When Life Is Unfair 当人生不公时
Dexu Xia
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
Today's Scripture Psalm 37:5-17
Today's Insights Israel had limited information about the afterlife, so they sought to explain how injustices in the world could be made right. Their conclusion? God blesses the righteous according to their righteousness and judges the wicked according to their wickedness. Psalm 34 explains the concept, Psalm 37 gives third-party counsel to one suffering injustice, and in Psalm 73, the psalmist Asaph questions this law because he’s the righteous sufferer. In reality, however, it’s only in the next life where injustices will finally be resolved. Asaph realized this when he entered the place of worship and put it all at God’s feet (73:16-28). Today, God provides what we need to patiently wait for His restoration of the world
Today's Devotional In Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist, the sickly Oliver is born in a workhouse, an institution notorious for exploiting the poor. Orphaned at birth, the boy eventually runs away due to abusive treatment. Through an amazing set of “twists,” he learns he is heir to a sizable fortune. Dickens, who loved happy endings, ensured that everyone who harmed Oliver over the years either received justice or repented. therefore, his oppressors got what they deserved while Oliver “inherited the land” at the end. If only life came with tidy endings like those scripted in a Dickens novel.
In the Bible, we read the song lyrics by a man who anticipated such a day—when justice is served and the oppressed “inherit the land” (Psalm 37:9). Though he experienced evil firsthand, the poet David urged patience. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him,” he wrote. “Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes” (v. 7). He continued, “Those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land” (v. 9). Despite observing how the “wicked draw the sword” to “bring down the poor and needy” (v. 14), David trusted God to make things right (v. 15).
Life is hard and often unfair. Yet we hear in the words of Jesus an echo from Psalm 37: “Blessed are the meek,” He said, “for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
Reflect & Pray
When have you been treated badly? How will you trust God in your unfair situations?
Dear God, please help me wait patiently for You to make things right.
Tim Gustafson
温柔的人有福了，因为他们必承受地土。马太福音 5:5
今日经文：诗篇 37篇5-17 节
今日心得： 以色列人对来世知之甚少，因此他们试图解释如何纠正世上的不公。他们的结论是什么？上帝按义人的义赐福给他们，按恶人的恶审判他们。诗篇34篇解释了这个概念，诗篇37篇为遭受不公的人提供了第三方的咨询，而在诗篇73篇中，诗人亚萨质疑这条律法，因为他是一位受苦的义人。然而，实际上，只有在来世，不公才能最终得到解决。当亚萨进入敬拜的场所，将一切交托在上帝脚前时，他意识到了这一点（73:16-28）。今天，让我们依靠上帝赐下的一切所需，耐心等候祂重整世界。
今日灵修在查尔斯·狄更斯的经典小说《雾都孤儿》中，体弱多病的奥利弗出生在济贫院，这所机构以剥削穷人而臭名昭著。这个男孩一出生便成了孤儿，最终因遭受虐待而逃离济贫院。经过一系列令人惊奇的“转折”，他最终得知，自己是一笔巨额财富的继承人。狄更斯喜欢美好的结局，他确保多年来伤害过奥利弗的每个人要么得到正义的审判，要么悔改。所以，在故事的结局，压迫奥利弗的人都得到了应有的惩罚，而奥利弗则“继承了土地”。要是人生也能像狄更斯小说中那样，有个圆满的结局就好了。
在圣经中，我们读到一位诗人的歌词，他预见了这一天的到来：正义得到伸张，受压迫的人“继承了土地”（诗篇37:9）。尽管诗人大卫亲身经历了邪恶，但他仍然劝诫世人要有耐心。他写道：“你当默然在耶和华面前，耐心等候他。人所行的，和恶谋得逞的时候，你不要心怀不平。”（7节）他继续说道：“作恶的必被灭绝；惟有等候耶和华的，必承受地土。”（9节）尽管大卫目睹恶人“拔刀相向”，“要击杀困苦和穷乏的人”（14节），他仍然信靠上帝会拨乱反正（15节）。 人生充满艰辛，常常不公。然而，我们从耶稣的话中听到了诗篇37篇的回响：“温柔的人有福了，因为他们必承受地土。”（马太福音5:5）
反思与祷告 你何时曾被人不公平地对待过？在不公平的处境中，你会如何信靠上帝？
亲爱的上帝，请帮助我耐心等候你拨乱反正。
作者：蒂姆·古斯塔夫森