八月二十一日

滋潤人的，必得滋潤。（箴11：25）

我們在這裏要學一個大功課：我們要得，必先予；要聚，必先散；要自己快樂，必先使人快樂；要自己的靈性强健，必先幫助別人的靈性；我們澆灌別人，自己也得了澆灌。這是怎樣一回事呢？我們努力使自己有用，結果便有能力有用了。我們蘊蓄著的天才和才能必須藉運用才發揮無餘。我們工作的力量是潜隱著的，連自己也不知道，但到我們爲主爭戰，或攀登艱難山的時候才發現出來。我們不知道自已有惠人的同情心，但到我們擦去寡婦的眼泪，解去孤兒的苦情時就知道了。我們常發現在要教訓人的時候，自己反得了教訓。我們有多少人曾在病榻上學得了寶貴的教訓！當我們以經言教導人的時候，常是面紅耳赤，因爲感到自己所知道的太少了。在我們與軟弱的聖徒對談時，自己反而更清楚地知道神的旨意，更深刻地認識神的真道，因此當澆灌別人的時候，自己便會謙卑。我們發現自己還有許多恩典未曾得到；許多軟弱的聖徒反而在知識上超過了我們。在我們爲別人工作的時候也能加增自己的安慰，我們要使他們快樂，而那安慰反使我們的心暢快起來。正像冰天雪裏兩位游客一樣，這個用力扶著那個的手，免得他凍死，誰知這樣一來自己的血反而大大流動起來，因而救了自己的命。撒勒法的窮寡婦把她僅有的食物給先知吃，而從那時起她便毫無所缺。給人才有人給你，且必連搖帶按、上尖下流地給你。

August 21

"He that watereth shall be watered also himself." -- Proverbs 11:25

We are here taught the great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the spiritual good of others. In watering others, we are ourselves watered. How? Our efforts to be useful, bring out our powers for usefulness. We have latent talents and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise. Our strength for labour is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to fight the Lord's battles, or to climb the mountains of difficulty. We do not know what tender sympathies we possess until we try to dry the widow's tears, and soothe the orphan's grief. We often find in attempting to teach others, that we gain instruction for ourselves. Oh, what gracious lessons some of us have learned at sick beds! We went to teach the Scriptures, we came away blushing that we knew so little of them. In our converse with poor saints, we are taught the way of God more perfectly for ourselves and get a deeper insight into divine truth. So that watering others makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked for it; and how much the poor saint may outstrip us in knowledge. Our own comfort is also increased by our working for others. We endeavour to cheer them, and the consolation gladdens our own heart. Like the two men in the snow; one chafed the other's limbs to keep him from dying, and in so doing kept his own blood in circulation, and saved his own life. The poor widow of Sarepta gave from her scanty store a supply for the prophet's wants, and from that day she never again knew what want was. Give then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running over.