多年前我们住在台湾，某天早上起床时，我们发现了一列蚂蚁从我们房子的一边操到另一边。蚂蚁真的很了不起，它们看来多么积极、有目标、和勤奋。而事实上，这篇箴言把它们形容为组织和生产的典范，又用它们来鞭策懒惰的人。
这段经文不是建议我们一定要终日忙碌，也不是说休息不重要。对人类来说，休息和工作都表明我们的身份，就是我们是按照造物主的形象被造的。例如，我们生来便有一个渴望 - 甚至需要 - 谋求蓬勃发展的。
这样说是什么意思呢？蓬勃发展是凡事寻求服事和尊崇神所产生的成果。不论我们是厨师、程序设计员、建筑工人、医疗人员、园丁、维修工人、艺术家、教师、司机、农夫、和其他行业 - 透过我们一切的工作、嗜好、休息、娱乐等等，我们都可以藉着活在神创造的这个世界中去培育人和得到培育的。然而，我们若糟蹋我们的时间和才干，我们便是否定了我们的身份和浪费了服事神和服事人的机会了。
我们每天的工作，包括在家的和在世界上的，都不会像蚂蚁那样列队前进的。我们不是蚂蚁，我们乃是带着神的形像的，所以我们的工作和事奉都有创意和目的，而忙碌之中也有安息和重振精神的时间，我们藉此来荣耀神和把欢乐带给衪的创造。
主啊，求你帮助我们善用你赐给我们一切的恩赐和才干，把荣耀归与你和祝福别人。阿们。
箴言 6:6-11
6懒惰人哪，你去察看蚂蚁的动作，就可得智慧。
7蚂蚁没有元帅，没有官长，没有君王，
8尚且在夏天预备食物，在收割时聚敛粮食。
9懒惰人哪，你要睡到几时呢？你何时睡醒呢？
10再睡片时，打盹片时，抱着手躺卧片时，
11你的贫穷就必如强盗速来，你的缺乏仿佛拿兵器的人来到。
"How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?" - Proverbs 6:9
Years ago, when we lived in Taiwan, we awoke one morning to find a column of ants marching across our house, from one end to the other. Ants are truly amazing. They seem so driven, directed, and industrious. In fact, Proverbs describes them here as a model of organization and industry and as a spur against laziness.
This passage does not suggest that we must always be busy or that rest is unimportant. For human beings, both rest and work together reveal our identity as imagebearers of Creator God. As such, we have an innate desire—even need—to create flourishing.
What might that mean? Flourishing results from seeking to serve and honor God in all we do. In all our work, hobbies, rest, recreation, and more, we can nurture and be nurtured by life in this world God has made—whether we are cooks, programmers, builders, medical workers, gardeners, maintenance workers, artists, teachers, drivers, farmers, and more. But if we squander our time and talents, we deny who we are and waste opportunities to serve God and others.
All of our daily work, at home and in the world, will not resemble ants marching in line. We are not ants. We are imagebearers of God, and the work and service we do will be creative and purposeful, punctuated by sabbath rest and refreshment, bringing glory to God and joy to creation.
Lord, help us to use all of the gifts and talents you have given us to bring you glory and to bless others. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
