When Love Shows Up当 爱展现时
Dexu Xia
Give generously to [the needy] . . . and do so without a grudging heart. Deuteronomy 15:10
Today's Scripture Deuteronomy 15:7-11
Today's Insights
As the Israelites prepared to enter the promised land, they were to demonstrate God’s love by giving “generously to [the needy]” (Deuteronomy 15:10). Today, believers in Jesus also have the honor of making God and His love visible to the world by loving others. “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us” (1 John 4:12 nlt). God demonstrated His love for us in the person and work of Christ: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (3:16). But loving others has a price tag. It may involve giving time, money, or material goods. The key word is giving: “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). And as we do, others can see God’s love and compassion through us
Today's Devotional “Why are you crying?” The question was asked by a volunteer for a Christian relief ministry helping those whose homes had been destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The woman (who had burst into tears in the previous moment) replied, “I’m not crying because I lost everything. I’m crying because love just showed up.”
God’s heart shows itself in His desire that we help those in need. When Moses gave the people of Israel God’s instructions before they entered the land He’d promised them, he told them, “Do not be hardhearted or tightfisted” toward the poor. “Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8). Their hearts toward the poor were to reflect God’s own: “Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart” (15:10).
Whether in disastrous situations or everyday life, when we give to those in need out of the blessings God has kindly given us, we make evident the love of His Son, who came “to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). In fact, God promises He “will bless” those who share His unselfishness with others (Deuteronomy 15:10), both in this life and the next (see Luke 14:14). We can’t see God yet, but others may catch a glimpse of Him when we emulate His compassion for them. May His love show up as kindness through us today.
Reflect & Pray
How has God shown you kindness when you were in need? How might you show Jesus’ love to someone in need today? Merciful, generous Father, please help me give to others with an open heart, so that they may see Your love in me.
By James Bank
“你要谨慎，不可心里起恶念说，第七年的豁免年快到了，你便恶眼看你穷乏的弟兄，什么都不给他，以致他因你求告耶和华，罪便归于你了。你总要给他，给他的时候心里不可愁烦。因耶和华你的神必在你这一切所行的，并你手里所办的事上，赐福与你。”(申命记 15:9-10 )
今日经文：申命记 15章7-11 节
今日洞见： 当以色列人准备进入应许之地时，他们要藉着“慷慨地施舍给[穷人]”（申命记 15:10）来彰显神的爱。如今，信奉耶稣的人也有幸通过关爱他人，将神和祂的爱展现给世人。“从来没有人见过神。如果我们彼此相爱，神就住在我们里面，祂的爱就在我们里面得以完全”（约翰一书 4:12）。神藉着基督的位格和工作向我们彰显了祂的爱：“我们知道什么是爱：耶稣基督为我们舍命”（3:16）。但爱他人是有代价的。它可能需要付出时间、金钱或物质。关键在于愿意付出：“所以，我们有机会就要向所有人行善，尤其是向信徒一家的人行善”（加拉太书 6:10）。当我们这样做时，别人就能透过我们看到神的爱和怜悯。
今日灵修：“你为什么哭？”一位基督教救援机构的志愿者问一位因飓风海伦而房屋被毁的妇女。这位妇女（刚才还泪流满面）回答说：“我哭不是因为我失去了一切。我哭是因为爱展现了。” 神的心意体现在祂希望我们帮助那些有需要的人。当摩西在以色列人进入神应许之地之前向他们传达神的指示时，他告诉他们，不要对穷人“心硬或吝啬”。“相反，要慷慨解囊，自由地借给他们一切他们所需用的”（申命记 15:7-8）。他们对穷人的态度应该反映神自己的心意：“要慷慨地施舍给他们，并且不要为此愁烦不舍得给出去”（15:10）。无论是在灾难时刻还是日常生活中，当我们用上帝慷慨赐予我们的恩典去帮助有需要的人时，我们就彰显了祂儿子耶稣的爱，祂来“是要传福音给贫穷的人”（路加福音 4:18）。事实上，上帝应许祂“必赐福”那些与他人分享祂无私之爱的人（申命记 15:10），无论是在今生还是来世（参见路加福音 14:14）。我们现在还不能亲眼看见上帝，但当我们效法祂的怜悯之心时，别人或许就能从我们身上瞥见祂的影子。愿祂的爱今天透过我们以仁慈的方式彰显出来。
反思与祷告 当你有需要的时候，上帝是如何向你施恩的？今天，你如何才能向有需要的人展现耶稣的爱？慈悲慷慨的天父，求您帮助我敞开心扉地帮助他人，使他们能在我身上看到您的爱。 作者：詹姆斯 班克