我病了，你们看顾我

人们会用很多借口不理会有病的人：“我不喜欢到医院探病，因这会令我感到不舒服。”“我不能忍受疗养院的味道。那里有一个妇人不断大叫‘我要回家！’令我忍受不了。”“见到那人时我不知应该说些什么才好。”“说真的，探病不应该是牧师的工作吗？而且，我也是太忙呢。”很可惜，我也曾尝试用过这些借口。

耶稣直接了当地说：“我病了，你看顾我”，或是“我病了，但你没有看顾我”。尽管现在的医疗系统能照顾到病人肉体上大部份的需要，但病人仍有灵性上和情感上的需要。探望一个病人带来的影响往往比我们知道的更大，而家人、医护人员和职员，都会看得出一个病人是刚有人探望过的。

无可否认，探病可以是很具挑战性的，它逼使我们离开自己的舒适圈。但就如很多事情一样，透过练习便会变得更容易，而往往我们发现探病也会为自己带来祝福。当我们听到主说：“我病了，你看顾我”时，这是何等大的福气呢！

耶稣啊，我们是最懂得用借口的了。求你叫我们的心充满怜悯、而不是用诸多借口，又帮助我们能真正关心彼此。奉你的名祈求，阿们。

13你们中间有受苦的呢，他就该祷告；有喜乐的呢，他就该歌颂。
14你们中间有病了的呢，他就该请教会的长老来，他们可以奉主的名用油抹他，为他祷告。
15出于信心的祈祷要救那病人，主必叫他起来；他若犯了罪，也必蒙赦免。
16所以你们要彼此认罪，互相代求，使你们可以得医治。义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的。

I Was Sick, And You Cared for Me

"I was sick and you looked after me..." - Matthew 25:36

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There are so many excuses people make for paying little or no attention to those who are sick: "I don't like visiting people in the hospital, it makes me feel uncomfortable." "I can't take the smell in the nursing home. There is a lady there who keeps yelling, 'Take me home!' and I can't handle it." "I don't know what to say when I am with that person." "Actually, isn't that the pastor's job? And, besides, I am too busy." Sad to say, I have tried to make these excuses as well.

Jesus simply cuts through it all and says, "I was sick and you looked after me," or, "I was sick and... you did not look after me." While our health-care systems can help with most of a sick person's physical needs, their spiritual and emotional needs remain. Visiting a person who is sick will often make a greater impact than we know. Family, health care workers, and staff also notice when the sick are being visited.

Yes, visiting with people who are ill can sometimes be challenging. It pushes us outside of our comfort zones. But, as with many things, it usually gets easier with practice. And we will often find that we are blessed by making a visit! And what greater blessing can there be than to hear the Lord say, "I was sick and you looked after me"!

Prayer

Jesus, we are experts at making excuses. Please fill us with compassion instead of excuses, and help us to truly care for one another. We pray in your name. Amen.