Live Like It’s Morning 光明之子

[Dexu Xia]

The fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth. Ephesians 5:9

When I have to travel across time zones by air, I try various remedies to avoid jet lag. I think I’ve tried them all! On one occasion, I decided to adjust my in-flight eating to the time zone where I was heading. Instead of eating dinner with the rest of the passengers, I kept watching a movie and tried to fall asleep. The hours of elective fasting were difficult, and the breakfast that came right before we landed left much to be desired. But living “out of sorts” with those around me worked. It jolted my body clock into a new time zone.

Paul knew that if believers in Jesus were to truly reflect Him in their lives, they would need to live out of step with the world around them. They “were once darkness” but now they were to live as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). And what might that look like? Paul goes on to fill out the picture: “The fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth” (v. 9).

Sleeping through dinner may have seemed foolish to the people on my flight, but even as it’s midnight in the world, as believers, we’re called to live like it’s morning. This may provoke scorn and opposition, but in Jesus we can “walk in the way of love,” following the example of the One who “love[s] us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (v. 2).

Where have your actions and choices lined up too closely with the world around you? What would the fruit of goodness, righteousness, and truth look like in your life?

Jesus, wake me up to the new day that has come in You. Fill me with Your power to live in a “different time zone.” Open my eyes to choose goodness, righteousness, and beauty.

光明之子

光明所结的果子就是一切良善、公义、诚实。—以弗所书5章9节

每次搭飞机去到不同的时区时，我都千方百计地想调整时差。我大概什么方法都试过了！有一回，我决定要将机上用餐时间调整到我即将前往的时区。因此在晚餐时间，我没有和其他乘客一起享用晚餐，而是一直看电影并试图入睡。这种选择性的禁食实在难熬，即使在降落前提供的早餐也不够我填饱肚子。然而，让自己和身边的人“不同步调”的这招却真的奏效了，我颠覆了生理时钟而适应了新的时区。

保罗深知，基督徒如果要在生命中真实地活出耶稣的样式，就不能和周遭的世界同一步调。从前我们是“暗昧”的，如今却要活得像“光明的子女”（以弗所书5章8节）。这是什么样的生命呢？保罗进一步地补充说明：“光明所结的果子就是一切良善、公义、诚实。”（9节）

把晚餐时间拿来睡觉，在与我同机的人看来可能很傻。然而即使周遭一片黑暗，我们这群信主的人却被呼召要活得像光明之子。我们可能为此饱受嘲弄敌对，但靠着耶稣我们可以“凭爱心行事”，并以耶稣为榜样，祂“爱我们，为我们舍了自己，当做馨香的供物和祭物献与上帝”（2节）。

你有哪些行为或抉择过于追随这个世界？
你如何在生活中体现良善、公义和诚实这些果实？

耶稣啊，求祢使我儆醒面对祢所赐的每一天，
使我能靠祢的能力活在一个“不同的时区”，
开我的眼睛，使我能选择良善、公义与美好的事