Oko Kuthethwa Kukuthanda Ummelwane
“Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.”—MATEYU 22:39.
1. Sibonisa njani ukuba siyamthanda uThixo?
YINTONI efunwa nguYehova kwabo bamnqulayo? UYesu wayishwankathela impendulo yalo mbuzo ngamazwi nje alula kodwa anamandla. Wathi, owona myalelo mkhulu, kukuthanda uYehova ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo, ngengqondo nangamandla ephela. (Mateyu 22:37; Marko 12:30) Njengoko siye sabona kwinqaku elandulela eli, ukuthanda uThixo kuquka ukuthobela nokugcina imiyalelo yakhe ngenxa yokuba esithanda. Kwabo bamthandayo uThixo, ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe akuloxanduva; kubenza bavuye.—INdumiso 40:8; 1 Yohane 5:2, 3.
2, 3. Kutheni simele sinikele ingqalelo kumyalelo wokuthanda ummelwane, yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?
2 UYesu wathi, umyalelo omkhulu wesibini unxulumene nowokuqala: “Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.” (Mateyu 22:39) Ngoku siza kuqwalasela lo mthetho ngenxa yesizathu esibalulekileyo. Imihla esiphila kuyo izaliswe kukuzingca, nothando olugqwethekileyo. Xa wayechaza oko kwakuya kwenzeka ‘kwimihla yokugqibela,’ umpostile uPawulos wathi abantu babengayi kuthandana kodwa babeza kuthanda iziqu zabo, imali neziyolo. Abaninzi babengayi kuba ‘nomsa wemvelo,’ okanye njengoko enye inguqulelo yeBhayibhile isitsho “babengayi kuzithanda iintsapho zabo.” (2 Timoti 3:1-4) UYesu Kristu wathi: ‘Abaninzi baya kungcatshana, bathiyane. Luya kuphola uthando lwabaninzi.’—Mateyu 24:10, 12.
3 Noko ke, phawula ukuba, uYesu akazange athi luya kuphola uthando lwabantu bonke. Bekusoloko kukho abo babonisa uthando olufunwa nguYehova nafanele alufumane ibe baya kusoloko bekho. Abo bamthanda ngokwenene uYehova baya kuzabalazela ukujonga abanye ngendlela abajonga ngayo. Noko ke, ngubani ummelwane wethu esimele simthande? Sinokumthanda njani ummelwane wethu? IZibhalo zinokusinceda siphendule le mibuzo ibalulekileyo.
Ngubani Ummelwane Wam?
4. Ngokutsho kweLevitikus isahluko 19, amaYuda ayefanele alubonise koobani uthando?
4 Xa wayexelela umFarisi ukuba owona mthetho mkhulu wesibini kukuthanda ummelwane wakho njengoko uzithanda, uYesu wayebhekisela kumthetho ongqalileyo owawunikwe amaSirayeli. Ubhalwe kwiLevitikus 19:18. Kwakweso sahluko sinye, amaYuda ayeyalelwe ukuba ajonge abanye njengabamelwane bawo kungekhona kuphela amanye amaSirayeli. Indinyana 34 ithi: “Makabe njengenzalelwane yenu umphambukeli lowo uphambukele kuni; yaye uze umthande njengawe, ngokuba nani naningabaphambukeli ezweni laseYiputa.” Ngenxa yoko, kwanabo bangengomaYuda, ingakumbi abaguqukele ebuYudeni, babefanele baphathwe ngothando.
5. AmaYuda ayekuqonda njani ukuthanda ummelwane?
5 Noko ke, iinkokeli zamaYuda zomhla kaYesu zazinembono eyahlukileyo. Ezinye zazifundisa ukuba ibinzana elithi “umhlobo” nelithi “ummelwane” libhekisela kumaYuda kuphela. Abo bangengomaYuda babemele bathiywe. Abo bafundisi babeqiqa ngelithi abantu abanqula uThixo bamele babacekise abo bangamnquliyo. Enye incwadi ithi, “kwimeko enjalo, intiyo yayigqugqisile.”
6. Ziziphi iingongoma ezimbini ezavezwa nguYesu xa wayethetha ngokuthanda ummelwane?
6 KwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni, uYesu wathetha ngalo mbandela, echaza ukuba ngubani ofanelwe aphathwe ngothando. Wathi: “Nivile ukuba kwathiwa, ‘Uze umthande ummelwane wakho, uluthiye utshaba lwakho.’ Ke mna, ndithi kuni: Qhubekani nizithanda iintshaba zenu, nibathandazele abo banitshutshisayo; ukuze nizingqine ningoonyana boYihlo osemazulwini, ekubeni elenza ilanga lakhe liphume kubantu abangendawo nabalungileyo nemvula eyinisa kubantu abangamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.” (Mateyu 5:43-45) Apha uYesu waveza iingongoma ezimbini. Okokuqala, uYehova unesisa nobubele kwabalungileyo nababi. Okwesibini, simele silandele umzekelo wakhe.
7. Sisiphi isifundo esisifumana kumzekeliso womSamariya onothando?
7 Ngesinye isihlandlo, omnye umYuda owayewazi kakuhle uMthetho wabuza uYesu: “Ngubani ngokwenene ummelwane wam?” UYesu wamphendula ngokwenza umzekeliso womSamariya owadibana nomYuda owayebethiwe waza waphangwa izinto zakhe. Nangona ngokuqhelekileyo amaYuda ayewathiyile amaSamariya, lo mSamariya wayibopha amanxeba le ndoda waza wayisa kwindawo ekhuselekileyo kwindlu yabahambi, apho yayiza kuchacha khona. Yintoni esiyifundayo koku? Ukuthanda kwethu ummelwane akufanele kuphelele kwabo bohlanga okanye unqulo lwethu kuphela.—Luka 10:25, 29, 30, 33-37.
Oko Kuthethwa Kukuthanda Ummelwane
8. Ithini iLevitikus 19 ngendlela olwalufanele lubonakaliswe ngayo uthando?
8 Ukuthanda ummelwane, kuyafana nokuthanda uThixo, akuyomvakalelo nje obanayo; kuquka ukwenza okuthile. Kuluncedo ukuwuqwalasela ngakumbi umongo womyalelo okwiLevitikus 19 obongoza abantu bakaThixo ukuba bathande ummelwane njengoko bezithanda. Kule ncwadi sifunda ukuba amaSirayeli ayefanele avumele abaxhwalekileyo nabaphambukeli ukuba bafumane okuthile kwisivuno sawo. Kwakungekho nto ibangela ubusela, ukuqhatha okanye ukukhohlisana. Kwimibandela ephathelele ukugweba amaSirayeli ayengafanele akhethe ubuso. Nangona ayefanele agwebe xa kuyimfuneko, axelelwa ngokungqalileyo oku: “Uze ungamthiyi umzalwana wakho entliziyweni yakho.” Le neminye imiyalelo yashwankathelwa ngala mazwi: “Uze ulithande idlelane lakho njengawe siqu.”—Levitikus 19:9-11, 15, 17, 18.
9. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova ayalele amaSirayeli ukuba azahlule kwezinye iintlanga?
9 Ngoxa amaSirayeli ayefanele abonise uthando kwabanye, ayekwafanele azahlule kwabo banqula oothixo bobuxoki. UYehova wawalumkisa ngeengozi nemiphumo yonxulumano olubi. Ngokomzekelo, ngokuphathelele ezo ntlanga ayemele ahluthe ilizwe lazo, uYehova wanikela lo myalelo: “Ungendiselani nazo. Intombi yakho uze ungayiniki unyana wakhe, nentombi yakhe uze ungayithabatheli unyana wakho. Kuba iya kumtyekisa unyana wakho ekundilandeleni, baze ngokuqinisekileyo bakhonze thixo bambi; uvuthe umsindo kaYehova kuni.”—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.
10. Yintoni esifanele siyiphephe?
10 Ngokufanayo, amaKristu ayakuphepha ukuba nolwalamano nabo banokulwenza buthathaka ukholo lwawo. (1 Korinte 15:33) Siyalunyukiswa: “Musani ukubotshwa edyokhweni kunye nabangakholwayo,” abo bangeyonxalenye yebandla lamaKristu. (2 Korinte 6:14) Ukongezelela, amaKristu anikwa isiluleko sokuba atshate “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 7:39) Noko ke, simele singaze sibajongele phantsi abo bangakholelwayo kuYehova. UKristu wafela aboni, ibe abaninzi ababesenza izinto ezimbi batshintsha iindlela zabo baza baxolelwaniswa noThixo.—Roma 5:8; 1 Korinte 6:9-11.
11. Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo sinokubonisa ngayo uthando kwabo bangamkhonziyo uYehova, ibe kutheni simele senjenjalo?
11 Eyona ndlela ibalaseleyo yokubonisa uthando kwabo bangamkhonziyo uThixo, kukuxelisa uYehova. Nangona ebuthiyile ubungendawo, ubonisa ububele bothando kubo bonke abantu ngokubanika ithuba lokushiya iindlela zabo ezimbi baze bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade. (Hezekile 18:23) UYehova “unqwenela ukuba bonke bafikelele enguqukweni.” (2 Petros 3:9) Ukuthanda kwakhe kukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.” (1 Timoti 2:4) Kungenxa yoko uYesu wathuma abafundi bakhe ukuba bashumayele, bafundise baze ‘benze abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke.’ (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Xa sisiba nenxaxheba kulo msebenzi, sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda uThixo nommelwane, ewe kuquka neentshaba zethu!
Ukuthanda Abazalwana Bethu
12. Yintoni eyabhalwa ngumpostile uYohane ngokuthanda abazalwana bethu?
12 Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Masenze okulungileyo kubo bonke, ngokukodwa kwabo bahlobene nathi elukholweni.” (Galati 6:10) NjengamaKristu, sinembopheleleko yokubonisa uthando kwabo bahlobene nathi elukholweni—abazalwana noodadewethu bokomoya. Lubaluleke kangakani olu thando? Ebethelela le ngongoma, umpostile uYohane wathi: “Lowo umthiyileyo umzalwana wakhe usisibulala-mntu . . . Ukuba umntu uthi: ‘Ndiyamthanda uThixo,’ kodwa abe emthiyile umzalwana wakhe, ulixoki. Kuba lowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe, ambonileyo, akanako ukumthanda uThixo, angambonanga.” (1 Yohane 3:15; 4:20) La ngamazwi abukhali. UYesu Kristu wasebenzisa amazwi athi ‘isibulala-mntu’ ‘nexoki’ ebhekisa kuSathana uMtyholi. (Yohane 8:44) Ngamana angangaze afaneleke ukusetyenziswa kuthi loo magama!
13. Ziziphi iindlela esinokubonisa ngazo ukuba siyabathanda abazalwana bethu?
13 AmaKristu okwenyaniso ‘afundiswa nguThixo ukuba athandane.’ (1 Tesalonika 4:9) Simele sithande kungekhona ‘ngamazwi nangomlomo, kodwa ngezenzo nangenyaniso.’ (1 Yohane 3:18) Uthando lwethu lumele “lungabi naluhanahaniso.” (Roma 12:9) Uthando lusenza sibe nobubele, imfesane, sixolele, sizeke kade umsindo, singabi namona, singazigwagwisi, singakhukhumali okanye sizingce. (1 Korinte 13:4, 5; Efese 4:32) Lusishukumisela ekubeni ‘sikhonzane.’ (Galati 5:13) UYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandane njengoko ebathandile. (Yohane 13:34) Ngoko ke umKristu umele akulungele ukunikela nangobomi bakhe ngenxa yabazalwana bakhe xa kuyimfuneko.
14. Sinokulubonisa njani uthando entsatsheni?
14 Uthando lufanele lubonakale ngokukhethekileyo kwintsapho yamaKristu ngakumbi phakathi kwendoda nomfazi. Ngokuphathelele iqhina lomtshato uPawulos wathi: “Amadoda afanele abathande abafazi bawo njengemizimba yawo.” Wongezelela wathi: “Lowo umthandayo umfazi wakhe uyazithanda.” (Efese 5:28) UPawulos uyasiphinda esi siluleko kwindinyana yama-33. Indoda ethanda umfazi wayo ayisayi kuxelisa amaSirayeli omhla kaMalaki awayeqhubana ngobuqhophololo namaqabane awo. (Malaki 2:14) Kunoko iya kumnyamekela ize imthande ngendlela uKristu wayelithanda ngayo ibandla. Ngokufanayo uthando luya kwenza umfazi ayihlonele indoda yakhe.—Efese 5:25, 29-33.
15. Baye bathini baza benza ntoni abanye xa bebona uthando lobuzalwana?
15 Kucacile ukuba, olu thando lolo lwahlula amaKristu okwenyaniso. UYesu wathi: “Ngako oko bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 13:35) Ukuthandana kwethu kutsalela abantu kuThixo esimthandayo nesimhlonelayo. Ngokomzekelo, eMozambique safumana le ngxelo ngokuphathelele enye intsapho yamaNgqina: “Asizange khe siyibone into enje. Emva kwemini, kwavuka isivunguvungu somoya kwaza kwalandela izantyalantyala zemvula nesichotho. Loo moya mkhulu wasiphula indlu yethu eyakhiwe ngeengcongolo waza wemka nophahla lwamazinki. Xa kwafika abazalwana bethu bevela kumabandla asebumelwaneni beze kusinceda ukuvusa umzi wethu, abamelwane bethu ababemangalisiwe bathi: ‘Lulungile olu nqulo lwenu. Zange khe sincedwe ngolu hlobo yicawa yethu.’ Sabafundela uYohane 13:34, 35. Abamelwane bethu abaninzi ngoku bafunda iBhayibhile.”
Ukuthanda Umntu Ngamnye
16. Nguwuphi umahluko ophakathi kokuthanda abantu njengeqela nokuthanda umntu ngamnye?
16 Akukho nzima ukuthanda abamelwane bethu njengeqela. Noko ke, kusenokuba nzima ukuthanda umntu ngamnye. Ngokomzekelo, abanye abantu babonisa uthando kummelwane ngokwenza iminikelo kwiintlangano ezinceda abantu. Eneneni, kulula gqitha ukuthi siyabathanda abamelwane bethu kunokuba sithande umntu esisebenza naye ongasithandiyo, ummelwane okruqulayo okanye umhlobo osishiya sidanile.
17, 18. UYesu walubonisa njani uthando kumntu ngamnye, ibe oko wayekwenza ngayiphi injongo?
17 Kule nkalo yokuthanda umntu ngamnye, sifunda kuYesu, owabonisa ngokupheleleyo iimpawu zikaThixo. Nangona weza emhlabeni ukuza kususa isono sehlabathi, wabonisa uthando kumntu ngamanye—ibhinqa eligulayo, umntu oneqhenqa nomntwana. (Mateyu 9:20-22; Marko 1:40-42; 7:26, 29, 30; Yohane 1:29) Ngokufanayo, nathi sibonisa uthando kummelwane ngendlela esibaphatha ngayo abo sidibana nabo mhla ngamnye.
18 Noko ke, masingaze silibale ukuba ukuthanda ummelwane kunxulumene nokuthanda uThixo. Nangona uYesu wanceda amahlwempu, waphilisa abagulayo, wondla abalambileyo, eyona nto yayibangela ukuba enze konke oku kuquka nokufundisa izihlwele, wayenceda abantu baxolelaniswe noYehova. (2 Korinte 5:19) UYesu wenza zonke izinto ukuze kuzukiswe uThixo, akazange alibale ukuba wayemela yaye exelisa uThixo amthandayo. (1 Korinte 10:31) Ngokuxelisa umzekelo kaYesu, nathi sinokumthanda ngokwenene ummelwane size kwangaxeshanye singabi yonxalenye yehlabathi elingendawo.
Simthanda Njani Ummelwane Njengoko Sizithanda?
19, 20. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda ummelwane wethu njengoko sizithanda?
19 UYesu wathi: “Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.” Yinto yokwemvelo ukuzinyamekela nokuzihlonela ngandlel’ ithile. Ukuba bekungenjalo, lo myalelo ubungayi kuba nantsingiselo ingako. Oku kuzithanda akumele kubhidaniswe nokuzingca okuchazwe ngumpostile uPawulos kweyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:2. Kunoko, kukuzixabisa ngokusengqiqweni. Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile wakuchaza oku ngokuthi “kukuzithanda ngendlela elungeleleneyo kungekhona ukuzizukisa okanye ukuzijongela phantsi.”
20 Ukuthanda abanye njengoko sizithanda kuthetha ukujonga abanye ngendlela esifuna ukujongwa ngayo size sibaphathe ngendlela ebesiya kuthanda ukuphathwa ngayo. UYesu wathi: “Zonke izinto, ngoko, enifuna abantu bazenze kuni, yenzani ngokunjalo nani kubo.” (Mateyu 7:12) Phawula ukuba uYesu akazange athi masiziphindezele. Kunoko, simele sicinge ngendlela ebesiya kuthanda ukuphathwa ngayo size senze ngendlela efanayo. Engazange athi oku masikwenze kubahlobo nakubazalwana bethu kuphela. Wasebenzisa igama elithi “abantu” mhlawumbi ukubonisa ukuba simele senze ngale ndlela kubantu bonke, nakubani na esidibana naye.
21. Yintoni esiyibonisayo xa sithanda abanye?
21 Ukuthanda ummelwane kuya kusithintela ekwenzeni okubi. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Uluhlu lwemithetho oluthi, ‘Uze ungakrexezi, Uze ungabulali, Uze ungebi, Uze ungakhanuki,’ nawo nawuphi na omnye umyalelo okhoyo, ushwankathelwa ngeli lizwi, lokuba, ‘Uze umthande ummelwane wakho njengawe siqu.’ Uthando alusebenzi bubi kummelwane kabani.” (Roma 13:9, 10) Uthando luya kusenza sifune iindlela zokwenzela abanye okulungileyo. Ngokuthanda abanye abantu, sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda nalowo wadala umntu ngokomfanekiso wakhe, uYehova uThixo.—Genesis 1:26.
Unokuphendula Uthini?
• Ngubani esifanele simthande, ibe ngoba?
• Yiyiphi indlela esinokubonisa ngayo ukuba siyabathanda abo bangamkhonziyo uYehova?
• IBhayibhile iluchaza njani uthando esimele sibe nalo kubazalwana bethu?
• Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthanda ummelwane wethu njengoko sizithanda?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
“Ngubani ngokwenene ummelwane wam?”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]
UYesu wayethanda umntu ngamnye