Yini esiyifunda esibonelweni sendoda nomkayo abaphayonayo?

¹² Enye indoda nomkayo abaphayonayo basisebenzise kanjani lesi seluleko sikaJesu? Babesebandleni nendoda nomkayo ababesanda kubhapathizwa futhi ababekhuliswe ngesandla esiqinile. Le ndoda nomkayo ababesanda kubhapathizwa babekholelwa ukuthi amaKristu akufanele nhlobo ayobuka amamuvi—ngisho namamuvi ahlanzekile. Baphatheka kabi lapho bezwa ukuthi le ndoda nomkayo abaphayonayo bebeyobuka imuvi. Ngemva kwalokho, labo abaphayonayo bayeka ukuya esinema kwaze kwaba yilapho labo ababesanda kubhapathizwa sebewuqeqeshile unembeza wabo futhi sebeqonda ukuthi yini elungile nengalungile. (Heb. 5:14) Ngokwenza lokho, le ndoda nomkayo abaphayonayo babonisa ngezenzo, hhayi ngezwi nje kuphela, ukuthi bayamthanda umfowabo nodadewabo.—Roma 14:19-21; 1 Joh. 3:18.

13. Singabalingela kanjani abanye ukuba bone kuJehova?

¹³ Enye indlela esingakhubekisa ngayo abanye ukubalingela ukuba bone kuJehova. Kungenzeka kanjani lokho? Cabanga ngalesi simo. Ngemva komshikashika wesikhathi eside umuntu ofundelwa iBhayibheli ezama ukuyeka ukuba umlutha wotshwala, ekugcineni uyanqoba. Uyaqaphela ukuthi kuzofanele angaphinde abuthinte utshwala. Uyashesha ukwenza izinguquko ekuphileni kwakhe futhi uyabhapathizwa. Kamuva, umzalwane othile ummemela kuyi-braai futhi umnika utshwala, bese ethi: “UsungumKristu manje, unomoya kaJehova. Esinye sezithelo zomoya ukuzithiba. Uma uzithiba, uzokwazi ukuphuza ungeqisi.” Kungaba yisimo esidabukisa ngempela uma lo mzalwane osanda kuba umKristu engalalela lawo mazwi!

14. Imihlangano yethu yobuKristu isisiza kanjani ukuba sisebenzise iseluleko esikweyabaseFilipi 1:10?

¹⁴ Imihlangano yethu yobuKristu isisiza ukuba sisebenzise iseluleko esikweyabaseFilipi 1:10 ngezindlela eziningi. Okokuqala, esixoxa ngakho emihlanganweni kusikhumbuza izinto uJehova azibheka njengezibaluleke kakhulu. Okwesibili, sifunda ukuthi singakusebenzisa kanjani ekuphileni kwethu lokho esikufundayo ukuze singabi nasici. Okwesithathu, sikhuthazwa ukuba “sivuselelane uthando nemisebenzi emihle.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Lapho abafowethu besikhuthaza, uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu nangabafowethu luyokhula. Uma simthanda kakhulu uJehova nabafowethu, siyozimisela nakakhulu ukungabakhubekisi abafowethu.

15. Kusho ukuthini ‘ukugcwaliswa ngesithelo sokulunga’?

¹⁵ UPawulu wanxusela amaKristu aseFilipi ukuba ‘agcwaliswe ngesithelo sokulunga.’ (Fil. 1:11) Akungabazeki ukuthi lesi “sithelo sokulunga” sasihlanganisa ukuthanda uJehova nabantu bakhe. Sasihlanganisa nokukhuluma nabanye ngokholo ababenalo kuJesu nangethemba labo elijabulisayo. KweyabaseFilipi 2:15 usebenzisa omunye umfanekiso, othi ‘bakhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni.’ Lo mfanekiso usikhumbuza amazwi kaJesu lapho ethi abafundi bakhe ‘bawukukhanya kwezwe.’ (Math. 5:14-16) Wabuye wayala abafundi bakhe ukuba benze abafundi futhi wathi babeyoba ‘ofakazi bakhe nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.’ (Math. 28:18-20; IzE. 1:8) Sithela ‘isithelo sokulunga’ lapho sizikhandla ekwenzeni lo msebenzi obaluleke kunayo yonke.

16. EyabaseFilipi 1:12-14 ibonisa kanjani ukuthi singakhanya njengezinkanyiso ngisho nalapho sibhekene nezimo ezinzima? (Bheka isithombe esisesembozweni.)

¹⁶ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene naziphi izimo, singakwazi ukukhanya njengezinkanyiso. Ngezinye izikhathi, izimo ezisivimbela ukuba sishumayele, zingasivulela amanye amathuba okushumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPawulu wayeboshelwe endlini eRoma ngesikhathi ebhala incwadi yakhe eya kwabaseFilipi. Nakuba ayeboshiwe, akayekanga ukushumayeza onogada nabantu ababefika bezomvakashela. UPawulu wazikhandla washumayela kulezo zimo futhi lokho kwawakhuthaza amanye amaKristu ukuba ‘akhulume izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokungesabi.’—Funda eyabaseFilipi 1:12-14; 4:22.

17. Nikeza isibonelo sendlela abafowethu nodadewethu abaye baqhubeka ngayo beshumayela ngisho nalapho kunzima.

¹⁷ Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi babonisa isibindi esifana nesikaPawulu. Bahlala emazweni lapho bengakwazi ukushumayela khona ngokukhululekile endlini ngendlu, ngakho basebenzisa ezinye izindlela ukuze bashumayele izindaba ezinhle. (Math. 10:16-20) Kwelinye izwe elinjalo, umbonisi wesigodi wasikisela ukuthi ummemezeli ngamunye ashumayeze izihlobo zakhe, omakhelwane, afunda nabo, asebenza nabo nanoma yibaphi abantu abajwayele. Ingakapheli iminyaka emibili, inani labamemezeli kuleso sigodi lakhula ngokubabazekayo. Kungenzeka sihlala ezweni lapho sikwazi khona ukushumayela ngokukhululekile. Nokho, singafunda isifundo esibalulekile kubafowethu nodadewethu abahlala emazweni lapho umsebenzi wethu uvinjelwe khona: Uma senza konke esingakwenza ukuze sishumayele kubantu, uJehova nakanjani uyosipha amandla okuqhubeka sishumayela ngisho nalapho kunzima.—Fil. 2:13.

18. Yini okufanele sizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁸ Manje kunanini ngaphambili, kumelwe sizimisele ukulalela iseluleko esisencwadini kaPawulu ayibhalela ibandla laseFilipi. Kwangathi singaqiniseka ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu, singabi nasici, sigweme ukukhubekisa abanye futhi sithele isithelo sokulunga. Ngaleyo ndlela, uthando lwethu luyokhula futhi siyodumisa uBaba wethu onothando uJehova.