7月14日 逼迫的賬

只是我告訴你們，不要與惡人作對。有人打你的右臉，連左臉也轉過來由他打。（太五39）

這經文說出作基督徒的謙卑。依常情來說，不還手是懦夫；但在屬靈上，不還手表明有神的兒子在他裡頭。你被侮辱時，不但不要動怒，更要藉這機會表彰神的兒子。你無法模仿耶穌的性情，有就有，沒有就沒有。對一個聖徒來說，個人受辱是表彰主耶穌美妙的機會，這真令人難以置信。

登山寶訓不是——做你當做的，而是——做非你分內的。你本不必走第二裡路，不必轉左臉，但耶穌說若我們是他的門徒，就必須這樣行。我們不該存這樣的心：“唉，我受這樣的冤屈誤會，再也無能為力了。”每次我堅持自己的權益，就傷害了神的兒子；我若接受那一擊，就叫耶穌免受傷害。這正是補滿基督患難缺欠的意思。主的門徒只知道主的榮耀，而非他自己的聲譽，這是系於一生的目標。切勿從他人身上要求正義，自己也不可不去行義。我們往往尋找公義；但登山寶訓卻說不要找公義，要時常施行公義。

祈禱◆主啊，當我想起你的一切美善、奇妙和恩典，讚美和憂慮的心便在我裡面此起彼落。噢，主啊，我所祈求的是：你在我裡面最想尋見的一切，正是我必須在現實生活中實踐出來的東西。

July 14 The Account With Persecution

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39, etc

These verses reveal the humiliation of being a Christian. Naturally, if a man does not hit back, it is because he is a coward; but spiritually if a man does not hit back, it is a manifestation of the Son of God in him. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but make it an occasion to exhibit the Son of God. You cannot imitate the disposition of Jesus; it is either there or it is not. To the saint personal insult becomes the occasion of revealing the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not – Do your duty, but – Do what is not your duty. It is not your duty to go the second mile, to turn the other cheek, but Jesus says if we are His disciples we shall always do these things. There will be no spirit of – “Oh, well, I cannot do any more, I have been so misrepresented and misunderstood.” Every time I insist upon my rights, I hurt the Son of God; whereas I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I take the blow myself. That is the meaning of filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. The disciple realizes that it is his Lord's honour that is at stake in his life, not his own honour.

Never look for right in the other man, but never cease to be right yourself. We are always looking for justice; the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is – Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.