An Open Generous Heart 慷慨给予

[Dexu Xia]

An Open, Generous Heart

Be generous and willing to share.  1 Timothy 6:18

After Vicki’s old car broke down with no option for repair, she started scraping together money for another vehicle. Chris, a frequent customer of the restaurant where Vicki works at the drive-thru window, one day heard her mention she needed a car. “I couldn’t stop think  i ng about it,” Chris said. “I [had] to do something.” So  up for sale), shined it up, and handed Vicki the keys . Vicki was shocked. “Who . . . does that?” she said in amazement and gratitude. 

The Scriptures call us to live with open hands, giving freely as we can—pr oviding what’s truly best for those in need. As Paul says: “Command [those who are rich] to do good, to be rich in good deeds” (1 Timothy 6:18). We don’t  merely perform a benevolent act here or there, but rather live out a cheerful spirit of giving. Bi g-heartedness is our normal way of life. “Be generous and willing to share,” we’re told (v. 18). 

As we live with an open, generous heart, we don’t need to fear running out o f what we need. Rather, the Bible tells us that in our compassionate generosity, we’re taking “h old of [true] life” (v. 19). With God, genuine living m  eans loosening our grip on what we have and givin  most with being generous? How does G   

慷慨给予

甘心施舍，乐意供给人。—提摩太前书6章18节

当薇琪的老爷车再次故障而无法维修时，她开始省吃俭用，想尽办法买一辆代步的车子。薇琪在一家餐厅负责车道点餐的服务，店里的常客凯泽在某天得知薇琪需要一辆车。凯泽说：“我一直把这件事放在心上，觉得自己必须做点什么。”于是，凯泽买下他儿子正准备出售的二手车，并且将车子整理一番之后，才把车钥匙给了薇琪。薇琪对此感到十分讶异，她既感激又惊讶地说：“竟然有人会做这样的事？”

圣经教导我们，当尽己所能地活出乐于慷慨给予的生命，并针对他人的需要给予最好的帮助。正如同保罗说，要嘱咐那些富足的人行善，在好事上富足（提摩太前书6章18节）。我们不应只是偶尔行善，而是要活出一个乐于给予的生命。慷慨待人当成为我们的生活常态，因上帝的话告诉我们，要“甘心施舍，乐意供给人”（18节）。

当我们乐意慷慨地与人分享时，不必担心自己会有所缺乏。圣经告诉我们，若能以恩慈与慷慨待人，我们反而能“持定那真正的生命”（19节）。由此可见，对上帝来说，不再紧紧抓住自己所拥有的一切，能慷慨大方地给予别人，是讨祂喜悦的生命。

你在什么情况下最难慷慨给予？
上帝的慷慨如何鼓励你大方给予？

上帝啊，我不想紧抓着我所拥有的，
我愿像祢一样慷慨。
求祢改变我的心，帮助我能乐意与人分享。