Phishekela Umusa Wothando Njalo

“Olandela ukulunga nomusa [wothando, “NW”] uyafumana ukuphila, nokulunga, nodumo.”—IZAGA 21:21.

1. Kungani kufanele silindele ukuba labo abaqondiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu babonise umusa?

UJEHOVA unomusa futhi unesihawu. ‘UnguNkulunkulu ogcwele isihe, onomusa, ophuza ukuthukuthela, novamé [umusa wothando, NW] neqiniso.’ (Eksodusi 34:6, 7) Khona-ke, ngokuqondakalayo izithelo zomoya wakhe ongcwele zihlanganisa uthando nomusa.—Galathiya 5:22, 23.

2. Yiziphi izibonelo manje esizozicabangela?

² Labo abaqondiswa umoya ongcwele kaJehova, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku, babonisa isithelo sawo somusa. Babonisa umusa wothando ebuhlotsheni babo nabanye. Ngempela, balandela isibonelo somphostoli uPawulu, bezibonisa bengabafanelekela ukuba yizikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu “ngomusa” nangezinye izindlela. (2 Korinte 6:3-10, qhathanisa neNW.) Umoya wabo wokuba nomusa, isihawu, nokuthethelela uvumelana nobuntu bukaJehova, ‘ovame umusa wothando’ noZwi lakhe liqukethe izibonelo eziningi zomusa. (IHubo 86:15, NW; Efesu 4:32) Yini esingayifunda kwezinye zalezi?

Umusa Usenza Singabi Nabugovu Futhi Sibe Ngabangenisa Izihambi

3. UAbrahama waba kanjani yisibonelo ekuboniseni umusa, futhi uPawulu unikeza siphi isikhuthazo ngokuqondene nalokhu?

³ Inzalamizi uAbrahama (uAbrama)—“umhlobo kaNkulunkulu” ‘noyise wabo bonke abakholwayo’—yabeka isibonelo esihle ekuboniseni umusa. (Jakobe 2:23; Roma 4:11) Yena nomkhaya wakhe, kuhlanganise nomshana wakhe uLoti, baphuma emzini wamaKaledi waseUri baya eKhanani ngomyalo kaNkulunkulu. Nakuba uAbrahama ayeyindoda eyayisikhulile futhi eyinhloko yomkhaya, waba nomusa futhi wangaba nabugovu lapho evumela uLoti ukuba athathe amadlelo angcono kakhulu, kuyilapho yena ethatha ayesele. (Genesise 13:5-18) Umusa ofanayo ungase usishukumisele ukuba sivumele abanye bazuze nakuba kungase kusho ukulahlekelwa kithi. Umusa onjalo ongenabugovu uvumelana neseluleko somphostoli uPawulu: “Akungabikho ozifunela okwakhe, kodwa akube-yilowo nalowo afunele omunye.” UPawulu ngokwakhe ‘wathokozisa bonke abantu kukho konke, engafuni ukuzisiza yena kodwa ukusiza abaningi, ukuze basindiswe.’—1 Korinte 10:24, 33.

4. UAbrahama noSara bawuthola kanjani umvuzo ngokubonisa umusa ngokungenisa izihambi?

⁴ Ngezinye izikhathi umusa ungaboniswa ngomoya oqotho wokungenisa izihambi oqotho. UAbrahama nomkakhe, uSara, ngolunye usuku baba nomusa futhi babonisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi kubantu abathathu ababengabazi ababedlula. UAbrahama wabaphoqa ukuba bahlale isikhashana, kuyilapho yena noSara beshesha beyozilungiselela ukudla okumnandi lezivakashi. Lezo zivakashi ekugcineni kwavela ukuthi zaziyizingelosi zikaJehova, enye yazo eyadlulisela isithembiso sokuthi uSara owayesegugile nowayengenabantwana wayezoba nendodana. (Genesise 18:1-15) Yeka umvuzo wokungenisa izihambi okunomusa!

5. UGayu wawubonisa ngayiphi indlela umusa, futhi singakwenza kanjani okufanayo?

⁵ Enye indlela wonke amaKristu angawubonisa ngayo umusa kungokuba ngabangenisa izihambi. (Roma 12:13; 1 Thimothewu 3:1, 2) Ngakho, izinceku zikaJehova ngomusa zibonisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi kubabonisi abajikelezayo. Lokhu kusikhumbuza umusa owaboniswa ngumKristu wekhulu lokuqala leminyaka uGayu. Wenza “okuthembekileyo” ngokwamukela abazalwane ababehambele ngomoya wokungenisa izihambi—futhi ‘babengabafo’ ayengabazi ngaphambili. (3 Johane 5-8) Ngokuvamile, siyabazi labo esingababonisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi ngomusa. Mhlawumbe siphawula ukuthi udadewethu ongokomoya ucindezelekile. Kungenzeka ukuthi umlingani wakhe womshado akakholwa noma ungumuntu osusiwe nokususwa. Yeka ithuba elihle lokubonisa umusa okungaba yilo uma ngezikhathi ezithile singammema ukuba azojabulela ubungane obungokomoya nokudla kanye nomkhaya wethu! Nakuba singase singenzi idili, ngokuqinisekile umkhaya wethu uyothola injabulo ngokubonisa umusa kudade onjalo. (Qhathanisa nezAga 15:17.) Futhi ngokungangabazeki uyozwakalisa ukubonga kwakhe ngalokhu ngamazwi noma ngencwajana encane yokubonga enomusa.

6 .ULidiya wawubonisa kanjani umusa, futhi kungani kubalulekile ukubonisa ukwazisa ngezenzo zomusa?

⁶ Ngemva kokuba uLidiya ozinikele esebhapathiziwe, “wasincenga wathi: Uma nithi [uPawulu nabangane bakhe] ngikholekile eNkosini, ngenani endlini yami, nihlale khona; wasicindezela,” kwenezela uLuka. Ngokungangabazeki, umusa kaLidiya waziswa. (IzEnzo 16:14, 15, 40) Kodwa ukuhluleka ukubonisa ukwazisa kungaba inhlekelele. Esenzakalweni esithile, udade othile oneminyaka engu-80 ubudala onamandla nezinto ezidingekayo okulinganiselwe wazikhandla ngomusa elungiselela izivakashi ezimbalwa ukudla. Wadumala kakhulu ngokuthi enye insizwa yayingazange imazise ngisho nokumazisa ukuthi yayingeke ifike. Kwesinye isenzakalo, odade ababili abazange baye esidlweni owesifazane othile osemusha ayesilungiselele bona ngokukhethekile. Wathi: “Ngangiphuke umoya njengoba ayengekho kubo owayekhohliwe. . . . Bekuyoba ngcono ukuba ngizwe ukuthi bakhohliwe ngalokhu kudla kwakusihlwa, kodwa kunalokho akekho noyedwa kulabodade owaba nomusa noma uthando olwanele ukuba angithinte.” Ingabe isithelo somoya ongcwele somusa singakushukumisela ukuba ube nokwazisa futhi ucabangele ngaphansi kwezimo ezifanayo?

Umusa Usenza Sicabangele

7. Yiliphi iphuzu ngokuqondene nomusa elivezwa umzamo owenziwa ukuze kwenziwe ngokuvumelana nezifiso zomngcwabo zikaJakobe?

⁷ Umusa kufanele usenze sicabangele abanye kanye nezifiso zabo ezifanelekile. Ngokwesibonelo: UJakobe (uIsrayeli) wacela indodana yakhe uJosefa ukuba imbonise umusa wothando ngokungamngcwabeli eGibithe. Nakuba lokhu kwadinga ukuba isidumbu sikaJakobe sithwalwe ibanga elide, uJosefa namanye amadodana kaJakobe ‘basiyisa ezweni laseKhanani, bammbela emhumeni wasensimini yaseMakaphela, uAbrahama awuthenga kanye nensimu kuEfroni umHeti, ube-yindawo yokumbela, ngaphambi kweMamre.’ (Genesise 47:29; 49:29-31; 50:12, 13) Ngokuvumelana nalesosibonelo, ingabe umusa wothando akufanele yini usishukumisele ukuba senze ngokuvumelana namalungiselelo omngcwabo amukelekayo ngokomBhalo afiswa ilungu lomkhaya elingumKristu?

8. Indaba kaRahabi isifundisani ngokubuyisela umusa?

⁸ Lapho abanye besibonisa umusa wothando, ingabe akufanele yini sibonise ukwazisa noma siwubuyisele ngandlela thile? Ngokuqinisekile kufanele sikwenze. URahabi isifebe wabonisa umusa ngokucashisa izinhloli zakwaIsrayeli. Ngakho, amaIsrayeli abonisa umusa wothando ngokumlondoloza yena nabendlu yakhe lapho ebhubhisa umuzi waseJeriko. (Joshuwa 2:1-21; 6:20-23) Yeka isibonelo esihle esinaso esibonisa ukuthi kufanele siwukhokhe umusa esiwenzelwayo ngokuba ngabacabangelayo nabanomusa ngokwethu!

9. Kungani ubungathi kufanelekile ukucela othile ukuba asibonise umusa?

⁹ Ngokuqondene nalokho, kufanelekile ukucela othile ukuba asibonise umusa wothando. Lokhu kwenziwa uJonathani, indodana yenkosi yokuqala yakwaIsrayeli, uSawule. UJonathani wacela umngane wakhe osemusha ayemthanda uDavide ukuba abonise umusa wothando kuye nakwabendlu yakhe. (1 Samuweli 20:14, 15; 2 Samuweli 9:3-7) UDavide wakukhumbula lokhu lapho ephindiselela abaseGibeyoni ababoniwe uSawule. Ekhumbula ‘isifungo sikaJehova’ esasiphakathi kwakhe noJonathani, uDavide wabonisa umusa wothando ngokusindisa ukuphila kwendodana kaJonathani uMefibosheti. (2 Samuweli 21:7, 8) Ingabe nathi ngokufanayo senza ‘uyebo wethu abe nguyebo’? (Jakobe 5:12) Futhi uma singabadala bebandla, ingabe siba nesihawu ngendlela efanayo lapho esikholwa kanye nabo bedinga ukuboniswa umusa wothando?

Umusa Uqinisa Izibopho

10. Wabusiswa kanjani umusa wothando kaRuthe?

¹⁰ Umusa wothando uqinisa izibopho zomkhaya futhi uthuthukise injabulo. Lokhu kwaboniswa endabeni yomMowabikazi uRuthe. Wasebenza kanzima njengomkhothozi ensimini kaBowazi owayesekhulile eduze neBetlehema, elungiselela ukudla kwakhe noninazala ongumfelokazi nowayeswele, uNawomi. (Ruthe 2:14-18) UBowazi kamuva watshela uRuthe: “Ubonakalisile umusa [wothando, NW] ekugcineni kakhulu kunasekuqaleni, ngokuba awulandelanga izinsizwa, noma zimpofu noma zicebile.” (Ruthe 3:10) Okokuqala, uRuthe wabonisa umusa wothando kuNawomi. “Ekugcineni,” lomMowabikazi wabonisa umusa wothando ngokuvuma ngokuzithandela ukushada noBowazi owayesekhulile ukuze amvusele igama umyeni wakhe owayesefile noNawomi owayesegugile. NgoBowazi, uRuthe waba ngunina kamkhulu kaDavide uObede. Futhi uNkulunkuu wamnikeza “umvuzo opheleleyo” wokuba ngukhokhokazi kaJesu Kristu. (Ruthe 2:12; 4:13-17; Mathewu 1:3-6, 16; Luka 3:23, 31-33) Yeka izibusiso ezaba umphumela womusa wothando kaRuthe kuye nasemkhayeni wakhe! Namuhla, kuba khona izibusiso, injabulo, kanye nokuqiniswa kwezibopho zemikhaya lapho kuchuma umusa wothando emakhayeni abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu.

11. Umusa kaFilemoni waba namuphi umphumela?

¹¹ Umusa uqinisa izibopho emabandleni abantu bakaJehova. Indoda engumKristu ethiwa uFilemoni yayaziwa ngokubonisa umusa wothando kwekholwa kanye nabo. UPawulu wayitshela: ‘Ngibonga uNkulunkulu wami njalo ngikukhumbula emikhulekweni yami, uma ngizwa ngothando lwakho nokukholwa onakho eNkosini uJesu nakubo bonke abangcwele nginokuthokoza okukhulu nenduduzo ngothando lwakho, ngokuba [uthando, NW] lwabangcwele lwahlunyelelwa ngawe-mzalwane.’ (Filemoni 4-7) ImiBhalo ayisho ukuthi uthando lwabangcwele lwahlunyelelwa kanjani ngoFilemoni. Nokho, kumelwe ukuba wabonisa umusa wothando kwabagcotshiwe akanye nabo ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ezaba ngezibahlumelelayo, futhi ngokungangabazeki lokhu kwaqinisa izibopho ezaziphakathi kwabo. Kwenzeka izinto ezifanayo lapho amaKristu ebonisa umusa wothando namuhla.

12. Yini eyaba umphumela womusa owaboniswa nguOnesiforu?

¹² Umusa kaOnesiforu nawo waba nomphumela omuhle. “INkosi mayinike indlu kaOnesiforu umusa,” kusho uPawulu, “ngokuba wangihlumelela kaningi, wayengenamahloni ngeketanga lami, kepha esefikile eRoma wangifunisisa, wangifumana—iNkosi mayimnike ukuba athole ububele eNkosini ngalolosuku—konke akhonza ngakho e-Efesu uyakwazi wena kakhulu.” (2 Thimothewu 1:16-18) Uma sizikhandla ekuboniseni umusa wothando kubakhulekeli esikanye nabo, siyojabula futhi siyoqinisa izibopho zothando lobuzalwane ebandleni lobuKristu.

13, 14. Ibandla laseFilipi laba kanjani isibonelo, futhi uPawulu wasabela kanjani emseni walo?

¹³ Lapho wonke umuntu osebandleni ebonisa umusa wothando kubakhulekeli akanye nabo, lokhu kuqinisa isibopho esiphakathi kwabo. Isibopho esinjalo esiqinile sasikhona phakathi kukaPawulu nebandla elalisemzini waseFilipi. Eqinisweni, esinye isizathu sokuba uPawulu alobe incwadi yakhe eya kwabaseFilipi sasiwukuzwakalisa ukubonga kwakhe ngomusa wabo nangosizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo. Wabhala: “Ekuqaleni kwevangeli ekuphumeni kwami eMakedoniya kwakungekho-bandla nelilodwa elahlanganyela nami endabeni yokupha nokwamukela, kuphela nina nodwa, ngokuba naseThesalonika nathumela kanye nakabili ngokuswela kwami. . . . Nginakho konke ngokweqileyo; nganelisiwe sengamukelisiwe nguEphafrodithu okuvela kinina, iphunga elimnandi, umhlatshelo omuhle nothokozisayo kuNkulunkulu.”—Filipi 4:15-18.

¹⁴ Yingakho abaseFilipi abanomusa babethandazelwa uPawulu! Wathi: “Ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu wami ekunikhumbuleni kwami konke ngezikhathi zonke ekunxuseni kwami konke ngani nonke, nginxusa ngokuthokoza, ngenxa yokuhlanganyela kwenu evangelini, kusukela osukwini lokuqala kuze kube-manje.” (Filipi 1:3-5) Ukusekelwa okunjalo komsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso ngenhliziyo enhle nangokupha akulokothi kulenze libe mpofu ibandla. Ngemva kokuba abaseFilipi ngomusa benze ababengakwenza ngokuqondene nalokhu, uPawulu wabaqinisekisa: “UNkulunkulu wami uzakugcwalisa ukuswela konke kwenu njengokwengcebo yakhe ekukhazimuleni kuKristu Jesu.” (Filipi 4:19) Yebo, uNkulunkulu uyawubuyisela umusa nokuphana. IZwi lakhe lithi: “Konke okuhle yilowo nalowo akwenzayo, uzakukwamukela okunjalo eNkosini.”—Efesu 6:8.

Lapho Abesifazane Bebonisa Umusa

15, 16. (a) Umusa kaDorka wakhunjulwa kanjani, futhi kwenzekani lapho efa? (b) Kungayiphi indlela abesifazane abangamaKristu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle benezenzo eziningi ezinhle namuhla?

¹⁵ Umusa wothando womfundi uDorka (uThabitha) waseJopha awuzange uyekwe ungavuzwa. “Wayenemisebenzi eminingi emihle nokwabela abampofu izipho [zomusa, NW],” futhi lapho ‘egula futhi efa,’ abafundi bathumela ukuba kuyobizwa uPetru eLida. Lapho efika, “bamyisa ekamelweni eliphezulu; abafelokazi bonke beza kuye bekhala, bembonisa izambatho nezingubo abezenzile uDorka esenabo.” Ake usicabange lesisimo: Abafelokazi abadabukile, futhi abakhalayo batshela umphostoli ngendlela uDorka ayenomusa ngayo futhi bambonisa lezozingubo njengobufakazi bothando lwakhe nomusa. Esebakhiphe bonke, uPetru waguqa wathandaza wayesephendukela esidunjini. Lalela! Wathi: “Thabitha, vuka!” Futhi bheka! “Wayesevula amehlo akhe, wabona uPetru, walulama. Yena wambamba ngesandla, wamsukumisa. Wayesebiza abangcwele nabafelokazi, wambeka phambi kwabo ephilile.” (IzEnzo 9:36-41) Yeka isibusiso esasivela kuNkulunkulu!

¹⁶ Lokhu kwakuwukuvusa kokuqala okulotshiwe okwenziwa umphostoli kaJesu Kristu. Futhi izimo ezaholela kulesimangaliso esihle zazisekelwe emseni. Ubani ongasho ukuthi uDorka wayeyovuselwa ekuphileni ukuba wayengenazo izenzo eziningi ezinhle nezipho zomusa—ukuba wayengenawo umusa wothando omkhulu? Akuzange nje kubusiswe uDorka nalabo bafelokazi kuphela kodwa isimangaliso sokuvuswa kwakhe sanikeza ubufakazi benkazimulo kaNkulunkulu. Yebo, “kwezwakala lokho kulo lonke iJopha; abaningi bakholwa yiNkosi.” (IzEnzo 9:42) Namuhla, abesifazane abangamaKristu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle nabo banezenzo eziningi ezinhle—mhlawumbe bathungela abakholwa kanye nabo izingubo, belungiselela abagugile esinabo phakathi kwethu ukudla, bebonisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi kwabanye. (1 Thimothewu 5:9, 10) Yeka ubufakazi lokhu okuyibo kwababukelayo! Ngaphezu kwakho konke, yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi ukuzinikela kokwesaba uNkulunkulu nomusa wothando kushukumisela ‘lesixuku esikhulu sabesifazane ukuba sibike indaba ejabulisayo’ kube inkazimulo kuNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova!—IHubo 68:11.

Qhubeka Uphishekela Umusa Wothando

17. Yini eshiwo kuzAga 21:21, futhi lawomazwi asebenza kanjani kubantu abesaba uNkulunkulu?

¹⁷ Bonke abafisa ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu kumelwe baphishekele umusa wothando. “Olandela ukulunga nomusa [wothando, NW] uyafumana ukuphila, nokulunga, nodumo,” kusho isaga esihlakaniphile. (IzAga 21:21) Umuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu ukuphishekela ngenkuthalo ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu, njalo eqondiswa izindinganiso zaphezulu. (Mathewu 6:33) Ubonisa uthando oluqotho ngokuqhubekayo, noma umusa wothando, kwabanye ngezindlela ezingokwenyama futhi ikakhulukazi nangezingokomoya. Kanjalo, uthola ukulunga, ngoba umoya kaJehova uyamsiza ukuba aphile ngendlela yokulunga. Eqinisweni, ‘wembethe ukulunga’ njengoJobe umuntu owayesaba uNkulunkulu. (Jobe 29:14) Umuntu onjalo akazifuneli yena udumo. (IzAga 25:27) Kunalokho, uthola noma yiluphi udumo uJehova amvumela ukuba aluthole, mhlawumbe ngokuthi ahlonishwe abantu aphila nabo abashukunyiswa uNkulunkulu ukuba basebenzelane naye ngomusa ngenxa yowakhe siqu umusa wothando kubo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, labo abenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka bayothola ukuphila—okungekhona nje okweminyaka embalwa edlulayo kodwa okuphakade.

18. Kungani kufanele siphishekele umusa?

¹⁸ Ngakho-ke, bonke abathanda uJehova uNkulunkulu mabaqhubeke bephishekela umusa wothando. Lemfanelo isenza sithandwe uNkulunkulu nabanye. Ibangela umoya wokungenisa izihambi futhi isenza sibe ngabacabangelayo. Umusa uqinisa izibopho emkhayeni nasebandleni lobuKristu. Abesifazane ababonisa umusa wothando bayaziswa futhi bahlonishwa kakhulu. Futhi bonke abaphishekela lemfanelo enhle kakhulu baletha udumo kuNkulunkulu womusa wothando, uJehova.

Ubungaphendula Kanjani?

◻ UAbrahama waba kanjani yisibonelo ekuboniseni umusa?

◻ Indaba kaRahabi isifundisani ngokukhokhela umusa?

◻ Ibandla laseFilipi lawubonisa kanjani umusa?

◻ Kungayiphi indlela abesifazane abangamaKristu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle benezenzo eziningi ezinhle namuhla?

◻ Kungani kufanele siphishekele umusa wothando?