Carefully Crafted精心制作

[Dexu Xia]

Carefully Crafted

Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people.  Ephesians 4:11–12

 

 

In a YouTube video, Alan Glustoff, a cheese farmer in Goshen, New York, described his process for aging cheese, a process that adds to a cheese’s flavor and texture. Before it can be sent out to a market, each block of cheese remains on a shelf in an underground cave for six to twelve months. In this humid environment the cheese is carefully tended. “We do our best to give it the right environment to thrive . . . [and] to develop to its truest potential,” Glustoff explained.

Glustoff’s passion for developing the potential of the cheese he produces reminded me of God’s passion for developing the “truest potential” of His children so they will become fruitful and mature. In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul describes the people involved in this process: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (v. 11). People with these gifts help to stimulate the growth of each believer as well as to encourage acts of service (the “works” mentioned in verse 12). The goal is that we “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (v. 13).

Spiritual growth comes about through the power of the Holy Spirit as we submit to His maturing process. As we follow the guidance of the people He places in our lives, we become more effective as He sends us out to serve.

By: Linda Washington

Reflect & Pray

Who has been most influential to your spiritual growth? In what ways have you been challenged to grow? How can you encourage the growth of someone else?

Loving God, I’m grateful for the tender way You help me to grow.

精心制作

祂所赐的有使徒，有先知，有传福音的，有牧师和教师。为要成全圣徒。-以弗所书4章11-12节

在一段网络视频中，一位奶酪农场主讲述了奶酪的成熟过程，这一过程能增加奶酪的风味和质感。每块奶酪在送到市场贩售之前，都必须在地下洞穴的架子上存放6至12个月。在这个潮湿的环境中，工人每天都必须细心照料奶酪。这位农场主解释说﹕“我们尽最大的努力为奶酪提供适当的发酵环境……让它能成熟并让奶酪隐含的独特风味能完全发挥出来。”

奶酪的成熟过程能显出其独特的风味，这让我联想到上帝也希望祂的儿女能成长，显露他们隐含的特质，好让他们的生命变得更加丰盛、成熟。在以弗所书第4章，使徒保罗提到了参与这种“成熟过程”的人有：使徒、先知、传福音的、牧师和教师（11节）。拥有这些恩赐的人能激发信徒的成长，并鼓励他们参与服事。正如12节说：“为要成全圣徒，各尽其职”，目的是要使众人都“得以长大成人，满有基督长成的身量”（13节）。

在我们的生命中，上帝会安排许多人来教导我们。当我们靠着圣灵的力量来顺服这些教导，就犹如让生命进入成熟的过程，灵命也能逐渐成长。这样，当上帝差遣我们去服事祂时，我们的服事就会变得更有果效。

在成长的过程中，你曾面对哪些挑战？
你要如何鼓励别人成长呢？

慈爱的上帝温柔地帮助你我成长。