【双语灵修】三片披萨THREE SLICES
提摩太前书 4:8-14
操练身体益处还少，唯独敬虔，凡事都有益处，因有今生和来生的应许。 这话是可信的，是十分可佩服的。 我们劳苦努力，正是为此，因我们的指望在乎永生的神——他是万人的救主，更是信徒的救主。 这些事你要吩咐人，也要教导人。 不可叫人小看你年轻，总要在言语、行为、爱心、信心、清洁上，都做信徒的榜样。 你要以宣读、劝勉、教导为念，直等到我来。 你不要轻忽所得的恩赐，就是从前藉着预言，在众长老按手的时候赐给你的。
2月2日
三片披萨
“不可叫人小看你年轻，总要在言语、行为、爱心、信心、清洁上，都作信徒的榜样。” - 提摩太前书 4:12
亚伦年轻活泼，嗓门洪亮，很善于结交朋友，也是首批参加我们教会“披萨午餐”活动的青少年之一。
我们当时认定，每周邀请隔壁高中的学生们来教堂共进午餐会是件美事。两加元就能换得三片披萨和一听汽水。
前六个孩子到来时，我们备足了披萨，结果他们个个狼吞虎咽，每人吃下的远不止三片。随后亚伦开始呼朋引伴，这群孩子开始一周复一周地过来，而我们在满足他们口腹需要的同时，也开始在他们心中撒播信仰的种子。
如今二十年过去了，这份披萨午餐仍在延续，每周供应着约180名饥肠辘辘的青少年。更令人欣慰的是，现今教堂的青年牧师，正是当年第一周到访的六少年之一。我们都拥有为他人开启一扇门、传递福音的使命。当年分发首批披萨时，我不知道将会由谁来广传这个午餐邀约，但神知道。祂使用了这位活力四射的少年奔走相邀。我也不知谁将来接棒这份事工，但神知道。祂更预见了将有数千份披萨，送到那些或许永远无缘听闻祂名字的学生手中。我何其庆幸—神早已洞悉这一切！
祷告
主啊，感谢你赐给我们这群吵闹却动人的青少年。感谢你使用我们每个人去邀请人认识你。帮助我们聆听你的声音，并赐给我们勇气去回应。奉耶稣名求，阿们。
1 Timothy 4:8-14
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2
THREE SLICES
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. —1 Timothy 4:12
Aaron was young and active and loud. He gathered friends easily. He was also one of the first teenagers to show up at a pizza lunch at our church.
We had decided that inviting students from the high school next to our church for lunch each week might be a good thing. A toonie (two Canadian dollars) would get you three slices of pizza and a pop.
When the first six kids showed up, we had lots of pizza, and they inhaled a lot more than three slices each. Then Aaron began inviting others. They began to show up week after week, and opportunities to feed them both physically and spiritually began to happen.
Now, 20 years later, the pizza lunch continues, serving about 180 hungry kids. What’s more, the youth pastor at the church today is one of those first six who came the first week.
We all have a place to open a door for someone else so that the gospel can be shared. When I served those first slices of pizza, I did not know who would help to advertise the lunch idea, but God knew. He used a young teenager full of zest and noise to invite others. I did not know who would serve in that ministry after me, but God knew. God also knew that thousands of pizzas would be served to students who might not otherwise have had a chance to hear about him. I am so glad that God knew!
God, thank you for noisy, appealing teenagers. Thank you that you can use any of us to invite someone in. Help us to listen to you, to have courage, and to respond. In Jesus, Amen.