9月18日         

標　　題：神聖的潛力

經　　節：掃羅到了耶路撒冷，想與門徒結交，他們卻都怕他，不信他是門徒。惟有巴拿巴接待他，領去見使徒。（使徒行傳九章26∼27節上）

只有神知道每個信徒的潛力。我們可以推斷神可能在某人身上的作為，但是，我們沒有任何方法可以確定。我們看的是外觀和行為，然而，神看的是內心（撒母耳記上十六：7）。

使徒懷疑一些公開宣稱自己是基督徒的人。大數的掃羅似乎是最不可能獻身成為耶穌的跟隨者，他曾經是基督教最大的敵人之一，甚至監督謀殺司提反（使徒行傳七：58∼60）。當保羅突然表示要認識基督教運動的領袖們，使徒們懷疑保羅的動機和悔改信主，那是很自然的事。雖然使徒們不願認同保羅，但巴拿巴卻願意往好處想，他冒自己生命的危險為保羅辯護。

你可能與保羅感同身受。你也許看起來不太可能像是委身的基督徒。神也許在你的身邊安排一位基督徒，幫助你培養信心。感謝天父差遣一些人，在眾人都懷疑你時，他們相信神能在你身上成就大事！

你目前的立場也許與使徒一樣。你周圍有些人雖然自稱是基督徒，但是你對他們實在沒信心。要放心，如果神能夠改變那驕傲的謀殺者保羅，成為歷史上最偉大的聖徒之一，祂同樣也可以救贖你周圍的人。不要放棄任何一位基督徒夥伴。觀看神在他們身上的作為，然後添加祂的計畫。能夠像巴拿巴一樣，投資在一位基督徒夥伴的身上，是何等地榮幸。這是門徒訓練的目的。

Divine Potential

And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. (Acts 9:26-27)

Only God knows the potential of each believer. We can project what we think God might do in someone’s life, but we have no way of knowing. We see only outward appearances and behavior, whereas God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

The apostles were skeptical of some who professed to be Christians. No one seemed more unlikely to become a dedicated follower of Jesus than Saul of Tarsus. He had been one of Christianity’s greatest enemies, even overseeing the murder of Stephen (Acts 7:58–60). When Paul suddenly expressed an interest in knowing the leaders of the Christian movement, it was natural for the apostles to suspect devious motives and to doubt his conversion. Nevertheless, despite the apostles’ reluctance, Barnabas assumed the best in Paul and risked his own life to be Paul’s advocate.

You may identify with Paul. Perhaps you were an improbable candidate to be a committed Christian. It may be that God placed a Christian friend beside you to help you develop your faith. Thank the Father for those He has sent to you who believed in what God could do in you, even when others doubted.

Perhaps you stand with the apostles. There may be some around you in whom you have little confidence, though they claim to be Christians. Be assured that if God could turn the proud and murderous Saul into one of the greatest saints in history, He is equally capable of redeeming those around you. Don’t give up on your fellow believers. Look to see where God is working in their lives, then join Him. It is a great privilege to be like Barnabas and to invest in the life of a fellow Christian. This is the purpose of discipleship.