2015年12月3日
別幸災樂禍 When Not to Rejoice
读经: 以西結書25章1-7節；馬太福音5章43-48節
Reading: Ezekiel 25:1-7; Matthew 5:43-48
你仇敵跌倒，你不要歡喜。-箴言24章17節
Do not gloat when your enemy falls.- Proverbs 24:17
全年读经: 以西結書45-46章;約翰一書2章
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 45–46; 1 John 2
迦納的阿坎族人有一句俗話說：「被打的蜥蜴會氣那些向牠扔石頭的男孩，但更氣那些在旁邊起鬨、幸災樂禍的傢伙。」看到別人失敗，還幸災樂禍，就像是在人的傷口上灑鹽，甚至更糟。
當耶路撒冷的「聖所被褻瀆，以色列地變荒涼，猶大家被擄掠」（以西結書25章3節）的時候，亞捫人也是抱著這種幸災樂禍的態度。因為亞捫人心懷惡意地慶祝以色列人的不幸，上帝的怒氣便臨到他們，導致嚴重的下場（4-7節）。
當我們的鄰舍遭遇災難或困境時，我們應該要如何回應呢？當然，如果對方是很友善的人，我們會同情他，幫助他。但萬一對方是不友善、經常惹事生非的人呢？我們往往會故意忽視他，甚至暗暗地幸災樂禍。
箴言提醒我們:「你仇敵跌倒，你不要歡喜；他傾倒，你心不要快樂」（24章17節） 。耶穌也告訴我們，要在行為上顯明祂的愛，「要愛你們的仇敵，為那逼迫你們的禱告」（馬太福音5章44節） 。我們這樣行，就是仿效上帝完全的愛了（5章48節） 。
主啊，求祢開我的雙眼和內心，
對於那些待我不公、不友善之人，
讓我能省察對他們的態度。
求祢的愛充滿我的心，幫助我為他們禱告。
愛你的鄰舍如同自己。
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The Akan people of Ghana have a proverb: "The lizard is not as mad with the boys who threw stones at it as with the boys who stood by and rejoiced over its fate!" Rejoicing at someone's downfall is like participating in the cause of that downfall or even wishing more evil on the person.
That was the attitude of the Ammonites who maliciously rejoiced when the temple in Jerusalem "was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile" (Ezek. 25:3). For spitefully celebrating Israel's misfortunes, the Ammonites experienced God's displeasure, which resulted in grim consequences (vv. 4-7).
How do we react when disaster befalls our neighbor or when our neighbor gets into trouble? If she is a nice and friendly neighbor, then, of course, we will sympathize with her and go to her aid. But what if he is an unfriendly, trouble-making neighbor? Our natural tendency may be to ignore him or even secretly rejoice at his downfall.
Proverbs warns us: "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice" (24:17). Instead, Jesus tells us that we show His love in action when we "love [our] enemies and pray for those who persecute [us]" (Matt. 5:44). By so doing, we imitate the perfect love of our Lord (5:48).
Lord, open my eyes and my heart to be honest about my attitude toward those who are unkind or unfair to me. Fill my heart with Your love, Lord, and help me pray for them.
Love your neighbor as yourself.