1. Yiluphi uhlobo oluphakeme lothando, kungani kunjalo? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

UTHANDO olusekelwe ezimisweni ezifanele (a·gaʹpe) luyisipho esivela kuJehova. Nguye onguMthombo walo. (1 Joh. 4:7) Lolu uhlobo lothando oluphakeme. Nakuba lungahlanganisa ukusondelana nemfudumalo, ngokuyinhloko lubonakala ngezenzo ezingenabugovu ezizuzisa abanye. Enye incwadi ithi i-a·gaʹpe “ingabonakala kuphela ngezenzo.” Lapho sibonisa noma siboniswa uthando olungenabugovu, ukuphila kwethu kuba nenjongo futhi siyajabula.

2, 3. UJehova ubabonise kanjani abantu uthando olungenabugovu?

² UJehova wabonisa ukuthi uyabathanda abantu ngisho nangaphambi kokudala u-Adamu no-Eva. Wenza umhlaba waba yikhaya labantu laphakade, indawo ababezojabulela kuyo ukuphila ngokugcwele. UJehova akakwenzanga lokho ukuze kuzuze yena kodwa wakwenzela ukuzuzisa thina. Waphinde wabonisa uthando olungenabugovu lapho ebusisa izingane zakhe emhlabeni ngethemba lokuphila okuphakade ePharadesi ayelilungiselele zona.

³ Ngemva kokuvukela kuka-Adamu no-Eva, uJehova wenza isenzo esikhulu  esibonisa uthando olungenabugovu. Ngisho noma u-Adamu no-Eva babehlubukile, uJehova wenzela inzalo yabo isihlengo eqiniseka ngokuthi bakhona kuyo ababeyomthanda. (Gen. 3:15; 1 Joh. 4:10) Empeleni, kusukela ngesikhathi uJehova ethembisa ukuletha uMsindisi, kuYe kwakufana nokuthi umhlatshelo sewenziwe kakade. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-4 000, uJehova wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuze kuzuze isintu. (Joh. 3:16) Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngothando lukaJehova olungenabugovu!

4. Yini ebonisa ukuthi abantu abanesono bayakwazi ukubonisa uthando olungenabugovu?

⁴ Siyakwazi ukubonisa uthando olungenabugovu ngoba uNkulunkulu wasenza safana naye. Ngenxa yesono esasizuza njengefa akulula ukubonisa uthando kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi ngeke sikwazi. U-Abela wabonisa ukuthi uyamthanda uNkulunkulu ngokunikela ngokungcono kakhulu kwayenakho. (Gen. 4:3, 4) UNowa wabonisa uthando olungenabugovu lapho ememezela umyalezo ovela kuNkulunkulu amashumi eminyaka, ngisho noma kwakungekho noyedwa umuntu olalelayo. (2 Pet. 2:5) Lapho eyalwa ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe, u-Abrahama wabonisa ukuthi uthanda uNkulunkulu kakhulu kunendlela azizwa ngayo ngo-Isaka. (Jak. 2:21) Njengalawo madoda athembekile, sifuna ukubonisa uthando naphezu kwezinselele esibhekena nazo.

5. Singalubonisa ngaziphi izindlela uthando lweqiniso?

⁵ IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi uthando lweqiniso alubonakali “ngezwi noma ngomlomo, kodwa ngesenzo nangeqiniso.” (1 Joh. 3:18) Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi ngeke sikwazi ukubonisa uthando ngamazwi? Cha, akunjalo. (1 Thes. 4:18) Kunalokho, kusho ukuthi uthando lwethu akumelwe luphelele nje ekutsheleni umuntu ukuthi siyamthanda, ikakhulukazi uma isimo sidinga ukuba senze okuthile. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho umfowethu noma udadewethu eswele izinto eziyisidingo ekuphileni, kudingeka senze okungaphezu kokumtshela ukuthi siyamthanda. (Jak. 2:15, 16) Ngendlela efanayo, ukuthanda uJehova nomakhelwane bethu kusenza singagcini nje ngokucela ukuba uNkulunkulu ‘athumele izisebenzi’ emsebenzini wokuvuna, kodwa kusenza sifune ukwenza umsebenzi wokushumayela ngamandla ethu onke.​—Math. 9:38.

6, 7. (a) Luyini uthando ‘olungenabuzenzisi’? (b) Yiziphi izibonelo zothando mbumbulu?

⁶ Umphostoli uJohane wabhala ukuthi kumelwe sithande “ngesenzo nangeqiniso.” Ngakho uthando lwethu kumelwe ‘lungabi nabuzenzisi.’ (Roma 12:9; 2 Kor. 6:6) Lokho kusho ukuthi asikwazi ukubonisa uthando lweqiniso sibe sizenza into esingeyona noma sizenzisa. Mhlawumbe siyazibuza, ‘Lukhona yini uthando olunobuzenzisi?’ Alukho. Kuyobe kungelona uthando lolo, kuyobe kuwukuzenzisa.

⁷ Cabanga ngezibonelo zothando mbumbulu. Ensimini yase-Edene, uSathane wenza sengathi uyamkhathalela u-Eva, kodwa izenzo zakhe zabonisa ukuthi uyigovu nomzenzisi. (Gen. 3:4, 5) Ngesikhathi uDavide eyinkosi, u-Ahithofeli wabonisa ukuthi wayengenalo uthando lweqiniso. Wahlubuka kuDavide ukuze azizuzise yena. (2 Sam. 15:31) Ngendlela efanayo, namuhla izihlubuki nabanye ababangela ukuhlukana emabandleni basebenzisa ‘inkulumo ebushelelezi nenkulumo yokuthopha’ ukuze kubonakale sengathi banothando, kodwa isisusa sabo sangempela ubugovu.​—Roma 16:17, 18.

8. Yimuphi umbuzo okufanele sizibuze wona?

⁸ Uthando mbumbulu lubi ngoba lukhohlisa abantu. Ubuzenzisi obunjalo bungabakhohlisa abantu, kodwa ngeke bumkhohlise  uJehova. Empeleni uJesu wathi abazenzisi bayojeziswa “kanzima kakhulu.” (Math. 24:51) Njengezinceku zikaJehova asifuni nanini ukuba abazenzisi. Senza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ingabe uthando lwami lungolweqiniso, alunabo ubugovu noma ukukhohlisa?’ Ake sixoxe ngezindlela ezingu-9 esingabonisa ngazo uthando ‘olungenabuzenzisi.’

9. Uthando lweqiniso luyosishukumisela ukuba senzeni?

⁹ Kujabulele ukukhonza ngisho noma ungabonwa noma unganconywa. Kufanele sizimisele ukwenzela abafowethu izenzo zothando ‘ekusithekeni.’ (Funda uMathewu 6:1-4.) U-Ananiya noSafira behluleka ukwenza lokho. Babefuna kwaziwe ukuthi bona banikelile base beqamba amanga ngomnikelo wabo, ngenxa yalobo buzenzisi bajeziswa kabuhlungu. (IzE. 5:1-10) Ngokuphambene nalokho, uthando lweqiniso lusishukumisela ukuba sikhonze abafowethu ngaphandle kokufuna ukubonwa noma ukunconywa. Ngokwesibonelo, abazalwane abasiza iNdikimba Ebusayo ekulungiseleleni ukudla okungokomoya benza lokho ekusithekeni, abazifuneli udumo noma ukunconywa ngokuchazela abantu ukuthi yiziphi izincwadi ababe nesandla kuzo.

10. Singahola kanjani ekuboniseni abanye udumo?

¹⁰ Hola ekuboniseni abanye udumo. (Funda eyabaseRoma 12:10.) UJesu wabeka isibonelo ekuboniseni abanye udumo ngokwenza imisebenzi ephansi. (Joh. 13:3-5, 12-15) Kungadingeka sizikhandle ukuze sibe nokuthobeka okudingekayo ukuze sidumise abanye ngale ndlela. Ngisho nabaphostoli babengaziqondi kahle izenzo zikaJesu kwaze kwaba yilapho bethola umoya ongcwele. (Joh. 13:7) Singabonisa abanye udumo ngokungacabangi ukuthi singcono kunabo ngenxa yemfundo yethu, izinto esinazo noma imisebenzi esiyenzayo enhlanganweni kaJehova. (Roma 12:3) Kunokuba sibe nomona ngalabo abathola udumo, sijabula nabo ngisho noma sinomuzwa wokuthi kumelwe sithole udumo olufanayo noma sinconywe nathi ngomsebenzi ofeziwe.

11. Kungani kumelwe uncome abanye ngobuqotho?

¹¹ Yiba qotho lapho uncoma abanye. Kufanele siwasebenzise wonke amathuba okuncoma abanye ngoba amazwi anjalo ‘ayakha.’ (Efe. 4:29) Kodwa kumelwe sibe qotho. Kungenjalo singazithola sesithopha abanye noma sesigwema ukubanika iseluleko esifanele. (IzAga 29:5) Ukuncoma umuntu bese uyamgxeka uma esehambile kuwubuzenzisi. Umphostoli uPawulu wakugwema lokho, wasibekela isibonelo esihle sokubonisa uthando lweqiniso endleleni ayencoma ngayo abanye. Ngokwesibonelo, wawancoma ngobuqotho amaKristu aseKorinte ngokuphathelene nendlela ayeziphethe ngayo. (1 Kor. 11:2) Kodwa lapho izenzo zawo zingasakufanelekeli ukunconywa, wawachazela isizathu ngendlela enomusa necacile.—1 Kor. 11:20-22.

12. Singalubonisa kanjani uthando lweqiniso lapho senzela abantu izinto?

¹² Yiba nesandla esivulekile. UJehova usiyala ukuba sibe nesandla esivulekile kubafowethu nodadewethu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:17.) Kodwa lokho kumelwe sikwenze ngezisusa ezinhle, singabi nobugovu. Singazibuza: ‘Ingabe nginesandla esivulekile kubangane bami abaseduze, kubantu abavelele noma kulabo abangangenzela okuthile nami? Noma ingabe ngifuna izindlela zokusiza abazalwane nodade engingabajwayele  noma abangenalutho, abangeke bangenzele lutho?’ (Luka 14:12-14) Ake sithi umKristu uphelelwa yimali ngenxa yezinqumo ezingahlakaniphile azenzile noma akakubongi ngemva kokumsiza. Ezimweni ezinjalo kumelwe sisebenzise lesi seluleko: “Ngenisanani ngaphandle kokukhononda.” (1 Pet. 4:9) Uma ulandela lesi seluleko, uyothola injabulo ebangelwa ukupha ngezisusa ezinhle.​—IzE. 20:35.

13. (a) Kunini lapho kungaba yinselele khona ukusiza ababuthakathaka? (b) Yiziphi izinto esingazenza ngokoqobo ukuze sisekele ababuthakathaka?

¹³ Siza ababuthakathaka. Isiqondiso seBhayibheli esithi “nisekele ababuthakathaka” singavivinya uthando lwethu ukuthi olweqiniso yini. (1 Thes. 5:14) Ngisho noma abaningi ababuthakathaka begcina beqinile okholweni, abanye kudingeka sibabekezelele, sibasekele ngokuqhubekayo. Lokhu kungahlanganisa ukuxoxa nabo ngemiBhalo ekhuthazayo, ukucela ukuhamba nabo ensimini noma ukuzinika isikhathi sokubalalela. Ukwenezela kulokho, esikhundleni sokucabanga ukuthi umzalwane noma udade “uqinile” noma “ubuthakathaka” kufanele siqaphele ukuthi sonke kunezindawo esenza kahle kuzo nesingenzi kahle kuzo. Ngisho nomphostoli uPawulu wavuma ukuthi unobuthakathaka. (2 Kor. 12:9, 10) Ngakho sonke singazuza ekusekelweni abafowethu nodadewethu.

14. Yini okumelwe sizimisele ukuyenza ukuze sihlale sinokuthula nabafowethu?

¹⁴ Yenza ukuthula. Senza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sihlale sinokuthula nabafowethu, ngisho nalapho sinomuzwa wokuthi asiphathwanga ngendlela efanele. (Funda eyabaseRoma 12:17, 18.) Ukuxolisa kungakusiza ulungise ukungezwani, kodwa kumelwe uxolise ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Ngokwesibonelo, kunokumane nje uthi, “Ngiyaxolisa ukuthi uzizwa ngaleyo ndlela,” ungavuma ukuthi wenze iphutha ngokuthi uthi, “Ngiyaxolisa ngokukuzwisa ubuhlungu ngalokho engikushilo.” Ukuthula kubaluleke kakhulu emshadweni. Indoda nomkayo akufanele benze sengathi bayathandana phambi kwabantu bese lapho sebebodwa bangakhulumisani, basho izinto ezilimazayo noma bashayane balimazane.

15. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sithethelela ngokukhululekile?

¹⁵ Thethelela ngokukhululekile. Sithethelela ngokuxolela umuntu osonile nangokuyeka ukumcasukela. ‘Ngokubekezelelana ngothando, sizame ngenkuthalo ukugcina ubunye bomoya esibophweni esihlanganisayo sokuthula,’ singakwazi ukuthethelela ngokukhululekile labo abangase bangaqapheli ukuthi basonile. (Efe. 4:2, 3) Ukuze sithethelele ngokukhululekile, kumelwe silawule ukucabanga kwethu ukuze singabambi “amagqubu.” (1 Kor. 13:4, 5) Uma sibamba amagqubu sizibeka engozini yokulimaza hhayi nje ubuhlobo bethu nabafowethu nodadewethu kodwa nobuhlobo bethu noJehova.  (Math. 6:14, 15) Singabonisa nokuthi sithethelela ngokukhululekile ngokuthandazela labo abasonile.—Luka 6:27, 28.

16. Kumelwe siwabheke kanjani amalungelo enhlanganweni kaJehova?

¹⁶ Zidele ngenxa yabanye. Uma sithola amalungelo enhlanganweni kaJehova, kufanele siwabheke njengethuba lokubonisa ukuthi uthando lwethu olweqiniso ‘ngokungazifuneli inzuzo yethu siqu, kodwa eyomunye umuntu.’ (1 Kor. 10:24) Ngokwesibonelo, emihlanganweni yethu yesigodi neyesifunda, abalindi bangena kuqala ngaphambi kokuba thina abanye sivunyelwe ukungena. Kunokuba babheke isabelo sabo njengethuba lokutholela bona nemindeni yabo izihlalo ezingcono, abalindi abaningi bakhetha ukuhlala ezihlalweni ezisezindaweni abasebenza kuzo, hhayi ezindaweni ezingcono. Ngokuzidela ngale ndlela babonisa uthando olungenabo nhlobo ubugovu. Ungasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sabo esihle?

17. Uthando lweqiniso luyoshukumisela umuntu owenze isono esikhulu ukuba enzeni?

¹⁷ Vuma futhi ulahle izono ozenza ekusithekeni. Amanye amaKristu lapho enza izono ezinkulu, aye azame ukuzifihla ukuze agweme ukulahlekelwa isithunzi noma ukudumaza abathile. (IzAga 28:13) Ukwenza kanjalo kuwukungabonisi uthando, ngoba lokho akulimazi nje owonile kodwa kulimaza nabanye. Kungabangela ukuba umoya kaNkulunkulu ungagelezi ngokukhululekile, kusongele nobunye balo lonke ibandla. (Efe. 4:30) Uthando lweqiniso lushukumisela amaKristu enze izono ezinkulu ukuba akhulume nabadala ukuze athole usizo aludingayo.​—Jak. 5:14, 15.

18. Lubaluleke kangakanani uthando lweqiniso?

¹⁸ Uthando luyimfanelo ebaluleke kunazo zonke. (1 Kor. 13:13) Lusibonakalisa njengabalandeli bakaJesu nanjengabalingisi bakaJehova, uMthombo wothando. (Efe. 5:1, 2) UPawulu wathi, uma “ngingenalo uthando, angilutho.” (1 Kor. 13:2) Kwangathi singaqhubeka sibonisa uthando, hhayi nje “ngezwi . . . kodwa ngesenzo nangeqiniso.”