【双语灵修】亲手作工WORKING WITH OUR HANDS

帖撒罗尼迦前书 4:9-12

论到弟兄们相爱，不用人写信给你们，因为你们自己蒙了神的教训，叫你们彼此相爱。你们向马其顿全地的众弟兄固然是这样行，但我劝弟兄们要更加勉励。又要立志做安静人，办自己的事，亲手做工，正如我们从前所吩咐你们的，叫你们可以向外人行事端正，自己也就没有什么缺乏了。

8月23日

亲手作工

“又要立志作安静人，办自己的事，亲手做工……” - 帖撒罗尼迦前书 4:11

你是否注意到，十诫中的大多数诫命都是以否定句式开头的，即“不可……”。在第六至第十条诫命中，这些否定的命令为我们如何待人，划定了清晰、具体的界限。例如，若没有“不可偷盗”这条诫命，我们便无法与邻舍和睦同居。偷窃与欺诈，不仅在摧毁信任，更是在树立仇敌。

保罗在写给帖撒罗尼迦基督徒的信中，为尊重他人的财产提供了切实可行的建议：“亲手做工”。这是否意味着《圣经》只认可体力劳动作为生计呢？并非如此。我们可以通过各种正当的工作来荣耀神并爱邻舍。保罗在这段经文中所表达的是：工作本身是美好的。工作是一份恩赐，也是一种资源，反映了我们的造物主，祂正以各样的创意信实地作工。当我们运用神所赐的恩赐和才干勤奋工作时，我们便能赢得他人的尊重，并避免过度依赖他人。

自人类堕落犯罪以来，偷窃便一直存在。今日，对他人权益与财物的巧取豪夺，似乎比以往任何时候都更加猖獗。相对之下，若我们能以感恩和知足的心，来使用神所赐予的一切，就能向世人展示如何按照神的心意过团契生活。这也能帮助我们与人分享神所赐予我们的一切。

祷告

主啊，我们所拥有的一切都是你所赐的礼物。求你帮助我们运用你所赐的恩赐与才干，去彰显你的爱，并传递你赐给我们的丰盛祝福。阿们。

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23

WORKING WITH OUR HANDS

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands. . . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:11

Have you noticed that most of the Ten Commandments begin with a negative order, saying, “You shall not . . .”? In commandments six through ten, the negative orders set clear, concrete boundaries for how we are to treat people. Without the command “You shall not steal,” for instance, it would be impossible to live together with our neighbors. Stealing and deceit destroy trust and create enemies.

In his letter to the Christians at Thessalonica, Paul offers solid advice for respecting the property of others: “Work with your hands.” Does this mean the Bible only approves of livelihoods involving manual labor? No, we can glorify God and love others with all kinds of honorable work we can do. What Paul suggests in this passage is that work itself is good. Work is a gift and a resource, and it reflects our Maker, who works faithfully with all kinds of creativity. When we work diligently, using the gifts and talents that God gives us, we earn others’ respect and avoid being overly dependent.

Theft has been with us since human beings fell into sin. But today it can seem as if taking advantage of others and their possessions is more rampant than ever. In contrast, by using what God gives us in gratitude and contentment, we can show others how to live in community as God has designed us to do. And this can help us share with others what God has given us.

Lord, all that we have is a gift from you. Help us to use our gifts and talents to share your love and your blessings to us with others. Amen.