Not Taking Advantage 不占便宜

[Dexu Xia]

Not Taking Advantage

Don’t harm yourself! We are all here! Acts 16:28

Several inmates were collecting roadside garbage to reduce their jail time when their supervisor, James, collapsed. They rushed to his aid and realized he was having a medical emergency. One inmate borrowed James’ phone to call for help. The sheriff’s department later thanked the inmates for helping get their supervisor prompt medical attention, especially because they could have instead neglected him—to his great detriment as he was having a stroke—or used the situation to their own advantage to escape. 

The kindness of the inmates’ actions is not unlike those of Paul and Silas when they were imprisoned. After they’d been stripped, beaten, and thrown into prison, an earthquake struck so violently that it loosed their chains and shook the prison doors off their hinges (Acts 16:23–26). When the jailer awoke, he naturally assumed the prisoners had fled, so he prepared to take his own life (to preempt what would’ve been his punishment for their escape). When Paul shouted, “We are all here!” (v. 28) the jailer was so moved by their actions—uncharacteristic of prisoners—that he became curious about the God they worshiped, ultimately coming to believe in Him too (vv. 29–34). 

The way we treat others reveals what we believe and value. When we choose to do good instead of harm, our actions might just prompt them to wonder about the God we know and love.

In what situation can you choose to not take advantage for your own gain? How might that decision benefit someone else?

Loving God, help me to make choices that will draw others to You.

God, with Isaiah I pray, as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are Your ways higher than my ways.

不占便宜

不要伤害自己！我们都在这里。—使徒行传16章28节

几名囚犯正在路边清理垃圾，藉此减少他们的刑期，这时负责监督他们的监狱主管詹姆斯突然倒地不起。他们赶紧冲过去帮忙，发现詹姆斯的情况非常紧急，需要马上接受治疗，于是一名囚犯立即借用詹姆斯的手机打电话求助。警方后来向这几名囚犯致谢，因为他们的协助，使詹姆斯能及时就医，否则他的中风就会危及生命。特别是他们本可对他置之不理，或是利用这个状况逃跑。

这些囚犯善意的行为与保罗和西拉被囚禁时的表现，不无相似之处。保罗和西拉被人脱去衣裳、被棍打并被关进监牢，当天夜里突然发生一场大地震，使囚犯的锁链松脱、监门全开（使徒行传16章23-26节）。当狱卒半夜醒来，以为囚犯已经逃走，因知道自己必会受到严惩而准备自杀。但保罗大声呼叫说：“我们都在这里”（28节）。这个狱卒大受感动，因他们不像一般的囚犯趁机逃走，进而对他们所敬拜的上帝感到好奇，最终这个狱卒也相信了耶稣基督（29-34节）。

我们对待人的方式会显示我们所相信、所看重的是什么。当我们选择行善而非伤害时，我们的行为可能会促使别人来认识你我所爱的这位上帝。

慈爱的上帝，求祢让我的言行举止，以及所做的选择都能吸引人归向祢。

在什么情况下你会选择不占便宜？这个决定将如何使他人受惠？