“Ngaphezu Kwakho Konke, Yibani Nothando Olukhulu”
“Ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele. . . . Ngaphezu kwakho konke, yibani nothando olukhulu ngomunye nomunye.”—1 PETRU 4:7, 8.
UJESU wayazi ukuthi amahora ambalwa okugcina awachitha nabafundi bakhe ayeyigugu. Wayazi ukuthi babesalindelwe yini. Babesahlalelwe umsebenzi omkhulu okwakumelwe bawenze, kodwa babezozondwa futhi bashushiswe njengaye. (Johane 15:18-20) Ngalobo busuku bokugcina bendawonye, wabakhumbuza izikhathi ezimbalwa ukuthi kudingeka ‘bathandane.’—Johane 13:34, 35; 15:12, 13, 17.
2 Umphostoli uPetru, owayekhona ngalobo busuku, walithola iphuzu. Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, lapho ebhala ngaphambi nje kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, uPetru wagcizelela ukubaluleka kothando. Weluleka amaKristu: “Ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele. . . . Ngaphezu kwakho konke, yibani nothando olukhulu ngomunye nomunye.” (1 Petru 4:7, 8) Amazwi kaPetru anencazelo ejulile kulabo abaphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zalesi simiso sezinto. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Luyini ‘uthando olukhulu’? Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sibathande kakhulu abanye? Futhi singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyakwenza lokho?
“Uthando Olukhulu”—Luyini?
3 Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi uthando umuzwa okufanele ube nawo ngokwemvelo. Kodwa uPetru wayengakhulumi nganoma yiluphi nje uhlobo lothando; wayekhuluma ngohlobo oluphakeme kakhulu lothando. Igama elithi ‘uthando’ elikweyoku-1 Petru 4:8 lihumusha igama lesiGreki elithi a·gaʹpe. Lelo gama lisho uthando olungenabugovu oluqondiswa noma olubuswa yisimiso. Enye incwadi ithi: “Siyakwazi ukuyalwa ukuba sibonise uthando i-agape ngoba ngokuyinhloko lolu thando aluwona nje umzwelo kodwa luyisinqumo osenza ngokuzithandela esiholela esenzweni.” Ngenxa yokuthi sinokuthambekela kobugovu esikuzuze njengefa, siyakudinga ukukhunjuzwa ukuba sibonisane uthando ngezindlela eziqondiswa izimiso zikaNkulunkulu.—Genesise 8:21; Roma 5:12.
4 Lokhu akusho ukuthi kufanele sithandane ngoba sigcina icala. I-a·gaʹpe akulona uthando olungenayo imfudumalo nemizwa. UPetru wathi kufanele ‘sibe nothando olukhulu [ngokwezwi nezwi okusho ukuthi “olunwebekayo”] ngomunye nomunye.”a (Kingdom Interlinear) Noma kunjalo, uthando olunjalo ludinga umzamo. Mayelana negama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “olukhulu,” esinye isazi sithi: “Liveza umqondo womsubathi oseqhanse imisipha njengoba ekhipha amandla okugcina esephikelele entanjeni.”
5 Ngakho-ke, uma sinothando akufanele nje sigcine ngokwenza lokho okulula ukukwenza noma silugcinise kwabambalwa esibakhethile. Uthando lobuKristu ludinga ukuba “sinwebe” inhliziyo yethu, sithande ngisho nabantu okungase kube yinselele ukubathanda. (2 Korinte 6:11-13) Kusobala ukuthi lolu hlobo lothando luyinto esidinga ukuyihlakulela nokuyisebenzela, njengoba nje nomsubathi kufanele aqeqeshe futhi asebenze ukuze alolonge amakhono akhe. Kubalulekile ukuba sithandane kanjalo. Ngani? Ngenxa yezizathu ezintathu, phakathi kwezinye.
Kungani Kufanele Sithandane?
6 Okokuqala, “ngoba uthando luvela kuNkulunkulu.” (1 Johane 4:7) UJehova, uMthombo wale mfanelo eyenza umuntu athandeke, wasithanda kuqala. Umphostoli uJohane uthi: “Ngalokhu uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwaboniswa kithi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila ngayo.” (1 Johane 4:9) INdodana kaNkulunkulu ‘yathunywa’ yazoba umuntu, yenza inkonzo yayo, futhi yafa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa—ukuze nje thina “sizuze ukuphila.” Kufanele senzenjani uma sicabanga ngale ndlela enhle kangaka uNkulunkulu asibonise ngayo ukuthi uyasithanda? UJohane uthi: “Uma kuyile ndlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo, khona-ke nathi ngokwethu singaphansi kwesibopho sokuthandana.” (1 Johane 4:11) Phawula ukuthi uJohane uthi, “Uma kuyile ndlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo”—hhayi akuthanda ngayo kodwa asithanda ngayo. Iphuzu lisobala: Uma uNkulunkulu ebathanda abakhulekeli esikanye nabo, nathi-ke kumelwe sibathande.
7 Okwesibili, kubaluleke ngempela ukuba sithandane kakhulu manje ukuze sisize abafowethu abaswele ngoba “ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele.” (1 Petru 4:7) Siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Izimo zezwe, izinhlekelele zemvelo nokuphikiswa kusibangela ubunzima. Uma sibhekene nezimo ezilingayo, kufanele sisondelane nakakhulu. Uthando olukhulu luyosihlanganisa ndawonye futhi lusishukumisele ukuba ‘sinakekelane.’—1 Korinte 12:25, 26.
8 Okwesithathu, kudingeka sithandane ngoba asifuni ‘ukunika uDeveli indawo’ ukuze asizakale ngathi. (Efesu 4:27) USathane uyashesha ukusebenzisa ukungapheleli kwesikholwa nabo—ubuthakathaka, amaphutha neziphosiso zabo—ukuze kusikhube. Ingabe ukukhuluma kothile engacabanganga noma isenzo esingenamusa siyosenza sishiye ibandla? (IzAga 12:18) Ngeke silishiye uma sibathanda kakhulu abanye! Uthando olunjalo lusisiza silondoloze ukuthula futhi sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngobunye ‘silinganisene ihlombe nehlombe.’—Zefaniya 3:9.
Indlela Yokubonisa Ukuthi Uyabathanda Abanye
9 Ukubonisa uthando kumelwe kuqale ekhaya. UJesu wathi abafundi bakhe beqiniso bayobonakala ngokuthandana. (Johane 13:34, 35) Uthando akumelwe nje lubonakale ebandleni kuphela kodwa nasekhaya—phakathi kwabangane bomshado naphakathi kwabazali nezingane. Akwanele nje ukuzwa ngaphakathi ukuthi siyawathanda amalungu omkhaya wethu; kudingeka sikubonise ngezindlela ezakhayo lokho.
10 Abangane bomshado bangalubonisana kanjani uthando? Indoda emthanda ngempela umkayo iyamtshela futhi imbonise nangezenzo ukuthi iyamazisa—lapho benabanye abantu nalapho bebodwa. Iyasihlonipha isithunzi sakhe futhi iyayicabangela imicabango yakhe, imibono nemizwa yakhe. (1 Petru 3:7) Icabangela yena kuqala kunokuba izicabangele yona, futhi yenza konke engakwenza ukuze inakekele izidingo zakhe zenyama, ezingokomoya nezomzwelo. (Efesu 5:25, 28) Inkosikazi emthanda ngempela umyeni wayo ‘imhlonipha ngokujulile,’ ngisho noma ngezinye izikhathi engenzi lokho ekulindele. (Efesu 5:22, 33) Iyamsekela umyeni wayo futhi iyazithoba kuye, ayifuni izinto ezingenangqondo, kodwa ibambisana naye ekugxileni ezintweni ezingokomoya.—Genesise 2:18; Mathewu 6:33.
11 Bazali, ningazibonisa kanjani izingane zenu uthando? Ukuzimisela kwenu ukusebenza kanzima ukuze nizondle kuwubufakazi bokuthi niyazithanda. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Kodwa izingane azidingi nje ukudla, izingubo zokugqoka nendawo yokuhlala kuphela. Ukuze zikhule zithande uNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi zimkhonze, zidinga ukuqeqeshwa ngokomoya. (IzAga 22:6) Lokho kusho ukuthi kudingeka nibeke isikhathi sokuba umkhaya wonke utadishe iBhayibheli, uye ensimini nasemihlanganweni yobuKristu. (Duteronomi 6:4-7) Ukuzenza njalo lezi zinto kudinga ukuzidela okukhulu, ikakhulukazi kulezi zikhathi ezibucayi. Ukuzihlupha kwakho nomzamo owenzayo ukuze wondle izingane zakho ngokomoya kubonisa ukuthi uyazithanda, ngoba usuke ubonisa ukuthi ufisa ziphatheke kahle kuze kube phakade.—Johane 17:3.
12 Kubalulekile nokuba abazali babonise uthando ngokunakekela izidingo zezingane zabo ezingokomzwelo. Izingane zilimala kalula ngokomzwelo; izinhliziyo zazo ezithonyeka kalula zidinga ukuba niziqinisekise ukuthi niyazithanda. Zitsheleni ukuthi niyazithanda, futhi nizibonise ngezindlela eziningi, ngoba lokho kuyaziqinisekisa ukuthi ziyathandwa nokuthi zibalulekile. Zincomeni kamnandi kodwa ningazibhuqi, lokho kwenza zibone ukuthi niyayibona imizamo yazo futhi niyayazisa. Ziyaleni ngothando, ngoba lokho kuzitshela ukuthi ninendaba nokuthi zizokhula zibe abantu abanjani. (Efesu 6:4) Zonke lezi zindlela zokubonisa uthando ziyasiza ekwakheni umkhaya ojabulayo nobumbene okulungele kangcono ukumelana nezinto ezicindezelayo zalezi zinsuku zokugcina.
13 Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba singawanaki amaphutha abanye. Khumbula ukuthi ngesikhathi eyala abafundi bezincwadi zakhe ukuba babe “nothando olukhulu ngomunye nomunye,” uPetru wanikeza isizathu sokuthi kungani lokhu kubaluleke kangaka: “Ngoba uthando lumboza izono eziningi.” (1 Petru 4:8) ‘Ukumboza’ izono akusho ukufihla izono ezingathí sina. Izindaba ezinjalo kufanele zibikwe futhi zisingathwe yilabo abanemithwalo yemfanelo ebandleni. (Levitikusi 5:1; IzAga 29:24) Kungaba okukhulu ukungabonisi uthando—nokuphambene nemibhalo—ukuvumela izoni ezimbi kakhulu ukuba ziqhubeke zilimaza abangenacala futhi zibazwisa ubuhlungu.—1 Korinte 5:9-13.
14 Ezimweni eziningi, iziphosiso namaphutha alabo esikholwa nabo asuke emancane. Sonke siyakhubeka ngezwi noma ngesenzo ngezinye izikhathi, sidumazane noma siphathane kabuhlungu. (Jakobe 3:2) Ingabe kufanele sisheshe sikuveze obala ukushiyeka kwabanye? Ukwenza kanjalo kuyomane kubangele ukungezwani ebandleni. (Efesu 4:1-3) Uma sibuswa uthando, ngeke ‘sidalule iphutha’ lomkhulekeli esikanye naye. (IHubo 50:20) Njengoba nje usimende nopende kumboza izindawo ezingahlelembekile odongeni, kanjalo nothando lumboza ukungapheleli kwabanye.—IzAga 17:9.
15 Uthando luyosenza sisize labo abaludinga ngempela usizo. Njengoba izimo ziya ziba zimbi nakakhulu kulezi zinsuku zokugcina, kungase kube nezikhathi lapho esikholwa nabo bedinga khona ukusizwa ngezinto ezithile noma ukwenzelwa okuthile. (1 Johane 3:17, 18) Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe ilungu elithile lebandla seliyahlupheka alisenamali noma liphelelwe umsebenzi? Mhlawumbe-ke singalisiza ngendlela izimo zethu ezisivumela ngayo. (IzAga 3:27, 28; Jakobe 2:14-17) Ingabe kukhona okudinga ukulungiswa emzini womfelokazi osekhulile? Uma kunjalo singase sithathe izinyathelo ezifanele ukuze simlungisele.—Jakobe 1:27.
16 Ukubonisa kwethu uthando kwabanye akugcini kuphela kulabo abahlala endaweni yakithi. Ngezinye izikhathi singase sizwe imibiko ngezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezikwamanye amazwe ezihlaselwe isivunguvungu, ukuzamazama komhlaba noma izibhelu zomphakathi. Zingase zidinge ukudla, izingubo zokugqoka nezinye izinto. Akusho lutho ukuthi zingezolunye uhlanga noma isizwe. ‘Sibathanda bonke abazalwane.’ (1 Petru 2:17) Ngakho, njengamabandla ekhulu lokuqala, simagange ukusekela imikhankaso ehlelelwe ukusiza. (IzEnzo 11:27-30; Roma 15:26) Uma sibonisa uthando ngazo zonke lezi zindlela, siqinisa isibopho esisihlanganisayo kulezi zinsuku zokugcina.—Kolose 3:14.
17 Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sixoxele abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikaJesu. Kungani ashumayela futhi wafundisa? ‘Wayenesihawu’ ngezixuku ngenxa yokuthi zaziswele ngokomoya. (Marku 6:34) Zazingondliwe futhi zikhohliswe abelusi benkolo yamanga, okwakufanele bazifundise amaqiniso angokomoya futhi bazinike ithemba. Ngakho, eshukunyiswa uthando nesihawu esijulile nesisuka enhliziyweni, uJesu waduduza abantu ‘ngezindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu.’—Luka 4:16-21, 43.
18 Nanamuhla, abantu abaningi abondliwa ngokomoya futhi baye bakhohliswa kanti abanalo ithemba. Uma nathi, njengoJesu, sibazwela abantu abangakamazi uNkulunkulu weqiniso abadinga usizo ngokomoya, khona-ke siyoshukunyiswa uthando nesihawu ukuba sibaxoxele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 6:9, 10; 24:14) Ngenxa yesikhathi esincane esisele, sekuphuthuma nakakhulu ukushumayela lesi sigijimi esisindisa ukuphila.—1 Thimothewu 4:16.
“Ukuphela Kwezinto Zonke Sekusondele”
19 Khumbula, uPetru wandulelisa iseluleko sakhe sokuba sithandane ngamazwi athi: “Ukuphela kwezinto zonke sekusondele.” (1 Petru 4:7) Ngokushesha nje leli zwe elibi lizodedela izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu lokulunga. (2 Petru 3:13) Ngakho-ke, namuhla akusona isikhathi sokuzithela ngabandayo. UJesu wasixwayisa: “Qaphelani ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingalokothi zisindwe ukuminza nokuphuza kakhulu nezinkathazo zokuphila, ngokungazelelwe lolo suku lunifice ngaso leso sikhathi, njengogibe.”—Luka 21:34, 35.
20 Khona-ke, masenze konke esingakwenza ukuze ‘sihlale silindile,’ siqaphele ukuthi sikusiphi isikhathi. (Mathewu 24:42) Masiqaphele noma iziphi izilingo zikaSathane ezingase zisikhiphe endleleni. Masingalokothi sivumele leli zwe elingenandaba namuntu nelingenalo uthando lisivimbele ukuba sibonise abanye uthando. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, masisondele nakakhulu kuNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, oMbuso KaMesiya wakhe ngokushesha uzofeza injongo yakhe ekhazimulayo ngomhlaba.—IsAmbulo 21:4, 5.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Kweyoku-1 Petru 4:8, ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zithi kufanele sithandane “ngobuqotho,” “ngokujulile,” noma “ngokusuka enhliziyweni.”
IMIBUZO YESIFUNDO
• UJesu wabavalelisa ngasiphi iseluleko abafundi bakhe, futhi yini ebonisa ukuthi uPetru walithola iphuzu? (Izig. 1-2)
• Luyini ‘uthando olukhulu’? (Izig. 3-5)
• Kungani kufanele sithandane? (Izig. 6-8)
• Ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyabathanda abanye? (Izig. 9-18)
• Kungani kungesona isikhathi sokuzithela ngabandayo lesi, futhi kufanele sizimisele ukwenzani? (Izig. 19-20)
[Isithombe ekhasini 29]
Umkhaya obumbene ukulungele kangcono ukumelana nezinto ezicindezelayo zalezi zinsuku zokugcina
[Isithombe ekhasini 30]
Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sisize labo abaludinga ngempela usizo
[Isithombe ekhasini 31]
Ukuxoxela abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kubonisa uthando