A Humble Posture 谦卑的姿态
Dexu Xia
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Psalm 16:2
“Keep your hands behind your back. You’ll be fine.” That’s the loving admonition Jan’s husband always gave before she ventured off to speak to a group. When she found herself trying to impress people or seeking to control a situation, she’d adopt this posture because it put her in a teachable, listening frame of mind. She used it to remind herself to love those before her and to be humble and available to the Holy Spirit.
Jan’s understanding of humility is rooted in King David’s observation that everything comes from God. David said to God, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” (Psalm 16:2). He learned to trust God and seek His counsel: “Even at night my heart instructs me” (v. 7). He knew that with God next to him, he’d not be shaken (v. 8). He didn’t need to puff himself up because he trusted in the mighty God who loved him.
As we look to God each day, asking Him to help us when we feel frustrated or to give us words to speak when we feel tongue-tied, we’ll see Him at work in our lives. We’ll “partner with God,” as Jan says; and we’ll realize that if we’ve done well, it’s because God has helped us flourish.
We can look at others with love, our hands clasped behind our backs in a posture of humility to remind us that everything we have comes from God.
How do you feel when you place yourself in a humble posture before someone else? How could you depend on God to help you with the tasks before you today?
Creator God, You’ve created the world and all that’s within it, and yet You love me and want to use me for Your glory. Help me to look to You for help and strength.
我的心哪，你曾对耶和华说：“祢是我的主，我的好处不在祢以外。”—诗篇16篇2节
每当惠珍要在群众面前发言之前，她的丈夫总是会给她一个爱的叮咛：“别紧张，只要握着双手，身体稍微向前倾就行了。”当惠珍发觉自己想要给人留下深刻的印象，或试图控制局面时，就会改用这种姿态，因为这能让她有一颗受教，且愿意倾听的心态。她用这样的姿态提醒自己去爱那些听众，并且要谦卑地顺服圣灵的引导。
惠珍对谦卑的理解是基于大卫王的认知，那就是一切都来自上帝。就像大卫对上帝说：“祢是我的主，我的好处不在祢以外”（诗篇16篇2节）。大卫也学会信靠上帝并寻求祂的劝戒：“我的心在夜间也劝戒我”（7节，新译本）。他知道上帝在他身边，他便不至摇动（8节）。他不需要故作坚强，因他信靠这位爱他的全能上帝。
当我们每天都仰望上帝，就会看到祂在我们的生命中动工。我们可以在沮丧时寻求祂的帮助，或在不晓得该说什么时，求祂赐给我们当说的话。如同惠珍提到，我们是与上帝同工的，而且我们也会意识到，如果我们做得好，都是因为有来自上帝的帮助。
我们当以爱心对待他人，以谦卑的姿态握着双手，身体稍微向前倾，好提醒自己：所拥有的一切皆来自上帝。
当你在别人面前保持谦卑的姿态时，你有什么感觉？
你今天要如何倚靠上帝来完成你当做的事？
创造万物的上帝，祢创造世界和其中的一切，
但祢却爱我并乐意使用我来荣耀祢。
求祢使我懂得寻求祢的帮助和力量。