6月17日──「寬恕」的球杆 Forgiving Clubs

金　　句：「倘若他一天七次得罪，又七次迴轉，說：「我懊悔了」，你總要饒恕他。」（路加福音17章4節）

If he sins against you seven times in a day, and . . . returns to you, saying, "I repent," you shall forgive him. --Luke 17:4


全年讀經：列王記上8-10章 (I King 8-10)

如果打高爾夫球，你就知道用球杆頭的擊球面去擊球是多麼地重要。但最新式的球杆的要求就不是那麼高。鑲金屬的木質杆頭，輕如羽毛的桿子以及背部空心的杆身，都擴大了所謂球杆的「甜蜜部位」。因此現在不論是用球杆頭的跟或尖擊球，都可以使球飛得相當遠。

If you play golf, you know how important it is to hit the ball at just the right spot on the club face. The newest clubs, however, are more forgiving. The metal-head woods, the featherweight clubs, and the hollow back irons have expanded what is often referred to as the "sweet spot" on the club. Now it is possible to hit the ball on the heel or the toe of the club and still get good distance.

將高爾夫球杆製成具有大而好用的「甜蜜部位」的構想，使我想到基督應當如何相處的問題。我們不應象老式不好用的球杆那樣，要求近乎完美的擊球技術，而要象新式球杆，對擊球者的錯誤寬大為懷。我們也應有寬大的「甜蜜部位」，以便有能力去饒恕在基督裡悔改的弟兄姊妹（路加福音17章4節）。

The idea of a golf club that has a large and forgiving "sweet spot" reminds me of how Christians should respond to one another. Instead of being like the old, unforgiving club that required near-perfect performance, we should be like the new clubs that are generous with the faults of the golfer. We should have a large "sweet spot" that provides plenty of room to forgive any repentant brother or sister in Christ (Lk. 17:4).


這就是耶穌為我們所設定的待人方式。事實上，他來到世上是為了救贖我們的罪而死，並藉著他的所言所行來昭示我們饒恕的真正意義是什麼。他在世之日，直至在十字架上，他饒恕了所有以信仰呼喊他的人，我們應當學他的榜樣。我們自己需要饒恕，並得到來了上帝的饒恕，我們又為什麼不能比別人更加寬恕為懷呢？

That's the pattern the Lord Jesus set for us. In fact, He came to earth to die for our sins and to show us, by what He said and did, what forgiveness really means. During His life, and even on the cross, He forgave all who called to Him in faith. We should follow His example. Who should be more forgiving than those of us who have needed and experienced so much forgiveness ourselves?

寬恕是上帝所賜的禮物，
我們應當向四週分送；
送給悔改的人，
不論他在哪裡。

Forgiveness--it's a gift from God
That we should spread around;
So give it to repentant ones
Wherever they are found.

基督不停地饒恕我們，我們又怎能停止饒恕別人。

We can stop forgiving others only if Christ stops forgiving us.