Aliyense wa ife wakumana ndi cholakwa pa nthawi ina m'moyo wathu. Ndipo ndi aliyense wa ife, zachitika kangapo. M'malo mwake, ndi mzathu wanthawi zonse ku digiri imodzi kapena imzake, m'dera lina kapena lina. Cholakwacho chingakhale kulakwa kosakonzekera, ndemanga yosasamala, kuzembera m’mphindi yofooka, kulingalira mololedwa za chinachake cholakwika, kapena kuloŵa m’chiyeso mwadala. Chotero “cholakwa” chingakhale chirichonse kuchokera pa kulakwa kophweka kufika ku tchimo lacholinga. Cholakwacho chingakhale malingaliro, mawu kapena zochita, ndipo zingakhale mbali za udindo, ulemu, kapena makhalidwe abwino kwa ife eni kapena ena.

Ambiri aife timachita manyazi tikazindikira kuti talakwitsa. Ngati wina aona, timachita manyazi kwambiri, makamaka ngati timamudziwa munthuyo, kapena timayembekezera kumuonanso. Vuto lalikulu kuposa ili kwa anthu ambiri ndi pamene wina abwera kudzawapatsa upangiri pa chimodzi mwa “zolakwa” zawo. Njira zotere zimatha kuyambitsa chidwi chambiri komanso champhamvu kwa anthu ambiri, ngakhale osawonetsedwa ngati chidzudzulo, koma ngati chikhumbo chofuna kuthandiza. Izi zimachitika chifukwa cha manyazi okulirapo pomwe cholakwikacho chili poyera. Ndi chifukwa cha kudzikuza kuti sindikufuna uphungu woterewu kuchokera kwa wina aliyense, komanso kuti adziteteze kuti alibe ufulu wochita chinthu choterocho. Zoterezi zikachitika, kaya ndi mawu odziteteza, kapena kungochoka mwakachetechete ndi kupatukana, zinthu zayamba kuipa kwa onse okhudzidwa. Zimenezi n’zovuta kuzigonjetsa.

Koma kodi ife Akristu tiyenera kulola kuchita zimenezo mwangozi pamene wina ayesa kutithandiza kulaka cholakwa? Kaya ndi abale athu amene amabwera kwa ife, kapena wina wochokera kudziko lapansi, kodi tili ndi “ufulu” wochita zimenezi? Kodi malemba amati chiyani?

“Kulasa kwa bwenzi kuli kokhulupirika, koma kupsompsona kwa mdani n’kwachinyengo.” Miyambo 27:6 . Zonena za bwenzi n’zokhulupirika chifukwa zimatipindulitsa, koma zoyamika za mdani siziyenera kudaliridwa.

“Iye amene abweza wochimwa ku kulakwa kwa njira zake, adzapulumutsa moyo ku imfa, nadzaphimba unyinji wa machimo.” Yoh 5:20. Ngati titha kuthandiza wina mukuyenda kwawo ku chiyero, sikuti timangopindulitsa iwo okha, komanso timabisa unyinji wa machimo mkati mwathu. N’chimodzimodzinso akamayesetsa kutithandiza.

Tonse tiyenera kufunitsitsa kuti zolakwa zathu ziwongoleredwe ndi kuwongoleredwa kuti tipezeke kukhala okondweretsa Mulungu. “Mundilengere mtima woyera, Mulungu, ndi kukonzanso mzimu wokhazikika m’kati mwanga.”— Salmo 51:10 . “Ndani angazindikire zolakwa zake? Ndiyeretseni ku zolakwa zachinsinsi. Masalmo 19:12 . Ngati kuyeretsedwaku sikuchokera kwa Mulungu, koma kuchokera kwa munthu amene adamtuma, kodi kukupangitsa kukhala kosayenera?

Tiyeneranso kuzindikira kuti tili ndi udindo wina ndi mnzake. Ife monga Akhristu tikulamulidwa kuti tizikondana wina ndi mnzake monga mmene Khristu anatikondera. Chikondi cha agape ichi chikuchitira ena zomwe Mulungu akufuna kuti zichitike muzochitika zilizonse. Ndithudi kuthandiza munthu kugonjetsa zophophonya ndiko mkhalidwe wofunika umene Mulungu amafuna kuti ife tiloŵe nawomo. Koma ngati chikondi sichosonkhezera, mkhalidwewo suyenera kuthetsedwa. Pokhapokha ngati chikondi ndicho cholinga chimene chiyenera kuthetsedwa, ndiyeno chingakhalenso cholinga ndi zotsatira zake. Chilichonse chocheperako ndi kudzikonda, kumabweretsa kunyada ngakhale kudzikuza.

Tiyenera kuchita zimenezi ndi cholinga chofuna kudalitsa m’bale kapena mlongoyo pa zimene tikufuna kukambirana. Tiyenera kuwathandiza kuzindikira kuti zimene tikuchitazi n’zowapindulitsa kwamuyaya, mogwirizana ndi mawu a Mulungu. Ndipo apa tifunika kufotokoza malemba amene amanena za vutolo, osati monga mmene timaganizira kuti amatipatsa “ufulu” wa “kuwongolera” ena.

Agalatiya 6:1 amalankhula mwachindunji za mkhalidwewo. “Abale, ngati muwona mbale wanu akuchitidwa cholakwa, inu amene muli auzimu koposa mubweze woteroyo ndi mzimu wa chifatso, ndi kudzipenyerera wekha, ungayesedwe nawenso.”

Tifunika kukhala ndi abale athu kuti tiziwaona “ogwidwa nako kulakwa”.

Tikhoza kukhala “auzimu kwambiri” pa mfundo imeneyi, koma angakhale auzimu kwambiri kuposa ife m’mbali zina. Tonsefe timakumana ndi mayesero osiyanasiyana, choncho palibe amene anganene kuti ndi wauzimu kwambiri muzinthu zonse. Ngati tiwona cholakwa mwa iwo, iyi ndi nthawi yathu ya udindo wowathandiza m'chikondi. Yotsatira ikhoza kukhala nthawi yawo yotithandiza. Kodi ife sitiyenera kuwachitira tsopano, monga momwe ife tikanafunira kuti atichitire ife panthaŵiyo?

Kukhala “mumzimu wa chifatso” pamene tifika pa mkhalidwe wotero, kumatsimikizira kuti sitili odzikonda. Zolinga zathu ziyenera kukhala zabwino zokhazokha za ena. (Aro 15:1, 2)

“Kudziganizira tokha” kumatithandizanso kukhala ofatsa, kuti tisanyadire m’zimenezi ndi kugwera m’chiyeso chathu.

Cholinga cha aliyense wa ife ndicho kukhala oyera ndi amphumphu. ( Sal. 51:10 ) Tilinso ndi udindo wothandizana pa nkhaniyi. Sichisankho. ( Agal. 6:1 ) Tiyeni tizisonyeza chikondi chachikhristu mwa kuchita zimenezi, kaya tikupereka kapena kulandira. ( Aroma 15:1, 2 ) Tiyeni tizithandizana wina ndi mnzake pamene tachitidwa cholakwa kuti Mulungu alemekezedwe m’chikondi chathu kwa wina ndi mnzake.

Each of us has been overtaken in a fault at some time in our life. And with each of us, it has happened more than just once. In fact, it is our constant companion to one degree or another, in one area or another. The fault may be an unintended mistake, a careless comment, a slip in a weak moment, a permitted consideration of something wrong, or a purposeful entering into some temptation. Thus the “fault” can be anything from the simplest mistake to a purposeful sin. The fault may be thoughts, words or actions, and it may be in areas of responsibility, respect, or moral values for self or others.

Most of us are embarrassed enough when we alone realize we’ve done wrong. If someone else sees it, we are the more embarrassed, especially if we know the person, or expect to see them again. Even more of a problem than this for most people is when someone comes to give them some advice concerning one of their “faults”. Such approaches can provoke quick and strong reaction from many people, even when not presented as a criticism, but as a desire to help. This is due to any even greater embarrassment reaction that the fault is out in the open. It is also due to the self-pride reaction that I don’t need such advice from anyone, and to the self-defense reaction that they have no right to do such a thing. Once such a reaction occurs, whether of vocal defense, or of quiet withdrawal and separation, the situation has just deteriorated for both parties involved. Such are difficult to overcome.

But should we Christians allow ourselves to automatically have such reactions when someone tries to help us overcome a fault? Whether it is one our brethren coming to us, or someone from the world, have we a “right” to such a reaction? What do the scriptures say?

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Prov 27:6. Faithful are the criticisms of a friend because they are for our good, but the compliments of an enemy are not to be trusted.

“He who turns a sinner from the error of his ways, will save a soul from death, and cover a multitude of sins.” Js 5:20. If we are able to help someone in their walk to purity, we not only benefit them, but we also cover a multitude of sins within us. The same applies when they try to help us.

We should all want to have our faults addressed and corrected that we can be found more pleasing to God. “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psa 51:10. “Who can understand his own errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.” Psa 19:12. If these cleansings do not come directly from God, but rather from someone He has sent, does it make them any less correct?

We should also recognize that we have a responsibility to each other. We as Christians are commanded to love one another as Christ loved us. This agape love is doing for the other what God wants done in every situation. Certainly helping one to overcome faults is an important situation in which God wants us to be involved. But if love is not the motive, the situation should not be addressed. Only if love is the motive should it be addressed, and then it can also become the goal and result. Anything less is selfserving, leading to pride and even arrogance.

We must approach such situations only with the intent of blessing the brother or sister in what we are about to discuss. We need to help them understand that what we are doing is for their eternal good, according to the word of God. And here we need to present scriptures that speak to the point of the problem, and not such as we think give us the “right” to “correct” others.

Galatians 6:1 speaks directly to the situation. “Brethren, if you see your brother overtaken in a fault, you who are more spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

We need to be with our brethren to observe them “overtaken in a fault”.

We may be “more spiritual” in this particular point, but they may be more spiritual than us in other areas. We all are subject to different temptations, so none can claim more spirituality in all things. If we see the fault in them, this is our moment of responsibility to help them in love. The next may be their moment to help us. Shouldn’t we do for them now, as we would want them to do for us then?

Being “in a spirit of meekness” when we approach such a situation, assures that we are not self-seeking. Our motives must be purely for the good of the other. (Ro 15:1, 2)

“Considering ourselves” also helps to keep us meek, that we don’t gain a pride in this and thus fall into our own temptation.

It is to be the goal of each of us to be made clean and whole. (Psa 51:10)
We also have a responsibility for each other in this. It is not a choice. (Gal 6:1)
Let us exercise Christian love in this, whether we are giving or receiving. (Ro 15:1,2)
Let us help each other when overtaken in a fault that God may be glorified in our love for each other.

J. Knapp ©CDMI