StrengthforToday|操練謙卑PracticalHumility

Practical Humility 操練謙卑

“Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men” (Philippians 4:5).

“當叫眾人知道你們謙讓的心。”（腓立比書4：5）

Real humility will have a forbearance that is gracious toward others and content with its own circumstances.

真正的謙卑是對他人慷慨並滿足於自己所有的謙讓。

Some Greek words have various meanings that are hard to translate into just one English word. This is true of “forbearing” in today’s verse. It can refer to contentment, gentleness, generosity, or goodwill toward others. Some commentators say it means having leniency toward the faults and failures of others. Other scholars say it denotes someone who is patient and submissive toward injustice and mistreatment—one who doesn’t lash back in angry bitterness. It reminds us very much of what we have been considering for the past week—humility.

一些希臘詞彙有多種含義，很難翻譯成一個簡單的英文單詞。今天經文中的“謙讓”就是如此。它可以指滿足、溫柔、大方、或對他人友好。一些註釋者說它表示寬容他人的失敗和錯誤。其他學者們說它指在不公和虐待面前顯出忍耐和順從—這個人不會對怒氣衝衝的怨恨進行反擊。這讓我們想到很多上週所討論的話題—謙卑。

The humble believer trusts God and does not hold a grudge even though others have unfairly treated him, harmed him, or ruined his reputation. Such a person does not demand his rights. Instead, he will pattern his behavior after his Lord Jesus, who in supreme humility manifested God’s grace to us (Rom. 5:10).

謙卑的基督徒信靠上帝，即使在遭受不公平的對待、被傷害、名譽被損的情況下，依然不怨恨。這樣的信徒不求自己的益處。相反，他的行為效法他的主耶穌，那位以至高無上的謙卑向我們施恩典的主（羅馬書5：10）。

If you are conscientiously following Christ, your behavior will go against the existentialism of modern society. Existentialism claims the right to do or say anything that makes one feel good. Today’s existentialist unbeliever has a twisted logic that says, “If something makes you feel good but hurts me, you can’t do it. But if something makes me feel good but hurts you, I can do it.”

如果你真正地跟隨基督，你的行為就會與現代社會的存在主義相悖。存在主義者宣揚讓自己感覺良好的做或說的權利。今天的非信徒存在主義者有個悖論：“如果有事情使你覺得好但傷害我，那你就不能做。但如果有事情讓我覺得好但傷害你，我可以做。”

Unhappily, many believers have been caught up in that kind of thinking. They don’t call it existentialism—self-esteem or positive thinking are the preferred terms—but the results are much the same. Such Christians do what satisfies their desires, often at the expense of other people. At its core, this kind of attitude is simply sinful self-love.

不幸地是，很多基督徒也陷在這樣的思想中。他們不稱之為存在主義—他們寧可稱之為自尊或是正面想法—但結果卻大同小異。這樣的基督徒做滿足他們自己慾望的事，有時以犧牲他人為代價。本質上，這種態度就是罪性：自戀。

In contrast to such self-love, Philippians 4:5 exhorts us to exhibit humble forbearance and graciousness to others. Other Scriptures command us to love our enemies and show mercy to those who sin (Matt. 5:44; 1 Peter 4:8). Such qualities allowed the apostle Paul to say, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11). God wants us to be just as humble and content with our circumstances.

與自戀相反，腓立比書4：5勸誡我們要對他人謙讓和慷慨。其他經文命令我們要愛我們的敵人，施恩典給罪人（馬太福音5：44，彼得前書4：8）。具備這種特質的使徒保羅說：“我無論在什麼景況都可以知足，這是我已經學會了” （腓立比書4：11）。上帝希望我們在自己的景況中可以知足和謙卑。