Openhearted Generosity 放胆付出
Dexu Xia
The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love
No one ever died saying, “I’m so glad for the self-centered, self-serving, and self-protective life I lived,” author Parker Palmer said in a commencement address, urging graduates to “offer [themselves] to the world . . . with openhearted generosity.”
But, Parker continued, living this way would also mean learning “how little you know and how easy it is to fail.” Offering themselves in service to the world would require cultivating a “beginner’s mind” to “walk straight into your not-knowing, and take the risk of failing and failing, again and again—then getting up to learn again and again.”
It’s only when our lives are built on a foundation of grace that we can find the courage to choose such a life of fearless “openhearted generosity.” As Paul explained to his protégé Timothy, we can confidently “fan into flame” (2 Timothy 1:6) and live out of God’s gifting when we remember that it’s God’s grace that saves and calls us to a life of purpose (v. 9). It’s His power that gives us the courage to resist the temptation to live timidly in exchange for the Spirit’s “power, love and self-discipline” (v. 7). And it’s His grace that picks us up when we fall, so that we can continue a lifelong journey of grounding our lives in His love (vv. 13–14).
By: Monica La Rose
How are you tempted to live timidly? How do God’s grace and power help you live more boldly for Him?
Dear God, thank You that I don’t have to live timidly, fearfully guarding myself from failure or hurt. Help me to lean into the courage You provide.
因为上帝赐给我们不是胆怯的心，乃是刚强、仁爱、谨守的心。—提摩太后书1章7节
美国作家帕克·巴默尔（Parker Palmer）在一场毕业典礼的致辞中说道：“没有人在临终会说﹕‘我这辈子都是以自我为中心、自私自利，而且自我保护，我对这样的生活感到非常满意。’”他敦促毕业生说，“你们要对这个世界有所贡献，……放胆付出。”
但帕克继续说：“以这种方式生活的时候，你将明白自己所知甚少，失败甚是容易。为这个世界付出需要培养一种初学者的心态，勇敢面对你所不知道的领域，冒着一次又一次失败的风险，然后一次又一次地站起来，重新学习。”
只有当我们的生活是以上帝的恩典为根基，我们才有勇气选择这种“放胆付出”的生活。正如保罗告诉他的门生提摩太，当我们记得自己得救是因上帝的恩典，上帝要我们过有意义的生活，就能满有信心地活出上帝赋予的恩赐，并能“如火挑旺起来”（提摩太后书1章6、9节）。上帝的能力给了我们勇气，使你我不再过着只顾自己、胆小怯懦的生活，而是能倚靠圣灵“刚强、仁爱、谨守”（7节）。当我们跌倒时，祂的恩典会扶持我们，好使我们将生命扎根于祂的爱中，继续走这人生的旅程（13-14节）。
作者： 白茉妮
你曾如何只想过着只顾自己、
胆小怯懦的生活？上帝的恩典和能力
如何帮助你勇敢地为祂而活？
上帝，感谢祢，我不必胆怯地只顾自己，
也不必因害怕失败或受伤而自我防卫。帮助我倚靠祢所赐的勇气