No Fake Ratings 无虚假评分
Dexu Xia
Put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25
Today's Scripture Ephesians 4:17, 22-32
Today's Insights
In Ephesians 4:17-32, Paul contrasts the deceptive ways of ”the devil” with the truth of God’s ways. The “Gentiles” (who don’t believe in God) are lost in “the futility of their thinking” (v. 17) and “darkened in their understanding.” Paul notes how this “ignorance” is “due to the hardening of their hearts” (v. 18). This reflects their conscious choice to reject God’s truth. In contrast, we’ve been “taught . . . the truth that is in Jesus” (v. 21) so that we will “put off [our] old self” and “its deceitful desires” (v. 22). We’re to live in God’s truth.
Today's Devotional
A ride-sharing customer shared that he had endured a driver eating the world’s smelliest fruit, another driver who was bickering with a girlfriend, and one who tried to get him to invest money in a Ponzi scheme. In each case, instead of a poor rating, he gave the drivers five stars. He explained, “They all seemed like nice people. I didn’t want them to be kicked off the app over my bad rating.” He gave false reviews—keeping the truth from the drivers . . . and others.
For different reasons, we might withhold the truth from others. But the apostle Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to lovingly speak the truth to one another as new creatures in Christ. This required cultivating habits of “righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24)—living lives that were set apart for Him and that reflected His ways. They were to replace lying with telling one another the truth because lies divide and disrupt, while truth unites us as believers. He wrote, “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (v. 25).
Pray that Jesus empowers us with the courage to resist lying and giving one another “fake ratings”—things that can disrupt our unity with other believers. Living a life of love, as He guides us, will lead to our sharing “kind and compassionate” expressions of truth (v. 32).
Reflect & Pray
When are you tempted to withhold the truth from other believers? Why is it vital to share what’s honest and true?
Dear God, please help me to be authentic in my relationships out of love for You and others.
要弃绝谎言，各人对邻舍说实话，因为我们相互为肢体的。以弗所书 4:25
今日经文 以弗所书 4章17、22-32 节
今日心得 在以弗所书 4章17-32 节中，保罗将“魔鬼”欺骗人的方式与上帝之道的真理进行了对比。“外邦人”（就是不信上帝的人）存着虚妄的心行事（17节），并且他们“心地昏暗”。保罗指出，他们的“无知”是“因为他们内心刚硬”（18节）。这反映出，他们是有意识地选择拒绝上帝的真理。
相比之下，如果我们听过主的道，领了他的教训，学了他的真理（21节），就要脱去从前行为上的旧人，这旧人是因私欲的迷惑渐渐变坏的”（22节）。并要穿上新人，这新人是照着神的形象造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁。
今日灵修 一位拼车客户分享说，他曾忍受过一个司机吃世界上最臭的水果，另一个司机和女朋友吵架，还有一个司机试图让他投资庞氏骗局。在每种情况下，他都没有给司机差评，而是给了司机五颗星。他解释说：“他们看起来都是好人。我不想因为我的差评而把他们踢出应用程序。”他给出了虚假评论，向司机和其他人隐瞒真相。
出于不同的原因，我们可能会向他人隐瞒真相。但使徒保罗鼓励以弗所的信徒作为基督里的新造之人，以爱心彼此说真话。这需要培养“公义和圣洁”的习惯（以弗所书 4:24），过着为祂而分别为圣并反映祂行事方式的生活。他们要用彼此说实话来代替谎言，因为谎言会分裂和破坏，而真理会团结信徒。他写道：“你们要弃绝谎言，各人与邻舍说实话，因为我们是互相为肢体”（25节）。
祈求耶稣赋予我们勇气，抵制谎言，不要给彼此“虚假的评价”，这些会破坏我们与其他信徒的团结。让我们按照祂的指引，过着充满爱的生活，这样的生活将使我们能分享“仁爱和满有怜悯”的真理（32 节）。
反思和祈祷 你什么时候会忍不住向其他信徒隐瞒真相？为什么分享诚实和真实的东西至关重要？
亲爱的上帝，请帮助我，为表达对您和他人的爱，在人际关系中保持真诚。