Acts of Kindness 恩慈之举
Dexu Xia
He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead. Ruth 2:20
Months after suffering a miscarriage, Valerie decided to have a garage sale. Gerald, a neighbor craftsman a few miles away, eagerly bought the baby crib she was selling. While there, his wife talked with Valerie and learned about her loss. After hearing of her situation on the way home, Gerald decided to use the crib to craft a keepsake for Valerie. A week later, he tearfully presented her with a beautiful bench. “There are good people out there, and here’s proof,” Valerie said.
Like Valerie, Ruth and Naomi suffered great loss. Naomi’s husband and two sons had died. And now she and her bereft daughter-in-law Ruth had no heirs and no one to provide for them (Ruth 1:1–5). That’s where Boaz stepped in. When Ruth went to a field to pick up leftover grain, Boaz—the owner—asked about her. When he learned who she was, he was kind to her (2:5–9). Amazed, Ruth asked, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes?” (v. 10). He replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband” (v. 11).
Boaz later married Ruth and provided for Naomi (ch. 4). Through their marriage, a forefather of David—and of Jesus—was born. As God used Gerald and Boaz to help transform the grief of another, He can work through us to show kindness and empathy to others in pain.
By: Alyson Kieda
When have you been the giver or recipient of an act of kindness? What was the result?
Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son to redeem me, the greatest kindness of all.
[波阿斯]不断地恩待活人死人。—路得记2章20节
薇芳不幸小产，几个月之后，她决定举办二手拍卖会。一位住在几公里之外的工匠杰德，在拍卖会上兴冲冲地买下一张婴儿床。那时，杰德的妻子与薇芳闲聊，才知道薇芳失去了孩子。杰德在回家的路上得知薇芳的情况，便决定用这张婴儿床为薇芳制作一个纪念品。一周之后，杰德眼眶含泪地送给薇芳一个漂亮的长凳。薇芳说：“世界上有好人，这礼物就是证据。”
路得和拿俄米也像薇芳一样，遭受丧亲之痛。拿俄米的丈夫和两个儿子都死了，只剩下她和儿媳路得，她们没有儿子，也没有人可以养活她们（路得记1章1-5节）。还好她们遇见了波阿斯。当路得去田里拾取麦穗，地主波阿斯向仆人问起了她。在知道路得的来历后，波阿斯便以恩慈待她（2章5-9节）。路得惊讶地问道：“我既是外邦人，怎么蒙你的恩，这样顾恤我呢？”（10节）波阿斯说：“自从妳丈夫死后，凡妳向婆婆所行的，⋯⋯这些事人全都告诉我了。”（11节）
不久后，波阿斯娶了路得，并且奉养拿俄米（4章）。他们婚后生下俄备得，后代子孙包括大卫与耶稣。正如上帝使用杰德和波阿斯帮助了伤心的人，上帝也能透过我们，向深陷痛苦的人展现恩慈与同理心。
作者： 柯爱莉
你可曾接受他人对你的善行，
或曾以恩慈待人？结果如何呢？
亲爱的上帝，感谢祢差遣祢的爱子救赎我，
这实在是给我最大的恩慈！