Landela Indlela Encamisileyo Yothando
UYEHOVA UTHIXO uluthando lumntwisiwe. (1 Yohane 4:8) UNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, wathi sifanele simthande uThixo nabamelwane bethu. (Mateyu 22:37-40) Ewe, uThixo ulawula yonke indalo ngokusekelwe kolu phawu! Ngoko ukuze sifumane ubomi obungunaphakade naphi na, simele silandele indlela yothando.
UThixo wabonakalisa uthando ngohlanga lwakwaSirayeli kodwa kamva wayilahla loo ntlangano ngenxa yokungathembeki kwayo. Wandula ke wafanisa ibandla labafundi bakaYesu njengentlangano Yakhe entsha. Njani? Ngeembonakaliso ezikhethekileyo zomoya oyingcwele owabanika amandla okuthetha ngeelwimi nawokuprofeta. Ngaloo ndlela, ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., amaYuda nababengene ebuYudeni abangama-3 000 baba ngamakholwa baza bayishiya intlangano endala baza bangena kwekaThixo entsha. (IZenzo 2:1-41) Ekubeni izibabalo zomoya zathi kamva zanikelwa kwabanye kusetyenziswa abapostile bakaYesu, iimbonakaliso ezinjalo zaphela ekufeni kwabo. (IZenzo 8:5-18; 19:1-6) Kodwa ngelo xesha izibabalo zazibonisile ukuba inkoliseko kaThixo yayikuSirayeli wokomoya.—Galati 6:16.
Imimangaliso eyayisenziwa ngezibabalo zomoya yayinengenelo. Noko ke, ukubonakalisa uthando okanye inkxalabo yokungazingci ngabanye kubaluleke ngakumbi kunokuba nezibabalo zomoya. Umpostile uPawulos wakubonisa oku kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseKorinte (malunga nowama-55 C.E.). Kuyo wathetha ngothando ‘njengendlela encamisileyo.’ (1 Korinte 12:31) Loo ndlela ixutyushwe kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte isahluko 13.
Ukuba Asinalo Uthando, Asinto Yanto
UPawulos waqiqa ngale ndlela: “Ndingafanelana ndithetha ngeelwimi zabantu nezezithunywa zezulu; uthando ke ndingenalo, ndisuke ndaba yixina ehlokomayo, necangci elikhenkcezayo.” (1 Korinte 13:1) Ngaphandle kothando, bekungasayi kuba nentsingiselo ukuthetha ngolwimi lwabantu olufumaneke ngomoya okanye ulwimi lwasezulwini lwezithunywa zezulu. UPawulos wakhetha ukuthetha amazwi amahlanu ahlaziyayo kunamawaka alishumi ngolwimi abantu ababengaluqondi. (1 Korinte 14:19) Umntu ongenalo uthando ebeya kuba ‘njengexina ehlokomayo’—ixina engxolayo, ekruqulayo—okanye ‘icangci elikhenkcezayo’ elingenamculo. Intetho engenaluthando ngeelwimi yayingeyondlela ethuthuzelayo neyakhayo ngokomoya yokuzukisa uThixo neyokunceda abantu bakhe. Namhlanje, sibonisa uthando ngokusebenzisa intetho eqondakalayo kubulungiseleli bobuKristu.
Ngokulandelayo lo mpostile wathi: “Ndingafanelana ndinabo nobuprofeto, ndizazi iimfihlelo zonke, ndinako konke ukwazi; ndingafanelana ndinalo lonke ukholo, ngokokude ndisuse iintaba, uthando ndingenalo, andinto yanto.” (1 Korinte 13:2) Ukuprofeta ngemimangaliso, ukuqonda okukhethekileyo iimfihlelo ezingcwele nolwazi olufumaneka ngomoya lusenokubazisela iingenelo abanye kodwa alunakubazisela abo babenezibabalo ezinjalo ukuba abo babenezo zibabalo babengenaluthando. UPawulos wasebenzisa ukuqonda okukhethekileyo ngeemfihlelo ezingcwele ukuze ancede abanye yaye isibabalo solwazi samenza wakwazi ukuxela kwangaphambili usindiso lwamaxhoba okwaphuka kwenqanawa. (IZenzo 27:20-44; 1 Korinte 4:1, 2) Sekunjalo, ukuba ‘wayenalo lonke olo lwazi nalo lonke olo kholo’ kodwa engenalo uthando, wayengazi kuba nto yanto emehlweni kaYehova.
Namhlanje, umoya kaYehova wenza ukuba amaNgqina akhe akwazi ukuqonda iziprofeto zeBhayibhile neemfihlelo ezingcwele uze ubakhokele ekunikeni abanye ulwazi olunjalo. (Yoweli 2:28, 29) Umoya uvelisa ukholo olufunekayo lokoyisa imiqobo emikhulu. (Mateyu 17:20) Ekubeni umoya usenza ezi zinto, kuphosakele ukufuna uzuko lobuqu ngazo. Asinto yanto ngaphandle kokuba senza izinto ukwenzela uzuko lukaThixo sinothando ngaye nabanye abantu.—Galati 5:6.
Awuncedi Lutho Umnikelo Ongenaluthando
UPawulos wathi: “Ndingafanelana ndisamkelisa amahlwempu ngempahla yam yonke, nokuba ndithe umzimba wam ndawunikela ukuba utshiswe, uthando ke ndingenalo, akuncedi lutho.” (1 Korinte 13:3) Ngaphandle kothando, ukunikela kukaPawulos ngako konke awayenako ukuze ondle abanye kwakungayi kumnceda nganto. UThixo uyasivuza ngothando olushukumisa izibabalo zethu, kungekhona ngenxa yexabiso lezinto eziphathekayo okanye ngenxa yokuba sifuna uzuko njengabaphayo, njengoHananiya noSafira abaxokayo. (IZenzo 5:1-11) UPawulos wamisela umzekelo omhle ngokuthi ngokunothando azinikele mayela nobulungiseleli bokunceda amakholwa akwaYuda.—1 Korinte 16:1-4; 2 Korinte 8:1-24; 9:7.
Kwanokufel’ ukholo okungenaluthando njengokungqina inyaniso akuthethi nto kuThixo. (IMizekeliso 25:27) UYesu wathetha ngedini lakhe kodwa akazange aqhayise ngalo. Kunokuba aqhayise wazinikela ngothando. (Marko 10:45; Efese 5:2; Hebhere 10:5-10) Abazalwana bakhe bokomoya ‘banikela imizimba yabo njengedini eliphilileyo’ kwinkonzo kaThixo kungekhona ekufeleni ukholo okuzukisa ubani kodwa ngeendlela ezinomtsalane zokuzukisa uYehova nezokubonisa uthando ngaye.—Roma 12:1, 2.
Ezinye Iindlela Uthando Oluya Kusinceda Ngazo Senze Okuthile
UPawulos wabhala oku: “Uthando luzeka kade umsindo, lunobubele.” (1 Korinte 13:4a) Kwabaninzi, ukuzeka kade umsindo kukaThixo ukususela kwisono sikaAdam kuye kwathetha inguquko ekhokelela kusindiso. (2 Petros 3:9, 15) Ukuba sinothando, ngomonde siya kufundisa abanye inyaniso. Siya kukuphepha ukudubuleka ngumsindo size sibe nolwazelelelo yaye sibe ngabaxolelayo. (Mateyu 18:21, 22) Uthando lukwanobubele yaye sisondezwa kuThixo ngenxa yobubele bakhe. Isiqhamo somoya wakhe sobubele sisigcina ukuba singabi ngabafuna izinto ngesinyanzelo kwabanye kunokuba yena enjalo kuthi. (Efese 4:32) Uthando lukwasenza ukuba sibe nobubele kwanakubantu abangenambulelo.—Luka 6:35.
UPawulos wongezelela ngelithi: “Uthando alunamona; uthando alugwagwisi; alukhukhumali.” (1 Korinte 13:4b) Umona ngumsebenzi wenyama oya kwenza ukuba umntu angangeni kuBukumkani bukaThixo. (Galati 5:19-21) Uthando lusigcina ukuba singabi nomona ngenxa yezinto zikabani eziphathekayo okanye ngeemeko zakhe ezivumayo. Ukuba ufumana ilungelo lenkonzo ebesilinqwenela, uthando luya kusenza ukuba sivuyisane naye, simnike inkxaso yethu, size sibulele uThixo kuba enokusetyenziswa ukuze kungenelwe ibandla.
Ekubeni uthando ‘lungagwagwisi,’ alusishukumiseli ukuba siqhayise ngoko uThixo asivumele ukuba sikwenze enkonzweni yakhe. Amanye amaKorinte aqhayisa ngokungathi azalwa nezibabalo zomoya, kodwa ezi zazivela kuThixo, njengokuba kunjalo ngamalungelo entlanganweni yakhe yale mihla. Ngoko, kunokuqhayisa ngesikhundla sethu entlanganweni kaThixo, masilumke singawi. (1 Korinte 1:31; 4:7; 10:12) Uthando “alukhukhumali,” kodwa ingqondo yomntu ongenaluthando isenokuzaliswa kukuzixabisa. Abantu abanothando abaziva bongamile kunabanye.—1 Korinte 4:18, 19; Galati 6:3.
Alwenzi Okuziintloni, Aluzingci, Alunamsindo
Uthando “alwenzi okuziintloni; alufuni okukokwalo kodwa; alucaphuki.” (1 Korinte 13:5a) Lukhulisa isimilo esihle, ihambo yokuhlonel’ uThixo, ukuhlonela igunya nokuziphatha okundilisekileyo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. (Efese 5:3-5; 1 Korinte 11:17-34; 14:40; thelekisa uYuda 4, 8-10.) Ekubeni uthando lusenza ukuba wonk’ ubani azive efunwa, njengamalungu onke omzimba womntu, ibandla elinothando liyindawo yoxolo nendawo yokuzimela. (1 Korinte 12:22-25) Kunokuthi ngokuzingca ‘lufune okukokwalo kodwa,’ uthando lusenza ngamanye amaxesha sincame amalungelo ethu size sibonise umdla wethu kwabanye nakwimpilo-ntle yabo. (Filipi 2:1-4) Uthando lwenza ukuba ‘sibe zizinto zonke kubantu bonke, ukuze sisindise abanye’ ngobulungiseleli bethu.—1 Korinte 9:22, 23.
Uthando “alucaphuki.” Imisindo yimisebenzi yenyama enesono, kodwa uthando lusenza ukuba ‘senze kade ukuqumba.’ (Yakobi 1:19; Galati 5:19, 20) Kwanokuba sinezizathu ezivakalayo zokuba nomsindo, uthando alusivumeli ukuba sihlale sicaphukile, ngaloo ndlela sivulela indawo uMtyholi. (Efese 4:26, 27) Ngokukhethekileyo abadala bamele baphephe ukuba nomsindo ukuba amakholwa akhonza nabo ayasilela ekuphumezeni icebiso elithile.
UPawulos wakwathi ngothando: “Alunanzondo.” (1 Korinte 13:5b) Uthando alugcini uludwe lweziphoso, njengezinto ezibhalwa kwincwadi yomrhwebi yengxelo yamatyala. Lubona okulungileyo kwamanye amakholwa yaye aluphindezeli ngenxa yeziphoso zokwenene okanye ezicingelwayo. (IMizekeliso 20:22; 24:29; 25:21, 22) Uthando lusinceda ukuba ‘sisukele izinto zoxolo.’ (Roma 14:19) UPawulos noBharnabhas babenokungavisisani yaye bahamba iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo enkonzweni kaThixo, kodwa uthando lwawuvala umsantsa lwaza lwabathintela ukuba bangabi nenqala.—Levitikus 19:17, 18; IZenzo 15:36-41.
Lutyekele Ebulungiseni Nasenyanisweni
Mayela nothando, uPawulos waqhubeka esithi: “Aluvuyeli kungalungisi; luvuyisana nenyaniso.” (1 Korinte 13:6) Abanye bavuyela ukungalungisi kangangokuba “abalali, ukuba abathanga benze ububi.” (IMizekeliso 4:16) Kodwa kwintlangano kaThixo asilwi nabanye okanye sivuye ukuba omnye urhintyelwe sisono. (IMizekeliso 17:5; 24:17, 18) Ukuba ibandla laseKorinte lalimthanda ngokwaneleyo uThixo nobulungisa, ngelalingazange likunyamezele ukuziphatha okubi. (1 Korinte 5:1-13) Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukuthanda ubulungisa kuyasithintela ukuba singayoliswa kukungalungisi okuboniswa kumabonwakude, kwimifanekiso eshukumayo, okanye kwimidlalo yeqonga.
Uthando “luvuyisana nenyaniso.” Apha kuthelekiswa inyaniso nokungalungisi. Kucacile ukuba oku kuthetha ukuba uthando lusenza sivuyisane nempembelelo yobulungisa inyaniso enayo ebantwini. Sifumana uvuyo kwizinto ezakha abantu nezihambisela phambili injongo yenyaniso neyobulungisa. Uthando lusithintela ekuthetheni ubuxoki, lusinika uvuyo xa abathe tye bengqinwa bemsulwa yaye lusibangela ukuba sivuye kuloyiso lwenyaniso kaThixo.—INdumiso 45:4.
Indlela Uthando Oluqhubana Ngayo Nezinto Zonke
Eqhubeka nengcaciso yakhe yothando, uPawulos wabhala oku: “Luthwala iinto zonke; lukholwa ziinto zonke; luthemba iinto zonke; lunyamezela iinto zonke.” (1 Korinte 13:7) ‘Luthwala izinto zonke,’ uthando lunqanda intiyo njengokuba uphahla olusemgangathweni luthintela imvula. Ukuba nabani na uyasona kodwa ke acele uxolo, uthando lusenza sibuthwale ububi, sixolela umoni kunokuhamba sihleba ngezo zinto. Ngothando sizama ‘ukumzuza umzalwana wethu.’—Mateyu 18:15-17; Kolose 3:13.
Uthando “lukholwa ziinto zonke” ezikwiLizwi likaThixo yaye lusenza sibe nombulelo ngokutya kokomoya okulungiselelwe ‘ngomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Ngoxa singaqhatheki, uthando lusinceda siphephe ukuba nentliziyo engakholwayo yaye kuya kusithintela ekuwacingeleni kakubi amakholwa esikhonza kunye nawo. (INtshumayeli 7:21, 22) Uthando “luthemba izinto zonke” ezibhalwe eZibhalweni, njengeenyaniso ezimayela noBukumkani bukaThixo. Sishukunyiswa luthando, sithemba yaye sithandazela owona mphumo ulungileyo kwiimeko ezilingayo. Uthando lukwasishukumisela ukuba sixelele abanye ngesizathu sethemba lethu. (1 Petros 3:15) Ukongezelela, uthando “lunyamezela iinto zonke,” kuquka nezono ezinxamnye nathi. (IMizekeliso 10:12) Uthando ngoThixo lukwasinceda ukuba sinyamezele intshutshiso nezinye izilingo.
UPawulos wongezelela ngelithi: “Uthando aluze lutshitshe.” (1 Korinte 13:8a) Alunakuze luphele okanye lutshitshe kanye njengokuba uYehova engatshitshi. Ekubeni uThixo wethu ongunaphakade esisimntwiso sothando, olu phawu aluyi kuphela. (1 Timoti 1:17; 1 Yohane 4:16) Ngamaxesha onke indalo iya kulawulwa luthando. Ngoko ke masithandazele ukuba uThixo asincede ukuba soyise imizila yokuzingca size sibonakalise esi siqhamo singatshitshiyo somoya wakhe.—Luka 11:13.
Izinto Ezaziza Kudlula
Esalatha ngaphambili, uPawulos wabhala: “Nokuba ke ziziprofeto, ziya kubhangiswa; nokuba ziilwimi, ziya kupheza; nokuba kukwazi, kuya kuphuthiswa.” (1 Korinte 13:8b) ‘Izibabalo zokuprofeta’ zazisenza abo babenazo ukuba bavakalise iziprofeto ezitsha. Nangona izibabalo ezinjalo zatshitshiswayo emva kokuba ibandla lamaKristu lamiswa njengentlangano kaThixo, amandla akhe okuprofeta akaze atshitshe yaye iLizwi lakhe liqulethe zonke iziprofeto esizifunayo ngoku. Izakhono ezazifumaneka ngomoya zokuthetha ngeelwimi zaphela, yaye ulwazi olukhethekileyo ‘lwaphuthiswa,’ njengokuba kwaxelwa kwangaphambili. Kodwa iLizwi likaYehova elipheleleyo lisinika oko sifuna ukukwazi ukuze sisindiswe. (Roma 10:8-10) Ngaphezu koko, abantu bakaThixo bazaliswe ngumoya wakhe yaye bavelisa isiqhamo sawo.
UPawulos waqhubeka esithi: “Kuba siyazi ngokuyinxenye, siprofeta ngokuyinxenye. Xa kuthe kwafika okuzalisekileyo, kuya kwandula ukuphuthiswa okuyinxenye.” (1 Korinte 13:9, 10) Izibabalo zolwazi nezesiprofeto zazingaphelelanga. Kuyabonakala ukuba isiprofeto esinjalo asizange sibe nazinkcukacha, yaye umprofeti ngamnye wayengaphelelanga ekuchazeni ikamva, engenalo ulwazi olugqibeleleyo ngoko wayekuxela kwangaphambili. Noko ke, ngoku ukuqonda iziprofeto ngokuthe ngcembe kuya kuphelela ngokuphelela. Ngokomzekelo, izibakala ezizalisekisa isiprofeto seBhayibhile ziqinisekisa ukuba uYesu wafumana igunya lobukumkani phezu koluntu ngowe-1914. Ukususela ngoko, ‘besikwixesha lokuphela’ yaye sinandipha ulwando oluqhubekayo lolwazi nokuqonda kokomoya kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile. (Daniyeli 12:4) Ngenxa yoko, sifikelela kulwazi olugqibeleleyo yaye “oko kupheleleyo” kumele kufike.
Olona Phawu Lukhulu Lusekho
Ethetha ngenkqubela yelo bandla, uPawulos wabhala oku: “Oko bendingumntwana, bendithetha ngokomntwana, bendiqonda ngokomntwana, bendicamanga ngokomntwana; ndithe ke, ndakuba yindoda, ndazibhangisa izinto zobuntwana.” (1 Korinte 13:11) Ekubeni umntwana esenza izinto ngokusekelwe kulwazi olulinganiselweyo nokukhula ngokomzimba, usenokubhekiswa ngapha nangapha, ngokungathi uhexiswa kwibhedi yosana. Kodwa indoda ikhule ngakumbi ngokomzimba, inolwazi oluthe kratya yaye ngokuqhelekileyo ayiphenjelelwa ngokulula. Iye yaziphelisa iingcamango, izimo zengqondo neendlela zobuntwana. Ngokufanayo, emva kokuba intlangano kaThixo yakhulayo ishiya ubuntwana, wabona ukuba yayingazifuni izibabalo zomoya zokuprofeta, zeelwimi nezolwazi. Nangona amalungu ebandla lanamhlanje, ngoku ekukudala likho, akwavakalelwa kukuba akazifuni izibabalo ezinjalo, ayakuvuyela ukukhonza uThixo phantsi kokhokelo lomoya wakhe.
UPawulos wongezelela ngelithi: “Kuba ngoku sikhangela esipilini ngokwamanakanibe [“yimbonakalo nje eluzizi,” “TE”]; oko ke, siya kukhangelana ebusweni. Ngoku ndazi ngokuyinxenye; oko ke ndiya kwazi kakuhle, njengoko ndaziwayo nokwaziwa nam.” (1 Korinte 13:12) Xa elo bandla lalisenobuntwana, yayingeloxesha likaThixo lokutyhila izinto ezithile. Ngenxa yoko, zazibonakala ngokuluzizi, ngokungathi amaKristu ayekhangele kwisipili esasingabonisi kakuhle. (IZenzo 1:6, 7) Kodwa singaphaya kwembono eluzizi. Inzaliseko yeziprofeto nezinto ezazixelwe kwangaphambili ibonakala kakuhle, kuba eli lixesha likaThixo lesityhilelo. (INdumiso 97:11; Daniyeli 2:28) Nangona uPawulos wayemazi uThixo, elona nqanaba liphezulu lolwazi ngoYehova nolona lwalamano lusenyongweni naye lwaluya kufika xa umpostile wayeya kuvuselwa kubomi basezulwini, ngaloo ndlela efumana umvuzo opheleleyo wekhondo lakhe lobuKristu.
Equkumbela esi sishwankathelo sakhe sothando, uPawulos wabhala oku: “Kungoku ke kuhleli ukholo, ithemba, uthando, ezo zinto zontathu; eyona inkulu ke kuzo apho luthando.” (1 Korinte 13:13) Phezu kwako nje ukungabikho kwezibabalo ezingummangaliso zomoya, ngoku ibandla linolwazi olupheleleyo yaye linezizathu zokuba nokholo, ithemba nothando oluphuphumayo. Linokholo lokuba yonke into uThixo ayithembisileyo ngokuqinisekileyo iya kuzaliseka. (Hebhere 11:1) Iinkalo zokholo ziya kuphela njengoko izinto ezazixelwe kwangaphambili kwiLizwi likaThixo zizaliseka. Iinkalo zethemba ziya kuphela xa sibona izinto ebesinethemba lokuzibona. Kodwa uthando luya kuhlala ngonaphakade. Ngenxa yoko, onke amaNgqina kaYehova makaqhubeke elandela indlela encamisileyo yothando.