‘Yibani Nothando Phakathi Kwenu’
“Ngininika umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane. Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—JOHANE 13:34, 35.
Lokho Okukushoyo: UKristu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bathandane ngendlela yena ayebathanda ngayo. Wayebathanda kanjani uJesu? Wabathanda naphezu kokucwasana ngokobuzwe nangokobulili okwakudlangile ngesikhathi sakhe. (Johane 4:7-10) Uthando lwamshukumisela ukuba adele isikhathi, amandla nokunethezeka kwakhe ukuze asize abanye. (Marku 6:30-34) Ekugcineni, uKristu wabonisa uthando ngendlela enkulu kunazo zonke. Wathi: “Mina ngingumalusi omuhle; umalusi omuhle unikela umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yezimvu.”—Johane 10:11.
Indlela AmaKristu Okuqala Ayephila Ngayo: Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaKristu ayebizana ngokuthi “mzalwane” noma “dadewethu.” (Filemoni 1, 2) Abantu abavela kuzo zonke izizwe babemukelwa ebandleni lobuKristu, ngoba amaKristu ayekholelwa ukuthi “awukho umahluko phakathi komJuda nomGreki, ngoba kukhona iNkosi efanayo phezu kwabo bonke.” (Roma 10:11, 12) Ngemva kwePentekoste lika 33 C.E., abafundi eJerusalema “bathengisa izimpahla zabo nezindawo, babela bonke imali etholakele ngokwesidingo somuntu.” Babekwenzelani lokhu? Ukuze labo ababesanda kubhapathizwa bahlale eJerusalema futhi baqhubeke “bezinikela ekufundiseni kwabaphostoli.” (IzEnzo 2:41-45) Bashukunyiswa yini ukwenza konke lokhu? Ingakapheli iminyaka engu-200 kufe abaphostoli, uTertullian wacaphuna lokho okwashiwo abanye ngamaKristu: “Abeve bethandana . . . futhi bakulungele ngisho ukufelana.”
Obani Abaphila Ngale Ndlela Namuhla? Incwadi ethi History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1837) yaphawula ukuthi kuwo wonke amakhulu eminyaka labo abathi bangamaKristu “baye baphathana ngonya olukhulu, ukwedlula ngisho impatho abayithola kubantu abangabahedeni [abangakholwa].” Ucwaningo lwamuva lwase-U.S. luthole ukuhlobana okukhulu phakathi kwabantu abasontayo—iningi labo elizibiza ngamaKristu—nokucwasana ngokohlanga. Ngokuvamile abantu abasontayo bakwelinye izwe abanandaba nabantu besonto elifanayo bakwelinye izwe, okwenza bangakwazi noma bangafuni ukubasiza uma kunesidingo.
Ngo-2004, ngemva kokuba iFlorida ihlaselwe iziphepho ezine zilandelana izinyanga ezimbili, usihlalo weKomiti Esebenza Ngezimo Eziphuthumayo eFlorida wahamba wayobheka ukuthi izimpahla zabo zisetshenziswe kahle yini. Wathi alikho elinye iqembu elalihleleke njengoFakazi BakaJehova futhi wathembisa ukunikeza usizo nganoma yiziphi izimpahla ezidingwa oFakazi. Ekuqaleni kuka-1997, ithimba losizo loFakazi BakaJehova eliphethe imithi, ukudla nezimpahla zokugqoka labhekisa amabombo eDemocratic Republic of Congo ukuze liyosiza abafowabo abangamaKristu nabanye abadinga usizo. Abanye oFakazi eYurophu banikela ngezinto zosizo ezibiza R7 980 000.