our daily bread

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Dexu Xia

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Jun 7, 2018, 1:43:00 AM6/7/18

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A Prayer of Forgiveness

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27–28

In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to integrate an all-white public elementary school in the American South. Every day for months, federal marshals escorted Ruby past a mob of angry parents shouting curses, threats, and insults at her. Safely inside, she sat in a classroom alone with Barbara Henry, the only teacher willing to instruct her while parents kept their children from attending school with Ruby.

Noted child psychologist Robert Coles met with Ruby for several months to help her cope with the fear and stress she experienced. He was amazed by the prayer Ruby said every day as she walked to school and back home. “Please, God, forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing” (see Luke 23:34).

Father, You have so graciously forgiven us. Help us today to forgive others who have wronged us.

The words of Jesus spoken from the cross were stronger than the hatred and insults hurled at Him. In the most agonizing hours of His life, our Lord demonstrated the radical response He taught His followers: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you . . . . Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:27–28, 36).

This remarkable approach is possible only as we consider the powerful love Jesus has given us—love stronger than even the deepest hatred.

Ruby Bridges helped show us the way.

Father, You have so graciously forgiven us. Help us today to forgive others who have wronged us.

Bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.

饶恕的祷告

你们的仇敌，要爱他！恨你们的，要待他好！咒诅你们的，要为他祝福！凌辱你们的，要为他祷告！-路加福音6章27-28节

在1960年，六岁的非裔美国人毕露比（Ruby Bridges）是第一个进入美国南部白人公立小学的孩童。好几个月，她都必须由联邦巡逻队护送，经过愤怒家长们的咒诅、威吓和羞辱才能进入学校。当她进到教室，就单独跟唯一愿意教导她的芭芭拉．亨利老师上课，因为家长都禁止他们的孩子跟露比一同学习。

著名的儿童心理学家罗伯特辅导了露比好几个月，帮助她处理所面对的恐惧和压力。令罗伯特惊讶的是，露比在每天走路往返学校时竟作了这样的祷告：“父啊，赦免他们！因为他们所做的，他们不晓得。”（路加福音23章34节）

耶稣在十字架上讲的这番话，远比那些对祂的憎恨和辱骂更有力量。即使在生命中最痛苦的时刻，主耶稣的回应仍示范了祂对门徒的教导：“你们的仇敌，要爱他！恨你们的，要待他好！咒诅你们的，要为他祝福！凌辱你们的，要为他祷告！……你们要慈悲，像你们的父慈悲一样。”（路加福音6章27-28、36节）

要拥有如此非凡的态度，唯有靠着耶稣赐给我们的大爱，因这爱甚至能胜过最深的仇恨。

毕露比已为我们做了最佳示范。

天父啊，祢已经以厚恩饶恕我们，求祢让我们今天也能饶恕得罪我们的人。
天父啊，祢已经以厚恩饶恕我们，求祢让我们今天也能饶恕得罪我们的人。