Bonisa Umusa Wothando Kwabaswele

‘Qhubani umusa wothando komunye nomunye.’—ZAKARIYA 7:9.

1, 2. (a) Kungani kufanele sibonise umusa wothando? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyihlola?

IZWI likaJehova uNkulunkulu lisinxusa ukuba sithande “umusa wothando.” (Mika 6:8, umbhalo waphansi) Lisinika nezizathu ezenza kufuneke senze kanjalo. Esinye sazo ukuthi, “umuntu onomusa wothando uwuphatha ngendlela enomvuzo umphefumulo wakhe.” (IzAga 11:17) Akuve kuyiqiniso lokho! Ukubonisa umusa wothando, noma uthando oluqotho, kwakha ubuhlobo obufudumele nobuhlala njalo nabanye. Ngenxa yalokho, siyoba nabangane abaqotho—umvuzo oyigugu ngempela!—IzAga 18:24.

² Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiBhalo iyasitshela: “Ophishekela ukulunga nomusa wothando uyothola ukuphila.” (IzAga 21:21) Yebo, ukuphishekela kwethu umusa wothando kuyosenza sithandeke kuNkulunkulu futhi kusibeke ethubeni lokuthola izibusiso eziseza, kuhlanganise nokuphila okuphakade. Kodwa singawubonisa kanjani umusa wothando? Kufanele siwubonise kobani? Futhi umusa wothando uhlukile yini emseni ovamile wobuntu noma emseni nje?

Umusa Wobuntu Nomusa Wothando

3. Umusa wothando uhluke kanjani emseni wobuntu?

³ Umusa ovamile wobuntu nomusa wothando kuhluke ngezindlela eziningana. Ngokwesibonelo,  labo ababonisa umusa wobuntu ngokuvamile bawubonisa bengasondelene nalabo bantu ababaphatha ngomusa, noma bengenabo ubuhlobo obujulile nabo. Nokho, uma sibonisa othile umusa wothando, sinamathela kuye ngothando. EBhayibhelini, ukubonakaliswa komusa wothando phakathi kwabantu kungase kusekelwe ebuhlotsheni osebukhona kakade. (Genesise 20:13; 2 Samuweli 3:8; 16:17) Noma kungase kusekelwe ebuhlotsheni obuwumphumela wezenzo zomusa zangaphambili. (Joshuwa 2:1, 12-14; 1 Samuweli 15:6; 2 Samuweli 10:1, 2) Ukuze sicacise lo mehluko, ake siqhathanise izibonelo ezimbili eziseBhayibhelini, esomusa nesomusa wothando owaboniswa abantu kwabanye abantu.

4, 5. Izibonelo ezimbili eziseBhayibhelini ezicashunwe lapha ziwubonisa kanjani umahluko phakathi komusa wobuntu nomusa wothando?

⁴ Esinye sezibonelo zomusa wobuntu siphathelene neqembu labantu ababephihlizekelwe umkhumbi, kukhona nomphostoli uPawulu. Ulwandle lwabakhafulela esiqhingini saseMelitha. (IzEnzo 27:37–28:1) Nakuba abantu baseMelitha ngaphambili babengenasibopho nabuhlobo obuthile nalaba bantu abase bengondingasithebeni, lezi zakhamuzi zasesiqhingini zabamukela ngezandla ezifudumele, zababonisa “umusa wobuntu ongaphezu kovamile.” (IzEnzo 28:2, 7) Zabamukela ngomusa, kodwa kwakuthuke kwenzeka futhi kuwumusa oboniswa izihambi. Ngakho-ke, kwakuwumusa wobuntu.

⁵ Ngokuhlukile, cabanga ngomoya wokungenisa izihambi iNkosi uDavide eyawubonisa uMefibhosheti, indodana yomngane wayo uJonathani. UDavide wathi kuMefibhosheti: “Wena ngokwakho uzodla isinkwa etafuleni lami njalo.” Echaza ukuthi kungani enza leli lungiselelo, uDavide wathi kuye: “Nakanjani ngizokubonisa umusa wothando ngenxa kaJonathani uyihlo.” (2 Samuweli 9:6, 7, 13) Lo moya omuhle wokungenisa izihambi uDavide aqhubeka enawo ubizwa kufanele ngokuthi ukubonakaliswa komusa wothando, hhayi nje umusa, ngoba wawuwubufakazi bokuba qotho kwakhe ebuhlotsheni obase bukhona kakade. (1 Samuweli 18:3; 20:15, 42) Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zibonisa umusa wobuntu esintwini sisonke. Nokho, zibonisa umusa wothando ohlala njalo, noma uthando oluqotho, kulabo ezinobuhlobo obamukelwa nguNkulunkulu nabo.—Mathewu 5:45; Galathiya 6:10.

6. Yiziphi izici zomusa wothando abantu ababonisana wona ezivelele eZwini likaNkulunkulu?

⁶ Ukuze sibone ezinye futhi izici zomusa wothando, sizohlola kafushane ukulandisa okuthathu kweBhayibheli okunale mfanelo. Sizophawula kukho ukuthi umusa wothando oboniswa ngumuntu (1) uboniswa ngezenzo ezithile eziqondile, (2) uboniswa ngokuzithandela, futhi (3) uboniswa ikakhulu kulabo abaswele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lokhu kulandisa kusibonisa indlela nathi esingawubonisa ngayo umusa wothando namuhla.

Ubaba Ubonisa Umusa Wothando

7. Inceku ka-Abrahama yabaxoxelani oBhetuweli noLabani, yayisiphetha ngaliphi?

⁷ UGenesise 24:28-67 uqedela indaba yenceku ka-Abrahama, okukhulunywe ngayo esihlokweni esandulele. Ngemva kokuhlangana noRebheka, yamenyelwa endlini kayise, uBhetuweli. (Amavesi 28-32) Lapho, le nceku yalandisa imininingwane yokufunela kwayo indodana ka-Abrahama umfazi. (Amavesi 33-47) Yagcizelela ukuthi ukuphumelela kwayo kuze kube manje yayikubheka njengesibonakaliso esivela kuJehova, “ongiholile endleleni yeqiniso ukuba ngithathele indodana yenkosi yami indodakazi yomfowabo.” (Ivesi 48) Akungabazeki ukuthi le nceku yayinethemba lokuthi ukulandisa kwayo lesi senzakalo ngokusuka enhliziyweni kwakuyoqinisekisa uBhetuweli nendodana yakhe uLabani ukuthi uJehova wayekubusisa lokhu kuthunywa. Ekugcineni, inceku yathi: “Uma ngempela nibonisa inkosi yami umusa wothando nokwethembeka, ngitsheleni; kodwa uma kungenjalo, ngitsheleni, ukuze ngiphendukele kwesokunene noma kwesobunxele.”—Ivesi 49.

8. UBhetuweli wasabela kanjani endabeni ehilela uRebheka?

⁸ UJehova wayesembonisile kakade u-Abrahama umusa wothando. (Genesise 24:12,  14, 27) Ingabe uBhetuweli wayeyozimisela ukwenza okufanayo ngokuvumela uRebheka ahambe nenceku ka-Abrahama? Ingabe umusa wothando waphezulu wawuyogcwaliselwa ngomusa wothando oboniswa ngumuntu? Noma ingabe izithukuthuku zenceku ohambweni lwayo olude zaziyophelela ezeni? Kumelwe ukuba kwayiduduza kakhulu inceku ka-Abrahama ukuzwa uLabani noBhetuweli bethi: “Le nto ivela kuJehova.” (Ivesi 50) Babona ukuthi uJehova wayeqondisa izinto futhi basamukela ngokunganqikazi isinqumo sakhe. UBhetuweli wabe esebonisa umusa wakhe wothando ngokunezela: “Nangu uRebheka phambi kwakho. Mthathe uhambe, makabe umkandodana yenkosi yakho, njengoba nje uJehova ekhulumile.” (Ivesi 51) Ngokuzithandela, uRebheka wahamba nenceku ka-Abrahama, futhi ngokushesha waba ngumka-Isaka othandekayo.— Amavesi 49,52-58, 67.

Umusa Wothando Oboniswa Yindodana

9, 10. (a) UJakobe wayicelani indodana yakhe uJosefa? (b) UJosefa wawubonisa kanjani umusa wothando kuyise?

⁹ Umzukulu ka-Abrahama, uJakobe, naye wathola umusa wothando. Njengoba kulandisa uGenesise isahluko 47, ngaleso sikhathi uJakobe wayehlala eGibhithe, “zasondela izinsuku zokuba . . . afe.” (Amavesi 27-29) Wayekhathazekile ngoba wayezofela ngaphandle kwezwe uNkulunkulu ayelithembise u-Abrahama. (Genesise 15:18; 35:10, 12; 49:29-32) Kodwa uJakobe wayengafuni ukungcwatshwa eGibhithe, ngakho wahlela ukuba isidumbu sakhe siyiswe ezweni laseKhanani. Ubani owayeyoba sesimweni esikahle sokuqikelela ukuthi isifiso sakhe siyenziwa ngaphandle kwendodana yakhe enegunya, uJosefa?

¹⁰ Ukulandisa kuthi: “Ngakho [uJakobe] wabiza indodana yakhe uJosefa wathi kuyo: ‘Manje, uma ngitholé umusa emehlweni akho, . . . kumelwe ungibonise umusa wothando nokwethembeka. (Siza, ungangingcwabi eGibhithe.) Kumelwe ngilale nawobaba, futhi wena kumelwe ungithwale ungikhiphe eGibhithe ungingcwabe ethuneni labo.’” (Genesise 47:29, 30) UJosefa wathembisa ukwenza ngokuvumelana nalesi sicelo, futhi akubanga sikhathi esitheni, uJakobe wafa. UJosefa namanye amadodana kaJakobe bathatha isidumbu sakhe basiyisa ‘ezweni laseKhanani bamngcwaba emhumeni wensimu yaseMakaphela, insimu u-Abrahama ayeyithengile.’ (Genesise 50:5-8, 12-14) Kanjalo uJosefa wabonisa umusa wothando kuyise.

Umusa Wothando Kamalokazana

11, 12. (a) URuthe wambonisa kanjani uNawomi umusa wothando? (b) Umusa wothando uRuthe awubonisa ‘ekugcineni’ wawungcono kanjani ‘kunowasekuqaleni’?

¹¹ Incwadi kaRuthe ilandisa indlela umfelokazi uNawomi athola ngayo umusa wothando kumalokazana wakhe wakwaMowabi, uRuthe, naye owayengumfelokazi. Lapho uNawomi enquma ukubuyela eBhetlehema kwaJuda, uRuthe wabonisa umusa wothando nokuzimisela, ethi: “Lapho uya khona ngizoya khona nami, nalapho uchitha khona ubusuku nami ngizochitha khona ubusuku. Abantu bakini bazoba ngabantu bakithi, noNkulunkulu wakho abe nguNkulunkulu wami.” (Ruthe 1:16) Kamuva uRuthe wabonisa umusa wakhe wothando lapho eveza ukuthi wayezimisele ukushada nesihlobo sikaNawomi esase sikhulile, uBhowazi. * (Duteronomi 25:5, 6; Ruthe 3:6-9) UBhowazi wathi kuRuthe: “Uwubonisé kangcono umusa wakho wothando kulokhu kokugcina kunasekuqaleni, ngokuba ungalandeli izinsizwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ziphansi noma zicebile.”—Ruthe 3:10.

¹² Umusa wothando uRuthe ayewubonisé “ekuqaleni” waba lapho eshiya abantu bakubo enamathela kuNawomi. (Ruthe 1:14; 2:11) Ngisho naleso senzo sadlulwa umusa wothando awubonisa “kulokhu kokugcina”—ukuzimisela kwakhe ukushada noBhowazi. URuthe wayesezokwazi manje ukutholela uNawomi indlalifa, njengoba yena ayesekhule kakhulu ukuba abe nabantwana. Bashada, kwathi kamuva lapho  uRuthe ethola umntwana, abesifazane baseBhetlehema bakhamuluka bathi: “UNawomi uzalelwe indodana.” (Ruthe 4:14, 17) URuthe ‘wayengowesifazane ovelele’ ngempela, ngenxa yalokho uJehova wamvuza ngelungelo elikhulu lokuba ngukhokhokazi kaJesu Kristu.—Ruthe 2:12; 3:11; 4:18-22; Mathewu 1:1, 5, 6.

Uboniswa Ngezenzo

13. UBhetuweli, uJosefa noRuthe bawubonisa kanjani umusa wabo wothando?

¹³ Uziphawulile yini izindlela uBhetuweli, uJosefa noRuthe abawubonisa ngazo umusa wabo wothando? Abawubonisanga ngamazwi anomusa kuphela, kodwa ngezenzo eziqondile. UBhetuweli akagcinanga ngokuthi, “Nangu uRebheka” kodwa waze ‘wammukisa uRebheka.’ (Genesise 24:51, 59) UJosefa akagcinanga ngokuthi, “Ngiyokwenza ngokuvumelana nezwi lakho,” kodwa yena nabafowabo benzela uJakobe ‘njengoba nje ayebayalile.’ (Genesise 47:30; 50:12, 13) URuthe akagcinanga ngokuthi, “Lapho uya khona ngizoya khona nami” kodwa washiya abantu bakubo wahamba noNawomi, “bobabili baqhubeka nendlela yabo baze bafika eBhetlehema.” (Ruthe 1:16, 19) KwaJuda, uRuthe waphinde wenza “njengakho konke uninazala amyale ngakho.” (Ruthe 3:6) Yebo, umusa wothando kaRuthe, njengowalaba abanye, wabonakaliswa ngezenzo.

14. (a) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla ziwubonisa kanjani umusa wothando ngezenzo? (b) Yiziphi izenzo zomusa wothando ozaziyo ezenziwa amaKristu endaweni yakini?

¹⁴ Kuthinta inhliziyo ukubona indlela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla eziqhubeka ngayo zibonisa umusa wothando ngezenzo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalabo abaqhubeka besekela ngokomzwelo amakholwa abakanye nawo angaphilile kahle, acindezelekile, noma akhungethwe usizi. (IzAga 12:25) Noma cabanga ngoFakazi BakaJehova abaningi abathatha asebekhulile babayise eHholo LoMbuso njalo ukuze babe khona emihlanganweni yebandla yamasonto onke. U-Anna, oneminyaka engu-82 nohlushwa ukuqaqamba kwamathambo, uveza imizwa yabaningi lapho ethi: “Ukuthathwa ngiyiswe kuyo yonke imihlangano kuyisibusiso esivela kuJehova. Ngimbonga ngokusuka enhliziyweni ngokunginika abazalwane nodade abanothando kangaka.” Ingabe wena uyahlanganyela ezenzweni ezinjalo ebandleni lakini? (1 Johane 3:17, 18) Uma uhlanganyela kuzo, qiniseka ukuthi umusa wakho wothando waziswa ngokujulile.

Uboniswa Ngokuzithandela

15. Yisiphi esinye isici somusa wothando esiqokonyiswa ukulandisa okuthathu kweBhayibheli esikuhlolile?

¹⁵ Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli esikuhlolile kubonisa nokuthi umusa wothando uboniswa ngesihle nangokuzithandela, hhayi ngokuphoqwa. UBhetuweli wabambisana ngokuzithandela nenceku ka-Abrahama, ngokufanayo noRebheka. (Genesise 24:51, 58) UJosefa wabonisa umusa wakhe wothando ngaphandle kokugqugquzelwa. (Genesise 50:4, 5) URuthe ‘wayephikelela ukuhamba noNawomi.’ (Ruthe 1:18) Lapho uNawomi esikisela ukuba uRuthe aye kuBhowazi, umusa wothando washukumisela lo mMowabikazi ukuba athi: “Konke okushoyo kimi ngizokwenza.”—Ruthe 3:1-5.

16, 17. Yini eyenza umusa wothando kaBhetuweli, uJosefa noRuthe uphawuleke ngokukhethekile, futhi yini eyabashukumisela ukuba babonise le mfanelo?

 ¹⁶ Umusa wothando owaboniswa nguBhetuweli, uJosefa noRuthe uphawuleka ngokukhethekile ngoba u-Abrahama, uJakobe noNawomi babengenakubaphoqa abahilelekile ukuba benze okufunwa yibo. Kakade, uBhetuweli wayengenasibopho esingokomthetho sokumukisa indodakazi yakhe. Wayengayitshela kalula inceku ka-Abrahama ukuthi: ‘Cha, ngifuna indodakazi yami ekhuthele ihlale iseduze.’ (Genesise 24:18-20) Ngokufanayo, uJosefa wayekhululekile ukuzinqumela ukuthi uyokwenza yini ngokuvumelana nesicelo sikayise noma cha, ngoba uJakobe wayeyobe esefile, engenakumphoqa ukuba agcine isithembiso sakhe. UNawomi washo ngokwakhe ukuthi uRuthe wayekhululekile ukuhlala kwaMowabi. (Ruthe 1:8) URuthe wayekhululekile futhi ukushada nenye ‘yezinsizwa’ kunokushada noBhowazi owayesegugile.

¹⁷ UBhetuweli, uJosefa noRuthe babonisa umusa wothando ngokuzithandela; babeshukunyiswa yinhliziyo ukuba benze kanjalo. Bazizwa benesibopho sokubonisa le mfanelo kulabo ababenobuhlobo nabo, njengoba nje neNkosi uDavide kamuva yazizwa inesibopho sokuwubonisa kuMefibhosheti.

18. (a) Abadala abangamaKristu ‘belusa umhlambi’ benasiphi isimo sengqondo? (b) Umdala othile wathi uzizwa kanjani ngokusiza akholwa nabo?

¹⁸ Umusa wothando usewuphawu lwabantu bakaNkulunkulu, kuhlanganise namadoda elusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu. (IHubo 110:3; 1 Thesalonika 5:12) Abadala abanjalo, noma ababonisi, bazizwa benomthwalo wemfanelo wokwenza njengoba báphathiswa lapho betuswa. (IzEnzo 20:28) Noma kunjalo, umsebenzi wabo wokwalusa nezinye izenzo zomusa wothando abazenzela ibandla abazenzi “ngokucindezelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela.” (1 Petru 5:2) Abadala belusa umhlambi ngoba benomthwalo wemfanelo nesifiso sokwenza kanjalo. Babonisa umusa wothando ezimvwini zikaKristu ngoba kufanele bawubonise futhi bafuna ukuwubonisa. (Johane 21:15-17) Omunye umdala ongumKristu uthi: “Ngiyathanda ukuvakashela abazalwane emizini yabo noma ngibashayele ucingo kungekho sizathu ngaphandle nje kokubonisa ukuthi bengicabanga ngabo. Ukusiza abazalwane kunginika injabulo nokwaneliseka okukhulu!” Abadala abakhathalelayo yonke indawo bavuma ngokusuka enhliziyweni.

Bonisa Umusa Wothando Kulabo Abaswele

19. Yiliphi iqiniso mayelana nomusa wothando eligcizelelwa ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuxoxwe ngako kulesi sihloko?

¹⁹ Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli esixoxe ngako kugcizelela neqiniso lokuthi umusa wothando kufanele uboniswe kulabo abanesidingo abangenakusanelisa bona ngokwabo. Ukuze aqhubekisele phambili uhlu lozalo lwakhe, u-Abrahama wayedinga usizo lukaBhetuweli. Ukuze isidumbu sakhe siyiswe eKhanani, uJakobe wayedinga usizo lukaJosefa. Futhi ukuze abe nendlalifa, uNawomi wayedinga usizo lukaRuthe. Akekho ku-Abrahama, uJakobe noNawomi owayengazanelisa lezo zidingo ngaphandle kosizo. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, umusa wothando kufanele uboniswe ngokukhethekile kulabo abaswele. (IzAga 19:17) Kufanele silingise inzalamizi uJobe, eyanaka “ohluphekile okhalayo ecela usizo, nentandane nanoma ngubani owayengenamsizi” kanye ‘nowayesezoshabalala.’ UJobe ‘wayenza nenhliziyo yomfelokazi ithokoze’ futhi waba ‘ngamehlo oyimpumputhe nezinyawo kolunyonga.’—Jobe 29:12-15.

20, 21. Obani abadinga ukuba sibabonise umusa wothando, futhi yini okufanele ngamunye wethu azimisele ukuyenza?

 ²⁰ Empeleni, kuwo wonke amabandla obuKristu kukhona ‘abampofu abakhalela usizo.’ Lokhu kungase kube ngenxa yezici ezinjengesizungu, ukudikibala, imizwa yokungafaneleki, ukuphoxwa abanye, ukugula kakhulu, noma ukushonelwa othandekayo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi imbangela iyini, bonke abathandekayo abanjalo banezidingo ezinganeliseka futhi okufanele zaneliswe yizenzo zethu zokuzithandela eziqhubekayo zomusa wothando.—1 Thesalonika 5:14.

²¹ Ngakho-ke, masiqhubeke silingisa uJehova uNkulunkulu, “ochichima umusa wothando.” (Eksodusi 34:6; Efesu 5:1) Lokho singakwenza ngokuthatha isinyathelo esiqondile ngokuzithandela ukuze sisize ikakhulu labo abaswele. Futhi nakanjani siyodumisa uJehova futhi sithole injabulo enkulu njengoba ‘siqhuba umusa wothando komunye nomunye.’—Zakariya 7:9.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Umusa wothando uhluke kanjani emseni wobuntu?

• UBhetuweli, uJosefa noRuthe bawubonisa kanjani umusa wothando?

• Umusa wothando kufanele siwubonise sinasiphi isimo sengqondo?

• Obani abadinga ukuba sibabonise umusa wothando?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

UBhetuweli wawubonisa kanjani umusa wothando?

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Uthando oluqotho lukaRuthe lwaba yisibusiso kuNawomi

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Umusa wothando wabantu uboniswa ngokuzithandela, uboniswa ngesenzo esiqondile futhi uboniswa kwabaswele