2016年3月14日
個人空間 My Personal Space
读经: 路加福音8章40-48節
Reading: Luke 8:40-48
因我們的大祭司並非不能體恤我們的軟弱。-希伯來書4章15節
We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses. Hebrews 4:15
全年读经: 申命記23-25章;馬可福音14章1-26節
Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 23–25; Mark 14: 1-26
在上下班的高峰時間，地鐵和公車上往往擁擠不堪，不只人擠人，甚至還人貼人，讓乘客幾乎窒息。一名新加坡大學工業設計系的畢業生針對這個問題，想出了新奇的解決方法。她設計了一種有塑膠尖釘的防護背心，讓上班族在擁擠的車廂內能保有個人空間而不受侵犯。這種塑膠尖釘通常是用來保護植物免受小鳥和小貓的侵擾。
耶穌也曾深切體會這種沒有個人空間的感受，因為喧鬧的群眾拼命地圍擠著耶穌，想看到和摸到祂。有位婦人患了十二年的血漏病，花盡了積蓄，遍訪名醫，仍無法得醫治。但她觸摸了耶穌的衣裳繸子，血漏立刻就止住了（路加福音8章43-44節）。
耶穌問說：「摸我的是誰？」（45節）祂這麼問其實一點也不奇怪，因為耶穌覺得有能力從祂身上出去（46節）。這婦人觸摸耶穌與眾人不小心碰到祂，兩者是截然不同的。
當然，我們有時也想擁有個人空間和隱私。但如果要幫助心靈受傷的人，唯一的方法，就是讓他們靠近我們，讓他們得到我們心中來自基督的鼓勵、安慰和恩典。
主耶穌，我願靠近祢並認識祢，
希望人們能藉著我看見祢。
人們透過基督徒的生命看見耶穌。
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An industrial design graduate from a Singapore university was challenged in a workshop to come up with a novel solution to a common problem using only ordinary objects. She created a vest to protect one's personal space from being invaded while traveling in the crush of crowded public trains and buses. The vest was covered with long, flexible plastic spikes normally used to keep birds and cats away from plants.
Jesus knew what it was like to lose His personal space in the commotion of crowds desperate to see and touch Him. A woman who had suffered from constant bleeding for 12 years and could find no cure touched the fringe of His robe. Immediately, her bleeding stopped (Luke 8:43-44).
Jesus' question, "Who touched me?" (v. 45) isn't as strange as it sounds. He felt power come out of Him (v. 46). That touch was different from those who merely happened to accidentally touch Him.
While we must admit that we do sometimes wish to keep our personal space and privacy, the only way we help a world of hurting people is to let them get close enough to be touched by the encouragement, comfort, and grace of Christ in us.
Lord Jesus, I want to be near You and know You so that when I'm in contact with others they can see You through me.
A Christian's life is the window through which others can see Jesus.