Learning and Loving 学习爱人

[Dexu Xia]

He took the children in his arms . . . and blessed them. Mark 10:16

At a primary school in Greenock, Scotland, three teachers on maternity leave brought their babies to school every two weeks to interact with schoolchildren. Playtime with babies teaches children empathy, or care and feeling for others. Often, the most receptive are the students who are “a little challenging,” as one teacher put it. “It’s often [schoolchildren] who interact more on a one-to-one level.” They learn “how much hard work it is to take care of a child,” and “more about each other’s feelings as well.”

Learning from an infant to care about others isn’t a new idea to believers in Jesus. We know the One who came as the baby Jesus. His birth changed everything we understand about caring relationships. The first to learn of Christ’s birth were shepherds, a humble profession involving care of weak and vulnerable sheep. Later, when children were brought to Jesus, He corrected disciples who thought children unworthy. “Let the little children come to me,” he said, “and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).

Jesus “took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them” (v. 16). In our own lives, as His sometimes “challenging” children, we could be considered unworthy too. Instead, as the One who came as a child, Christ accepts us with His love—thereby teaching us the caring power of loving babies and all people.

What do you enjoy about spending time with children? What is Jesus teaching you today about how to love and care for others?

Our caring God, when I forget to show empathy for others, help me to care as You would.

[耶稣]抱着小孩子，……为他们祝福。—马可福音10章16节

在苏格兰的格里诺克镇的一所小学，有三名请了产假的老师（苏格兰妇女有一年的产假），每两个星期就会带小婴儿去学校与学生们互动。学生们在与小婴儿玩耍的过程，培养了同理心，也学习关心别人和替人着想。这种方式对“不太听话”的学生效果最为显著，正如其中一位老师说：“学龄儿童在有更多的一对一互动时，能明白照顾小孩是多么辛苦，也学会理解别人的感受。”

对基督徒而言，从婴孩的身上学习关心别人并不是新概念。我们知道耶稣就是以婴孩的样式来到这世上，祂的降生彻底改变我们对于关怀的认知。基督降生时，最先听到消息的是身份卑微的牧羊人，他们的职责是照料病弱和易受攻击的羊群。后来，当耶稣的门徒认为孩子们不配来亲近耶稣时，耶稣纠正门徒说：“让小孩子到我这里来，不要禁止他们，因为在上帝国的，正是这样的人。”（马可福音10章14节）

过后，耶稣“抱着小孩子，给他们按手，为他们祝福”（16节）。在生活中，我们有时也是上帝“不太听话”的孩子，被人视为不配亲近祂。然而，这位以婴孩的样式降生在世上的基督用爱接纳了我们，从而让我们看到关怀婴孩和所有人所带来的力量。

当你花时间和孩子相处，让你乐在其中的是什么呢？今天耶稣教导你
要如何以恩慈待人、付出关怀？

慈爱的上帝，当我缺乏同理心时，求祢帮助我能学习像祢一样去关心别人。