第24章 穷人行善
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第24章 穷人行善
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Chap. 24 - Poor to Exercise Benevolence
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不在数量，而在于爱心的激励——不可剥夺穷人捐献的权利。他们也可与富人一样，在这工作上有份。基督在穷寡妇的两个小钱上给我们的教训，使我们知道穷人乐意捐献的最小数目，只要本着爱心献上，同富人所捐最大宗的款项一样蒙主悦纳。在圣所的天平里，穷人出于爱基督之心所作的捐献，不是按其捐款的数量，乃是按那激发牺牲的爱心而估价的。—《评论与通讯》, 1907.10.10 {WM 203.1}[1]
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Not the Amount, but the Prompting Love.--The poor are not excluded from the privilege of giving. They, as well as the wealthy, may act a part in this work. The lesson that Christ gave in regard to the widows two mites shows us that the smallest willing offerings of the poor, if given from a heart of love, are as acceptable as the largest donations of the rich. In the balances of the sanctuary the gifts of the poor, made from love of Christ, are estimated, not according to the amount given but according to the love which prompts the sacrifice.--Review and Herald, Oct. 10, 1907. {WM 203.1}[1]
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也要求穷人作出牺牲——有些在今世的财物上贫穷的人，易于把那率直的证言全部加在有财产的人身上。然而他们没有认识到，他们也有一项工作要做。上帝要他们做出一项牺牲。—《评论与通讯》, 1871.4.18 {WM 203.2}[2]
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Sacrifice Also Required of the Poor.--Some who are poor in this worlds goods are apt to place all the straight testimony upon the shoulders of the men of property. But they do not realize that they also have a work to do. God requires them to make a sacrifice.-- Ibid., April 18, 1871. {WM 203.2}[2]
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她做了力所能及的——救主叫门徒到跟前来，请他们注意这寡妇的贫穷。于是祂称赞的话就落到寡妇的耳中：“我实在告诉你们，这穷寡妇投入库里的，比众人所投的更多。”当寡妇觉得自己的作为受人同情和赏识的时候，快乐的热泪不禁夺眶而出。许多人劝她把这一点点的钱留为己用，况且这一点钱放在肥头胖耳的祭司手中，又与许多投入银库的大宗捐款混合起来，根本无足轻重。但是耶稣明白她的动机。这妇人相信圣殿的崇拜是上帝所指定的，所以极愿尽她的力量来维持它。她已经尽到她所能的，所以这一件事要世世代代作为她的纪念，并在来生作她永远的喜乐。她的心和她的礼物一起献上了，其价值并不在乎钱的多少，而在乎激励她这种行为的爱上帝并关怀祂圣工的心。{WM 203.3}[3]
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She Did What She Could.--The Saviour called His disciples to Him and bade them mark the widows poverty. Then His words of commendation fell upon her ear: Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she felt that her act was understood and appreciated. Many would have advised her to keep her pittance for her own use. Given into the hands of the well-fed priests, it would be lost sight of among the many costly gifts brought to the treasury. But Jesus understood her motive. She believed the service of the temple to be of Gods appointment, and she was anxious to do her utmost to sustain it. She did what she could, and her act was to be a monument to her memory through all time, and her joy in eternity. Her heart went with her gift; its value was estimated, not by the worth of the coin, but by the love to God and the interest in His work that had prompted the deed. {WM 203.3}[3]
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耶稣论到这穷寡妇说，她“投入库里的，比众人所投的更多。”财主是拿自己多余的钱财捐上，其中有许多是要人看见，受人尊敬。他们的大宗捐款并没有使他们失去一点的享乐，连他们的奢侈生活也没有受一点影响，根本谈不到牺牲，所以他们捐款的价值决不能与寡妇的小钱同日而语。{WM 204.1}[4]
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Jesus said of the poor widow, She hath cast in more than they all. The rich had bestowed from their abundance, many of them to be seen and honored by men. Their large donations had deprived them of no comfort, or even luxury; they had required no sacrifice, and could not be compared in value with the widows mite. {WM 204.1}[4]
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我们的动机决定我们行为的本质，说明它是卑鄙的或是高尚的。上帝并不以那些众目所睹，众口所赞的大事为最有价值。人甘心乐意尽到的种种小义务，不令人注意的微小奉献，在人看来或许不算什么，但在上帝的眼中往往是最有价值的。一颗信实仁爱的心，比最贵重的捐献更为上帝所重视。穷寡妇为要献上那么一点捐款，已经拿出她所有的生活费。为要将那两个小钱献给她所爱的圣工，她竟牺牲了自己的饮食。她凭着信心去作，笃信天父不会忽略她迫切的需要。使她得到救主称赞的，乃是这一种无私的精神和赤诚的信心。{WM 204.2}[5]
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It is the motive that gives character to our acts, stamping them with ignominy or with high moral worth. Not the great things which every eye sees and every tongue praises does God account most precious. The little duties cheerfully done, the little gifts which make no show, and which to human eyes may appear worthless, often stand highest in His sight. A heart of faith and love is dearer to God than the most costly gift. The poor widow gave her living to do the little that she did. She deprived herself of food in order to give those two mites to the cause she loved. And she did it in faith, believing that her heavenly Father would not overlook her great need. It was this unselfish spirit and childlike faith that won the Saviours commendation. {WM 204.2}[5]
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在穷人之中有许多因领受上帝的恩典和真理，而渴望向祂表示感激。他们极愿与他们更富裕的弟兄们共同维持上帝的圣工。谁都不应该拒绝这样的人。务要让他们把自己的小钱积蓄在天国的银库里。如果他们所奉献的是出于一颗充满爱上帝的心，那么，这区区之数就必成为神圣的奉献和无价的供物，是上帝所喜悦所重看的。——《历代愿望》614-616页. {WM 204.3}[6]
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Among the poor there are many who long to show their gratitude to God for His grace and truth. They greatly desire to share with their more prosperous brethren in sustaining His service. These souls should not be repulsed. Let them lay up their mites in the bank of heaven. If given from a heart filled with love for God, these seeming trifles become consecrated gifts, priceless offerings, which God smiles upon and blesses. --The Desire of Ages, pp. 614-616. {WM 204.3}[6]
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马其顿教会的回应——保罗写信给哥林多的教会说：“弟兄们，我把上帝赐给马其顿众教会的恩告诉你们，就是他们在患难中受大试炼的时候，仍有满足的快乐；在极穷之间，还格外显出他们乐捐的厚恩。我可以证明；他们是按着力量，而且也过了力量，自己甘心乐意地捐助，再三地求我们，准他们在这供给圣徒的恩情上有份。并且他们所作的，不但照我们所想望的，更照上帝的旨意，先把自己献给主，又归附了我们。因此我劝提多，既然在你们中间开办这慈惠的事，就当办成了”（林后8:1-6）。{WM 205.1}[7]
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How the Macedonian Church Responded.--Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. {WM 205.1}[7]
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耶路撒冷曾遭过饥荒，保罗知道有许多基督徒已经四散各处，而仍留在那里的人，难免不能得到人的同情，并遭受宗教上的仇恨；因此，他劝各处教会对耶路撒冷的弟兄们给予经济上的援助。各地教会所筹的捐款，多过使徒们所预期的数量。信徒们受了基督之爱的激励，慷慨捐助，并且心中充满了喜乐，因为他们可以藉此表示他们对救赎主的感谢和对弟兄的爱心。照着上帝的圣言，如此才是慈善的真实原理。——《证言》卷六 271，272页. {WM 205.2}[8]
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There had been a famine at Jerusalem, and Paul knew that many of the Christians had been scattered abroad, and that those who remained would be likely to be deprived of human sympathy and exposed to religious enmity. Therefore he exhorted the churches to send pecuniary assistance to their brethren in Jerusalem. The amount raised by the churches exceeded the expectation of the apostles. Constrained by the love of Christ, the believers gave liberally, and they were filled with joy because they should thus express their gratitude to the Redeemer and their love for the brethren. This is the true basis of charity according to Gods Word.--Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 271, 272. {WM 205.2}[8]
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按照我们受托的才干——论到马其顿的教会我们读到：“他们在患难中受大试炼的时候，仍有满足的快乐，在极穷之间还格外显出他们乐捐的厚恩”（林后8:2）。这样，我们自称基督徒的人岂可因为自己是穷人就以为有理由不为真理做任何事吗？我们视宝贵的真理亮光为一种难以形容的无尽宝藏。我们无论贫穷、高低、有无学问，都要发挥一种与我们受托的才干相称的感化力。我们是耶稣基督的仆人，主希望我们竭尽全力。—《评论与通讯》, 1894.9.4 {WM 205.3}[9]
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According to Our Entrusted Talents.--Of the church in Macedonia we read that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. Then, shall any of us who profess to be Christians think that we shall be excused in doing nothing for the truth because we are poor? We regard the precious light of truth as an inexpressible, inexhaustible treasure. We are to exert an influence in proportion to our entrusted talents, be we rich or poor, high or low, ignorant or learned. We are servants of Jesus Christ, and the Lord expects us to do our best.--Review and Herald, Sept. 4, 1894. {WM 205.3}[9]
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不要否认所赐的福气——基督的传道人有责任教导各教会慷慨捐助。就是穷人也有向上帝奉献的义务。他们应在克已帮助那些比他们更需要的人上与基督的恩惠有份。为什么不让贫穷的圣徒享受帮助更贫穷者的福气呢？在这些方面教导人们的工作一直被忽视了，各教会没有帮助更贫穷教会的需要，从而使主扣留了他们原应得到的福气，他们若不认识到自己的疏忽，这些福气仍会扣留着。—《评论与通讯》, 1894.9.4 {WM 206.1}[10]
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Not to Be Denied the Blessing of Giving.--A responsibility rests upon the ministers of Christ to educate the churches to be liberal. Even the poor are to have a part in presenting their offerings to God. They are to be sharers of the grace of Christ in denying self to help those whose need is more pressing than their own. Why should the poor saints be denied the blessing of giving to aid those who are still poorer than themselves? The work of educating the people along these lines has been neglected, and the churches have failed to give for the necessity of poorer churches, and thus the blessing has been withheld that should have been theirs, and will be withheld until they shall have a realizing sense of their neglect.--Review and Herald, Sept. 4, 1894. {WM 206.1}[10]