Giving like Christ 如基督的付出
Dexu Xia
Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Romans 12:1
When American author O. Henry wrote his beloved 1905 Christmas story “The Gift of the Magi,” he was struggling to rebound from personal troubles. Still, he penned an inspiring story that highlights a beautiful, Christlike character trait—sacrifice. In the story, an impoverished wife sells her beautiful long hair on Christmas Eve to buy a gold pocket watch chain for her husband. As she learns later, however, her husband had sold his pocket watch to buy a set of combs for her beautiful hair.
Their greatest gift to each other? Sacrifice. From each, the gesture showed great love.
In that way, the story represents the loving gifts the magi (wise men) gave to the Christ child after His holy birth (see Matthew 2:1, 11). More than those gifts, however, the Child Jesus would grow up and one day give His life for the whole world.
In our daily lives, believers in Christ can highlight His great gift by offering to others the sacrifice of our time, treasures, and a temperament that all speak of love. As the apostle Paul wrote, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). There’s no better gift than sacrificing for others through Jesus’ love.
By: Patricia Raybon
What sacrificial gift have you received from someone that showed Christ’s love? What sacrificial gift can you give to others in return?
In my daily life, dear God, may I show others Jesus by sacrificing my needs for theirs.
将身体献上，当作活祭，是圣洁的，是上帝所喜悦的。—罗马书12章1节
在1905年，美国作家欧亨利（O. Henry）发表了脍炙人口的圣诞故事《博士的礼物》（The Gift of the Magi）。那时，他虽然正努力要从自己的困境中回归正轨，但仍写下这动人的故事，描绘出那有如基督一般的美好品格──牺牲。故事描述在某一年的平安夜，有个贫穷的妇女卖掉自己美丽的长发，为她丈夫买了一条金表链。但过后她却发现，她丈夫卖了自己的怀表，为她美丽的长发买了一套梳子。
他们给对方最棒的礼物是什么呢？牺牲。他们两人的举动都展现了深刻的爱。
作者用这故事代表了在圣子耶稣降生后，几个博士献给耶稣爱的礼物（参阅马太福音2章1、11节）。然而，耶稣长大之后，有一天祂将为世人牺牲自己的生命，祂的付出远胜于博士所献的礼物。
在每日的生活中，基督徒可以为他人付出自己的时间、财物和爱的行动，藉此向人显明基督所赐的极大恩典。如同使徒保罗写道：“弟兄们，我以上帝的慈悲劝你们，将身体献上，当作活祭，是圣洁的，是上帝所喜悦的”（罗马书12章1节）。因着耶稣的爱而为他人做出牺牲，就是最棒的礼物了。
作者： 雷翠霞
有谁曾向你展现基督的爱，他为你做了何种牺牲？
你又能为别人牺牲些什么呢？
亲爱的上帝，求祢让我在每日生活中，能为了他人而牺牲自己的需求，好让他们能看见耶稣。