Written on the Heart / 推荐信

[Dexu Xia]

Written on the Heart

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 2 Corinthians 3:2

As a professor, I’m often asked by students to write letters of recommendation for them—for leadership positions, study-abroad programs, graduate schools, and even jobs. In each letter, I have a chance to praise the student’s character and qualifications.

When Christians traveled in the ancient world, they often carried with them similar “letters of commendation” from their churches. Such a letter ensured that the traveling brother or sister would be welcomed hospitably.

The apostle Paul didn’t need a letter of recommendation when he spoke to the church in Corinth—they knew him. In his second letter to that church, Paul wrote that he preached the gospel out of sincerity, not for personal gain (2 Corinthians 2:17). But then he wondered if his readers would think that in defending his motives in preaching, he was trying to write a letter of recommendation for himself.

He didn’t need such a letter, he said, because the people in the church in Corinth were themselves like letters of recommendation. The visible work of Christ in their lives was like a letter “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God” (3:3). Their lives testified to the true gospel Paul had preached to them—their lives were letters of reference that could be “known and read by everyone” (3:2). As we follow Jesus, this becomes true of us too—our lives tell the story of the goodness of the gospel.

When people read the “letter” of your life, what do they see of Jesus? Who are the teachers who have left their imprint on you?

Jesus, I want others to see You in my life. May I decrease and You increase

推荐信

你们就是我们的荐信，写在我们的心里，被众人所知道、所念诵的。-哥林多后书3章2节

    身为一名大学教授，时常有学生请我帮忙写推荐函，如申请领导职务、出国留学、申请研究所或是求职推荐。在每一封推荐信中，我都有机会赞许那位学生的人格特质和所具备的条件与资格。

    在初代教会，基督徒出外远行时，通常也会随身携带教会为他们写的推荐信，以确保他们在途中能获得殷勤款待。

    使徒保罗在对哥林多教会的信徒讲道时，并不需要推荐信，因他们认识保罗。但保罗在第二封书信中却特别声明，他传福音不是为个人利益而是出于诚实（哥林多后书2章17节）。保罗也不要这些信徒以为他在澄清自己的动机时，是在为自己写推荐信。

    保罗强调自己并不需要这样的信，因为哥林多教会的信徒就是他的推荐信，基督在他们生命中的工作显然就像是一封信，“不是用墨写的，乃是用永生上帝的灵写的”（3章3节）。他们的生命见证了保罗所教导纯正的福音真理，他们的生命就是推荐信，是“被众人所知道、所念诵的”（3章2节）。期盼你我在跟随耶稣的信仰旅程中，也能成为一封“推荐信”，让人们能透过我们的生命看见福音的美好！

    当别人细读你生命所写成的“书信”时，他们在你身上看到耶稣的哪些特质？谁是你生命中的导师，他们如何影响你？

生命更像耶稣，散发基督的馨香。