Ngaba wakhe waqaphela into ngawe ongathandi ukuyivuma?
Mna ndakha.
Xa umntu endenzakalisa, ndihlala ndizifumana ndinethemba lokuba ubulungisa buya kumfumana. Xa umntu exoka, eqhatha, esebenzisa kakubi isikhundla sakhe, okanye enzakalisa abantu endibathandayo, kukho into ngaphakathi kum ethi, “Le nto ayilunganga!” Ndifuna izinto zilungiswe. Ndifuna ubulungisa benzeke.
Kodwa xa ndinguye owenze impazamo, xa ndithethe kakubi nomfazi wam, ndonzakalise umhlobo ngamazwi angakhathalelanga, okanye ndenze isigqibo esibi njengenkokeli, ndiba nethemba lento eyahlukileyo. Ndiyathemba ukuba abantu baza kundiqonda. Ndiyathemba ukuba baza kubona ukuba bendingazimiselanga ukwenza loo nto. Ndiyathemba ukuba baza kundinika elinye ithuba.
Ngamanye amazwi, ndifuna ubulungisa kwabanye, kodwa ndifuna inceba kum.
Kwandithatha ixesha elide ukuyiqonda loo nto.
Okukhona ndandicinga ngayo, kokukhona ndabona ukuba mhlawumbi andindedwa. Kubonakala ngathi sonke siphila nolu xinzelelo. Sinqwenela ihlabathi apho ububi buthathelwa ingqalelo. Sinqwenela ukubona urhwaphilizo lutyhilwa, ukuxhatshazwa kupheliswa, nezinto ezaphukileyo zilungiswa. Kodwa kwangaxeshanye, sinethemba lokuba iimpazamo zethu aziyi kuba ligama lokugqibela ngobomi bethu.
Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba olu langazelelo lobulungisa nenceba lusikhomba kwinto enkulu ngakumbi?
Ngo-2022, ngexesha lezifundo zam, ndadibana negama lesiHebhere elisandikhuthazayo nanamhlanje: hesed.
Utitshala weBhayibhile nomkhokeli wonqulo uMichael Card uthi hesed lelinye lawona magama abalulekileyo kwizibhalo zesiHebhere, kuba akukho gama linye lesiNgesi elinokulichaza ngokupheleleyo (Card 2018). Lithetha uthando oluthembekileyo, ukunyaniseka emnqophisweni, inceba, imfesane, ububele, nobubele obubonakala ngezenzo. Luthando olwenza into. Luthando oluhlala lukhona. Luthando olungahambi xa izinto ziba nzima.
UHesed luthando olubuyisela.
NjengamaKristu amaninzi, nam ndandisoloko ndicinga ngoThixo ngokungathi kukho izinto ezimbini ngaphakathi kuYe ezitsalelana macala. Kwelinye icala kwakukho ubulungisa Bakhe obufuna ukohlwaya isono. Kwelinye kwakukho inceba Yakhe ezama ukuthomalalisa isigwebo. Ndingaqondanga, ndandimcinga uThixo ngokungathi uyazixoxa ngaphakathi kuye.
Emva koko ndabona into endandiyiphose iminyaka.
Xa uMoses wacela ukubona uzuko lukaThixo, uThixo akazange aqale ngokuthetha ngamandla Akhe okanye ngobungcwele Bakhe. Waqala ngokutyhila ubuntu Bakhe.
“NguYehova! NguYehova! UThixo onemfesane nenceba. Akakhawulezi ukucaphuka, uzaliswe luthando olungatshintshiyo nokuthembeka. Ubonisa uthando olungatshintshiyo kwizizukulwana ezininzi. Uxolela ubugwenxa, ukungathobeli nesono. Kodwa akamyeki onetyala angohlwaywa.” (Eksodus 34:6–7).
Nanamhlanje andazi ukuba kutheni ndandingazange ndiqaphele indlela oku kulandelelana kwakubhalwe ngayo.
UThixo wayenokuthi kuqala ungcwele.
Wayenokuthi unamandla onke.
Wayenokuthi unobulungisa obugqibeleleyo.
Kodwa akazange enze njalo.
Wazazisa kuqala njengoThixo onemfesane nenceba.
Kuphela emva koko wathetha ngomgwebo.
Loo nto yandihlala engqondweni iiveki ezininzi. Ndaqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile ngamehlo amatsha, ndaza ndabona ukuba lo mfanekiso uyaphinda-phindwa kwezinye iindawo ezininzi.
UDavide naye umchaza ngendlela efanayo:
“UYehova uzisa ubulungisa kubo bonke abacinezelweyo… UYehova unemfesane nenceba. Akakhawulezi ukucaphuka, uzaliswe luthando olungatshintshiyo.” (INdumiso 103:6–8).
Kucacile ukuba ubulungisa buyinxalenye yobuntu bukaThixo. IBhayibhile ayibunciphisi ububi okanye isono. Kodwa ndaqalisa ukuqonda ukuba ubulungisa bukaThixo abuhlukananga ne-hesed Yakhe. Buphuma kuyo. Ugweba kuba ethanda. Uchasa ububi kuba ububi bonakalisa abantu Abadalileyo nabathandayo. Injongo Yakhe ayikokutshabalalisa ngenxa yokutshabalalisa, kodwa kukubuyisela.
UDavid Hamilton uyibeka kakuhle le nto:
“UThixo uhlala enobulungisa xa kufuneka, kodwa unenceba apho kunokwenzeka.” (Hamilton 2022).
Le nto yatshintsha nendlela endayiqonda ngayo ivangeli.
Kangangeminyaka ndandicinga ukuba uYesu weza ukuze acenge uYise onomsindo ukuba axolele uluntu. Kodwa okukhona ndandifunda iZibhalo, kokukhona ndabona ukuba nguYise ngokwakhe owathumela uNyana.
“Kuba uThixo walithanda kangaka ihlabathi, wada wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwakhe…” (Yohane 3:16).
UYesu akazange eze ukuze aqinisekise uThixo ukuba asithande.
Weza kuba uThixo wayesele esithanda.
Umnqamlezo awusiyo indawo apho uThixo ngequbuliso waba nenceba.
Yindawo apho i-hesed Yakhe engunaphakade yabonakala khona ukuze ibonwe lihlabathi lonke.
Kodwa ke loo nto izisa umbuzo obalulekileyo.
Ukuba intliziyo kaThixo igcwele kangaka hesed, kutheni esagweba? Kwaye ukuba ubulungisa Bakhe buphuma kuthando Lwakhe, bubonakala njani kwihlabathi elonakele kangaka njengelethu?
Ubulungisa bukaThixo nenceba Yakhe aziphikisani. Zombini ziphuma kwi-hesed Yakhe.
Andizange ndihlale ndikuqonda oko.
Kangangeminyaka, xa ndisiva igama elithi ubulungisa, ndandicinga ngoko nangoko ngesohlwayo. Ukuba umntu wenze okubi, ubulungisa babuthetha ukuba kufuneka ahlawule ngenxa yoko. Kwaye kunjalo ngenene, loo nto yinxalenye yobulungisa bukaThixo. UThixo akaze angabuboni ububi. Uyakhala kunye nabacinezelweyo. Uyayibona inkohlakalo, urhwaphilizo, ukuxhatshazwa, ubundlobongela, nokungabi nabulungisa okwenzeka emfihlekweni. Akukho nto ifihlakeleyo emehlweni Akhe.
Kodwa okukhona ndandifunda iBhayibhile, kokukhona ndabona ukuba indlela uThixo ajonga ngayo ubulungisa inkulu kakhulu kunendlela esihlala sicinga ngayo.
KwiTestamente eNdala, igama elithi hesed lidla ngokuhamba kunye nelinye igama lesiHebhere, mishpat, elisoloko liguqulelwa ngokuthi ubulungisa. La magama mabini ayahambelana. Ubulungisa abupheleli ekohlwayeni umntu owenze okubi. Bumalunga nokulungisa oko konakeleyo. Bumalunga nokubuyisela abantu, ubudlelwane neendawo esihlala kuzo ukuze ziphinde zibe yindlela uThixo awayezimisele ukuba zibe yiyo.
Yiyo loo nto ngoku ndifunda uMika 6:8 ngenye indlela.
“Yena ukuxelele, wena mntu, okulungileyo. UYehova ufuna ntoni kuwe? Kukuba wenze okusesikweni, uthande inceba, uhambe ngokuthobeka noThixo wakho.” (Mika 6:8).
Kudala ndandicinga ukuba ezi zizinto ezintathu ezahlukileyo ekufuneka sizenze.
Namhlanje ndizibona njengendlela enye yokuphila.
Ubulungisa ngaphandle kwenceba bukhawuleza bube lukhuni.
Inceba ngaphandle kobulungisa iba buthathaka kwaye ingancedi mntu.
Ukuthobeka kusigcina sibambelele kuThixo, kungekhona kwizimvo zethu.
Kwakukho nenye into endaqalisa ukuyiqonda.
Ukuba hesed luthando lukaThixo olusebenza, alusoze lusivumele sijonge ecaleni xa abanye besenza ubunzima.
Ngamanye amaxesha amaKristu acinga ukuba inceba ithetha nje ukuxolela abantu. Ngokuqinisekileyo ibandakanya ukuxolela, kodwa ayipheleli apho. Kuyo yonke iBhayibhile uThixo ubiza abantu Bakhe ukuba beme ecaleni kwabangenamandla, bathethele abo bangavakaliyo, baze bafune ubulungisa kubo bonke abacinezelweyo.
UIsaya ubhala athi:
“Fundani ukwenza okulungileyo. Funani ubulungisa. Ncedani abacinezelweyo. Khuselani iinkedama. Lweleni amalungelo abahlolokazi.” (Isaya 1:17).
Kanti iMizekeliso yona ithi:
“Thethelela abo bangakwazi ukuzithethelela. Khuselani amalungelo abo bacinezelweyo.” (IMizekeliso 31:8–9).
Oku kuthetha ukuba hesed aluhlali nje luthule.
Ngamanye amaxesha lundibiza ukuba ndixolele umntu ondonileyo.
Ngamanye amaxesha lundibiza ukuba ndingene kwintlungu yomnye umntu, ndincede kubuyiselwe ubulungisa apho engenakukwazi ukuzimela yedwa.
Oku kungathetha ukumela umntwana oxhatshazwayo esikolweni.
Kungathetha ukuxhasa ummelwane ophathwe kakubi.
Kungathetha ukwala ukuthula xa urhwaphilizo lonakalisa uluntu.
Kungathetha ukunceda umntu ongavakaliyo okanye ongenamntu wokummela.
Uthando lukaThixo oluthembekileyo luhlala lusondela kwindawo apho kukho ukophuka.
Aluqali ngokugweba.
Luqala ngokuzisa ukubuyiselwa.
Ndiyifumana le nto intle, kodwa ikwangumngeni.
Ukuba ndinyanisekile, xa umntu endonile ndihlala ndinqwenela ubulungisa. Ngaphakathi kum ndinethemba lokuba uThixo uza “kumlungisa”. Kodwa xa ndinguye owenze impazamo, ndiyathemba ukuba uThixo uza kubona iinjongo zam ezintle aze andenzele inceba.
Kulapho hesed iqalisa ukubonisa imeko yentliziyo yam.
Indikhumbuza ukuba ndimi phambi kukaThixo ngenxa yenceba Yakhe kuphela. Yonke into entsha endakha ndayifumana, bonke ubudlelwane obakhe babuyiselwa, nawo onke amaxesha endaxolelwa endaweni yokugxothwa, zonke ezo zinto zivela kuthando lukaThixo olungazange lundincame.
Ibali likaYona liyibonisa kakuhle le ngxabano.
Abaninzi bethu bamkhumbula ngenxa yentlanzi enkulu.
Kodwa eyona ndawo ibalulekileyo yebali iqala emva kokuba abantu baseNineve beguqukile.
UYona uyacaphuka.
Akacaphuki kuba uThixo egwebe isixeko.
Ucaphuka kuba engazange asigwebe.
Ekugqibeleni uYona uyavuma ukuba yiyo kanye loo nto eyamenza abaleke ekuqaleni.
“Bendisazi ukuba UnguThixo onenceba nemfesane, ongakhawulezi ukucaphuka, ozaliswe luthando olungatshintshiyo, kwaye ukulungele ukurhoxa ekuziseni intshabalalo.” (Yona 4:2).
Ndihlala ndizibona ndifana noYona ngaphezu kokuba ndingathanda ukukuvuma.
Yena wayefuna ubulungisa.
UThixo wayefuna ukubuyisela abantu.
Kulapho hesed yenza umahluko khona.
UThixo akabuthathi lula ububi.
Kodwa isohlwayo asisiso isenzo Sakhe sokuqala.
Ngokuphindaphindiweyo sibona ukuba umnqweno Wakhe kukubuyisela abantu ngaphambi kokuba isigwebo sibe yimfuneko.
UPetros ukubeka kakuhle oku xa esithi uThixo “akanqweneli ukuba kubhubhe nabani na, kodwa ufuna bonke bafikelele enguqukweni.” (2 Petros 3:9).
Igama elithi inguquko nalo litshintshe indlela endiliqonda ngayo kule minyaka.
Kudala ndandicinga ukuba inguquko ithetha nje ukuthi, “Nkosi, ndiyaxolisa.”
Namhlanje ndiyibona ngenye indlela.
KwiiNcwadi zabaProfeti, inguquko ithetha ukubuya.
KwiTestamente eNtsha kusetyenziswa igama lesiGrike elithi metanoia, elithetha ukutshintsha indlela yokucinga okuvelisa indlela entsha yokuphila.
Inguquko ayisosazela esikugwebayo kuphela.
UYuda waziva enetyala.
Kodwa akazange abuyele kuThixo.
Inguquko kukujika ubuyele kuThixo ongazange ayeke ukukufuna.
UHoseya usinika umfanekiso ocacileyo wentliziyo kaThixo:
“Ndifuna uthando oluthembekileyo, kungekhona amadini. Ndifuna ukuba nindazi, kunokuba nindinikele amadini atshiswayo.” (Hoseya 6:6).
Igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi uthando oluthembekileyo kule ndawo ngu-hesed.
Ngokungathi uThixo uthi:
“Musani ukuzama ukundichukumisa ngeenkonzo zenu xa iintliziyo zenu zikude Nam.”
Ngokuhamba kwexesha ndiye ndabona ukuba inguquko yokwenene inamacandelo amathathu.
Iqala ngokuvuma inyaniso.
Akukho zizathu.
Akukho kusola abanye.
Sivuma ukuba sonile.
Emva koko kulandela ukulungisa, apho kunokwenzeka. USakeyu wakwenza kakuhle oku. Akazange athi nje, “Ndiyaxolisa.” Wabuyisela oko wayekuthathile, wada wanikela nangaphezulu kunoko umthetho wawufuna (Luka 19:1–10).
Inguquko yokwenene ibuza:
“Ndinganceda njani ukulungisa umonakalo endiwenzileyo?”
Ekugqibeleni kuza ukutshintshwa.
Asijiki nje esonweni.
Sijikela kuThixo.
Kwaye apho kuqala into emangalisayo.
UPawulos ubhala ukuba kukulunga kukaThixo okusikhokelela enguqukweni (Roma 2:4).
Asikokoyika.
Asikokuhlazeka.
Kukuthandwa nguThixo.
Mhlawumbi le yenye yezona nyaniso zimangalisayo eBhayibhileni.
Hesed kaThixo ayisilindi ekupheleni kwendlela ide sizilungise.
Idibana nathi endleleni egodukayo.
Kwaye xa sele ukhe walufumana olo hlobo lothando, kuba nzima kakhulu ukuphatha abanye abantu ngendlela owawuqhele ukubaphatha ngayo.
Okukhona ndicinga ngale nto, kokukhona ndiqiniseka ukuba le yeyona nto iintsapho zethu, iicawa zethu, amashishini ethu, izikolo zethu — ewe, neWorcester yethu — ziyilangazelelayo.
Eyona nto indothusileyo kukuba ukufunda nge-hesed akuzange kundifundise nje okungakumbi ngoThixo. Kwandibonisa izinto ezazisenzeka ngaphakathi kwentliziyo yam.
Ndaqalisa ukuqaphela iindlela endandiziphatha ngazo endingazange ndizicinge ngaphambili. Kwakukho amaxesha apho kwakulula kum ukubona iimpazamo zabanye kunokuvuma ezam. Kwakukho neemeko apho ndandisokola ukuthetha ngokunyanisekileyo kumfazi wam ndithi, “Ndiyaxolisa,” emva kokuba ndimenzakalisile. Ndandisoloko ndilindele ukuba abanye bandiqonde, kodwa ndingabi lula ukubanika olo luvo lunye xa bona besilela. Ndaza ndabona ukuba ngamanye amaxesha amazwi athi, “Ndiyaxolisa,” awanelanga. Xa ukuthembana konakele, kufuneka kwakhiwe kwakhona.
Yiyo loo nto ndingasaboni inguquko njengento eyenzeka kube kanye kuphela.
Ndiyibona njengendlela yokuphila.
Luhambo endisaluhambayo nanamhlanje.
Enye yeendinyana endihlala ndibuyela kuyo yi-2 Korinte 3:18:
“Sonke ke thina, esinobuso obungagqunywanga, sibonakalisa uzuko lweNkosi ngokungathi sisipili. Kwaye iNkosi, enguMoya, iyasiguqula sibe njengayo, sisuka kwelinye inqanaba lozuko siye kwelinye.” (2 Korinte 3:18).
Ndiyawuthanda lo mfanekiso.
Xa sichitha ixesha noThixo, kukho into ethi cwaka iqale ukwenzeka ngaphakathi kuthi. Asisoloko siyibona kwangoko, kodwa ngokuhamba kwexesha abanye bayayiqaphela.
Kufana nokuhlala elangeni. Awuboni ulusu lwakho lutshintsha ngomzuzu ngamnye, kodwa emva kwexesha abantu bayabona ukuba lutshintshile.
Kwangokunjalo, xa sihlala phambi kukaThixo, ubuntu bethu buqalisa ukutshintsha. Siba nomonde ngakumbi kunangaphambili. Sikhawuleza ukuxolela. Asikhawulezi ukugweba. Simamela ngakumbi ngaphambi kokuba sithethe.
Ndicinga ukuba le yenye yezimanga ezithuleyo ze-hesed.
Ayenzeki ngobusuku obunye.
Yinkqubo eqhubeka ubomi bonke.
Asiyivelisi ngamandla ethu.
Siyayamkela.
Kwaye ngokuhamba kwexesha iqalisa ukubonakala ngendlela esiphila ngayo.
Ndihlala ndizibuza ukuba iWorcester ingaba yindawo enjani ukuba abantu abaninzi ngakumbi bangaphila ngolu hlobo.
Khawucinge ngemitshato apho ukuxolelana kubaluleke ngakumbi kunokuphumelela impikiswano.
Khawucinge ngabazali abalungisa abantwana babo ngothando, kodwa bangaze babenze bathandabuze ukuba bayathandwa.
Khawucinge ngamashishini apho ukunyaniseka kubaluleke ngakumbi kunenzuzo.
Khawucinge ngezikolo apho abantwana bafunda ukuba amandla okwenene awabonakali ngokulawula abanye, kodwa ngokubakhonza.
Khawucinge ngeecawa ezingaziwa kuphela ngezinto ezizikholelwayo, kodwa nangendlela ezamkela ngayo abantu abasokolayo.
Khawucinge nangoluntu apho abantu bengadluli nje xa bebona ukungabikho kobulungisa kuba besithi, “Ayindim ochaphazelekayo.”
Nalo ke ngumfanekiso we-hesed.
Ngamanye amaxesha uthando lukaThixo lusibiza ukuba sixolele.
Ngamanye amaxesha lusibiza ukuba sithethe.
Ukuma ecaleni komntu ophathwe kakubi.
Ukukhusela umntwana.
Ukutyelela ummelwane olilolo.
Ukuchasa urhwaphilizo.
Ukunceda intsapho esengxakini.
Ukuba yinxalenye yomsebenzi kaThixo wokubuyisela oko konakeleyo.
UMprofeti uMika usikhumbuza ukuba uThixo ufuna “senze okusesikweni, sithande inceba, size sihambe ngokuthobeka noThixo wethu” (Mika 6:8).
Ezi zinto zintathu azinakwahlulwa.
Xa sizahlula, silahlekelwa yinxalenye yentliziyo kaThixo.
Ubulungisa ngaphandle kwenceba buba lukhuni.
Inceba ngaphandle kobulungisa iba buthathaka.
Ukuthobeka kusikhumbuza ukuba sonke siphila ngenxa yobabalo lukaThixo kuphela.
Xa uYesu wathi,
“Njengoko mna ndinithandile, nani thandanani.” (Yohane 13:34),
wayengasiniki nje omnye umthetho onzima.
Wayesimema ukuba sidlulisele kwabanye oko sasisele sikufumene kuye.
Okukhona ndifunda iBhayibhile, kokukhona ndiqiniseka ukuba eli lelona phupha likaThixo ngalo lonke uluntu.
Asikokuba abantu babe nenkolo ngakumbi kuphela.
Kukuba babe ngabantu ababonakalisa ubuntu bukaThixo.
Iintsapho zibe ziindawo zokunyaniseka.
Ubuhlobo bube ziindawo zokuxolelana.
Amashishini abe ziindawo zokuthembeka.
Iicawa zibe ziindawo zokwamkela abantu.
Uluntu lube yindawo apho abantu bathwalelana imithwalo.
Leyo yindlela utshintsho lokwenene oluqala ngayo.
Asiqali ngokutshintsha iinkqubo kuphela.
Siqala ngeentliziyo.
Xa iintliziyo zitshintsha, iintsapho ziyatshintsha.
Iintsapho zitshintsha iindawo ezihlala kuzo.
Iindawo ezihlala abantu zitshintsha iidolophu.
Kwaye ekuhambeni kwexesha, nedolophu yonke ingatshintsha.
Njengoko uqhubeka neveki yakho, ndingathanda ukukushiya nemibuzo emithathu.
Ndiphi ebomini bam apho ndifuna inceba kum, kodwa ndifuna ubulungisa kwabanye?
Ngaba kukho ubudlelwane apho uThixo endimema ukuba ndithathe inyathelo lokuqala lokubuyisana?
Ngubani ondijikelezileyo endingaba sisixhobo sikaThixo kuye, ndincede ukubuyisela ubulungisa apho engenakukwazi ukuzimela yedwa?
Umthandazo wam awukho nje wokuba uqonde igama elithi hesed.
Umthandazo wam kukuba umazi uThixo omelwe lelo gama.
Kwaye njengoko uchitha ixesha kunye Naye, uthando Lwakhe oluthembekileyo malukhule ngaphakathi kuwe, de abantu abakungqongileyo baqalise ukubona i-hesed Yakhe ebomini bakho.
Kuba nantsi imfihlelo ethe cwaka ye-hesed:
Uthando lukaThixo oluthembekileyo luguqula abantu ngokuzolileyo. Kwaye abantu abatshintshiweyo baqalisa, nabo ngokuzolileyo, ukuguqula iintsapho zabo, uluntu lwabo, nedolophu yabo.
Inqaku Lombhali
Eli nqaku lithatyathwe laza landiswa lisusela kwiphepha lophando lombhali elinesihloko esithi Lessons Learned Through the Study of Hesed (Loyiso 2022), elangeniswa njengenxalenye ye Executive Master in Global Leadership kwi University of the Nations.
Imithombo
Card, Michael. 2018. Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books.
Finney, Charles. Mercy & Justice: An Extract from Charles Finney’s Systematic Theology. http://godrules.net/library/systematic/systematic14.htm kunye ne http://godrules.net/library/systematic/systematic14b.htm. Ifikelelwe ngomhla wama-25 kuJuni 2026.
Hamilton, David. 2022. Hesed Study. ExecMAL Intensive Module 3, Usuku 2, Iseshoni 3. YWAM Worcester.
Loyiso, Bruno. 2022. Lessons Learned Through the Study of Hesed. Integration Paper. Executive Master in Global Leadership, University of the Nations.
The Holy Bible. New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015. Tyndale House Foundation.https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Living-Translation-NLT-Bible/. Ifikelelwe ngomhla we-14 Meyi 2026.