Parking Lot Quarrel 停车场纠纷

[Dexu Xia]

Do not merely listen to the word . . . . Do what it says.  James 1:22

The scene in the parking lot might have been funny if it wasn’t so tragic. Two drivers were arguing loudly over one of their cars that was blocking the passage of the other, and harsh words were being exchanged.

What made it especially painful to watch was that this quarrel was taking place in the parking lot of a church. The two men had possibly just heard a sermon about love, patience, or forgiveness, but it was all forgotten in the heat of the moment.

Passing by, I shook my head—then quickly realized I was no better. How many times had I read the Bible, only to fall into sin moments later with an uncharitable thought? How many times had I behaved like the person who “looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:23–24)?

James was calling on his readers not only to read and reflect on God’s instruction, but also to do what it says (v. 22). A complete faith, he noted, means both knowing Scripture and putting it into action.

Life’s circumstances can make it hard to apply what Scripture reveals. But if we ask the Father, He’ll surely help us obey His words and please Him with our actions.

What have you read in Scripture that you can do today? What might you stop doing?

Dear God, forgive me for the times I haven’t done what You’ve instructed. Give me the strength and the willingness to obey You with words, actions, and thoughts that please You.

 只是你们要行道，不要单单听道。—雅各书1章22节

停车场发生的那一幕，让人觉得可悲又可笑。有两个开车的人正大声争吵，只因为其中一辆车挡住了另一辆车的路，双方都口出恶言，互相谩骂。

让人看了特别痛心的是，这起纠纷发生在一间教会的停车场。这两个人可能才刚听完关于爱、忍耐或饶恕的信息，但在盛怒之下就将所听到的全抛之脑后。

经过停车场时，我不禁摇摇头，叹了一口气，但我很快便意识到自己也没好到哪里去。有多少次我读了圣经，却随即心生恶念而陷入罪中？圣经说：“就像人对着镜子看自己本来的面目，看见，走后，随即忘了他的相貌如何”（雅各书1章23-24节），有多少次我就是这个样子呢？

雅各呼吁他的读者，不仅要阅读和反思上帝的教导，还要实践所领受的圣经真理（22节）。他提到，完全的信心意味着既要明白真理，又要身体力行。

生活的处境也许会让我们难以实践圣经的教导，但如果我们恳求天父，祂必会帮助我们遵从祂的话语，并且让我们行事为人能讨祂的喜悦。

今天你阅读圣经有什么领受？
你要如何付诸行动？
你会停止做些什么？

上帝，求祢赦免我，
因许多时候我没有按祢的教导而行。
请赐我力量，并让我能甘心乐意地在言语、
行为和思想上，全然顺服祢，讨祢的喜悦。