彼此相爱不是一些模糊的、温暖陶醉的感觉,也不是两腿发软(紧张)和心跳加速(兴奋)的浪漫情怀。彼此相爱乃是我们当做的事,因为耶稣也这样做了。有时,彼此相爱甚至会带来不愉快的回应,但是爱,往往要求我们去做一些我们没想做的事。
作为跟从耶稣的人,我们知道,爱并不是一件我们可以选择做不做的事,爱乃是主给我们的命令,而祂也给我们留了下榜样应该如何去爱。如果有人问我们为什么要去爱人,我们可以这样回答:“因为我们跟随的是一位爱我们的主,我们是为了耶稣的缘故去爱的。” 此外,我们能够去爱,完全是因为圣灵的能力在我们心里动工。如此,我们便能像德兰修女那样,明白到藉着爱那些我们交往和服事的人,我们其实就是在服事基督了。
“彼此” 相爱其实是很具挑战性的,它或许意味着我们去爱一个固执的小孩、年老的父母、或因患痴呆症变得暴躁的配偶;在家或在教会里,它或许意味我们去爱喜欢抱怨和挑剔的人;在工作场所,它或许意味我们去爱那些自以为没他不可、却又一事无成的同事;它或许意味我们送出一件新的外衣,去帮助另一个人。这些我们要去爱的 “另一个” 人,甚至可能是我们不认识的,但因着我们所做的事,他能够成为一个爱耶稣的人。
今天,你会向谁传递耶稣的爱呢?
主啊,求祢帮助我们学效祢那样看待别人,又帮助我们成为一个效法祢的榜样去爱的人,使祢得着荣耀。奉祢的名祈求,阿们。
哥林多前书 13
1我若能说万人的方言,并天使的话语,却没有爱,我就成了鸣的锣,响的钹一般。
2我若有先知讲道之能,也明白各样的奥秘,各样的知识,而且有全备的信,叫我能够移山,却没有爱,我就算不得什么。
3我若将所有的赒济穷人,又舍己身叫人焚烧,却没有爱,仍然与我无益。
4爱是恒久忍耐,又有恩慈;爱是不嫉妒;爱是不自夸,不张狂,
5不做害羞的事,不求自己的益处,不轻易发怒,不计算人的恶,
6不喜欢不义,只喜欢真理;
7凡事包容,凡事相信,凡事盼望,凡事忍耐。
8爱是永不止息。先知讲道之能终必归于无有;说方言之能终必停止;知识也终必归于无有。
9我们现在所知道的有限,先知所讲的也有限,
10等那完全的来到,这有限的必归于无有了。
11我作孩子的时候,话语像孩子,心思像孩子,意念像孩子,既成了人,就把孩子的事丢弃了。
12我们如今仿佛对着镜子观看,模糊不清,到那时就要面对面了。我如今所知道的有限,到那时就全知道,如同主知道我一样。
13如今常存的有信,有望,有爱这三样,其中最大的是爱。
"These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." — 1 Corinthians 13:13
Loving one another isn't a matter of warm, fuzzy feelings and weak knees and pounding hearts. It's a matter of doing the right thing because that's what Jesus would do. Sometimes it can even bring unpleasant results for us. Loving often calls for doing the unexpected.
As followers of Jesus, we know that love is not something we can just opt to do or not do. It's a command from our Master, who showed us how to love. If we're asked why we are showing love, we can answer, "Because we're disciples of someone who loves us. We do it for Jesus' sake." What's more, we can show love only by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Then we're able, like Mother Teresa, to see that we're serving Christ by loving the people we interact with and serve.
Loving "one another" is often challenging. It may call us to love the strong-willed child or an aging parent or spouse angry with dementia. At home or church it may involve loving someone who is always negative and critical. At work it may be the coworker claiming to be indispensable while barely doing their job. It may mean foregoing a new coat so that someone else can have one. The "other" in our lives could be someone we don't even know but who comes to love Jesus because of something we did.
To whom will you show Jesus' love today?
Lord, help us to see others as you see them. Help us to be persons who show that we follow the example you gave us. For your glory and in your name, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳