【双语灵修】小心空隙 Mind The Gap

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“‘在你我之间，有深渊限定，以致人要从这边过到你们那边是不能的；要从那边过到我们这边也是不能的。’” - 路 16:26

耶稣教导跟随祂的人很多关于神国的事，而看顾穷人是祂高度重视的议题，我们可以在财主和拉撒路的比喻中看到这一点。拉撒路是一个穷人，他浑身生疮、而且食不果腹。他躺在一个奢华宴乐的财主家门口，但他被视而不见，没有人理会他的需要。

穷人死后被带到亚伯拉罕那里得安息，他的凄苦终于得到了安慰。那个财主也死了，他被打发到阴间，在那里受痛苦。他恳求痛苦得舒缓，又请求派人去警告他的兄弟。亚伯拉罕解释说，他们中间有一个不能越过的深渊，而且这人的兄弟早已有了他们所需的一切律法的指引。

神教导我们爱邻舍，并以公平待穷人，这个深渊就是背弃这些教导带来的后果。圣经中有很多这样的教导，提醒我们神关爱贫穷的人、为他们伸冤、“为穷乏人辨屈”（诗篇 140:12）。

在今天，世界上有大约7亿8千万人过着贫困的生活，他们因饥饿、疾病和脆弱而受苦，其中原因往往相当复杂，然而实际情况却很简单：他们有极大的需要。神的话语仍然在提醒我们，祂是特别看顾穷人的，而我们也可效法耶稣的榜样，去爱我们的邻舍。

祷告

神啊，求你帮助我们效法你，去照顾贫穷人的需要。求你引导我们奉耶稣的名去彰显你的慈爱。阿们。

路加福音 16:19-31

19“有一个财主，穿着紫色袍和细麻布衣服，天天奢华宴乐。
20又有一个讨饭的名叫拉撒路，浑身生疮，被人放在财主门口，
21要得财主桌子上掉下来的零碎充饥，并且狗来舔他的疮。
22后来那讨饭的死了，被天使带去放在亚伯拉罕的怀里。财主也死了，并且埋葬了。
23他在阴间受痛苦，举目远远地望见亚伯拉罕，又望见拉撒路在他怀里，
24就喊着说：‘我祖亚伯拉罕哪，可怜我吧！打发拉撒路来，用指头尖蘸点水，凉凉我的舌头，因为我在这火焰里极其痛苦。’
25亚伯拉罕说：‘儿啊，你该回想你生前享过福，拉撒路也受过苦；如今他在这里得安慰，你倒受痛苦。
26不但这样，并且在你我之间有深渊限定，以致人要从这边过到你们那边是不能的，要从那边过到我们这边也是不能的。’
27财主说：‘我祖啊，既是这样，求你打发拉撒路到我父家去，
28因为我还有五个弟兄，他可以对他们作见证，免得他们也来到这痛苦的地方。’
29亚伯拉罕说：‘他们有摩西和先知的话可以听从。’
30他说：‘我祖亚伯拉罕哪，不是的，若有一个从死里复活的，到他们那里去的，他们必要悔改。’
31亚伯拉罕说：‘若不听从摩西和先知的话，就是有一个从死里复活的，他们也是不听劝。’”

Mind The Gap

"Between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us." - Luke 16:26

Jesus taught his followers many things about the kingdom of God. Care for the poor was high on his agenda, as we see in his parable about the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus, a poor man, was covered with sores and was hungry. He lay outside the gate of a wealthy man who lived in luxury. But he was ignored, and his needs went unmet.

When the poor man died, he was taken to rest with Abra­ham, where he finally was comforted. And when the rich man died, he was consigned to Hades, where he was in torment. He pleaded for relief and begged for a warning to be sent to his brothers. Abraham explained that there was an impassable gap between them, and that the man’s brothers already had all the instructions they needed.

The gap is the result of ignoring God’s teachings about neighbor love and justice for the poor. These teachings are plentiful in the Bible, reminding us that God loves the poor, demands justice for them, and “upholds the cause of the needy” (Psalm 140:12).

Today about 780 million people live in poverty and suffer from hunger, disease, and vulnerability. The reasons are often complex, but the reality is simple: there is great need. God’s Word still reminds us of his special care for the poor. And we have the example of Jesus to follow as we love our neighbors.

Prayer

God, help us to care about the needs of the poor, as you do. Guide to show your love in Jesus’ name. Amen.