Ukufunda Indlela Yothando Ezedlula Zonke

IKosovo, iLebanon, ne-Ireland. Lawa amagama avame ukuvela ezindabeni eminyakeni yamuva nje. Enza abantu bacabange ngezenzakalo zokuchithwa kwegazi, ukubhomba nokubulala. Yiqiniso, azizintsha izingxabano ezinobudlova ezibangelwa ukuhluka ngokwenkolo, ngokohlanga, ngokobuzwe nangezinye izindlela. Eqinisweni, umlando ugcwele zona, futhi ziye zenza isintu sahlupheka kakhulu.

LAPHO bebona ukuthi kuye kwaba nezimpi kuwo wonke umlando, abantu abaningi baye baphetha ngokuthi empeleni izimpi azinakugwenywa futhi kuyinto engokwemvelo ukuba abantu bazondane. Nokho, imibono enjalo iphambene ngokuphelele nezimfundiso zeZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. ImiBhalo isho ngokucacile ukuthi: “Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) Kusobala ukuthi uMdali ufuna abantu bathandane.

IBhayibheli lembula nokuthi umuntu wadalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. (Genesise 1:26, 27) Lokhu kusho ukuthi isintu sadalwa sikwazi ukubonakalisa izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu, futhi evelele kunazo zonke uthando. Uma kunjalo, kungani isintu siye sahluleka ngokudabukisa kangaka ukubonisana uthando kuwo wonke umlando? IBhayibheli liyaphinda liyasikhanyisela. Kungenxa yokuthi umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu, u-Adamu no-Eva, wahlubuka kuNkulunkulu, wawela esonweni. Ngenxa yalokho, yonke inzalo yawo yazuza isono nokungapheleli njengefa. EyabaseRoma 3:23 iyachaza: “Bonke bonile futhi bayasilela enkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu.” Ikhono lethu lokuthanda esilinikwe uNkulunkulu lonakaliswa isono nokungapheleli esikuzuze njengefa. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi isintu asisakwazi ukuthandana? Yiliphi ithemba elikhona lokuthi siyoke sijabulele ubuhlobo obunokuthula nobunothando nabanye abantu?

Kumelwe Sifunde Ukuthanda UNkulunkulu

UJehova uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi naphezu kwakho konke, isintu sisakwazi ukubonisa uthando. Yingakho efuna ukuba bonke abafuna ukumjabulisa babonise uthando ngokusemandleni abo. Le mfuneko yacaciswa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, lapho ecelwa ukuba asho ukuthi yimuphi umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke eMthethweni owanikwa u-Israyeli. Wathi: “‘Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke.’ Lona umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke nowokuqala.” Wanezela: “Owesibili, onjengawo, yilo, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Kulemiyalo emibili kulenga wonke uMthetho.”—Mathewu 22:37-40.

Nokho, abantu abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi kunzima kakhulu ukuthanda umuntu abangenakumbona, futhi thina bantu asinakumbona uJehova uNkulunkulu ngoba unguMoya. (Johane 4:24) Nokho, lokho uNkulunkulu akwenzayo kuyasithinta nsuku zonke, njengoba sonke sincike ezintweni eziningi ezinhle azidalela ukuba zisizuzise. Umphostoli uPawulu waveza leli phuzu lapho ethi: “[UNkulunkulu akazishiyanga] engenabufakazi ngoba wenza okuhle, eninika izimvula ezivela ezulwini nezinkathi ezinezithelo, egcwalisa kakhulu izinhliziyo zenu ngokudla nangokwenama okukhulu.”—IzEnzo 14:17.

Nakuba wonke umuntu ezuza emalungiselelweni oMdali ngandlela-thile, uma kuqhathaniswa, bambalwa abanokwazisa noma abashukumiseleka ukuba bambonge. Ngakho, kudingeka sicabange ngazo zonke izinto ezinhle uNkulunkulu aye wasenzela zona futhi sizindle ngezimfanelo ezimangalisayo ezibonakala kukho konke akwenzayo. Ukwenza kanjalo kufanele kusenze siqonde ukuhlakanipha namandla asabekayo oMdali wethu Omkhulu. (Isaya 45:18) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, kufanele kusisize sibone indlela anguNkulunkulu onothando ngayo, njengoba engazange asinike ukuphila kuphela kodwa wenza sakwazi nokujabulela izinto eziningi ezijabulisayo ekuphileni.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngezinhlobo ezingenakubalwa zezimbali ezinhle uNkulunkulu azidale emhlabeni. Futhi, yeka ukuthi kusijabulisa kanjani ukuthi wasidala ngendlela yokuba sikwazi ukuzibona futhi sizijabulele kakhulu lezi zinto ezenza kube kuhle! Ngokufanayo, uNkulunkulu walungiselela zonke izinhlobo zokudla okunempilo ukuze zisekele ukuphila kwethu. Yeka ukuthi ungocabangela kanjani njengoba asidala saba nanenzwa yokunambitha ukuze sikujabulele kakhulu kangaka ukudla! Ingabe lobu akubona ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uNkulunkulu usithanda ngempela futhi uhlale esicabangela okungcono kakhulu?—IHubo 145:16, 17; Isaya 42:5, 8.

Ngaphandle kokuzembula kithi ‘ngencwadi yemvelo,’ uMdali usibonisa ukuthi uluhlobo luni lukaNkulunkulu ngeZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi eBhayibhelini kulotshwe izinto eziningi zothando uJehova uNkulunkulu aye wazenza esikhathini esidlule kanye nezibusiso eziningi azithembisa isintu esikhathini esizayo esiseduze. (Genesise 22:17, 18; Eksodusi 3:17; IHubo 72:6-16; IsAmbulo 21:4, 5) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, iBhayibheli lisembulela indlela enkulu kunazo zonke uNkulunkulu abonisa ngayo uthando esintwini—ukunikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba ibe uMhlengi wethu ukuze sikhululeke ebugqilini besono nokufa. (Roma 5:8) Ngempela, lapho sifunda okwengeziwe ngoMdali wethu onothando, sishukumiseleka ngokwengeziwe ukuba simthande ngokusuka enhliziyweni.

Ukufunda Ukuthanda Abanye Abantu

Njengoba uJesu asho, ngaphezu kokuthanda uNkulunkulu ngayo yonke inhliziyo, umphefumulo nengqondo yethu, kufanele sithande omakhelwane bethu njengoba sizithanda thina. Eqinisweni, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luyasibophezela ukuba sithande abanye abantu. Umphostoli uJohane wachaza: “Bathandekayo, uma kuyilendlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo, khona-ke nathi ngokwethu singaphansi kwesibopho sokuthandana.” Waqhubeka wagcizelela: “Uma noma ubani ethi: ‘Ngiyamthanda uNkulunkulu,’ kodwa nokho abe ezonda umfowabo, ungumqambimanga. Ngoba ongamthandi umfowabo, ambonileyo, akunakwenzeka ukuthi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu, angambonanga. Futhi lomyalo sinawo uvela kuye, wokuthi othanda uNkulunkulu kufanele athande nomfowabo.”—1 Johane 4:11, 20, 21.

Namuhla siphila ezweni lapho abantu abaningi bebonisa isimo sengqondo sokuzinakekela bona kuqala, ‘bengabazithandayo,’ njengoba nje iBhayibheli labikezela. (2 Thimothewu 3:2) Ngakho-ke, uma sifuna ukufunda indlela yothando ezedlula zonke, kudingeka senze umzamo omkhulu wokuguqula izingqondo zethu futhi silingise uMdali wethu, kunokulandela izindlela zobugovu zeningi labantu. (Roma 12:2; Efesu 5:1) UNkulunkulu “unomusa” ngisho nakulabo “abangabongiyo nababi,” futhi “[wenza] ilanga lakhe liphume phezu kwabantu ababi nabahle futhi [wenza] line phezu kwabantu abalungileyo nabangalungile.” Njengoba uBaba wethu wasezulwini esibekela isibonelo esihle kangaka, kufanele silwele ukuba nomusa futhi sibe usizo kubo bonke abantu. Ngokwenza kanjalo, singazibonakalisa ‘singamadodana kaBaba wethu osemazulwini’ onothando.—Luka 6:35; Mathewu 5:45.

Ngezinye izikhathi izenzo ezinjalo zothando ziphumela ekusizeni abantu ukuba babe abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Eminyakeni ethile edlule owesifazane othile ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova futhi ongumnakekeli wekhaya wazama ukuhlanganyela isigijimi seBhayibheli nomakhelwane wakhe kodwa wajivazwa kanzima. Nokho, akazange adunyazwe yilokho kusabela. Kunalokho, waqhubeka ebonisa umusa futhi ezama ukuba usizo kulowo makhelwane. Ngesinye isikhathi wamsiza lapho ethuthela kwenye indlu. Ngesinye isikhathi wahlela ukuba othile aphelezele lo makhelwane baye esikhumulweni sezindiza bayohlangabeza izihlobo zakhe. Kamuva, wamukela isifundo seBhayibheli futhi ekugcineni waba umKristu oshisekayo naphezu kokushushiswa kakhulu umyeni wakhe. Yebo, lokho kubonisa uthando kwabeka isisekelo sezibusiso zaphakade.

Uma sithembekile ngakho, sizovuma ukuthi uNkulunkulu akasithandi ngoba sinezimfanelo eziningi ezithandekayo. Ngokuphambene, uyasithanda nakuba sinamaphutha nokushiyeka okuningi. Ngenxa yalokho, nathi kufanele sifunde ukuthanda abanye abantu naphezu kokushiyeka kwabo okuningi. Uma siziqeqesha ukuba siqonde futhi sazise izimfanelo ezinhle zabanye kunokubheka amaphutha abo, siyokuthola kulula ngokwengeziwe ukubathanda. Umuzwa esinawo ngabo ungase udlulele ngalé kothando olubuswa izimiso, uhlanganise ukusondelana okungokomzwelo okufudumele nothando oluba khona phakathi kwabangane abasondelene.

Ukuvumela Uthando Lwakho Lukhule

Uthando nobungane kudinga ukunakekelwa nokuhlakulelwa, futhi ezinye zezinto ezibalulekile ezidingekayo kulokhu ubuqotho nokuthembeka. Abanye bazama ukufihla ukushiyeka kwabo ukuze babonakale bebahle kubantu abafuna ukwakha ubungane nabo. Nokho, inkambo enjalo ngokuvamile idala inkinga, ngoba abanye ekugcineni bayazitholela amaqiniso bese bexoshwa yilokho kungathembeki. Ngakho-ke, kufanele singesabi ukuvumela abanye ukuba basazi njengoba sinjalo ngempela—ngisho noma sinokushiyeka esisalwela ukukunqoba. Lokhu kungase kusize ekwakheni ubungane nabo.

Ngokwesibonelo, udade othile osekhulile ebandleni laseMpumalanga Ekude wafunda kancane kakhulu esikoleni. Nokho, akalokothi azame ukukufihlela abanye lokho. Ngokwesibonelo, uvuma ngokuqondile ukuthi akakwazi ukubonisa abanye indlela yokuthola ngeziprofetho zeBhayibheli nomlando ukuthi iziKhathi Zabezizwe zaphela ngo-1914.a Nokho, ubekela abazalwane isibonelo esihle sokushisekela inkonzo kanye nokuba nothando nokuphana, kangangokuthi ubizwa ngendlela enothando ngokuthi uyigugu lebandla.

Kwamanye amasiko, ukubonisa uthando ngokukhululekile kuyancimfelwa; abantu bafundiswa ukuzigcina bezothile lapho besebenzelana nabanye. Nakuba kukuhle kakhulu ukuba oqaphile nocabangelayo, akufanele sivumele ukuba kwethu nesizotha kucindezele noma kusenze sifihle indlela esizizwa ngayo ngabanye. UJehova akazange abe namahloni okusho indlela ayethanda ngayo abantu bakhe abakhethiwe, u-Israyeli wasendulo, ethi kubo: “Ngikuthandile ngothando oluphakade.” (Jeremiya 31:3) Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uPawulu watshela ayekholwa nabo eThesalonika: “Njengoba sasinokusondelana okunesisa nani, sakujabulela kakhulu ukungadluliseli kini izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu kuphela, kodwa nemiphefumulo yethu siqu, ngoba naba abathandekayo kithi.” (1 Thesalonika 2:8) Ngakho, njengoba silwela ukuhlakulela uthando lwangempela ngabanye abantu, kuwukwenza ngokuvumelana nemfundiso yeBhayibheli ukuyibonakalisa ngokwemvelo imizwa enjalo kunokuyicindezela.

Kudingeka Umzamo Oqhubekayo

Ukufunda ukuthanda abanye abantu nokulubonisa lolo thando kuyinqubo eqhubekayo. Ukwenza kanjalo kudinga ukuba senze umzamo omkhulu ngoba kudingeka sikusebenzele kanzima ukunqoba ukungapheleli kwethu kanye nokulwa nethonya elinamandla laleli zwe elingenalo uthando. Nokho, imivuzo ecebile elethwa yilokhu iwufanele ngempela umzamo.—Mathewu 24:12.

Ngisho nakulo kanye leli zwe elingaphelele, singaba nobuhlobo obungcono nabanye abantu, obuphumela enjabulweni enkulu, ekuthuleni nasekwanelisekeni kwethu nokwabanye. Ngokwenza umzamo onjalo, singazibonakalisa silifanelekela ithemba elimangalisayo lokuphila phakade ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ngokufunda indlela yothando ezidlula zonke, singase samukelwe uMdali wethu onothando futhi sithole izibusiso zakhe, kokubili manje naphakade!

[Umbhalo waphansi]

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Uthando lobuKristu lungaboniswa ngezenzo zomusa

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 8]

UN PHOTO 186226/M. Grafman