Clinging to What’s Good 善要亲近

[Dexu Xia]

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

When we park our car near an open field and walk across it to get to our house, we almost always get some sticky cockleburs on our clothes—especially in the fall. These tiny “hitchhikers” attach to clothing, shoes, or whatever is passing by and ride to their next destination. It’s nature’s way of spreading cocklebur seeds in my local field and around the world.

As I try to carefully remove clinging cockleburs, I’ve often thought about the message that admonishes believers in Jesus to “cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). When we’re trying to love others, it can be challenging. However, as the Holy Spirit helps us hold on to what’s good with all we have, we can repel evil and be “sincere” in our love as He guides us (v. 9).

Cocklebur seeds don’t fall off with a mere brush of the hand, they hang on to you. And when we focus on what’s good, keeping our mind on God’s mercy, compassion, and commands, we too—in His strength—can hang on tightly to those we love. He helps us stay “devoted to one another in love,” remembering to place other’s needs before our own (v. 10).

Yes, those cockleburs can be challenging, but they also remind me to cling to others in love and by God’s power to grip tightly “what is good” (v. 9; see also Philippians 4:8–9).

By:  Katara Patton

How can clinging to what’s good help you love a challenging friend or family member? How is sincere love also a tenacious love?

Remind me to cling with all my might to what’s good, Jesus. I desire to reflect Your love to others.

爱人不可虚假；恶要厌恶，善要亲近。—罗马书12章9节

我们经常把车停在草地附近的停车场，然后穿过草地回家。但我们的衣服上都会黏上芒刺类的苍耳种子，在秋天时更是如此。这些小东西会附着在衣服、鞋子或任何经过的物品上，前往下一个目的地，这是苍耳传播种子的方式。

每当我清除附着在衣物上的苍耳种子时，便会想到使徒保罗告诫信徒说：“爱人不可虚假⋯⋯善要亲近”（罗马书12章9节）。这个翻译为“亲近”的原文，有“紧密贴近、紧紧依附、靠近”的意思。当我们尝试去爱人的时候，可能会觉得很不容易，但有圣灵帮助我们紧紧贴近美善的事，我们便可靠着祂的引导击退罪恶，并且爱人不“虚假”（9节）。

苍耳种子会紧紧依附在衣物上，无法轻轻一刷就清除干净。当我们专注于一切的美善，把心思放在上帝的怜悯、慈爱和命令时，我们也可以倚靠祂的能力，紧紧贴近我们所爱的亲朋好友，不要放弃他们。上帝会帮助我们在主里相亲相爱，提醒我们先人后己，凡事先考虑他人的需要（10节）。

的确，这些苍耳种子可能令人懊恼，却也提醒我要以爱来亲近他人，并要倚靠上帝的能力紧密贴近一切的美善（9节；另见腓立比书4章8-9节）。作者：  潘恺兰

 “善要亲近”这句话如何帮助你去爱他人，
包括那些难以相处的朋友或家人？
真诚的爱为何也是一种坚韧的爱？

主耶稣，请提醒我当尽己所能地亲近美善，
使我能以祢的爱来爱人。