去年夏天，我们一家游览美国南达科他州的宝石洞窟国家保护区。游览这一类的洞窟，我最喜欢的部份就是他们关上所有灯光，四周只是漆黑一片的时候，你可以整天瞪眼望着你前面的手但怎么也见不到。你的眼睛需要有光才能看见，所以，在漆黑中你什么也看不到。然而，一旦再开灯，所有东西都会被照亮，你便可以看到墙壁，地面和周围的人；纵然只是一点点的光，那个漆黑一片的洞窟便会截然不同了。
耶稣告诉祂的听众，他们是世上的盐和世上的光，他们不能隐藏起来，他们被召是要去影响他们的四周。耶稣在我们里面建造的信心促使我们这样做，这信心不是单单停留在我们的心里的，它乃是从我们里面倾流出来，以神的光辉照亮我们周围这个黑暗的世界。
我们与人交谈时——无论是与朋友或素未谋面的人——若要与他们分享我们在耶稣里的信心，是否有合宜或不合宜的时刻的呢？有一天我和朋友们也在讨论这个问题，但这个讨论或许会误导人。光是不会等候和寻找适当时机才去照亮别人的，盐也不会，而我们的信心也不会，它乃是每时每刻都在影响它的四周的。
信心应该时常影响我们与人的交谈和我们的行动，它理应如此——因为这是信心的本质。
耶稣啊，求祢帮助我们，天天用我们的信心去调和、启迪我们一切的言语和行为。阿们。
马太福音 5:13-16
9 耶稣离开那地方，进了一个会堂。
10 那里有一个人枯干了一只手。有人问耶稣说：“安息日治病可以不可以？”意思是要控告他。
11 耶稣说：“你们中间谁有一只羊当安息日掉在坑里，不把它抓住拉上来呢？
12 人比羊何等贵重呢！所以，在安息日做善事是可以的。”
13 于是对那人说：“伸出手来！”他把手一伸，手就复了原，和那只手一样。
14 法利赛人出去，商议怎样可以除灭耶稣。 13 “你们是世上的盐。盐若失了味，怎能叫它再咸呢？以后无用，不过丢在外面，被人践踏了。
14 你们是世上的光。城造在山上，是不能隐藏的。
15 人点灯，不放在斗底下，是放在灯台上，就照亮一家的人。
16 你们的光也当这样照在人前，叫他们看见你们的好行为，便将荣耀归给你们在天上的父。
“You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world. . . .” — Matthew 5:13-14
Our family went on a tour of the Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota last summer. My favorite part of a cave tour like that is when they turn off all the lights and there is nothing but darkness all around. You could stare at your hand for hours and never see it in front of you. Your eyes need light in order to see anything, so they can’t see in total darkness. But once a light is turned on again, everything is illuminated. You can see the walls and the floor and the people around you. Even the smallest amount of light makes a difference in a totally dark cave.
Jesus tells his listeners that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. They cannot be hidden; they are called to influence what is around them. The faith that Jesus forms in us compels us do that. It doesn’t just remain inside of us. It overflows from us and shines God’s light in the darkness of the world around us.
In our conversations with people—whether they are friends or people we haven’t met before—is there a right or a wrong time to talk about our faith in Jesus? Some friends and I were discussing that one day. But maybe that discussion was misleading. Light doesn’t wait around, choosing the right time to express itself. Neither does salt. And neither does our faith. It makes an impact on its surroundings at all times.
Faith should always influence our conversations and actions. It has to—that’s just its nature.
Jesus, allow our faith to flavor and illuminate everything we do and say every day. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
