Lokho Okushiwo Ukuthanda Umakhelwane

“Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.”—MATHEWU 22:39.

1. Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu?

YINI uJehova ayifunayo kubakhulekeli bakhe? UJesu wafingqa impendulo yalo mbuzo ngamazwi alula kodwa anohlonze. Wathi umyalo omkhulu kunayo yonke ukuthanda uJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla. (Mathewu 22:37; Marku 12:30) Njengoba isihloko esandulele sisibonisile, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuhilela ukumlalela nokugcina imiyalo yakhe senanela uthando asibonise lona. Kulabo abathanda uNkulunkulu, ukwenza intando yakhe akuwona umthwalo; kuyabajabulisa.—IHubo 40:8; 1 Johane 5:2, 3.

2, 3. Kungani kufanele sinake umyalo wokuthanda umakhelwane, futhi imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?

² UJesu wathi umyalo omkhulu wesibili uhlobene nowokuqala: “Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.” (Mathewu 22:39) Yilo myalo esifuna ukufunda ngawo manje, futhi kufanele. Siphila ezikhathini eziphawuleka ngobugovu, uhlobo lothando oluphendukezelwe. Encazelweni yakhe ephefumulelwe ‘yezinsuku zokugcina,’ umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ngabantu ababengeke bathande abanye abantu kodwa ababeyozithanda bona, bathande imali nenjabulo. Abaningi babengeke babe ‘nothando,’ noma njengoba enye inguqulo yeBhayibheli ibonisa, ‘babeyontula uthando olufanele ngemikhaya yabo.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-4) UJesu Kristu wabikezela: “Abaningi [bayokhaphelana], bazondane. . . . Uthando lwabaningi luyophola.”—Mathewu 24:10, 12.

³ Nokho, phawula ukuthi uJesu akazange athi kwakuyophola uthando lwabo bonke abantu. Bebelokhu bekhona abantu ababonisa uhlobo lothando uJehova alufunayo nolumfanele futhi bazolokhu bekhona. Abantu abamthanda ngempela uJehova bayolwela ukubheka abanye ngendlela yena ababheka ngayo. Nokho, ubani umakhelwane wethu okumelwe simthande? Kufanele silubonise kanjani uthando kumakhelwane wethu? ImiBhalo ingasisiza ekuphenduleni le mibuzo ebalulekile.

 Ubani Umakhelwane Wami?

4. NgokukaLevitikusi isahluko 19, amaJuda kwakufanele athande obani?

⁴ Lapho etshela umFarisi ukuthi umyalo wesibili kwemikhulu kunayo yonke owokuthanda umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda, uJesu wayebhekisele emthethweni othile oqondile owanikwa u-Israyeli. Ulotshwe kuLevitikusi 19:18. Kuso leso sahluko, amaJuda atshelwa ukuthi kwakufanele abheke nabanye njengomakhelwane ngaphandle kwama-Israyeli akubo. Ivesi 34 lithi: “Umfokazi ogogobele kini kufanele abe njengowokuzalwa kini; kumelwe umthande njengoba uzithanda wena, ngoba naba abafokazi ezweni laseGibhithe.” Ngakho, ngisho nabangewona amaJuda, ikakhulukazi amaproselithe, kwakumelwe baphathwe ngothando.

5. AmaJuda akuqonda njengokusho ukuthini ukuthanda umakhelwane?

⁵ Nokho, abaholi bamaJuda bosuku lukaJesu babenombono ohlukile. Abanye babefundisa ukuthi igama elithi, “umngane” nelithi “umakhelwane” asebenza kumaJuda kuphela. Abantu ababengewona amaJuda kwakumelwe bazondwe. Ababefundisa lokho babethi abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu kumelwe bababukele phansi labo abangamesabi. Enye incwadi ithi “kwakulula ukuba inzondo ichume esimweni esinjalo. Kuningi okwakuyibasela.”

6. Imaphi amaphuzu amabili uJesu awaveza lapho ekhuluma ngokuthanda umakhelwane?

⁶ ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu wakhuluma ngale ndaba, esikhanyisela ukuthi obani okufanele baphathwe ngothando. Wathi: “Nizwile ukuthi kwathiwa, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho futhi uzonde isitha sakho.’ Nokho, mina ngithi kini: Qhubekani nithanda izitha zenu, nithandazela nalabo abanishushisayo; ukuze nizibonakalise ningamadodana kaYihlo osemazulwini, njengoba yena enza ilanga lakhe liphumele abantu ababi nabahle futhi enza imvula ine phezu kwabantu abalungile nabangalungile.” (Mathewu 5:43-45) UJesu waveza amaphuzu amabili. Elokuqala, uJehova uyaphana futhi unomusa kwabahle nababi. Elesibili, kufanele silandele isibonelo sakhe.

7. Isiphi isifundo esisithola emzekelisweni womSamariya onomusa?

⁷ Ngesinye isikhathi, umJuda owazi kahle uMthetho wabuza uJesu: “Ubani ngempela umakhelwane wami?” UJesu waphendula ngokulandisa umzekeliso owawukhuluma ngomSamariya owelamela indoda ethile, engumJuda, eyayihlaselwe abaphangi bayiphuca nezinto zayo. Nakuba ngokuvamile amaJuda ayewabukela phansi amaSamariya, lo mSamariya wabopha amanxeba ale ndoda wayithatha wayiyisa endaweni ephephile yezivakashi ukuze ilulame. Lo mzekeliso wawunasiphi isifundo? Uthando lwethu ngomakhelwane kufanele lwenabele nakwabanye abantu ngaphandle kwabohlanga lwethu, isizwe noma inkolo.—Luka 10:25, 29, 30, 33-37.

Lokho Okushiwo Ukuthanda Umakhelwane Wethu

8. ULevitikusi isahluko 19 uthi uthando kwakumelwe luboniswe ngayiphi indlela?

⁸ Njengokuthanda uNkulunkulu, ukuthanda umakhelwane akuwona umuzwa nje; kuhilela  izenzo. Kuyasiza ukuwucabangela ngokwengeziwe umongo womyalo okuLevitikusi 19 okhuthaza abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuba bathande umakhelwane wabo njengoba bezithanda bona. Kulesi sahluko sifunda ukuthi ama-Israyeli kwakufanele avumele abahluphekayo nabafokazi ukuba nabo bathole okuthile esivunweni sawo. Zazingekho izaba zokweba, ukukhohlisa noma ukusebenzelana nabanye ngobuqili. Ezindabeni zokwahlulela, ama-Israyeli kwakungafanele abonise ukukhetha. Nakuba kwakumelwe asole abathile uma kudingeka, atshelwa ngokuqondile: “Ungamzondi umfowenu enhliziyweni yakho.” Le miyalo neminye eminingi yafingqwa ngala mazwi: “Kumelwe uthande omunye umuntu njengoba uzithanda wena.”—Levitikusi 19:9-11, 15, 17, 18.

9. Kungani uJehova ayala ama-Israyeli ukuba ahlale ehlukile kwezinye izizwe?

⁹ Nakuba kwakulindeleke ukuba ama-Israyeli abonise uthando kwabanye, kwakumelwe ahlukane nalabo ababekhulekela onkulunkulu bamanga. UJehova waxwayisa ngezingozi nemiphumela yokuzihlanganisa nabantu ababi. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuqondene nezizwe ama-Israyeli ayeyoziphuca izwe lazo, uJehova wayala: “Akumelwe wakhe ubuhlobo bomshado nazo. Indodakazi yakho akumelwe uyinike indodana yakhe, nendodakazi yakhe akumelwe uyithathele indodana yakho. Ngoba iyophendula indodana yakho ingabe isangilandela, ngokuqinisekile bakhonze abanye onkulunkulu; intukuthelo kaJehova iyonivuthela impela.”—Duteronomi 7:3, 4.

10. Yini okufanele siyixwaye?

¹⁰ Ngokufanayo, amaKristu ayakuxwaya ukwakha ubuhlobo nabantu abangase balwenze buthaka ukholo lwawo. (1 Korinte 15:33) Siyakhuzwa: “Ningaboshelwa ejokeni nabangakholwa,” abantu abangeyona ingxenye yebandla lobuKristu. (2 Korinte 6:14) Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaKristu elulekwa ukuba ashade “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Korinte 7:39) Noma kunjalo, akufanele nanini sibabukele phansi labo abangakholelwa kuJehova njengathi. UKristu wafela izoni, futhi abaningi abake benza izinto ezimbi bazishintsha izindlela zabo babuyisana noNkulunkulu.—Roma 5:8; 1 Korinte 6:9-11.

11. Iyiphi indlela engcono kakhulu yokubonisa uthando kulabo abangamkhonzi uJehova, futhi ngani?

¹¹ Lapho sibonisa uthando kulabo abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu, kungcono kakhulu ukuba silingise uJehova ngokwakhe. Nakuba engabuthandi ububi, ubonisa umusa wothando kubo bonke abantu ngokubanikeza ithuba lokuphenduka ezindleleni zabo ezimbi futhi bathole ukuphila okuphakade. (Hezekeli 18:23) UJehova “ufisa ukuba bonke baphenduke.” (2 Petru 3:9) Kuyintando yakhe ukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 2:4) Yingakho uJesu ayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba bashumayele, bafundise futhi ‘benze abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi.’ (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ngokwenza lo msebenzi, sibonisa ukuthi sithanda uNkulunkulu nomakhelwane, yebo, ngisho nezitha zethu imbala!

Ukuthanda Abafowethu AbangamaKristu

12. Yini umphostoli uJohane ayiloba ngokuthanda umfowethu?

¹² Umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Masenze okuhle kubo bonke, kodwa ikakhulukazi kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni.” (Galathiya 6:10) NjengamaKristu, sinesibopho sokubonisa uthando kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni—abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya. Lubaluleke kangakanani lolu thando? Eluchaza ngendlela enamandla, umphostoli uJohane waloba: “Wonke umuntu ozonda umfowabo ungumbulali . . . Uma umuntu ethi: ‘Ngiyamthanda uNkulunkulu,’ kodwa abe ezonda umfowabo, ungumqambimanga. Ngoba ongamthandi umfowabo, ambonileyo, akunakwenzeka ukuthi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu, angambonanga.” (1 Johane 3:15; 4:20) Amazwi aqatha lawa. UJesu Kristu wasebenzisa igama elithi “umbulali wabantu” nelithi “umqambimanga” kuSathane uDeveli. (Johane 8:44) Asifuni nakanye ukuba lawo magama asetshenziswe kithi!

13. Singalubonisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando kulabo esikholwa nabo?

¹³ AmaKristu eqiniso ‘afundiswa uNkulunkulu ukuba athandane.’ (1 Thesalonika 4:9) Kumelwe  ‘singathandani ngezwi noma ngomlomo, kodwa ngesenzo nangeqiniso.’ (1 Johane 3:18) Uthando lwethu kufanele “lungabi nabuzenzisi.” (Roma 12:9) Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sibe nomusa, ububele, sithethelele, sibekezele, singabi namhawu, singaqhoshi, singazidli noma sibe nobugovu. (1 Korinte 13:4, 5; Efesu 4:32) Lusishukumisela ukuba ‘sibe izinceku zomunye komunye.’ (Galathiya 5:13) UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe ukuba bathandane njengoba nje abathanda. (Johane 13:34) Ngakho-ke, lapho kudingeka, umKristu kufanele azimisele ngisho nokudela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yalabo akholwa nabo.

14. Singalubonisa kanjani uthando emkhayeni?

¹⁴ Uthando kufanele luboniswe ngokukhethekile emkhayeni wamaKristu, ikakhulukazi phakathi kwendoda nomkayo. Isibopho somshado sibahlanganisa kakhulu kangangokuba uPawulu wathi: “Amadoda kufanele athande omkawo njengemizimba yawo siqu.” Wanezela: “Lowo othanda umkakhe uzithanda yena.” (Efesu 5:28) UPawulu uyasiphinda lesi seluleko ngemva nje kwamavesi amahlanu. Indoda ethanda umkayo ngeke ilingise ama-Israyeli osuku lukaMalaki akhohlisa abangane bawo bomshado. (Malaki 2:14) Iyomazisa. Iyomthanda ngendlela uKristu athanda ngayo ibandla. Nomkayo ngokufanayo, uthando luyomshukumisela ukuba ayihloniphe.—Efesu 5:25, 29-33.

15. Ukubona uthando lobuzalwane luboniswa ngokoqobo kwashukumisela abathile ukuba bathini futhi benzeni?

¹⁵ Ngokusobala, lolu hlobo lothando luwuphawu olubonakalisa amaKristu eqiniso. UJesu wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:35) Ukuthandana kwethu kudonsela abantu kuNkulunkulu esimthandayo nesimmelelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, umbiko ovela eMozambique ukhuluma ngomkhaya othile woFakazi. “Asikaze siyibone into enje. Ngolunye usuku ntambama, kwaqala ukuvunguza umoya onamandla owalandelwa isiwulukuhlu semvula nesichotho. Isivunguvungu sabhidliza indlu yethu eyakhiwe ngomhlanga, saphephula nothayela. Lapho abafowethu abavela emabandleni angomakhelwane befika futhi besisiza ukuba siyakhe kabusha, omakhelwane bethu ababebambe ongezansi bathi: ‘Inkolo yenu yinhle kakhulu. Asikaze sithole usizo olunjengalolu kwelethu isonto.’ Savula iBhayibheli sababonisa uJohane 13:34, 35. Manje abaningi komakhelwane bethu baqhutshelwa isifundo seBhayibheli.”

Ukuthanda Abantu Ngabanye

16. Uyini umahluko phakathi kokuthanda iqembu nokuthanda abantu ngabanye?

¹⁶ Akunzima ukuthanda omakhelwane bethu njengeqembu noma bebonke. Nokho, kungaba inselele ukuthanda umuntu ngamunye. Ngokwesibonelo, kwabanye ukuthanda umakhelwane kusho ukunikelela izinhlangano ezisiza abaswele kuphela. Ngempela, kulula ukusho ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwane wethu kunokulubonisa uthando kumuntu esisebenza naye obonakala engenandaba nathi, noma umuntu owakhe eceleni kwethu ovivinya ukubekezela kwethu noma umngane osidumazayo.

17, 18. UJesu walubonisa kanjani uthando kubantu ngabanye, futhi lokhu wakwenza ngasiphi isisusa?

¹⁷ Kule ndaba yokuthanda abantu ngabanye, singafunda kuJesu, owabonakalisa izimfanelo zikaNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Nakuba eza emhlabeni ukuzosusa isono sezwe, wabonisa uthando kubantu ngabanye—kowesifazane ogulayo, konochoko, ngisho nasenganeni. (Mathewu 9:20-22; Marku 1:40-42; 7:26, 29, 30; Johane 1:29) Ngokufanayo, sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda umakhelwane ngendlela esisebenzelana  ngayo nabantu esihlangana nabo usuku nosuku.

¹⁸ Nokho, akufanele nanini sikhohlwe ukuthi ukuthanda umakhelwane kuhlobene nokuthanda uNkulunkulu. Nakuba uJesu asiza abampofu, waphulukisa abagulayo, wondla abalambile, isisusa sakhe sokwenza zonke lezi zinto nesokufundisa kwakhe izixuku sasiwukusiza abantu babuyisane noJehova. (2 Korinte 5:19) UJesu wenza zonke izinto ukuze akhazimulise uNkulunkulu, ekhumbula njalo ukuthi wayemelela futhi ebonakalisa uNkulunkulu ayemthanda. (1 Korinte 10:31) Ngokulingisa isibonelo sikaJesu, nathi singabonisa uthando lwangempela komakhelwane, ngesikhathi esifanayo sihlale singeyona ingxenye yaleli zwe labantu ababi.

Sibonisa Kanjani Ukuthi Sithanda Omakhelwane Bethu Ngendlela Esizithanda Ngayo?

19, 20. Kusho ukuthini ukuthanda umakhelwane wethu ngendlela esizithanda ngayo thina?

¹⁹ UJesu wathi: “Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.” Ngokwemvelo siyazinakekela futhi siyazihlonipha ngezinga elithile. Ukube bekungenjalo, lo myalo ubungeke ube nengqondo. Ukuzithanda komuntu ngalolu hlobo akumelwe kudidaniswe nokuzithanda kobugovu umphostoli uPawulu akhuluma ngakho kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:2. Kunalokho kuwumuzwa onengqondo wokuzizwa ubalulekile. Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sakuchaza ngokuthi “ukuzithanda okunokulinganisela okungenamcabango wokuziqhakambisa uthi ‘Ngiphakeme’ noma wokuzeya uthi ‘Angilutho.’”

²⁰ Ukuthanda abanye njengoba sizithanda thina kusho ukuthi sibheka abanye ngendlela esifuna ukubhekwa ngayo futhi sibaphathe ngendlela esingathanda ukuphathwa ngayo. UJesu wathi: “Ngakho-ke, zonke izinto enifuna abantu bazenze kini, nani kumelwe nizenze ngokufanayo kubo.” (Mathewu 7:12) Phawula ukuthi uJesu akazange athi sigxile kulokho abanye abaye bakwenza kithi esikhathini esidlule bese sikhipha isibhongo. Kunalokho, kumelwe sicabange ngendlela esingathanda ukuphathwa ngayo bese senza okufanayo. Phawula futhi ukuthi uJesu akazange athi lokhu kumelwe sikwenze kubangane nakubafowethu kuphela. Wasebenzisa igama elithi “abantu,” mhlawumbe ukuze abonise ukuthi kufanele senze ngale ndlela kubo bonke abantu, wonke umuntu esihlangana naye.

21. Sibonisani ngokuthanda abanye?

²¹ Ukuthanda umakhelwane wethu kuyosivikela ekwenzeni okubi. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Isimiso somthetho esithi, ‘Ungaphingi, Ungabulali, Ungebi, Ungahahi,’ nanoma yimuphi omunye umyalo okhona, sihlanganiswe kuleli zwi, elithi, ‘Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.’ Uthando alwenzi okubi kumakhelwane womuntu.” (Roma 13:9, 10) Uthando luyosishukumisela ukuba sifune izindlela zokwenza okuhle kwabanye. Ngokuthanda abanye abantu, sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda lowo owadala umuntu ngomfanekiso waKhe, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 1:26.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Obani okufanele sibathande, futhi ngani?

• Singalubonisa kanjani uthando kubantu abangamkhonzi uJehova?

• IBhayibheli liluchaza kanjani uthando okufanele sibe nalo ngabafowethu?

• Kusho ukuthini ukuthanda umakhelwane wethu ngendlela esizithanda ngayo thina?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

“Ubani ngempela umakhelwane wami?”

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Uthando lukaJesu lwenabela nakubantu ngabanye