操练怜悯
当我们第一次搬到国外时，一切对我们来说都是不同的——语言、食物、道路、社会规则。在一些简单的事——比如在公共停车场付费也需要别人的帮助，这让人很难为情。我至今不会忘记那个一边笑一边说着印度语帮助我们的好心女士——尽管我们一个字也听不明白，但她的笑容和乐于助人却是极大的礼物。
虽然我们的情况和在埃及的以色列人很不同，但我知道一个需要帮助的外国人的感受。神提醒以色列人记住他们也曾卑微过，这样他们才能理解寄居者在他们中间的感受。
试想一下，那些被逐出家园的难民和离乡背井的移民在陌生的地方会是什么感受啊！
神命令祂的百姓不要压迫外国人、来访者或寄居者，原因很简单，就是压迫会深深地伤害他们。神的百姓要怜悯那些来自异国他乡、需要帮助和款待的人，而不是抵挡和压迫他们。
没有财富和社会地位的人应当受到法律的保护，并得到那些处于权利和影响地位之人的支持。虽然很容易受试探去随大流，但我们作为神的子民，必须以恩典作为向导。
神啊，我们很快就会忘记依赖的感觉。当我们记念我们在基督里接受的恩典时，求祢使我们慷慨地关爱他人，因为我们知道祢慷慨地对待了我们。阿们。
出埃及记 23:1-9
1 “不可随伙布散谣言，不可与恶人连手妄作见证。
2 不可随众行恶，不可在争讼的事上随众偏行，作见证屈枉正直。
3 也不可在争讼的事上偏护穷人。
4 “若遇见你仇敌的牛或驴失迷了路，总要牵回来交给他。
5 若看见恨你人的驴压卧在重驮之下，不可走开，务要和驴主一同抬开重驮。
6 “不可在穷人争讼的事上屈枉正直。
7 当远离虚假的事。不可杀无辜和有义的人，因我必不以恶人为义。
8 不可受贿赂，因为贿赂能叫明眼人变瞎了，又能颠倒义人的话。
9 不可欺压寄居的，因为你们在埃及地做过寄居的，知道寄居的心。
Practicing Empathy
Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt. — Exodus 23:9
When we first moved overseas, everything was different for us—language, food, roads, social rules. It was humbling to need help from others to do something as simple as paying for public parking. I won’t forget the kind woman who helped us and kept smiling and talking in Italian—though we couldn’t understand a word. Her smile and dedication to help were a great gift.
Though our situation is much different from that of Israel in Egypt, I know the feeling of being a foreigner in need of help. God reminded Israel to remember their history of being vulnerable so that they could understand how strangers might feel in their midst.
Consider how refugees driven from their homeland or immigrants who have left their home might feel in a strange place.
God commanded his people not to oppress a foreigner or visitor or stranger for the simple reason that oppression hurts deeply. God’s people were to have empathy for others who came from a foreign land and needed help and hospitality, not opposition or oppression.
People who do not have the power of wealth and social status are to be protected by the law and supported by those who are in positions of power and influence. Tempting as it may be to follow the crowd, our identity as God’s people demands that grace be our guide.
Lord God, we quickly forget what it’s like to be dependent. As we remember the grace we have received in Christ, make us generous to care for others, knowing you have been generous to us. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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