Ukufunda Indlela Ebalaseleyo Yothando

IKosovo, iBosnia, iLebanon, neIreland. La ngamazwe ekuthethwe ngokufuthi ngawo ezindabeni kwiminyaka yakutshanje. Akhumbuza abantu ngezenzo zokuphalazwa kwegazi, iibhombu nokubulala. Kakade ke, iimpikiswano ezinogonyamelo ezibangelwa kukwahluka ngokonqulo, ngokobuzwe, nangokobuhlanga okanye nangezinye iindlela asinto intsha. Enyanisweni, imbali izaliswe zizo, yaye ziye zazisa ukubandezeleka okungasokuze kuphele eluntwini.

BEBONA ukuba kuye kwakho iimfazwe embalini, abaninzi baye bafikelela kwisigqibo sokuba iimfazwe azinakuphepheka ngokwenene yaye kuyinto yokwemvelo ukuba abantu bathiyane. Noko ke, iimbono ezinjalo zahluke kwaphela kwiimfundiso zeLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile. Ngokucacileyo iZibhalo zithi: “Lowo ungathandiyo akafikelelanga ekumazini uThixo, ngenxa yokuba uThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:⁠8) Licacile elokuba uMdali ufuna abantu bathandane.

Kwakhona iBhayibhile ityhila ukuba umntu wadalwa ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo. (Genesis 1:​26, 27) Oku kuthetha ukuba uluntu lunesiphiwo sokubonisa iimpawu zikaThixo, olona lubalasele ngakumbi luthando. Ekubeni oku kunjalo, kutheni abantu besoyisakala kangaka ukubonisa uthando kwabanye ukutyhubela imbali? Kwakhona, iBhayibhile isenza siqonde. Kungenxa yesibini sokuqala esingabantu, uAdam noEva, esavukela uThixo saza sawela esonweni. Ngenxa yoko, yonke inzala yabo yazuza isono nokungafezeki. EyabaseRoma 3:​23 iyacacisa: “Bonke bonile baza basilela kuzuko lukaThixo.” Isiphiwo sethu esinaso esisiphiwe nguThixo sokuthandana senzakaliswa sisono sethu esasizuza ilifa nokungafezeki. Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba abantu abanakukwazi ukuthandana konke konke? Liliphi ithemba esinalo lokuba singaze sinandiphe ulwalamano oluhle nolunothando nabanye abantu?

Simele Sifunde Ukuthanda UThixo

UYehova uThixo uyazi ukuba phezu kwako nje ukungafezeki, uluntu lusenokukwazi ukubonakalisa uthando. Kungenxa yoko le nto efuna bonke abantu abafuna ukumkholisa ukuba babonakalise uthando kangangoko banako. Le mfuno yenziwa yacaca nguNyana kaThixo, uYesu Kristu, xa wacelwa ukuba achaze owona myalelo mkhulu kwiMithetho eyanikwa amaSirayeli. Wathi: “ ‘Umele umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela nangomphefumlo wakho uphela nangengqondo yakho iphela.’ Lo ngowona myalelo mkhulu nowokuqala.” Emva koko wongezelela wathi: “Owesibini, njengawo, ngulo, ‘Umele umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.’ Kule miyalelo mibini kuxhonywe uMthetho uphela.”​—⁠Mateyu 22:​37-⁠40.

Noko ke, abantu abaninzi bavakalelwa kukuba, kunzima ukuthanda umntu ongenako ukumbona, yaye njengabantu asinako ukumbona uYehova uThixo ngenxa yokuba unguMoya. (Yohane 4:​24) Sekunjalo, sichaphazeleka yonke imihla koko uThixo akwenzayo, njengokuba sixhomekeke kuzo zonke izinto ezintle asidalele zona ukuze singenelwe. Umpostile uPawulos wakutyhila oku xa wathi: “[UThixo] engazange azishiye yena ngokwakhe ngaphandle kobungqina ngokuba wathi wenza okulungileyo, eninika iimvula ezivela ezulwini namaxesha emveliso, ezizalisa iintliziyo zenu zizale kukutya nakukuchwayita.”​—⁠IZenzo 14:⁠17.

Nangona wonke umntu engenelwa kumalungiselelo oMdali ngeendlela ezithile, xa kuthelekiswa bambalwa gqitha abantu abanombulelo kuye okanye abashukunyiselwa ukuba bathi enkosi kuye. Ngaloo ndlela, simele sihlolisise zonke izinto ezintle asenzele zona uThixo size sicamngce ngeempawu zakhe ezimangalisayo azibonakalisa kuko konke akwenzayo. Ukwenjenjalo kumele kusincede siqonde ubulumko obumangalisayo namandla oMdali wethu Ozukileyo. (Isaya 45:​18) Ngaphezu kwako konke, kumele kusincede sibone indlela aluthando ngayo uThixo, ngokuba akazange asinike nje ubomi, kodwa uye wasenza sakwazi ukunandipha izinto ezininzi ebomini.

Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngobuhle obungapheliyo beentyatyambo uThixo azidalileyo emhlabeni. Hayi indlela okuvuyisa ngayo ukuba esipha amandla okubona nawokuzuza uyolo kwezi zinto zintle! Ngokufanayo, uThixo uye wasinika konke ukudla okuyimpilo ukuze sondleke. Hayi indlela anolwazelelelo ngayo kuba uye wasidala sakwazi ukungcamla yaye sikunandipha ngokwenene oko sikutyayo! Ngaba obu asibobungqina bokwenene bokuba uThixo usithanda ngokwenene yaye uzazi zonke izinto esizinqwenelayo?​—⁠INdumiso 145:​16, 17; Isaya 42:​5, 8.

Ngaphandle kokuzityhila kwakhe kuthi “kwincwadi yendalo,” uMdali, usibonisa uhlobo loThixo alulo ngeLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile. Oku kungenxa yokuba eBhayibhileni zininzi izinto ezibhaliweyo ezithandekayo awazenzayo uYehova uThixo kwixa elidlulileyo nezithembiso eziliqela athembisa ukuzenzela uluntu kwixa elizayo. (Genesis 22:​17, 18; Eksodus 3:​17; INdumiso 72:​6-16; ISityhilelo 21:​4, 5) Ngaphezu kwako konke, iBhayibhile ibonisa eyona ndlela awalubonakalisa ngayo uthando uThixo eluntwini​—⁠enikela ngoNyana okuphela kwamzeleyo waza waba ngumkhululi wethu ukuze sikhululeke ekukhotyokisweni sisono nakukufa. (Roma 5:⁠8) Enyanisweni, okukhona sifunda ngoMdali wethu onothando, kokukhona sishukunyiselwa ekubeni simthande ngokusuka entliziyweni.

Ukufunda Ukuthanda Abantu

Njengokuba uYesu wacacisayo, ukongezelela ekuthandeni uThixo ngentliziyo yethu yonke, ngomphefumlo nangengqondo, simele sibathande abamelwane bethu njengokuba sizithanda. Enyanisweni, uthando lukaThixo lusinyanzela ukuba sibathande abanye abantu. Umpostile uYohane wacacisa: “Zintanda, ukuba le yindlela uThixo awasithanda ngayo, ngoko nathi ngokwethu sibophelelekile ukuba sithandane.” Wongezelela esithi: “Ukuba nabani na wenza ingxelo ethi: ‘Ndiyamthanda uThixo,’ ukanti umthiyile umzalwana wakhe, ulixoki. Kuba lowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe, ambonileyo, akanako ukumthanda uThixo, angambonanga. Yaye lo myalelo sinawo uvela kuye, wokuba lowo umthandayo uThixo ufanele amthande kwanomzalwana wakhe.”​—⁠1 Yohane 4:​11, 20, 21.

Namhlanje siphila kwihlabathi apho abantu abaninzi benesimo sengqondo sokuzingca, ‘abazithandayo,’ kanye njengokuba iBhayibhile yachazayo. (2 Timoti 3:⁠2) Ngoko ke, ukuba sifuna ukufunda indlela ebalaseleyo yothando, simele senze umzamo wokuba siguqule iingqondo zethu size sixelise uMdali wethu onothando, kunokuba silandele iindlela zabantu zokuzingca. (Roma 12:⁠2; Efese 5:⁠1) UThixo “unobubele kwabo bangenambulelo nabangendawo,” yaye ‘wenza kune nemvula kubantu abangamalungisa nakwabangengomalungisa.’ Ekubeni uBawo wethu osemazulwini esimisele umzekelo obalaseleyo, simele sizabalazele ukuba nobubele size sibancede bonke abantu. Ngokwenjenjalo, sinokuzingqina ‘singoonyana boBawo wethu wasemazulwini onothando.’​—⁠Luka 6:​35; Mateyu 5:⁠45.

Maxa wambi izenzo zothando ezinjalo ziphumela ekuncedeni abantu ukuba babe ngabanquli boThixo oyinyaniso. Kwiminyaka eyadlulayo enye inkosikazi engaphangeliyo eliNgqina likaYehova yazama ukwabelana ngesigidimi seBhayibhile nommelwane wayo, yaza yachaswa ngamandla. Noko ke, ayizange idimazeke yintsabelo enjalo. Kunoko, yaqhubeka ibonisa ububele yaye yayimnceda ummelwane wayo. Ngasihlandlo sithile yanceda lo mmelwane xa wayefudukela kwenye indlu. Ngesinye isihlandlo ucela umntu othile ukuba ahambe nalo mmelwane baye kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya ukuze akwazi ukubona izalamane zaloo mmelwane. Kamva, lo mmelwane wasamkela isifundo seBhayibhile yaye ekugqibeleni waba ngumKristu onenzondelelo phezu kwayo nje intshutshiso eqatha yomyeni wakhe. Ewe, olo thando walubonakalisayo lwaba sisiseko sentsikelelo kanaphakade.

Ngoko, ukuba sinyanisekile, siya kuvuma ukuba uThixo akasithandi ngenxa yokuba sineempawu ezininzi nezintle azithanda gqitha. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uyasithanda nangona sinamakhwiniba amaninzi neentsilelo. Ekubeni oko kunjalo, ngokufanayo simele sifunde ukuthanda abanye abantu phezu kwako nje ukusilela kwabo. Ukuba siziqeqeshela ukuziqonda size sizixabise iimpawu zabanye ezintle kunokuba sijonge nje amakhwiniba abo, kuya kuba lula ukubathanda. Indlela esivakalelwa ngayo ngabanye iya kudlulela ngaphaya kothando olulawulwa yimigaqo luze luquke umsa ofudumeleyo nothando olukhoyo phakathi kwabahlobo abasondeleleneyo.

Ukuvumela Uthando Lwakho Lukhule

Uthando nobuhlobo kufuneka lulondolozwe luze luhlakulelwe, yaye phakathi kwezinye izinto ezibalulekileyo kwezi kukunyaniseka. Abanye bazama ukufihla iintsilelo zabo ukuze bakwazi ukuthandwa ngabantu abafuna ukuba ngabahlobo babo. Noko ke, ngokufuthi ikhondo elinjalo liye libe nemiphumo ebuhlungu, njengokuba abanye ekugqibeleni befumanisa iimpawu ezithile ezibonisa oko kunganyaniseki. Ngoko ke, asimele soyike ukuba abanye basazi kanye ngendlela esiyiyo​—⁠nangona sineentsilelo esizama ukulwa nazo. Oku kunokusenza sibe ngabahlobo.

Ngokomzekelo, elinye iNgqina elikhulileyo kwelinye ibandla elikwiMpuma Ekude alifundanga kangako. Ukanti, alizange libafihlele abanye. Ngokomzekelo, livuma ekuhleni lithi, alikwazi ukubacacisela abanye iziprofeto zeBhayibhile nembali echaza ukuba amaXesha eeNtlanga aphela ngowe-1914.a Noko ke, limisela umzekelo omhle ngokuba nenzondelelo kubulungiseleli, nangokuba nothando nobubele kubazalwana, yaye ngothando kubhekiselwa kulo njengomntu oxabisekileyo ebandleni.

Kwezinye iindawo, ukubonakalisa uthando akuthandwa; abantu bafundiswa ukubonakalisa isimilo nokuzola xa beqhubana nabanye abantu. Ngoxa kusoloko kulungile ukuba nembeko nokubacingela abanye, asimele sivumele inkcubeko yethu ivale okanye ifihle iimvakalelo zethu ngabanye. UYehova akazange azive eneentloni ukuvakalisa uthando awayenalo ngabantu bakhe abanyulileyo, uSirayeli wamandulo, awathi kubo: “Ndikuthandile ngothando olungunaphakade.” (Yeremiya 31:⁠3) Ngokufanayo, umpostile uPawulos wathi kubakhonzi bakhe baseTesalonika: “Sinomsa wofefe ngani, sakholiswa kakuhle ukunikela kuni, kungekuphela nje iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo, kodwa kwanemiphefumlo yethu, ngenxa yokuba naba ziintanda kuthi.” (1 Tesalonika 2:⁠8) Ngoko njengoko sizama ukuhlakulela uthando lokwenene kwabanye abantu, kuvisisana kanye nokugcina imfundiso yeBhayibhile ukuvumela ezo mvakalelo ukuba zizibonakalele kunokuba zinyanzelwe.

Kufuneka Umzamo Ngokuqhubekayo

Ukufunda ukuba nothando nokulubonakalisa kwabanye kuyinto eqhubekayo. Ukwenjenjalo kufuna umzamo kuthi ngenxa yokuba kufuneka sisebenze nzima ukuze silwe nokungafezeki kwethu size silwe nzima nempembelelo yeli hlabathi lingenaluthando. Noko ke, imivuzo emikhulu ebangelwa koku yenza kuwufanele umgudu.​—⁠Mateyu 24:⁠12.

Kwanakweli hlabathi lingafezekanga, sinokunandipha ulwalamano olusondeleyo nabanye abantu, olusenokuphumela kuvuyo, uxolo nolwaneliseko kuthi nakwabanye. Ngokwenza umzamo onjalo, sinokuzingqina silifanelekela ithemba elizukileyo lokuphila ngonaphakade kwihlabathi likaThixo elitsha. Ngaphezu kwako konke, ngokufunda indlela ebalaseleyo yothando, sinokuthandwa size sifumane iintsikelelo zoMdali wethu onothando, ngoku nangonaphakade!

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Uthando lobuKristu lunokubonakaliswa ngezenzo zobubele

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UN PHOTO 186226/M. Grafman