IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi ukuzonda kakhulu kuyingozi kulowo ozondileyo lakwabanye. (IZaga 29:22) Kwezinye izikhathi ukuzonda kungabe kuqondile nxa kulesizathu. Loba kunjalo iBhayibhili lithi abantu ‘abalentukuthelo’ loba abazonda kakhulu kabasoze bathole ukuphila okuphakade. (KwabaseGalathiya 5:19-21) IBhayibhili lilezimiso ezinganceda abantu ukuthi babalekele ukuzonda.

•  Kubi yini ukuzonda?

•  Kunini lapho okungamelanga sizonde khona?

•  Kuyini okungakunceda ukuthi ungazondi kakhulu?

•  Amavesi akhuluma ngokuzonda

 Hatshi. Kwezinye izikhathi kuyabe kulesizathu esizwakalayo sokuzonda. Ngokwesibonelo indoda eyayithembekile uNehemiya ‘yathukuthela’ ngesikhathi isizwa ukuthi amanye amaJuda ayecindezelwa.​—UNehemiya 5:6.

 UNkulunkulu laye uyake azonde. Ngokwesibonelo ‘wathukuthela’ lapho ama-Israyeli eqalisa ukukhonza onkulunkulu bamanga. (ABahluleli 2:13, 14) Loba kunjalo uJehova kahlali ezondile ngoba iBhayibhili lithi uyaphuza ukuthukuthela. Uzonda nxa kulesizathu esizwakalayo sokwenza njalo.​—U-Eksodusi 34:6; U-Isaya 48:9.

 Akumelanga sizonde nxa singelaso isizathu esizwakalayo sokwenza njalo. Kodwa izikhathi ezinengi thina abantu abalesono siyaphonguzonda nje kungelasizathu. Ngokwesibonelo:

•   UKhayini ‘wazonda kakhulu’ lapho uNkulunkulu engamukeli umnikelo wakhe. UKhayini wavumela ukuthi ukuzonda kwakhe kumkhulele waze wacina ebulele umfowabo.​—UGenesisi 4:3-8.

•   Umphrofethi uJona ‘wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda’ ngesikhathi uNkulunkulu ebazwela isihawu abantu baseNineve. UNkulunkulu wamqondisa ngokumtshela ukuthi wayengelalungelo ‘lokuthi azonde.’ Wamtshela lokuthi kwakumele abazwele isihawu abantu beNineve abasebephendukile.​—UJona 3:10–4:1, 4, 11. a

 Izibonelo lezi zitshengisa ukuthi “ukuthukuthela komuntu kakulethi ukuphila okulungileyo okufiswa nguNkulunkulu.”​—UJakhobe 1:20.

•   Hlala ukhumbula ukuthi ukuzonda kakhulu kuyingozi. Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi ukuzonda kakhulu yikho okutshengisa ukuthi ungumuntu kuzwa. Kodwa iqiniso yikuthi umuntu oyehluleka ukuzithiba nxa ezondile ulohlupho olukhulu. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Njengedolobho eselidilikelwe ngumthangala walo unjalo umuntu ongazithintiyo.” (IZaga 25:28; 29:11) Nxa singafunda ukuzithiba lanxa sizondile siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi silokuzwisisa. (IZaga 14:29) IBhayibhili lithi: “Ungcono umuntu obekezelayo kuleqhawe.”​—IZaga 16:32.

•   Nqanda ulaka lwakho ungakenzi ulutho ozazisola ngalo. IHubo 37:8 lithi: “Xwayana lokuzonda njalo ufulathele intukuthelo; ungakhathazeki, kukhokhelela ebubini kuphela.” Ivesi le itshengisa ukuthi nxa sizondile kumele sizithibe ukuze singacini siwela ‘ebubini.’ Lokhu kuhambelana lo-Efesu 4:26 othi: “Ekuthukutheleni kwenu lingenzi isono.”

•   Nxa kusenza suka ingxabano ingakaqalisi. IBhayibhili lithi: “Ukusungula inkani kunjengokubhidliza umduli wedamu; ngakho yekela indaba ingakadaleki nkani.” (IZaga 17:14) Kuhle ukuthi wena lalowo ongazwanani laye lilungise indaba masinyane, kodwa likwenze lokho nxa lobabili selehlise umoya.

•    Zwisisa yonke indaba. IZaga 19:11 zithi: “Ukuhlakanipha komuntu kumupha isineke.” Amazwi la atshengisa ukuthi kumele siyizwisise kuhle indaba singakafiki esiphethweni. Nxa singenza njalo asisoze siphonguzonda nje.​—UJakhobe 1:19.

•    Thandaza ucela ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu. Ukuthandaza kuzakunceda ukuthi ‘uthole ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqedisisa konke.’ (KwabaseFiliphi 4:7) Ukuthandaza kuqakathekile ngoba kuzakwenza uNkulunkulu asiphe umoya wakhe ongcwele ozasinceda ukuthi sibe lokuthula, sibekezele futhi sizithibe.​—ULukha 11:13; KwabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23.

•   Khetha kuhle abangane. Izikhathi ezinengi sijayele ukulingisela lokho okwenziwa ngabangane bethu. (IZaga 13:20; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 15:33) Yikho iBhayibhili lisithi: “Ungabi ngumngane womuntu ololaka, ungahambi lomuntu ozonda masinyane, funa ufunde izindlela zakhe uzingenise emjibileni.”​—IZaga 22:24, 25.