Rainy Days 阴雨天
Dexu Xia
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
When small businesses in Tennessee were abruptly shuttered in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, shop owners worried about how to care for their employees, how to pay their rent, and how to simply survive the crisis. In response to their concerns, the pastor of a church near Nashville started an initiative to supply cash to struggling business owners.
“We don’t feel like we can sit on a rainy-day fund when somebody else is going through a rainy day,” the pastor explained, as he encouraged other churches in the area to join the effort.
A rainy-day fund is money that’s put aside in case normal income is decreased for a time while regular operations need to continue. While it’s natural for us to look out for ourselves first, Scripture encourages us to always look beyond our own needs, to find ways to serve others, and to practice generosity. Proverbs 11 reminds us, “One person gives freely, yet gains even more,” “a generous person will prosper,” and “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (vv. 24–25).
Is the sun shining extra bright in your life today? Look around to see if there’s torrential rain in someone else’s world. The blessings God has graciously given you are multiplied when you freely share them with others. Being generous and open-handed is a wonderful way to give hope to others and to remind hurting people that God loves them.
When has someone been open-handed with their time or resources
with you? How could you do the same for someone in need today?
Gracious God, help me to be tenderhearted toward the needs of others and show me how I can share Your love and generosity with them.
好施舍的，必得丰裕；滋润人的，必得滋润。—箴言11章25节
为防堵新冠病毒持续扩散，田纳西州的小商店突然被迫关闭，许多店主都很忧愁，不知要如何照顾员工、支付店租，也不知如何渡过这场危机。田纳西州首府纳许维尔附近一间教会的牧师为减轻店主的焦虑，便展开一个计划，好让这些陷入困境中的店主得到经济援助。
这位牧师鼓励附近其他教会加入这项事工，他表示当别人正面临风雨飘摇的时刻，我们不应将教会应急的“雨天基金”束之高阁。
“雨天基金”是一笔预留出来的款项，用以应对正常收入减少，而常规业务需要维持运作的情况。对我们来说，先照顾自己的需要是很自然的，但圣经鼓励我们不要只看到自己的需要，而是寻找服事他人的机会，并学习以慷慨待人。箴言11章提醒我们：“有施散的，却更增添”；“好施舍的，必得丰裕；滋润人的，必得滋润”（24-25节）。
在你的生活中，今天的阳光特别明媚吗？环顾四周，看看有哪些人正遭逢豪雨侵袭。当你乐意与人分享上帝厚赐于你的福分时，这些福分会使更多人从中受益。慷慨大方是一种带给别人盼望的美好方式，也能提醒心灵忧伤的人，上帝深爱着他们。
何时曾有人慷慨地付出时间和资源来帮助你？
今天你如何以同样的方式帮助那些有需要的人？
恩慈的上帝，帮助我对别人的需求有怜悯的心，
也让我知道如何以祢的慈爱和慷慨对待别人。