【双语灵修】与我们“不同”的人“DIFFERENT” PEOPLE

路加福音 10:25-37

有一个律法师起来试探耶稣说：“夫子，我该做什么才可以承受永生？”耶稣对他说：“律法上写的是什么？你念的是怎样呢？”他回答说：“你要尽心、尽性、尽力、尽意爱主你的神；又要爱邻舍如同自己。”耶稣说：“你回答得是；你这样行，就必得永生。”那人要显明自己有理，就对耶稣说：“谁是我的邻舍呢？”耶稣回答说：“有一个人从耶路撒冷下耶利哥去，落在强盗手中。他们剥去他的衣裳，把他打个半死，就丢下他走了。偶然有一个祭司从这条路下来，看见他就从旁边过去了。又有一个利未人来到这地方，看见他也照样从旁边过去了。惟有一个撒马利亚人行路来到那里，看见他就动了慈心，上前用油和酒倒在他的伤处，包裹好了，骑上自己的牲口，带到店里去照应他。第二天拿出二钱银子来，交给店主说：‘你且照应他；此外所费用的，我回来必还你。’你想这三个人那一个是落在强盗手中的邻舍呢？”他说：“是怜悯他的。”耶稣说：“你去照样行吧。”

11月14日

与我们“不同”的人

“谁是我的邻舍呢？” - 路 10:29

若有人毫无掩饰地抗拒你最重视的事情，你会有什么反应呢？那人或许是住在你附近、家族成员、同事、或教会里的人。或许他们有不同的政见，或许他们不赞同你对《圣经》中某些教导的解释。他们似乎根本不明白，而更糟的，就是他们没有兴趣去考虑另一种看法。这真令人沮丧。

在耶稣那个年代的犹太人，就是这样看撒玛利亚人—视他们为拒绝去“明白”的人。他们被视为“不洁净”，他们事奉神的方式，完全蔑视了“神真正的子民”持守的价值观。

对着那些似乎“不明白”的人，你会有什么反应？大部分人都与他们保持距离。在家庭聚会、工作场所或教会里，我们都以礼相待。不过，当需要落实与那些人讨论事情时，我们懂得避免冲突，不会触及“分歧之处”。这样做合情合理吗？

有趣的是，耶稣却不是这样“合情合理”的。所以，当耶稣在井旁遇见撒玛利亚妇人时，祂希望看到她脱离躲藏的生活，又告诉她神的救恩是为她而设的。那一天结束时，耶稣的出现带来了极大的影响力，不单影响了她的生命，更影响了她居住的整个城市的人的生命（《约翰福音 》4:39-42）。

神希望你去接触谁呢？

祷告

神啊，求你教导我们，以忍耐和谅解对待那些与我们不同的人，帮助我们以恩典来回应，并且把握时机与他们分享你的爱，而不是感到沮丧或避开他们。阿们。

Luke 10:25-37

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14

“DIFFERENT” PEOPLE

“Who is my neighbor?” —Luke 10:29

How do you react when you meet someone who contrasts brazenly with things you hold dear? Maybe it’s someone in your neighborhood, extended family, workplace, or church. Maybe they differ from you politically, or they dismiss the way you interpret some teachings in the Bible. It seems they just don’t get it. Worse yet, they don’t seem interested in considering another point of view. That can be frustrating.

That was how most of the Jews in Jesus’ day saw the Samaritans— as people who refused to “get it.” They were considered “impure,” and their way of serving God was an affront to everything that the “real people of God” stood for.

How do you respond to people who seem not to “get it”? Most of us keep our distance. We’re polite at family gatherings or at work or church, but when it comes to actually discussing issues with those individuals, we’ve learned to avoid conflict and not “go there.” That just makes sense, right?

Interestingly, Jesus didn’t have that kind of “sense.” So when he met the Samaritan woman at the well, he wanted to free her from a life of hiding and show her that God’s salvation was for her too. And by the end of the day, his visit had a profound effect not only on her life but also on the life of her entire town (John 4:39-42).

Whom might God be wanting you to connect with?

God, teach us patience and understanding with all who may differ with us. Help us to respond with grace, seeing opportunities to share your love rather than becoming frustrated or distant. Amen.