BRUISED REEDS AND SMOLDERING WICKS
「壓傷的蘆葦，他不折斷；將殘的燈火，他不吹滅。」 賽42:3
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." Isaiah 42.3
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." Isaiah 42.3
我們今天所讀的經文，描述的是神對待那些不盡心愛祂的人的態度。例如，某天耶穌正與宗教領袖們進餐，一名聲名狼藉的女子走進來，站在耶穌旁邊哭。她眼淚掉在耶穌的腳上，於是就跪下來用自己的頭髮擦乾祂的腳，又抹上香膏（見路加福音7:36-50）。
The words of our text describe God's attitude toward people who love him imperfectly. For example, one day Jesus was having dinner with a religious leader, and a woman with a bad reputation entered the room. She stood by Jesus weeping, her tears falling on his feet. Then she knelt down and dried them with her hair and poured perfume on them. (See Luke 7:36-50.)
與耶穌同喫飯的人就惱怒祂，因為那女子是個臭名遠播的罪人，但耶穌竟沒趕她離去。他們認為耶穌該知道她是誰，更不該讓她踫觸祂。他們眼中只看到那女子是個不配的罪人，但耶穌卻看到神的靈在她身上所作的工。他們只關心與不義為伍會玷污他們，但耶穌卻憐憫那追求完善的人。
Jesus' dinner companions were upset with him for not sending her away because she was a notorious sinner. They thought he should have known better than to let her do those things to him. But where they saw only an undeserving sinner, Jesus saw evidence of God's Spirit at work. While they were concerned with being tainted by association with evil, Jesus had compassion on a person who was seeking wholeness.
他們那整潔乾淨但冷冰冰的宗教容不下「壓傷的蘆葦」或「將殘的燈火」。然而，事實上我們人人都是「壓傷的蘆葦」或「將殘的燈火」。慈愛的神不會踩碎或掐熄我們。我們到祂那裏，祂會按我們充滿瑕疵與傷痕的本相來接受我們。祂會赦免我們，與我們同在，讓我們找到療傷和重生的力量，正直地過活。在愛中有比在審判中更大的能力；得恩惠而改變的人也比受法律制裁而改變的人要多。
They had no room for a "bruised reed" or a "smoldering wick" in their neat and clean but cold and uncaring religion. But, in reality, every one of us is a "bruised reed" or a "smoldering wick." In his great love God does not crush us or snuff us out. When we come to him, he accepts us as we are, warts, wounds, and all. And in his forgiving presence we find healing and a renewing power to live rightly. There is more power in love than in judgment. More people have been changed by grace than by law.
The words of our text describe God's attitude toward people who love him imperfectly. For example, one day Jesus was having dinner with a religious leader, and a woman with a bad reputation entered the room. She stood by Jesus weeping, her tears falling on his feet. Then she knelt down and dried them with her hair and poured perfume on them. (See Luke 7:36-50.)
與耶穌同喫飯的人就惱怒祂，因為那女子是個臭名遠播的罪人，但耶穌竟沒趕她離去。他們認為耶穌該知道她是誰，更不該讓她踫觸祂。他們眼中只看到那女子是個不配的罪人，但耶穌卻看到神的靈在她身上所作的工。他們只關心與不義為伍會玷污他們，但耶穌卻憐憫那追求完善的人。
Jesus' dinner companions were upset with him for not sending her away because she was a notorious sinner. They thought he should have known better than to let her do those things to him. But where they saw only an undeserving sinner, Jesus saw evidence of God's Spirit at work. While they were concerned with being tainted by association with evil, Jesus had compassion on a person who was seeking wholeness.
他們那整潔乾淨但冷冰冰的宗教容不下「壓傷的蘆葦」或「將殘的燈火」。然而，事實上我們人人都是「壓傷的蘆葦」或「將殘的燈火」。慈愛的神不會踩碎或掐熄我們。我們到祂那裏，祂會按我們充滿瑕疵與傷痕的本相來接受我們。祂會赦免我們，與我們同在，讓我們找到療傷和重生的力量，正直地過活。在愛中有比在審判中更大的能力；得恩惠而改變的人也比受法律制裁而改變的人要多。
They had no room for a "bruised reed" or a "smoldering wick" in their neat and clean but cold and uncaring religion. But, in reality, every one of us is a "bruised reed" or a "smoldering wick." In his great love God does not crush us or snuff us out. When we come to him, he accepts us as we are, warts, wounds, and all. And in his forgiving presence we find healing and a renewing power to live rightly. There is more power in love than in judgment. More people have been changed by grace than by law.
禱告
PRAYER
PRAYER
慈愛的神，感謝祢沒有在我們失敗、不符祢旨意的時候厭棄我們。求祢使我們愈來愈像耶穌，那樣完全地愛祢。阿們。
Loving God, thank you for not turning away from us when we fail and fall short of your will. Help us grow into the likeness of Jesus, who loves you perfectly. Amen.
Loving God, thank you for not turning away from us when we fail and fall short of your will. Help us grow into the likeness of Jesus, who loves you perfectly. Amen.
《每日箴言》第十八卷 2008年10月15日
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