在非洲的许多地方，妇女在各方面都依赖丈夫。可以想像，这会导致丈夫严重滥用权力。但是，在全球范围内，社会正在发生变化。越来越多的妇女开始独立。她们可能会有一份带薪工作，或者能够接受高级培训。然而，即便是这些进步也会给女性带来负面影响。一些害怕失去传统角色的男人变得很苦毒，甚至对妻子施加暴力。
在不断变化的社会中，要过基督徒的生活并不容易。但保罗在这里的教导仍然适用于今天。每个女人都配得神的爱，神呼召丈夫爱自己的妻子，就像基督爱教会一样。丈夫必须无私地爱妻子。基督不仅是我们爱他人的榜样，也是我们的力量。
不幸的是，世界各地都有一些丈夫虐待妻子，对她们施暴。有时，他们甚至以《圣经》为借口。但暴力行为违背了神的教导。神呼召我们所有人存谦卑的心去爱，就像耶稣一样，以仆人的心态去领导他人。任何其他方式都会导致专制过度。
想想你在生活中是如何爱他人和带领他人的。你的方式是基于神的话语吗？让我们仰望主耶稣，祂是我们当如何彼此相待的亘古不变的榜样。
主耶稣，感谢你为我们树立了榜样。请用恩典和谦卑充满我们，让我们像你一样去生活、去爱。阿们。
以弗所书 5:25-33
25你们做丈夫的，要爱你们的妻子，正如基督爱教会，为教会舍己，
26要用水藉着道把教会洗净，成为圣洁，
27可以献给自己，做个荣耀的教会，毫无玷污、皱纹等类的病，乃是圣洁没有瑕疵的。
28丈夫也当照样爱妻子，如同爱自己的身子，爱妻子便是爱自己了。
29从来没有人恨恶自己的身子，总是保养顾惜，正像基督待教会一样，
30因我们是他身上的肢体。
31为这个缘故，人要离开父母，与妻子联合，二人成为一体。
32这是极大的奥秘，但我是指着基督和教会说的。
33然而你们各人都当爱妻子，如同爱自己一样；妻子也当敬重她的丈夫。
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. . . ." - Ephesians 5:25
In many parts of Africa women are dependent on their husbands in all respects. As you can imagine, this can lead to serious abuses of power by a husband. But, globally, society is changing. More and more women are becoming independent. They might have a paying job or be able to receive advanced training. However, even these advances for women can cause negative impacts. Some men who are afraid of losing their traditional role have become bitter and have resorted to violence against their wives.
It is not easy to live as a Christian in a changing society. But Paul’s instructions here still apply today. Every woman is worthy of the love of God, and God calls husbands to love their wives just as Christ loves the church. A husband must love his wife selflessly. Christ is not only our example in how to love others, but he is also our strength.
Unfortunately, all over the world there are husbands who mistreat their wives and are violent toward them. Sometimes they even do this with an appeal to the Bible. But violent behavior is contrary to God’s Word. God calls all of us to humbly love and to lead as a servant, just as Jesus did. Any other way leads to authoritarian excesses.
Think about how you love and lead others in your life. Is it based in God’s Word? Let us look to the Lord Jesus as an unmoving example of how to treat one another.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your example. Fill us with the grace and humility to live and love as you have done. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
