妥协让步
友阿爹和循都基都是忠心的基督徒妇女，她们曾与保罗同工，在腓立比传扬福音和建立教会。可是，由于某些原因（圣经没有说明），她们对教会生活某些方面有不同的看法。
在教会在社会中，政治politics已被人公认为是很不干净的事。然而，并不是所有政治都是败坏的。好的政治，就是在没有违背个人信念的情况下达成妥协，但坏的政治，往往只是彼此互相拆台。
有人说，圣经反对妥协，因为圣经所教导我们的，都是绝对的道德价值观。不过，如果友阿爹和循都基不肯在坚守信仰的立场的基础上，做一些细节的妥协，保罗又怎能要求她们彼此同心呢？事实上，在信仰的基本原则上，她们是站在同一阵线的，可能只是一些应用的细节，大家看法不同吧。
根据社会学家和独自打保龄的作者罗伯特普特南的解释，在过去五十年，很多教会的会友人数都下降了，然而其他同样要求会员要尽力和平相处的组织，例如家庭、聚乐部、保龄球队，和很多志愿团体，也有相同的现象。纵然在民主社会中，政治对公共决策是必要的，但是，因为很多人已失去互相妥协让步的能力，使得民主化的生活严重受限。如果我们人人都只能接受自己的看法，这是何等大的损失，我们只不过像一只海龟，躲进自己的壳里而已！
主啊，求祢赐我们恩慈和灵巧、忍耐和爱心，在生活中能做到彼此付出与让步。奉基督的名祈求，阿们。
腓立比书 4:2-9
2我劝友阿蝶和循都基，要在主里同心。
3我也求你这真实同负一轭的，帮助这两个女人，因为她们在福音上曾与我一同劳苦；还有革利免，并其余和我一同做工的，他们的名字都在生命册上。
4你们要靠主常常喜乐。我再说，你们要喜乐。
5当叫众人知道你们谦让的心。主已经近了。
6应当一无挂虑，只要凡事藉着祷告、祈求，和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。
7神所赐、出人意外的平安必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。
8弟兄们，我还有未尽的话：凡是真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思念。
9你们在我身上所学习的，所领受的，所听见的，所看见的，这些事你们都要去行，赐平安的神就必与你们同在。
Euodia And Syntyche
"I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord." - Philippians 4:2
Euodia and Syntyche were faithful Christian women who had worked with Paul to share the good news of Jesus and start the church in Philippi. But now, for some reason that is not explained to us, they were in disagreement about some aspect of church life.
Politics in churches and in society at large has a bad reputation. But not all politics is bad. Good politics involves compromise without betraying one's beliefs; bad politics tries to pull the rug from under the feet of one's opponents.
Some say the Bible is against compromise because it teaches moral absolutes. But how could Paul expect Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other if they did not work out a compromise that honored their core beliefs in the Lord? They already agreed on basic principles, but perhaps not on some details of applying them.
Sociologist Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, explains that in many places churches have lost members during the past 50 years, but so have families, clubs, bowling leagues, and many voluntary organizations that expect members to make the effort to get along, to "be of the same mind." Even the politics necessary for public, democratic life has suffered, as people lose the ability to relate to others who aren't totally in agreement with them. How much is lost when we can only agree with ourselves, and like a turtle, draw into our shell!
Lord, give us the grace and flexibility, the patience and love to accept the give-and-take of life together. In Christ, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
编辑进度:
发布时间:
繁體版:
Line:
栏目:
机构:
作者: