什么是爱
福尔摩斯侦探小说的作者阿瑟柯南道尔，写了一本不是很多人都听过的书，名叫《白衣纵队》，内容是关于中世纪时代英国武士在法国的决斗，是一个刺激的历险故事！今天的读者或许不明白，那些英国武士，为什么总喜欢找寻著名的法国武士来“交锋”、或在马上“以矛相对”。原来这些决斗主要是为了赢取荣誉，通常与攻击敌人无关。
那种荣誉，往往令我们摸不着头脑。纽约市教会著名的凯勒牧师，曾研究各种不同的社会，他发现了有些所谓的“荣誉社会”，意思是里面的人以荣誉为最高的理想。相比之下，受耶稣基督影响的社会，则认为爱是最重要的。
虽然有时我们未必能达到我们的理想，但它仍然是我们要追求的目标。我们千万不可忘记我们的目标，或对目标模糊不清。例如，如果我们认为爱就是浪漫的爱情（在约会和追求时适用），有一天我们会恍然大悟，原来我们从来都不了解什么是爱。
爱的精髓是施与，而施与往往需要牺牲，耶稣自己，正以身作则向我们显明什么是爱。爱是要付上重价的，目的是叫别人得到益处。爱，并不以个人的安舒、荣誉，或名声为大前提。
我们是否这样爱人呢？
主耶稣，求祢帮助我们为祢和为别人而活，教我们学习不自我中心，乃是以神为中心。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
约翰福音 13:33-35
33小子们，我还有不多的时候与你们同在；后来你们要找我，但我所去的地方你们不能到。这话我曾对犹太人说过，如今也照样对你们说。
34我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是叫你们彼此相爱；我怎样爱你们，你们也要怎样相爱。
35你们若有彼此相爱的心，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了。”
The Centrality Of Love
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. " - John 13:34
Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the Sherlock Holmes detective series, wrote a lesser-known book called The White Company. It's about English knights fighting in France during the Middle Ages—an exciting adventure! But readers today may wonder why the English knights were always looking for famous French knights to "cross swords" with or to charge at on horseback and "break a spear." It was basically done for honor, and not particularly to fight an enemy.
That kind of honor may be puzzling for some of us to understand. Tim Keller, pastor of a church in New York City, conducted a study of various societies and learned that some societies are "honor societies," in which honor is the main ideal. By contrast, in societies that are strongly influenced by Christ, love is the central ideal.
Sometimes we don't live up to our ideals, but they are the goals we aim for. And we must be careful not to lose sight of our goals or get confused. For example, if we think that love is basically romance (useful during dating and courtship), we may wake up one day and realize we never knew what love is.
The essence of love is giving, and that will often involve sacrifice. Jesus showed this by his example. Love is costly, directed toward the benefit of others. It is not preoccupied with itself or with self-comfort, honor, or reputation.
Do we love like that?
Lord Jesus, help us to live for you and for others—not being self-centered but God-centered. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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