“Thandanani Omunye Nomunye”
“Othandweni lobuzalwane thandanani omunye nomunye.”—ROMA 12:10.
1, 2. Isithunywa sevangeli nomphostoli uPawulu babenobuhlobo obunjani nabafowabo?
PHAKATHI neminyaka engu-43 eyisithunywa sevangeli eMpumalanga Ekude, uDon wayaziwa ngothando ayenalo ngabantu ayebakhonza. Njengoba ayesokhukhweni lokufa ngenxa yokugula okwagcina kumnqobile, abanye babantu ayebafundele banqamula izinkalo bezombona ukuze bathi, “Kamsahamnida, kamsahamnida!”—“Siyabonga, siyabonga!” ngesiKorea. Uthando lomzwelo lukaDon lwalubathinte izinhliziyo.
2 Lesi sibonelo sikaDon akukuphela kwaso. Ngekhulu lokuqala, umphostoli uPawulu wababonisa uthando lomzwelo olujulile labo ayebakhonza. UPawulu wazidela. Nakuba ayeyindoda yezinkolelo eziqinile, wayemnene futhi ekhathalela, “njengalapho umdlezane enakekela abantwana bakhe ngozwela.” Wabhalela ibandla laseThesalonika: “Njengoba sasinothando lomzwelo ngani, sakujabulela kakhulu ukungadluliseli kini nje kuphela izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu, kodwa futhi nemiphefumulo yethu uqobo, ngoba nathandeka kithi.” (1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8) Kamuva, lapho uPawulu etshela abafowabo base-Efesu ukuthi babengasayophinde bambone, “bonke bakhala kakhulu impela, bawela entanyeni kaPawulu bamanga ngothando.” (IzEnzo 20:25, 37) Ngokusobala, uPawulu nabafowabo babengahlanganisiwe nje kuphela izinkolelo ezifanayo, kwakujulile kunalokho. Babethandana ngothando lomzwelo.
Uthando Lomzwelo Nothando
3. Igama eliseBhayibhelini elithi uthando lomzwelo nelithi uthando ahlobene kanjani?
3 EmiBhalweni, uthando lomzwelo, uzwela nobubele konke kuhlobene eduze nemfanelo ephakeme kunazo zonke izimfanelo zobuKristu—uthando. (1 Thesalonika 2:8; 2 Petru 1:7) Kuhle kwezinhlangothi zedayimane elihle, zonke lezi zimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ziyalekelelana futhi ziphelelisane. Azigcini nje ngokusondeza amaKristu ndawonye kodwa futhi ziwasondeza nakuYise wasezulwini. Ngakho, umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa amakholwa ayekanye nawo: “Uthando lwenu malungabi nabuzenzisi. . . . Othandweni lobuzalwane thandanani [ngothando lomzwelo] omunye nomunye.”—Roma 12:9, 10.
4. Isho ukuthini inkulumo ethi “uthando lomzwelo”?
4 Igama lesiGreki elasetshenziswa uPawulu kwelithi “uthando lomzwelo” lakhiwe izingxenye ezimbili, enye isho ubungane enye isho uthando lwemvelo. Njengoba esinye isazi seBhayibheli sichaza, lokhu kusho ukuthi amaKristu “kumelwe abonakale ngokuzinikela okunjengokutholakala emkhayeni othandanayo, osondelene nosekelanayo.” Ingabe uzizwa kanjalo ngabafowenu nodadewenu abangamaKristu? Ebandleni lobuKristu kufanele kuheleze umoya ofudumele—umuzwa wokuthi siyazalana. (Galathiya 6:10) Ngakho, i-New Testament in Modern English kaJ. B. Phillips iyihumusha kanje eyabaseRoma 12:10: “Masithandane ngothando lomzwelo lwangempela nolufudumele njengalolo oluphakathi kwezelamani.” Futhi i-Jerusalem Bible ifundeka kanje: “Thandanani kakhulu ngendlela izelamani okufanele zithandane ngayo.” Yebo, amaKristu awathandani ngendlela yokugcina icala noma ngoba ephoqelekile. ‘Ngothando lobuzalwane lokungazenzisi,’ kufanele ‘sithandane kakhulu ngokusuka enhliziyweni.’—1 Petru 1:22.
‘Sifundiswa UNkulunkulu Ukuba Sithandane’
5, 6. (a) UJehova uyisebenzise kanjani imihlangano yezizwe ukuze afundise abantu bakhe uthando lomzwelo lobuKristu? (b) Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba isibopho esiphakathi kwabazalwane siye siqina ngokuhamba kwesikhathi?
5 Nakuba kuleli zwe “uthando lwabaningi” luphola, uJehova ufundisa abantu bakhe banamuhla ukuba ‘bathandane.’ (Mathewu 24:12; 1 Thesalonika 4:9) Imihlangano yezizwe yoFakazi BakaJehova iyizikhathi ezinhle kakhulu zalokhu kuqeqeshwa. Kule mihlangano, oFakazi bendawo babonana nabazalwane basemazweni akude, futhi abaningi baye bavulela izihambeli zemihlangano imizi yabo. Komunye umhlangano wamuva, ezinye zazivela emazweni lapho abantu bengenkamunkamu ngokuveza imizwa yabo obala. “Lapho zifika lezi zihambeli, zazinexhala kabi futhi zinamahloni,” kulandisa umKristu owayesiza ngezindawo zokulala. “Kodwa ngenkathi sezivalelisa ngemva kwezinsuku eziyisithupha nje kuphela, zona nababezingenise emizini yabo babegonana futhi bekhala. Babejabulele uthando lobuKristu abangasoze balulibala.” Ukubonisa abafowethu umoya wokungenisa izihambi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bavelaphi, kungaveza izimfanelo ezinhle kakhulu esivakashini nakovakashelwe.—Roma 12:13.
6 Nakuba imihlangano enjalo ijabulisa, kuba nokusondelana okukhulu ngisho nakakhulu lapho amaKristu esenesikhathi eside ekhonza uJehova ndawonye. Uma sibazi kahle abafowethu, sizazisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe izimfanelo ezisenza sibathande—ukuba kwabo neqiniso, ukwethenjelwa kwabo, ubuqotho, umusa, ukupha, ukucabangela, ububele nokungabi nabugovu. (IHubo 15:3-5; IzAga 19:22) UMark, owayeyisithunywa sevangeli eMpumalanga Afrika, wathi: “Ukusebenza ndawonye nabafowethu kwakha isibopho esingagqashuki.”
7. Yini edingekayo ukuze kube nothando lomzwelo lobuKristu ebandleni?
7 Ukuze amalungu ebandla abe naleso sibopho futhi sihlale sikhona, kumelwe asondelane. Ngokuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu njalo, luyaqina uthando esinalo ngabafowethu nodadewethu. Ngokuba khona esifundweni, sixoxe nabo ngaphambi nangemva kwaso futhi siphendule, siyakhuthazana futhi sivuselelane “uthando nemisebenzi emihle.” (Hebheru 10:24, 25) Umdala wase-United States uyalandisa: “Ngikhumbula ngesikhathi ngisemncane, njalo nje abasekhaya babephakathi kwabokugcina ukuhamba eHholo LoMbuso, bejabulela izingxoxo ezimnandi nezakhayo kuze kube yilapho behamba.”
Ingabe Kudingeka ‘Wanuleke’?
8. (a) Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu lapho ekhuthaza abaseKorinte ukuba ‘banuleke’? (b) Yini esingayenza ukuze sikhuthaze uthando lomzwelo ebandleni?
8 Ukuze silubonise ngokugcwele uthando lomzwelo olunjalo kungase kudingeke ‘sanuleke’ ezinhliziyweni zethu. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalela ibandla laseKorinte: “Inhliziyo yethu yanulekile. Animinyene ngaphakathi kithi.” UPawulu wabakhuthaza ukuba ‘banuleke’ nabo. (2 Korinte 6:11-13) Ingabe nawe ‘unganuleka’ othandweni lwakho lomzwelo? Akudingeki ulindele abanye beze kuwe. Encwadini ayibhalela abaseRoma, uPawulu wahlanganisa isidingo sokuba nothando lomzwelo nalesi seluleko: “Ekubonisaneni udumo nihole.” (Roma 12:10) Ukuze ubonise abanye udumo, thatha isinyathelo kuqala sokuya kubo uyobabingelela esifundweni. Ungabacela futhi bahambe nawe enkonzweni yasensimini noma ulungiselele nabo imihlangano. Ukwenza kanjalo kucaba indlela yokuba uthando lomzwelo lukhule.
9. Yiziphi izinyathelo abanye abazithathile ukuze babe abangane abasondelene namanye amaKristu? (Hlanganisa nezibonelo zasebandleni.)
9 Imikhaya nabantu ngabanye ebandleni ‘banganuleka’ ngokuba bavakashelane, mhlawumbe badle ndawonye ukudla okulula futhi benze izinto ezakhayo ndawonye. (Luka 10:42; 14:12-14) Ngezikhathi ezithile uHakop uhlela ukuba idlanzana labantu libe nepikiniki. Uthi: “Kuba khona abadala nabancane kanye nabazali abangabodwa. Wonk’ umuntu ugoduka enezinkumbulo ezimnandi futhi ezizwa esondelene nakakhulu nabanye.” NjengamaKristu, kufanele sizame ukuba singagcini nje ngokuba amakholwa ahlanganyela ndawonye kodwa futhi sibe abangane beqiniso.—3 Johane 14.
10. Yini esingayenza uma ubuhlobo bungahambi kahle?
10 Ngezinye izikhathi nokho ukungapheleli kungase kukubekele inselele ukuhlakulela ubungane nothando lomzwelo. Yini esingayenza? Okokuqala, singathandazela ukuba sibe nobuhlobo obuhle nabafowethu. Kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba izinceku zakhe zizwane, futhi uyoyiphendula imithandazo eqotho kanjalo. (1 Johane 4:20, 21; 5:14, 15) Kufanele futhi senze isenzo esihambisana nemithandazo yethu. URic, umbonisi ojikelezayo eMpumalanga Afrika, ukhumbula umzalwane owayenokhahlo olwalwenza kube nzima ukuzwana naye. “Esikhundleni sokumxwaya lo mzalwane, nganquma ukumazi kangcono,” kusho uRic. “Ngathola ukuthi uyise wayekade ebaphethe ngesandla esiqinile. Ngathi ngingayiqonda indlela okwakube nzima ngayo ngalo mzalwane ukunqoba indlela ayekhuliswe ngayo, nomzamo ayesewenzile, ngamthulela isigqoko. Saba abangane abakhulu.”—1 Petru 4:8.
Vula Inhliziyo Yakho!
11. (a) Yini edingekayo ukuze uthando lomzwelo lukhule ebandleni? (b) Kungani ukuba unkom’ idla yodwa kungakulimaza ngokomoya?
11 Namuhla, abantu abaningi bayaziphilela nje ngaphandle kokwakha ubungane obuseduze nomunye umuntu. Kuyadabukisa lokho! Akudingeki—futhi akufanele—kube njalo ebandleni lobuKristu. Uthando lobuzalwane lweqiniso alusho ukuxoxa ngoba nje kulindeleke ukuba sixoxe futhi sibonise ubuntu; alusho futhi nokuqinela abanye kuze kweqe uhamb’ ubukisa ngokuthi uyabathanda. Kunalokho, kufanele sizimisele ukuvula izinhliziyo zethu, njengoba uPawulu enza kwabaseKorinte, sibonise esikholwa nabo ukuthi siyikhathalela ngobuqotho inhlalakahle yabo. Nakuba ngokwemvelo kungebona bonke abantu abangabantu babantu noma abathanda ukuxoxa, ukuba unkom’ idla yodwa ngokweqile kungakulimaza. “Ozihlukanisayo uyozifunela isifiso sobugovu,” kuxwayisa iBhayibheli. “Uyophulukundlela aphambane nakho konke ukuhlakanipha okusebenzayo.”—IzAga 18:1.
12. Kungani ukukhulumisana okuhle kudingekile ukuze abantu basondelane ebandleni?
12 Ukukhulumisana ngokwethembeka kubalulekile ebunganeni beqiniso. (Johane 15:15) Sonke siyabadinga abangane esingabathululela isifuba sethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma sazana kangcono, kuba lula ngokwengeziwe ukwanelisa izidingo zomuntu ngamunye. Lapho sikhathalelana ngale ndlela, sikhuthaza uthando lomzwelo, futhi siyozizwela ukuba yiqiniso kwamazwi kaJesu: “Kukhona injabulo eyengeziwe ekupheni kunasekwamukeleni.”—IzEnzo 20:35; Filipi 2:1-4.
13. Yini esingayenza ukuze sibonise ukuthi sinothando lomzwelo lweqiniso ngabafowethu?
13 Ukuze uthando lwethu lomzwelo lubasize abanye, kumelwe silubonise. (IzAga 27:5) Uma uthando lwethu lungolweqiniso, cishe kuyobonakala ebusweni futhi kungase kuthinte nezinhliziyo zabanye. “Ukukhanya kwamehlo kwenza inhliziyo ijabule,” kubhala indoda ehlakaniphile. (IzAga 15:30) Izenzo zomusa nazo ziyalukhuthaza uthando lomzwelo. Nakuba engekho ongathenga uthando lomzwelo lweqiniso, isipho esivela enhliziyweni singasho lukhulu. Ikhadi, incwadi ‘nezwi elikhulunywe ngesikhathi esifanele’—zonke lezi zinto zingabonisa uthando lomzwelo olujulile. (IzAga 25:11; 27:9) Lapho sesibakhile ubungane nabanye, kumelwe sibugcine ngokuqhubeka sibonisa uthando lomzwelo olungenabugovu. Ikakhulu ngezikhathi abangane bethu abantula ngazo, siyofuna ukubasekela. IBhayibheli lithi: “Umngane weqiniso ubonisa uthando ngaso sonke isikhathi, futhi ungumfowabo womuntu ozalelwe isikhathi sosizi.”—IzAga 17:17.
14. Yini esingayenza uma othile ebonakala engenandaba nothando lomzwelo esimbonisa lona?
14 Iqiniso liwukuthi asinakulindela ukusondelana nabo bonke ebandleni. Ngokwemvelo nje, kunabathile esizizwa sisondelene kakhudlwana nabo kunabanye. Ngakho uma othile engabonakali enesasasa lakho ngendlela ongathanda ngayo, ungasheshi uphethe ngokuthi kukhona ugcobho kuwe noma kuye. Futhi ungazami ukuphoqelela ukuba nisondelane. Uma nje wena umbonisa ubungane ngezinga alivumelayo, uyobe uyasiza ekuligcineni livulekile ithuba lokuba nisondelane esikhathini esizayo.
“Ngikwamukele”
15. Ukunconywa noma ukunganconywa kubathinta kanjani abanye?
15 Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba uJesu wathokoza ngayo lapho, ngesikhathi ebhapathizwa, ezwa leli zwi livela ezulwini: “Ngikwamukele”! (Marku 1:11) Kumelwe ukuba leli zwi lokumamukela uJesu lamenza wagculiseka nakakhulu ukuthi uYise uyamthanda. (Johane 5:20) Kuyadabukisa ukuthi abanye ababezwa nhlobo abantu ababahloniphayo nababathandayo bebancoma kanjalo. “Amalungu emikhaya yezingane eziningi njengami awazamukeli izinkolelo zazo zobuKristu,” kusho u-Ann. “Ekhaya siyagxekwa nje kuphela. Kusiphatha kabuhlungu kabi lokho.” Kodwa lapho beba ingxenye yebandla, bezwa imfudumalo yomkhaya ongokomoya osekelanayo nokhathalelanayo—obaba nomama, abafowabo nodadewabo okholweni.—Marku 10:29, 30; Galathiya 6:10.
16. Kungani kungabasizi abanye ukubonisa isimo sokugxeka?
16 Kwamanye amasiko, abazali, abantu abadala nothisha bayaqabukela bezincome ngenhliziyo yonke izingane, becabanga ukuthi ukuzincoma kanjalo kungazona noma kuzenze ziqhoshe. Ukucabanga okunjalo kungangena ngisho nasemikhayeni yamaKristu nasebandleni. Bephawula ngenkulumo ebekiwe noma omunye umzamo, abantu abadala bangase bathi: “Ibingeyimbi, kodwa ungenza kangcono!” Noma bangasho sakugigiyela ukuthi abathokozi ngengane ethile. Ngokwenza kanjalo, abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi bakhuthaza izingane ukuba zenze okusemandleni azo. Kodwa le ndlela ivame ukuba nomphumela ophambene, ngoba izingane zingase zihoshekele emuva noma zizizwe ziyizehluleki.
17. Kungani kufanele siwacinge amathuba okuncoma abanye?
17 Noma kunjalo, umuntu akufanele anconywe ngoba ezokwelulekwa. Ukuncoma okuqotho kukhuthaza uthando lomzwelo ekhaya nasebandleni, ngaleyo ndlela kukhuthaze izingane ukuba ziye kubazalwane nodade abanokuhlangenwe nakho ziyofuna iseluleko. Ngakho kunokuba sivumele isiko kube yilona elinquma ukuthi sibaphatha kanjani abanye, ‘masigqoke ubuntu obusha obadalwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu ngokulunga kweqiniso nokuthembeka.’ Ncoma njengoJehova.—Efesu 4:24.
18. (a) Zingane, kufanele nisibheke kanjani iseluleko sabantu abadala? (b) Kungani abantu abadala becabangisisa ngendlela abazonikeza ngayo iseluleko?
18 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, zingane, ningaphethi ngokuthi abantu abadala abanithandi uma benikhuza noma beneluleka. (UmShumayeli 7:9) Bayanithanda! Cishe benziwa ukunikhathalela nothando lomzwelo olujulile ngani. Ukube bekungenjalo, bebengazihluphelani ngokukhuluma nani ngalolo daba? Njengoba abantu abadala—ikakhulukazi abadala bebandla—bewazi umphumela amazwi angaba nawo, bachitha esiningi isikhathi becabanga futhi bethandaza ngaphambi kokunikeza iseluleko, ngoba basuke befuna ukufeza okuhle kodwa.—1 Petru 5:5.
“UJehova Unothando”
19. Kungani abantu abaye badumazeka bengabheka kuJehova ukuze abasekele?
19 Izinto ezingemnandi ezenzeka kwabanye kungenzeka zabashiya nomuzwa wokuthi ukubonisa uthando lomzwelo kuyophinde kubadumaze. Kudinga isibindi nokholo oluqinile ukuba baphinde bavulele abanye izinhliziyo zabo. Kodwa akufanele nanini bakhohlwe ukuthi uJehova ‘akakude kulowo nalowo kithi.’ Usimema ukuba sisondele kuye. (IzEnzo 17:27; Jakobe 4:8) Uyaqonda nokuthi siyesaba ukuzwiswa ubuhlungu, futhi uthembisa ukuthi uyoba nathi asisize. Umhubi uDavide uyasiqinisekisa: “UJehova useduze nalabo abaphukile enhliziyweni; futhi uyabasindisa abanomoya ochobozekile.”—IHubo 34:18.
20, 21. (a) Sazi kanjani ukuthi singaba nobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova? (b) Yini edingekile ukuze sisondelane noJehova?
20 Ubungane obuseduze noJehova buwubuhlobo obubaluleke kunabo bonke esingabakha. Kodwa, kungenzeka ngempela yini ukwakha isibopho esinjalo? Yebo. IBhayibheli lisitshela indlela amadoda nabesifazane abalungile ababezizwa besondele ngayo kuBaba wethu wasezulwini. Amazwi abo amnandi agcinelwe ukusiqinisekisa ukuthi nathi singasondela kuJehova.—IHubo 23, 34, 139; Johane 16:27; Roma 15:4.
21 Sonke singazifinyelela izimfuneko zikaJehova zokusondelana naye. “O Jehova, ngubani oyoba yisimenywa etendeni lakho?” kubuza uDavide. “Yilowo ohamba ngokungenaphutha futhi okwenza umkhuba ukulunga futhi okhuluma iqiniso enhliziyweni yakhe.” (IHubo 15:1, 2; 25:14) Lapho sibona ukuthi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu kuveza izithelo ezinhle futhi kusenza sithole isiqondiso nesivikelo sakhe, siyokwazi ukuthi “uJehova unothando.”—Jakobe 5:11.
22. Ubuhlobo obunjani uJehova afuna abantu bakhe babe nabo?
22 Yeka indlela esibusiseke ngayo ngokuthi uJehova ufisa ukuba nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu nabantu abangaphelele! Akufanele-ke yini nathi sibonisane uthando lomzwelo? Ngosizo lukaJehova, ngamunye wethu angalunikeza futhi alwamukele uthando lomzwelo oluwuphawu lobuzalwane bethu bobuKristu. Ngaphansi koMbuso KaNkulunkulu, bonke abantu emhlabeni bayoluzwa kuze kube phakade lolu thando.
Ungachaza?
• Umoya onjani okufanele ube khona ebandleni lobuKristu?
• Ngamunye wethu angaba naliphi iqhaza ekubeni khona kothando lomzwelo ebandleni?
• Ukuncoma okuqotho kulukhuthaza kanjani uthando lomzwelo lobuKristu?
• Uthando lomzwelo lukaJehova lusisekela futhi lusilonde kanjani?
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Uthando phakathi kwamaKristu lubonisa ukuthi awathandani ngoba ephoqelekile
[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Ingabe ‘unganuleka’ othandweni lwakho lomzwelo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Uyagxeka noma uyakhuthaza?