“Ngaphezu Kwezinto Zonke, Yibani Nothando Olunzulu”

“Isiphelo sezinto zonke sisondele. . . . Ngaphezu kwezinto zonke, yibani nothando olunzulu omnye ngomnye.”—1 PETROS 4:7, 8.

UYESU wayekuqonda ukubaluleka kweeyure zokugqibela ekunye nabapostile bakhe. Wayeziqonda izinto ababeza kujamelana nazo. Wawumkhulu umsebenzi ekwakufuneka bewuphumezile, kodwa babeza kuthiywa baze batshutshiswe, kanye njengoko kwaba njalo kuye. (Yohane 15:18-20) Ngobusuku bokugqibela ekunye nabo, wabakhumbuza ngokuphindaphindiweyo ngemfuneko yokuba ‘bathandane.’—Yohane 13:34, 35; 15:12, 13, 17.

² Umpostile uPetros, owayekho ngobo busuku, wayifumana ingongoma. Xa wayebhala kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, uPetros wakubethelela ukubaluleka kothando. Wathi xa wayeluleka amaKristu: “Isiphelo sezinto zonke sisondele. . . . Ngaphezu kwezinto zonke, yibani nothando olunzulu omnye ngomnye.” (1 Petros 4:7, 8) Amazwi kaPetros anentsingiselo ebalulekileyo kwabo baphila ‘kwimihla yokugqibela’ yale nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto. (2 Timoti 3:1) Luyintoni ‘uthando olunzulu’? Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba sibe nothando olunjalo ngabanye? Yaye sinokubonisa njani ukuba sinalo?

‘Uthando Olunzulu’—Luyintoni?

³ Abaninzi bacinga ukuba uthando yimvakalelo emele izivelele. Kodwa uPetros wayengathethi ngalo naluphi na uthando; wayethetha ngohlobo olunzulu lothando. Igama elithi ‘uthando’ kweyoku-1 kaPetros 4:8 liguqulelwe kwelesiGrike elingua·gaʹpe. Elo gama libonisa uthando lokungazingci olulawulwa ngumgaqo. Enye imbekiselo ithi: “Uthando olungu-agape luyalawuleka kuba aluyomvakalelo nje, kodwa sisigqibo umntu asenzayo sokukhetha ukwenza izinto ngendlela ethile.” Ekubeni sizuze ilifa utyekelo lokuzingca, sifuna ukukhunjuzwa ukuze sithandane, ngokuvisisana nemigaqo kaThixo.—Genesis 8:21; Roma 5:12.

⁴ Oku akuthethi ukuba simele sithandane kuba nje kunyanzelekile. Ua·gaʹpe uhambisana nobubele. UPetros wathi simele sibe “nothando olunzulu [ngokoqobo, “olubanzi”] omnye ngomnye.”a (Kingdom Interlinear) Noko ke, olo thando lufuna umgudu. Ngokuphathelele igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “olunzulu,” omnye umphengululi uthi: “Lichaza ingcamango yembaleki ekhupha nawokugqibela amandla njengoko isondela entanjeni.”

⁵ Ngoko uthando lwethu alumele lupheleliselwe ekwenzeni izinto ezilula okanye silubonise kwimbinana nje yabantu. Uthando lobuKristu lufuna ukuba sizenze “banzi” iintliziyo zethu, sibonise uthando kwanokuba kulucelomngeni ukwenjenjalo. (2 Korinte 6:11-13) Licacile elokuba, olu hlobo lothando luyinto efuna ukuhlakulelwa, kanye njengokuba imbaleki imele iqhelisele ngamandla ukuphucula ubuchule bayo. Kubalulekile ukuba sithandane ngaloo ndlela. Ngoba? Ubuncinane zithathu izizathu zoko.

Kutheni Sifanele Sithandane?

⁶ Okokuqala, ‘kungenxa yokuba uthando luvela kuThixo.’ (1 Yohane 4:7) UYehova, onguMthombo wolu phawu luthandekayo, wasithanda kuqala. Umpostile uYohane uthi: “Kwabonakaliswa ngale nto ukusithanda kukaThixo, ngokuthi uThixo athumele uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ehlabathini ukuze sizuze ubomi ngaye.” (1 Yohane 4:9) UNyana kaThixo ‘wathunyelwa’ njengomntu, waphumeza ubulungiseleli bakhe waza wafela kwisibonda sentuthumbo—konke oko ekwenzela “ukuze sizuze ubomi.” Sifanele sisabele njani kule ndlela iphakamileyo yokubonakaliswa kothando lukaThixo? UYohane uthi: “Ekubeni uThixo eye wasithanda ngolo hlobo, nathi simele sithandane.” (1 Yohane 4:11) Phawula ukuba uYohane ubhala athi, “ekubeni uThixo eye wasithanda ngolo hlobo”—hayi wena nje kuphela kodwa thina. Ingongoma izicacele: Ukuba uThixo uyabathanda abo sikhonza nabo, nathi sifanele sibathande.

⁷ Okwesibini, kubaluleke nangakumbi ukuba sithandane ngoku ukuze sikwazi ukunceda abazalwana bethu abasweleyo ekubeni “isiphelo sezinto zonke sisondele.” (1 Petros 4:7) Siphila ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo.’ (2 Timoti 3:1) Iimeko zeli hlabathi, iintlekele zokwemvelo, nenkcaso, ziyasixinezela. Xa siphantsi kwezilingo, kufuneka sisondelelane kunanini na ngaphambili. Uthando olunzulu luya kusimanyanisa luze lusikhuthazele ukuba ‘sinyamekelane.’—1 Korinte 12:25, 26.

⁸ Okwesithathu, kufuneka sithandane kuba asifuni ‘kuvulela indawo uMtyholi’ ukuze asihende. (Efese 4:27) USathana usebenzisa ukungafezeki kwabo sikhonza kunye nabo—ubuthathaka, iintsilelo neempazamo zabo—njengemiqobo. Ngaba umntu othetha ngaphandle kokucinga okanye ofane enze unokusibangela ukuba singezi ebandleni? (IMizekeliso 12:18) Asisayi kwenjenjalo ukuba sithandana ngokunzulu! Uthando olunjalo lusinceda silondoloze uxolo size simkhonze ngokumanyeneyo uThixo “ngaxhatha linye.”—Zefaniya 3:9.

Indlela Onokubonisa Ngayo Ukuba Uyabathanda Abanye

⁹ Umele uqale ekhaya ukubonisa uthando. UYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso baya kubonwa ngendlela abathandana ngayo. (Yohane 13:34, 35) Uthando alumele luphelele nje ebandleni kodwa lumele lubekho nasentsatsheni—kumaqabane atshatileyo naphakathi kwabazali nabantwana. Akwanelanga ukuba nemvakalelo yothando ngamalungu entsapho; kufuneka silubonakalise ngezenzo.

¹⁰ Amaqabane atshatileyo anokubonisa njani ukuba ayathandana? Indoda emthanda ngokunyanisekileyo umfazi wayo imbonisa ngamazwi nangezenzo—phakathi kwabantu naxa bebodwa—ukuba iyamxabisa. Imphatha ngesidima, yaye iyazihlonela iimbono nendlela avakalelwa ngayo. (1 Petros 3:7) Ibeka izilangazelelo zakhe kuqala kunezayo ize yenze konke enokukwenza ukuze imnyamekele ngezinto eziphathekayo, ngokomoya nangokweemvakalelo. (Efese 5:25, 28) Umfazi omthanda ngokwenene umyeni wakhe ‘umhlonela ngokunzulu,’ enoba maxa wambi akenzi ngokolindelo lwakhe. (Efese 5:22, 33) Uyalixhasa iqabane lakhe aze alithobele, engafuni kulo izinto ezingaphaya kwamandla alo, kodwa usebenzisana nalo ukuze baqhubeke benikela ingqalelo kwizinto zokomoya.—Genesis 2:18; Mateyu 6:33.

¹¹ Bazali, ninokubonisa njani ukuba niyabathanda abantwana benu? Ukusebenza kwenu ngokuzimisela nizama ukubalungiselela izinto eziphathekayo kubonisa ukuba niyabathanda. (1 Timoti 5:8) Kodwa abantwana bafuna into engaphaya kokutya, impahla nendawo yokuhlala. Ukuba baza kukhula bemthanda baze bamkhonze uThixo oyinyaniso, bafuna ingqeqesho yokomoya. (IMizekeliso 22:6) Oko kuthetha ukubekela ecaleni ixesha njengentsapho ukuze nifundisise iBhayibhile, nishumayele, nize niye kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. (Duteronomi 6:4-7) Ukuzenza ngokuqhubekayo ezi zinto kufuna ukuzincama ngokupheleleyo, ingakumbi kula maxesha anzima. Umgudu wenu wokunyamekela iimfuno zokomoya zabantwana benu ubonisa ukuba niyabathanda, yaye niyixhalabele impilontle yabo kanaphakade.—Yohane 17:3.

¹² Kwakhona kubalulekile ukuba abazali babonise uthando ngokunyamekela abantwana babo ngokweemvakalelo. Abantwana babuthathaka; bafuna ukuqinisekiswa ukuba bayathandwa. Baxeleleni ukuba niyabathanda, nibabonise nangezenzo, yaye oko kuya kubaqinisekisa ukuba niyabaxabisa. Bancomeni ngokufudumeleyo nangokunyanisekileyo, kuba loo nto ibenza bazi ukuba niyayixabisa imigudu yabo. Baqeqesheni ngothando, kuba oko kuya kubabonisa ukuba niyikhathalele indlela abakhula ngayo. (Efese 6:4) Ukubonisa uthando ngaloo ndlela kuya kunceda ekwakheni intsapho eyonwabileyo nemanyeneyo, ekulungeleyo ukuhlangabezana neengcinezelo zale mihla yokugqibela.

¹³ Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sizibethe ngoyaba iimpazamo zabanye. Khumbula ukuba xa wasibongoza ukuba ‘sibe nothando olunzulu omnye ngomnye,’ uPetros wachaza isizathu sokuba kubalulekile oko, esithi: “Kuba uthando lugubungela inkitha yezono.” (1 Petros 4:8) ‘Ukugubungela’ izono akuthethi ukufihla izono ezinzulu. Izono ezinjalo zifanele zichazwe zize zisingathwe ngabo banembopheleleko ebandleni. (Levitikus 5:1; IMizekeliso 29:24) Kukungabi naluthando—yaye akukho zibhalweni—ukuvumela abo benza izono ezinzulu ukuba baqhubeke bevisa ubuhlungu okanye bexhaphaza abamsulwa.—1 Korinte 5:9-13.

¹⁴ Kwiimeko ezininzi, abo sikholwa nabo benza iimpazamo nje ezincinane. Maxa wambi sonke siyakhutyekiswa ngamazwi okanye zizenzo, sibadanise okanye sibenze buhlungu abanye. (Yakobi 3:2) Ngaba sifanele sihambe sipapasha iimpazamo zabanye? Ukwenjenjalo kuya kubangela ukungevani ebandleni. (Efese 4:1-3) Ukuba sinothando, asisayi ‘kusidiza isiphoso’ salowo sikhonza naye. (INdumiso 50:20) Kanye njengokuba isamente nepeyinti zivala iintanda eludongeni, ngoko uthando lugubungela ukungafezeki kwabanye.—IMizekeliso 17:9.

¹⁵ Uthando luya kusenza sibancede abo basweleyo. Njengoko iimeko zale mihla yokugqibela ziya zisiba maxongo, maxa wambi abo sikhonza nabo basenokufuna uncedo lwezinto eziphathekayo. (1 Yohane 3:17, 18) Ngokomzekelo, ngaba kukho mntu uthile ebandleni okulo oye waba nengxaki yemali okanye waphelelwa ngumsebenzi? Ngoko sisengamnceda ngezinto eziphathekayo, ngokweemeko zethu. (IMizekeliso 3:27, 28; Yakobi 2:14-17) Ngaba ikhaya lomhlolokazi okhulileyo lifuna ukulungiswa? Ngoko mhlawumbi sinokuzenza sifumaneke size sincedise ekulilungiseni.—Yakobi 1:27.

¹⁶ Asimele sibonise uthando kuphela kwabo bahlala kufuphi nathi. Maxa wambi sisenokuva iingxelo ngabakhonzi bakaThixo abakwamanye amazwe abaye bangamaxhoba eenkqwithela ezinamandla, iinyikima, okanye izixholoxholo. Basenokufuna ukutya, impahla, nezinye izinto. Akukhathaliseki ukuba ngaboluphi uhlanga. Simele sibe “nothando ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela.” (1 Petros 2:17) Ngoko, njengamabandla enkulungwane yokuqala, sizimisele ukuxhasa amalungiselelo okunceda abazalwana. (IZenzo 11:27-30; Roma 15:26) Xa sibonisa uthando ngazo zonke ezi ndlela, siqinisa ulwalamano olusimanyanisayo kule mihla yokugqibela.—Kolose 3:14.

¹⁷ Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sabelane nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Khawucinge ngomzekelo kaYesu. Kwakutheni ukuze ashumayele yaye afundise? “Wasisizela” isihlwele ngenxa yokuba sasihlwempuzekile ngokomoya. (Marko 6:34) Sasingahoywanga yaye silahlekiswa ngabelusi bonqulo lobuxoki, ababefanele basifundise inyaniso baze basinik’ ithemba. Ngoko, eshukunyiswa luthando olunzulu novelwano, uYesu wathuthuzela abantu ‘ngeendaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani bukaThixo.’—Luka 4:16-21, 43.

¹⁸ Nanamhlanje abantu abaninzi abakhathalelwanga ngokomoya yaye balahlekisiwe kwaye bengenalo nethemba. Ukuba njengoYesu, nathi siyazikhathalela iintswelo zokomoya zabo bangekamazi uThixo oyinyaniso, siya kushukunyiswa luthando novelwano ukuba sabelane nabo ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. (Mateyu 6:9, 10; 24:14) Ngenxa yexesha elifutshane eliseleyo, kungxamiseke gqitha ukushumayela esi sigidimi sisindis’ ubomi.—1 Timoti 4:16.

“Isiphelo Sezinto Zonke Sisondele”

¹⁹ Khumbula ukuba, uPetros wasitshayelela isiluleko sakhe sokuba sithandane ngala mazwi: “Isiphelo sezinto zonke sisondele.” (1 Petros 4:7) Kungekudala eli hlabathi lingendawo liza kuthatyathelw’ indawo lihlabathi likaThixo elitsha nelinobulungisa. (2 Petros 3:13) Ngoko eli asiloxesha lokungakhathali. UYesu wasilumkisa ngelithi: “Zilumkeleni ukuba iintliziyo zenu zingaze zisindwe kukuzingxala ngokutya nokusela kakhulu nangamaxhala obomi, ize ngequbuliso loo mini inifikele ngephanyazo njengomgibe.”—Luka 21:34, 35.

²⁰ Ngoko ke, ngandlela zonke, ‘masihlale silindile,’ sikuphaphele ukubaluleka kwexesha esiphila kulo. (Mateyu 24:42) Masiphaphele naziphi na izilingo zikaSathana ezinokusiphazamisa. Masingaze silivumele eli hlabathi lingenaluthando ukuba lisithintele ekuboniseni uthando kwabanye. Ngaphezu kwako konke, masisondele kuThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova, oza kuthi kungekudala asebenzise uBukumkani obungoMesiya ukuze azalisekise injongo yakhe ezukileyo ngokuphathelele umhlaba.—ISityhilelo 21:4, 5.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

IMIBUZO YESIFUNDO

• Sisiphi isiluleko uYesu awasinika abafundi bakhe ngaphambi kokuhamba kwakhe, yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba uPetros wayifumana ingongoma? (Isiqe. 1-2)

• Luyintoni ‘uthando olunzulu’? (Isiqe. 3-5)

• Kutheni sifanele sithandane? (Isiqe. 6-8)

• Unokubonisa njani ukuba uyabathanda abanye? (Isiqe. 9-18)

• Kutheni eli ingeloxesha lokuba singakhathali, yaye yintoni esifanele sizimisele ukuyenza? (Isiqe. 19-20)

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Intsapho emanyeneyo ikuxhobele ngakumbi ukuhlangabezana neengcinezelo zale mihla yokugqibela

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sibancede abo basweleyo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Sibonisa uthando xa sisabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo