小善存的心靈點滴

WHERE GOD LOOKS

「人是看外貌；耶和華是看內心。」 撒上16:7
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

這一天，耶西的家中必定是不知所措，因為先知撒母耳宣布，他已來到他們家中，且要邀請耶西和他的眾兒子出席一個典禮，也就是說，他有一些重要的事情要和他商討。我可以想像，耶西的家人都把自己梳洗得整整潔潔，打扮得漂漂亮亮，務求以最佳表現示人，而且大家心裏都在猜想：「到底是甚麼一回事呢？」
It must have been a disconcerting day at Jesse’s house. The prophet Samuel had announced that he had come, and he invited Jesse and his sons to a ceremony, which meant he had some important business to discuss. I can just imagine everyone in Jesse’s family getting cleaned up, dressed in their finest, on their best behavior, and wondering, "What’s this all about?"

當撒母耳請耶西把他的兒子逐一帶到他面前來，好讓他揀選下一任君王時，氣氛必定是更加緊張，但最後他們都一一落選。當撒母耳堅持要把在田中放羊的那位最小的兒子召回來時，氣氛就更緊張了。他們把他留在田裏放羊，但先知卻命令他們：「打發人去叫他來。」於是，他進前來，而叫所有人感到詫異的是，大衛竟是神所揀選的君王。
The tension must have increased as Samuel had the sons of Jesse brought one by one before him to see who would be the next king. One by one each was rejected. Then the tension built even more as Samuel insisted that the youngest brother be called in from the field. They had left him out there to tend sheep. "Send for him," was the prophet’s command. So in he came. And to everyone’s surprise, David was the one God had chosen.

神藉這件事教導撒母耳和所有人一個重要的功課，那就是要如何看人。我們通常是看人的外表，注重他們的外貌、衣著、體重、身高、髮型，我們花大量的注意力在這些事上。
God used this occasion to teach Samuel and everyone else an important lesson. It was a lesson about how to look at people. We commonly look at their outward appearance. We notice how they look, how they dress, how much they weigh, how tall they are, what their hair is like. We pay lots of attention to things like that.

然而，神卻不然。神最注重的，是人的內心，是人的性情、品格和正直。神看重的，是人到底有多真誠。
But God doesn’t. God is mainly concerned about the heart, about disposition, character, integrity. God is interested in how genuine people are.

當別人看我們時，會看見甚麼呢？
When others see us, what do they see?

禱告
PRAYER

仁慈的主，當祢今天看我們每一個時，我們知道祢在我們身上尋找信心和正直。求祢幫助我們成為合祢心意的人。禱告奉耶穌的名字求，阿們。
Gracious Lord, as you look at each of us today, we know you’re searching for faith and integrity. Help us to grow in being the kind of people you want. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.