9月5日          

標　　題：白白舍去

經　　節：你們白白地得來，也要白白地舍去。（馬太福音十章8節下）

在神的國中沒有守財奴的居所。當我們不情願分享手中的東西時，顯示我們忘記了自己所擁有的財產出自何處。各樣美善的和全備的賞賜，都是從上頭來的，是從眾光之父那裡降下的（雅各書一：17）。我們所領受的一切，都是靠著祂的恩典（哥林多前書四：7）。約伯明確地概述我們的情況：「我赤身出於母胎，也必赤身歸回；賞賜的是耶和華，收取的也是耶和華。耶和華的名是應當稱頌的。」（約伯記一：21）我們很容易會以為，自己所有物的主權在自己的手中，就好像這些東西是我賺得的，所以有權力支配。耶穌提醒我們，要隨時準備白白舍去自己的所有物，而領受東西時也要歡歡喜喜的。能夠把自己所有的東西給別人，是很快樂的事（哥林多後書九：7）。我們應該要成為主傾福的導管，知道自己會散播福氣給周圍的人。我們有時會宣告要成為財產的好管家，實際上，我們卻是很自私的。

如果你心有為難，無法白白舍去，你已經變得重視禮物多於重視那位賜恩者。那個年輕的官讓我們看到，太重視屬世寶藏的悲劇（路加福音八：18∼24）。默想主給你的所有賞賜（約翰福音三：16），決心以奉獻來表達你的感激之情。

Freely Give

"Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8b)

There is no room for misers in God’s kingdom. When we begin to struggle in giving what we have to others, we have forgotten where we received our possessions. Every good thing we have ever received has come from God (James 1:17). All that we have acquired has been dependent upon His grace (1 Cor. 4:7). Job accurately summarized our condition: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, / And naked shall I return there. / The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; / Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

We easily assume a sense of ownership of our possessions, as if they were things we earned ourselves, thereby giving us a right to them. Jesus reminds us to be prepared to give our possessions as freely and joyfully as we received them. It should be a pleasure for us to give what we have to others (2 Cor. 9:7). We ought to be a conduit through whom the Lord can pour His blessings, knowing we will disperse them to everyone around us. Sometimes we claim we are trying to be good stewards of our resources when actually we are being selfish.

If you struggle to give freely to others, you have become more attached to the gift than to the Giver. The account of the rich young ruler shows the tragedy of becoming too attached to worldly treasures (Luke 8:18–24). Meditate on all that your Lord has given to you (John 3:16). Resolve to express your gratitude to Him through your giving.