需要忠心使用我们的才能
§1
需要忠心使用我们的才能
§2
The Need of a Faithful Use of Our Talents.
§3
（1893年4月7日星期五上午9:3在纳皮尔帐篷大会上的讲话）{EA 66.1}
§4
Talk given at Napier Camp meeting, Friday, 9:3 a.m.April 7, 1893?{EA 66.1}
§5
“殷勤不可懒惰。要心里火热。常常服侍主”（罗12:11）。{EA 66.2}
§6
“Not slothful in Business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”?{EA 66.2}
§7
我们没能认识到在我们的服务中将上帝事业的神圣性与自我和自私自利混淆的巨大危险性。我们必须向世人宣扬有史以来所赐给人类的最重要的真理。如果我们不在自己的生活中体现真理对我们的重要性，如果我们不让它在我们的品格上发挥决定性的影响，我们就会使真理失效。我们把真理变成了虚谎。如果我们表明真理没有对我们的生活发挥影响，我们就是否认基督，撒了谎。{EA 66.3}
§8
There is great danger of our not realizing the sacredness of the work of the cause of God and of mingling self and self-interests with our service. We have to give to the world the most important truth ever committed to mortals. If we do not show in our lives that the truth is of importance to us, if we do not allow it to have a decided influence upon our own characters, we make it of no effect. We make the truth a lie. In giving evidence that the truth has no power over our lives, we deny Christ and make it a lie.?{EA 66.3}
§9
（392）澳大利亚机构各个岗位的一些工人表现出这种精神。有些人深怕纠正现存的弊端会让这些工人退出工作。我们绝不可如此为工作担忧。有一次，孩子们对基督表现出以色列的领袖所拒绝给祂的敬意，祂就说：“若是他们闭口不说，这些石头必要呼叫起来”（路9:40）。上帝不依赖任何人。当未曾献身的人充任负责的岗位，没有正确地表现真理时，上帝的工作就会毁在他们手中。他们不是在维护，而是抵挡上帝的圣工。决不能让这些人染指工作，因为他们不单单会给工作留下缺陷和沮丧的印象，还会破坏为更好的工人所开辟的园地。{EA 66.4}
§10
(392) This spirit characterized some of the workers occupying various positions in the office in Australia. Some felt that they dared not correct the evil that existed, lest these workers should drop out of the work. We should never fear for the work in this way. Christ said on one occasion when children paid him the homage that the leaders in Israel refused to give him, “If these should hold their peace, the very stones would cry out.” God is not dependent upon any man. When in responsible positions are unconsecrated, and do not correctly represent the truth, the work of God is marred in their hands; they work against the cause of God, rather than for it. It is better that such men should not put their hands to the work at all; for they not only place upon it the mark of imperfection and discouragement, but they spoil the field for better workmen.?{EA 66.4}
§11
“我还有末了的话，你们要靠着主，倚赖祂的大能大力，作刚强的人。要穿戴上帝所赐的全副军装，就能抵挡魔鬼的诡计。因我们并不是与属血气的争战，乃是与那些执政的，掌权的，管辖这幽暗世界的，以及天空属灵气的恶魔争战”（弗6:10-12）。{EA 66.5}
§12
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”?{EA 66.5}
§13
（394）若是不穿军装，就无法真正完善地工作。如果你全副武装，成功就会伴随你的努力。每个人的工作都见证基督在人心中的恩典，才会有最好的成果。要将恒心、热心、克己和自我牺牲带到人心里。要效法基督耶稣的榜样。值得去做的事，就值得去做好。不要将不信之念带到你工作的任何方面，因为你是传播真理的人。你的忠于职守关系到他人的灵魂。要把自己献给基督。经过基督之灵重塑的工人将持有神圣的凭证。{EA 66.6}
§14
(394) No man can work with true integrity without the armor on. When you have on the whole armor, success will attend your efforts. It is of the greatest consequence that every man’s work shall testify of the grace of Christ upon the human heart. Perseverance, earnestness, self-denial and self-sacrifice, must be brought into it. There must be a copying of the pattern, Christ Jesus. The thing that is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Do not let a particle of unfaithfulness come into any part of your work; for you are the human agents to carry the truth; and human souls are dependent on your faithfulness to duty. Give yourselves to Christ. The worker who is renewed by the Spirit of Christ will bear the divine credentials.?{EA 66.6}
§15
这个国家没有赋予时间与金钱以真正的价值。人们似乎没能认识到需要殷勤珍惜每一刻，没能感受到时间的价值。你们所拥有的许多假期，在我看来反而带来了消沉的影响。许多人觉得自己理应得到这么多享受和娱乐的时间。普遍存在随便浪费时间的现象。不是每一个人都会“殷勤不可懒惰。要心里火热。常常服侍主”（罗12:11）。{EA 66.7}
§16
In this country a true value is not placed on the talents of time and money. People seem to have no idea of the need of diligently treasuring the moments, no sense of the value of time. The many holidays that you have, have been represented to me as demoralizing in their influence. Many feel that they must have just so much time for pleasure and amusements. A reckless waste of time means prevails. Not everyone has been “diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving of the Lord.”?{EA 66.7}
§17
（395）基督的恩典能克服这种疏忽。你们就像比喻中那些无所事事的人。主说：“你们为什么整天在这里闲站呢”（太20:6）？要是你愿意得到提升，上帝的工作会提升你的。{EA 66.8}
§18
(395) This negligence can be overcome through the grace of Christ. To you as to the men in the parable who seemed to have nothing to do, the Master says, “Why stand ye all the day idle.” The work of God will elevate you, if you wish to be elevated.?{EA 66.8}
§19
我已经六十六岁了，但我一般依然在凌晨四点或四点半写作。我认识到上帝圣言的各个题目都很重要。每当我看到有人需要帮助时，我就会不遗余力地去帮助他们，鼓励他们保持忠心。过去这一年，除了旅行和演讲，我写了2500页文字。我视上帝的话如金子，我必须把传给我的真理传播给他人。{EA 66.9}
§20
I have entered my sixty-sixth year, but I am generally writing at 4?or 4:30 in the morning. I feel that every subject in the word of God is of vast importance, and when I realize that certain ones need help I dare leave nothing undone on my part to give them help, and urge them to be faithful. This past year besides traveling and speaking to the people, I have written 2500 pages. I treasure the truths of God’s word as gold, and I must communicate these truths to others, as they have been communicated to me.?{EA 66.9}
§21
你也许会说：“哦，我的工作不像你的那么重要。”每个人的工作都是重要的。上帝希望你在自己的职责中发挥特别的作用，像我一样。若有必要，你就是从事体力劳动中，无疑也是在做上帝的工作，就像对别人宣讲圣经一样。“人在最小的事上忠心，在大事上也忠心”（路16:10）。认识到上帝关注着最小的事情，(396) 应成为我们最大的满足。从一台大机器里拿掉几根钉子，看看其后果。我知道有一次一位工人在他所用的锯里少放了一枚钉子。开动机器的时候，锯就来回晃动，结果一个工人失去了一个手臂。我们是在神圣的上帝和天使的关注下工作，唯有做好工作，才能得到上天的认可。工作懒散，就会被天使记为不忠心的工作。{EA 67.1}
§22
“Oh” you may say, “my work is not so important as yours.” Every man’s work is important. God expects you to be as particular in your lines of duty as I am in mine. You are just as surely doing the work of God in engaging in physical labor, if this is necessary, as in opening the Scriptures to others. “He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.” It should be of the highest satisfaction (396) to us to know that even the little things are noticed by God. Take some of the small pins out of a large machine, and watch the result. I know of an instance where a workman failed to put into a saw upon which he was working only one little pin. When the machine was set in operation, the saw flew hither and thither, and as a result one man was deprived of a limb. We are working in sight of heavenly angels and a holy God, and only by doing our work well will we meet the approval of heaven. Work negligently done, the angels record as unfaithful work.?{EA 67.1}
§23
马虎的工人可能到哪里都不受欢迎。越早解雇但这样的工人，对他本人和对圣工就越有利，因为他的行为会让人以为低效率的工作是行得通的。如果我们的机构和任何工作部门里有不思进取的人，那就解雇他们，聘请愿意尽心工作的人。不能允许以自己的意愿和方式工作的人加入圣工。{EA 67.2}
§24
The slipshod worker may expect dearth wherever he goes, and the sooner such a one is dismissed from the work, the better will it be for him and for the cause; for by his actions he educates others to think that inefficient work will be accepted. If there are those engaged in our offices or in any department of the work, who have no desire to improve, dismiss them, and employ those who are willing to do their best. No man should enter the work with the idea of carrying out his own will and way.?{EA 67.2}
§25
很多人觉得自己有权享受，他们已习惯于过着几近花光财富的日子(397)。上帝希望人能在这方面做得更好。如果你节省时间，加上勤勉，就算是穷人，也能有所积蓄。我十二岁的时候就懂得节省了。我和姐姐学了一样手艺。虽然我们每天只能赚一先令，但我们有了为上帝圣工储蓄资金的能力。我们渐渐攒到了六英镑。当主快要来的消息传到我们这里，带着募集人力和资金的召唤时，我们自豪地把这六英镑交给了父亲，请他把钱投给传单和书籍事工，把信息传扬给黑暗之中的人。{EA 67.3}
§26
Many think that they must indulge in this pleasure and that They accustom themselves to live up to the last edge of (397) their means. God wants men and women to do better in this respect. If you economize your time, and are industrious, you can, even if poor, save a little. When I was only twelve years old I knew what it was to economize. With my sister I learned a trade, and although we could earn only a shilling a day, we were able to save a little means for the cause of God. We saved a little at a time until we had six pounds. Then when the message of the Lord’s soon coming came to us, with a call for men and means, we felt it a privilege to hand over the six pounds to father, telling him to invest it in tracts and publications to send the message to those who were in darkness.?{EA 67.3}
§27
上帝希望我们尽心尽力。我们训练自己满足于吃和穿是得罪我们自己的。要教育父母们勤劳，单单仰望上帝的荣耀。如果我们在使用时间和金钱方面没有良好的判断，就会与不懂得节约的人商量。我在十二岁的时候起就开始赚自己的衣服了。我通常把钱交给妈妈说：“帮我们购买，除了我们的衣服之外，还捐给传道的事工。(398)”她就这样做了，从而鼓励我们传道的精神。凡参与圣工的人都有责任学习节约时间和金钱。放纵惰性的人根本就不重视交托给人类的最光荣的真理，就是天使也愿意详细察看的真理。{EA 67.4}
§28
God wants us to do our best. It is a sin against our own selves when we educate ourselves to be satisfied with something to east and something to wear. Parents need to be educated to industry, and to work with an eye single to the glory of God. If you have not good judgment in the use of time and money, advise with someone who knows how to economize. I earned my own clothes from the time I was twelve years old. We used to hand our money to mother, and say, “Buy, so that after we have paid for our clothing we may have something to give for (398) missionary work. And she would do so, and thus encourage in us a missionary spirit. It is the duty of all who touch the work of God to learn economy in the use of time and money. Those who indulge in idleness attach little importance to the most glorious truths ever committed to mortals—truths that the angels desire to look into.?{EA 67.4}
§29
男女青年们，你们没有时间可以浪费了。要努力找寻坚实的材料来建造自己的品格。你们要把那一千银子用起来。主对不肯使用银子的人说：“夺过他这一千来，把这无用的仆人，丢在外面黑暗里”（太25:28、30）。我们恳劝你们要为基督的缘故尽忠。要弥补失去的光阴，每天献身侍奉上帝。这样，你必发现自己没有必要在闲懒中浪费许多的假日，也不会花许多钱来自我满足了。{EA 67.5}
§30
Young men and women, you have no time to lose. Seek earnestly to bring solid timbers into your character building. You are expected to use that one talent. To the one who refused to use his talent the Lord said, “Take the talent from him, and cast ye the profitable servant into outer?darkness.” We beseech you for Christ’s sake to be faithful. Seek to redeem the time. Consecrate yourselves every day to the service of God, and you will find that you do not need so many holidays to spend in idleness, or so much money for the gratification of self.?{EA 67.5}
§31
要不住地祷告；主会听痛悔之心的祷告。要重提主的应许：“你们祈求，就给你们。寻找，就寻见。叩门，就给你们开门”（太7:7）。当你完全降服于上帝时，(399) 祂就会赐给你最宝贵的思想。上帝的天使就会与你合作。上帝的灵就会赐给你当说的话，以便感动人的心，接触人的灵。撒但想要夺去他们。主说：“凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式，这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的”（太11:28-30）。这是有福的邀请——把我们的困惑放在耶稣脚前，安息在祂的爱里。上天正在观察那些努力改进，按照基督的形像纯炼的人。人一旦顺服基督，圣灵就会为他做一切事情。{EA 68.1}
§32
Do not cease to pray; the Lord will hear the prayer of the contrite heart. Repeat the promise, “Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. When you make an entire surrender to God, he (399) will give you most precious thoughts, and angels of God will cooperate with you. The spirit of God will give you words to say, that will touch hearts, and souls will be reached. Satan has a desire to save them. “Come unto me,” He says, “all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. This is a blessed invitation—to lay our perplexities at the feet of Jesus and to rest in His love. Heaven is watching those who are seeking to improve, and to become refined after Christ’s likeness. When the human instrument submits to Christ, the Holy Spirit will do everything for him.?{EA 68.1}
§33
我们如何才能学会得胜，在恩典里成长呢？——通过对付障碍。铁匠的臂力因挥舞沉重的大锤而变得强大。因此你需要进行属灵上的锻炼，以获得属灵上的精力与体力。越是磨练你的智力和灵力，它们就变得越强大。每一次新的属灵锻炼都能给品格加一分坚固。(400)基督面对磨难时并没有沮丧。圣经说：“祂不灰心，也不丧胆”（赛42:4）。祂对你说：“凡跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走”（约8:12）。“应当趁着有光行走”（约12:35）。{EA 68.2}
§34
How shall we learn to overcome, and grow in grace?—By meeting obstacles. It is by wielding the heavy sledge that the blacksmith’s muscles become powerful. So you need to exercise yourselves spiritually in order to have spiritual sinew and muscle. The more you test your mental and spiritual powers, the stronger those powers will become. Every fresh spiritual exercise will give solidity to the character. When difficulties (400) confronted Christ He did not become discouraged. It was said of Him, “He will not fail nor become discouraged.” He says to you, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.” “Walk in the light while ye have the light.”?{EA 68.2}
§35
如果我们充分运用自己的才能，上帝的灵就必不断引导我们发挥更大的效能。主对那些忠心运用自己才能的人说：“好，你这又良善，又忠心的仆人，你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把许多事派你管理，可以进来享受你主人的快乐”（太25:23）。主原来指望那领了一千两银子的人也能尽到自己的责任。如果他经营了他主人的货物，主原会使他的银子增多。{EA 68.3}
§36
If we make the best use of our talents, the Spirit of God will continually lead us to greater efficiency. To the man who had faithfully traded with his ten talents, the Lord said, “Well, thou good servant; because thou has been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” The one talented man was expected to do his best also. Had he traded with his Lord’s goods, the Lord would have multiplied the one talent.?{EA 68.3}
§37
经上记载，上帝“按着各人的才干”（太25:15）指派每一个人工作。祂已权衡我们的才干，知道我们能承担什么样的担子。忠心的人将奉命担负更大的责任。如果他忠于职守，主便对他说，我要交给他更多的工作。他就是这样靠着上帝的恩典成长，满有基督耶稣长成的身量。{EA 68.4}
§38
“To every man his work, according to his several ability,” the record states. God has the measure of our ability, and knows just what work to lay upon us. Of the one who is found faithful the command is given, Entrust him with greater responsibility. If he proves faithful to that trust the word is given again, Trust him with still more. Thus through the grace of God he grows to the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus.?{EA 68.4}
§39
有多少话可以对年轻人说。(401)他们在节约与克己方面有多少可以改进的方式。我们不知道上帝有多少工作摆在我们面前。我们应乐意全心投入圣工。我们如果自己都没有投身工作，就无法指望得到天上生灵的合作。最后能听到主对我们说“好”，是值得付出任何代价的。但这个“好”字是只对做得好的人说的。{EA 68.5}
§40
How much might be said to the young people. How many ways (401) they might improve in lines of economy and self-denial. We do not know how much God has before us. We should be willing to put our whole heart into the work. We cannot expect the heavenly agencies to cooperate with our efforts unless we place ourselves in line. It will be worth everything to us to hear the words, “Well done,” said to us at last. And to those only who have well done will the well done be spoken.?{EA 68.5}