Ukuchazwa kothando – 1 KwabaseKorinte 13
Abantu abaningi emhlabeni bayafuna, bangakunikeza izimpendulo eziningi ezahlukene ukuthi yini lena abayifunayo. Kepha, uma ulalelisisa, uyabona ukuthi umhlaba ufuna uthando. Kuyadabukisa-ke ukuthi ababaningi kulaba abayoluthola uthando. Lokhu akusikho ngenxa yokuthi alubafanele uthando, kepha ngenxa yokuthi banesinye isithombe sothando, baluchaza ngendlela engalungile. Babona uthando njengento eyamukelwayo,kanti uthando siqu salo luyapha noma luyanikeza.
Esikhathini esiningi, uma ngizwa igama “uthando”, umqondo wami ojubalalayo uvele ucabange ngothando “lwezithandani”. Ngiyathemba wena awufani nami. Esinye sezizathu eziningi kungani kungamele sicabange ngothando “lwezithandani” yingenxa yokuthi impilo yobukristu iphawulwe ngothando, akusho ukuthi umkristu kumele abe sebudlelwaneni bezothando nawo wonke umuntu. Kunalokho, impilo yabo kumele ibonakale ngokuzinikela, ukuzimisela Kanye nokuzidela. Loluthando akusilo nje uthando lensizwa nentombi abasebudlelwaneni noma indoda nonkosikazi, kepha kumele lubonakale kubo bonke ubudlelwane bethu – nemindeni, abangani bethu, esisebenza nabo, omakhelwane bethu, umndeni wethu wakamoya, njalonjalo.
Ukuze sizolazi kahle uthando, kumele sazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uluchaza kanjani ngokuba uthando luqhamuka kuye; luqala kuye, akusikho nje ukuthi uNkulunkulu unothando, kepha yena uqobo uluthando (1 NgokukaJohane 4:8). Ibhayibheli lisifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uveza uthando lwakhe kithi ngokuthi siseyizoni (siyizitha zakhe), wathumela indodana yakhe ukuba izosifela (KwabaseRoma 5:8). Ayikho into ebalulwa yibhayibheli esenza sithandeke, kepha uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukusithanda. UNkulunkulu akayigodlanga indodana yakhe, kepha wakhetha ukunikela ngayo ngenxa yethu. Yayingekho into ethi uNkulunkulu akathumele indodana yakhe ngokuba wayengasikweleti umsindisi, kepha ngenxa yothando lakhe olukhulu, wakhetha ukusinika uJesu. UJesu uqobo yayingekho into ethi kumele afe esiphambanweni ngenxa yethu, kepha wazikhethela yena. Sesiyabona ukuthi uthando lukaNkulunkulu luwuthando olunikelayo, uthando oluzidelayo ngokwemvelo yalo futhi luzimisele ngokujulile.
Akekho noyedwa kithi ongathanda njengoNkulunkulu, kepha njengalabo abazelwe kuye – babizelwe ekuhambeni ekukhanyeni nokwenzisa noma ukufuza uKristu, singakwenza kube ngumgomo wethu ukuthanda, kulokho ngokukhulu. Incwadi yokuqala KwabasKorinte 13:4-7 isitshela kabanzi ukuthi luyini uthando:Uthando luyabekezela, lumnene; uthando alunamhawu, aluzigabisi, aluzikhukhumezi; aluziphathi ngokungafanele, aluzifuneli okwalo, alucunuku, alunagqubu; aluthokozi ngokungalungile, kodwa luthokozela iqiniso; lusibekela zonke izinto, lukholwa yizinto zonke, lubekezelela izinto zonke. Kulamavesi sifunda izindlela ezithize esingathanda ngazo labo abaseduze kwethu.
Uthando luyabekezela, lumnene. Ukubekezela ube mnene kungukuphendula kahle kwizimo esizizwa siphathwa kabi kuzo noma sixhashazwa. Lokhu kusho ukuthi asisheshi ukuthukuthela noma ukuziphindiselela. Ukubekezela ube mnene komunye kusho ukuqhubeka nokumkhathalela kungenandaba ukuthi ukuphathe kanjani. Uthando olubekezelayo, olumnene lucabangela omunye, loluhlobo lothando lilangazelela ukugqugquzela omunye nokumusiza kunokucikeka.
Uthando alunamhawu, aluzigabisi. Ukuze ungeke ube nomhawu ngomunye, kumele ungambuki njengesitha. Uthando lweqiniso aluqhathanisi noma libuke impumelelo yomunye ngendlela engalungile; kungabe kusezifundweni, ezimalini, noma kwiziphiwo zakaMoya. Kepha uthando lwangempela luyajabula futhi lubongele abanye. Uma sisendaweni lapho sizuze noma sathola ngaphezudlwana kwabanye, ukubathanda kungasho ukuthi asiqhakambisi izinto zethu kubo. Lolu wuhlobo lothando oluthobekile olungazigqaji.
Uthando aluzikhukhumezi, aluziphathi ngokungafanele. Ukuziphatha ngokungafanele kuyafana nokuba nempakamo. Impakamo ibonakala kakhulu kithi uma izinto ezifana neziphiwo noma amathalente ethu kuvezwe ngokuphelele. Uthando lwangempela alubenzi abanye babe bancane. Uthando alukho luhlaza. Uma sithanda umuntu, kubonakala ngendlela esikhuluma naye ngayo. Ukuziphatha kahle ekwenzeni kusho ukuthi sinendaba nemizwa yabanye. Uthando olungenayo impakamo lubonakala ngokwenza kahle kwabanye.
Uthando aluzifuneli okwalo. Uma sihlezi singozwilakhe, kusho ukuthi asibheki kwizidingo zabanye. Ukungabi ngozwilakhe kusho ukuthi siyaqaphela ukunakekela abanye, sibabone bencono kunathi. Ukuthanda ngalendlela kusho ukuthi kumele sihlole izinhliziyo zethu, ukuthi zenziswa yini ngaphambi kokuba senze noma sisho okuthile. Uthando lwangempela aluzifuneli okwalo.
Uthando alucunuki. Uthando lwangempela alugxili kwizikhubekiso. Lokhu akusho ukuthi kumele siyekele kudlalwe ngathi, abantu bazenzele kithi, kepha kusho ukuthi asisheshi ukucikeka futhi asilindeli ukukhomba abanye. Inhliziyo ecikekayo yinhliziyo engathandi. Uthando alunamagqubu, alibaleli abantu ukwenza kwabo okubi. Loluhlobo lothando luyaxolela futhi lukhulekele labo abakwenza kabi.
