「親愛的弟兄,不要自己伸冤。」(聖經羅馬書十二章 19 節)
很多時侯,靜比動更費力,靜是力的最高效能。
對於那些毫無根據的最惡最毒的控告,主始終「什麼都不回答……連一句話也不說」,以至審判官都覺得希奇。對於那些無理的侮辱、不堪的虐待和嘲笑,連旁人都會激起忿怒,可是主始終鎮靜。祂大有能力,才能不動。凡曾受過冤枉、毀謗、虐待的,都知道維持鎮靜,需要何等大的力量。
使徒保羅說:「沒有一件東西可以搖動我」。(聖經使徒行傳二十章 24 節)
他不是說:「沒有一件東西可以傷害你。傷害每一件事,搖動又是一件事。使徒保羅的心很仁慈,我們沒有讀過有什麼使徒曾像使徒保羅那樣痛哭過。一個男子痛哭是不容易的一件事。雖然保羅的心很仁慈、很溫柔,但是卻沒有一件東西可以搖動他。他的看法和我們的看法不同,他不貪求安適,他不以性命為念。他所貪求的只有一件,就是對主至死忠心,要得主的喜悅。--濮登(Margaret Bottome)
「悶」是含冤的結果;是很令人感到難受的,但是我們能不能把它發洩出來呢?「親愛的弟兄,不要自己伸冤。」因為宇宙中惟一的審判官是神。
人批評你、毀謗你,主並沒有信以為真,所以算不得數。人攻擊你、傷害你,公義的神並沒有認為合法,祂決不會讓你白白受苦,也不會漏過他們的惡行的。人雖然反對你,但是天地之主讚揚你,這有何妨呢?親愛的弟兄,如果你信神的公義,你的悶就會消去,你便會不思伸冤了。 ── 選
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“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves.” (Rom. 12:19.)
THERE are seasons when to be still demands immeasurably higher strength than to act. Composure is often the highest result of power.
To the vilest and most deadly charges Jesus responded with deep, unbroken silence, such as excited the wonder of the judge and the spectators. To the grossest insults, the most violent ill-treatment and mockery that might well bring indignation into the feeblest heart, He responded with voiceless complacent calmness. Those who are unjustly accused, and causelessly ill-treated know what tremendous strength is necessary to keep silence to God.
St. Paul said, “None of these things move me.”
“Men may misjudge thy aim, Think they have cause to blame, Say, thou art wrong; Keep on thy quiet way, Christ is the Judge, not they, Fear not, be strong.”
He did not say, none of these thing hurt me. It is one thing to be hurt, and quite another to be moved. St. Paul had a very tender heart. We do not read of any apostle who cried as St. Paul did. It takes a strong man to cry. Jesus wept, and He was the manliest Man that ever lived. So it does not say, none of these things hurt me. But the apostle had determined not to move from what he believed was right. He did not count as we are apt to count; he did not care for ease; he did not care for this mortal life. He cared for only one thing, and that was to be loyal to Christ, to have His smile. To St. Paul, more than to any other man, His work was wages, His smile was Heaven. --- Margaret Bottome.
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