IBhayibhili litshengisa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuzithanda ngoba lokhu kugoqela ukuzinakekela lokuzihlonipha. (UMathewu 10:31) Kodwa alikhuthazi ukuzithanda kakhulu uze uzigqaje.

Ngubani okumele simthande kuqala?

1.   UNkulunkulu nguye okumele simthande kuqala. IBhayibhili lifundisa ukuthi umlayo oqakatheke kulayo yonke yilo: “Thanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke.”​—UMakho 12:28-30; UDutheronomi 6:5.

2.   Owesibili oqakathekileyo yilo: “Thanda umakhelwana wakho njengoba uzithanda.”​—UMakho 12:31; ULevi 19:18.

3.   Lanxa iBhayibhili lingelamlayo othi kumele sizithande, amazwi athi “thanda umakhelwana wakho njengoba uzithanda” atshengisa ukuthi ukuzithanda lokuzihlonipha kuqakathekile futhi kuyanceda.

UJesu wayethanda bani kuqala?

 UJesu watshengisa ukuthi umuntu angakwenza njani ukuthanda uNkulunkulu, ukuthanda umakhelwana lokuzithanda futhi watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi balingisele isibonelo sakhe.​—UJohane 13:34, 35

1.   Wayethanda uJehova kuqala futhi wazinikela ukwenza intando yakhe. Wathi: “Umhlaba umele wazi ukuthi ngiyamthanda uBaba lokuthi ngenza khona kanye uBaba angilaye khona.”​—UJohane 14:31.

2.   UJesu watshengisa ukuthi uyabathanda omakhelwana ngokunakekela izidingo zabantu waze wazinikela ngenxa yabo.​—UMathewu 20:28.

3.   Watshengisa lokuthi uyazithanda ngoba wayesiba lesikhathi sokuphumula, esokudla lesokukwejisa labafundi bakhe labanye ababemlandela.​—UMakho 6:31, 32; ULukha 5:29; UJohane 2:1, 2; 12:2.

Ukuthanda abanye ukudlula ukuzithanda kwenza singathokozi futhi sicine singasazihloniphi yini?

 Hatshi. Sadalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu futhi yena uyabathanda abantu. (UGenesisi 1:27; 1 UJohane 4:8) Lokhu kutsho ukuthi lathi siyenelisa ukuthanda abanye. Lanxa kuqakathekile ukuthi sizithande, ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuqala lokwenzela abanye okuhle kuzakwenza sithokoze kakhulu empilweni. IBhayibhili likubeka ngalindlela: “Ukupha kubusisekile okudlula ukwamukela.”​—ImiSebenzi 20:35.

 Abantu abanengi lamuhla bathi ukuzithanda yikho okuqakatheke kakhulu. Kubo “ukuzithanda” sokuthethe indawo “yokuthanda umakhelwana.” Kodwa ukuhlola okwenziwayo kutshengisa ukuthi abantu abathokozayo futhi abalempilakahle yilabo abalalela iseluleko esiseBhayibhilini esithi: “Akulamuntu omele azidingele okuhle, kodwa okuhle kwabanye.”​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:24.