Built Together to Serve 彼此服事
Dexu Xia
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. Ephesians 4:16 nlt
In rural Amish culture, the building of a barn is a social event. It would take months for a single farmer and his family to construct a barn, but the Amish, doing it together, make quick work of it. Lumber is stocked ahead of time; tools are prepped. On the designated day, the entire Amish community gathers early, divvies up tasks, and together pitches in to raise a barn—sometimes in a single day.
This is a good picture of God’s vision for the church and our role in it. The Bible says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27 nlt). God has equipped each of us differently and divvied up tasks in which we each do our “own special work” as part of a body “fit together perfectly” (Ephesians 4:16 nlt). In community, we’re encouraged to “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).
Yet too often we go it alone. We keep our needs to ourselves, wanting control of our circumstance. Or we fail to reach out and help shoulder the weight of someone else’s need. But God longs for us to connect with others. He knows beautiful things happen when we ask for others’ help and pray for others’ needs.
Only by depending on one another can we experience what God has for us and accomplish His amazing plan for our lives—like building a barn in a day.
What keeps you from sharing your needs with others? What can you do today to reach out to someone else and help shoulder their burden?
Loving God, I know I’m sometimes so private that I shut others out of my life. Help me to reach out and invite them in.
全身都靠祂联络得合式。—以弗所书4章16节
在阿米什（Amish）农村文化中，建造谷仓是一项社会活动。一个农民和他的家人建造一个谷仓需要花几个月的时间，但阿米什人会一起建造谷仓，让工程很快就能完成。木材会提前入库；工具会准备妥当。在开工的日子，整个阿米什社区里的民众会早早聚集，分配任务，并一起投入建造谷仓，有时甚至一天内就可以完工！
这正描绘了上帝对教会的期盼以及我们在其中的角色。圣经说：“你们就是基督的身子，并且各自作肢体”（哥林多前书12章27节）。上帝以不同的恩赐装备我们，并分配任务，让我们成为基督身体的各部分“完美地结合”且“各尽其责”（以弗所书4章16节，新普及译本）。圣经还鼓励我们这些主内肢体“要互相担当”彼此的重担（加拉太书6章2节）。
然而，我们却常常独自行动。我们不愿把自己的需要告诉别人，想要靠自己来解决问题；或是我们没有向别人伸出援手，分担他们的需要。但上帝渴望我们能与人连结。祂知道当我们寻求别人的帮助，并为别人的需要祈祷时，美好的事情就会发生。
唯有互相依靠，才能经历上帝为我们预备的一切，并完成祂对我们生命的奇妙计划，就像在一天内盖一个谷仓。
什么因素使你不愿让别人知道你的难处？
你今天可以如何向人伸出援手，
分担他们的重担呢？
慈爱的上帝，我知道有时我太注重隐私，
而将人拒于门外。请帮助我能向人敞开，
并邀请他们进入我的生命中。