UJesu Ukhetha USawulu

USawulu wazalelwa eTarsu futhi wayeyisakhamuzi saseRoma. WayengumFarisi owayewazi kahle uMthetho wamaJuda, wayewazonda amaKristu. Wayekhipha amadoda nabesifazane abangamaKristu emizini yabo abafake ejele. Ngesinye isikhathi wama wabuka isixuku esasithukuthele sishaya ngamatshe uStefanu owayengumfundi kaJesu waze wafa.

Kodwa uSawulu akagcinanga nje ngokubopha amaKristu aseJerusalema. Wacela kumpristi ophakeme ukuba aye eDamaseku ayozingela amaKristu ahlala lapho. Njengoba uSawulu esondela kulelo dolobha, kungalindelekile kwavela ukukhanya okukhulu, kwamxhopha wawela phansi. Wezwa izwi lithi: ‘Sawulu, ungishushiselani?’ USawulu wabuza: ‘Ungubani?’ Izwi lathi: ‘NginguJesu. Hamba uye eDamaseku, uzothi uma ufika lapho utshelwe okumele ukwenze.’ USawulu wayengasaboni ngakho kwakufanele bambambe ngesandla bamyise kuleyo ndawo.

EDamaseku kwakunomKristu othembekile obizwa ngokuthi u-Ananiya. Embonweni uJesu wathi kuye: ‘Vuka uyofuna uSawulu endlini kaJuda emgwaqweni okuthiwa uQondile.’ U-Ananiya wathi: ‘Nkosi, ngizwe izinto eziningi ngalo muntu ukuthi uvalela abafundi bakho ejele!’ Kodwa uJesu wathi: ‘Hamba ngoba ngimkhethile ukuba ashumayele izindaba ezinhle ezindaweni eziningi.’

Ngakho u-Ananiya wamthola uSawulu wathi kuye: ‘Sawulu, mfowethu, uJesu ungithume ukuba ngikuvule amehlo.’ Ngokushesha uSawulu waphinde wabona. Wafunda ngoJesu waba umlandeli wakhe. Njengoba uSawulu ayesebhapathiziwe waqala ukushumayela emasinagogeni namanye amaKristu. Cabanga nje ukuthi amaJuda ayemangele kanjani lapho ebona uSawulu efundisa abantu ngoJesu! Athi: ‘Akuyona yini le ndoda eyayizingela abafundi bakaJesu?’

Kwaphela iminyaka emithathu uSawulu eshumayela eDamaseku. AmaJuda ayemzonda uSawulu futhi ahlela ukumbulala. Kodwa abazalwane bezwa ngalokho bamsiza wabaleka. Bamfaka kubhasikidi base bemehlisela phansi ngembobo eyayisodongeni lwedolobha.

Lapho uSawulu eseJerusalema wazama ukushumayela nabazalwane. Kodwa babemesaba. Umfundi onomusa uBarnaba wahamba noSawulu baya kubaphostoli wafike wabaqinisekisa ngokuthi uSawulu ushintshe ngempela. USawulu wazikhandla eshumayela izindaba ezinhle nebandla laseJerusalema. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, waziwa ngokuthi uPawulu.