Compassion on the Job 工作中的怜悯

[Dexu Xia]

Compassion on the Job

[Jesus] had compassion on them and healed their sick.    Matthew 14:14

 My friend Ellen calculates payroll for an accounting firm. This may sound like a straightforward job, but there are times when employers submit their information later than requested. Ellen often makes up for this by working long hours so employees can receive their money without delay. She does this out of consideration for the families that depend on those funds to buy groceries, purchase medicine, and pay for housing.

Ellen’s compassionate approach to her job points me to Jesus. On earth, He sometimes ministered to people when it was inconvenient for Him. For instance, Christ wanted some alone time after He heard that John the Baptist had been killed, so He boarded a boat in search of an isolated place (Matthew 14:13). Perhaps He needed to grieve for His relative and pray through His sorrow.

There was just one problem. Crowds of people tagged along behind Him. This group had various physical needs. It would have been much easier to send the people away, but “when Jesus landed and saw [them], he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (v. 14).

Although it was part of Jesus’ calling to teach people and cure their diseases as He ministered on earth, His empathy affected the way in which He carried out His responsibilities. May God help us to recognize His compassion in our lives and give us the strength to pass it on to others.

How have you experienced God’s compassion and care? What prevents you from showing God’s love when you carry out your daily responsibilities?

Dear Jesus, thank You for meeting my spiritual and physical needs. Help my thankfulness to overflow in the world so that I can glorify You through caring for other people.

工作中的怜悯

耶稣⋯⋯就怜悯他们，治好了他们的病人。—马太福音14章14节

我的朋友美伦在一间会计师事务所工作，负责为各公司行号计算员工的薪资。或许这听起来像是一份简单的工作，但有些公司常常在指定的期限过后才缴交员工资。在这种情况下，美伦就会超时工作，好让这些公司的员工可以及时收到他们的薪资。美伦之所以这么做，是考虑到许多家庭都需要依靠这份薪金过活，购买食物、药品和支付房租。

美伦在工作上所展现的怜悯之心使我想到主耶稣。当耶稣在世上时，即使是受到干扰也愿意继续服事人。例如：耶稣听说施洗约翰被杀之后，想要有一段独处的时间，便坐船打算寻找一个安静的地方（马太福音14章13节）。也许，耶稣是想要为祂的亲戚约翰哀哭，以祷告度过哀恸。但问题来了。那时，有许多人尾随着耶稣，而这些人都有各种身体上的需要。当然，若让这些人离开会省事得多，但耶稣上了岸，“见有许多的人，就怜悯他们，治好了他们的病人”（14节）。虽然耶稣在世上传道时，教导众人和医治疾病是祂工作的一部分，但祂的怜悯却影响了祂履行职责的方式。愿上帝帮助我们在生活中也能体会祂的怜悯，并给我们力量能以这样的怜悯对待他人。

你如何经历上帝的怜悯和看顾？
在履行日常职责时，有什么会妨碍你彰显上帝的爱？

亲爱的耶稣，谢谢祢满足我属灵和物质方面的需要。
求祢使我能因着对祢的感恩，以怜悯待人来荣耀祢。