Strength for Today | 操练谦卑 Practical Humility

Practical Humility 操练谦卑

“Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men” (Philippians 4:5).

“当叫众人知道你们谦让的心。”（腓立比书4：5）

Real humility will have a forbearance that is gracious toward others and content with its own circumstances.

真正的谦卑是对他人慷慨并满足于自己所有的谦让。

Some Greek words have various meanings that are hard to translate into just one English word. This is true of “forbearing” in today’s verse. It can refer to contentment, gentleness, generosity, or goodwill toward others. Some commentators say it means having leniency toward the faults and failures of others. Other scholars say it denotes someone who is patient and submissive toward injustice and mistreatment—one who doesn’t lash back in angry bitterness. It reminds us very much of what we have been considering for the past week—humility.

一些希腊词汇有多种含义，很难翻译成一个简单的英文单词。今天经文中的“谦让”就是如此。它可以指满足、温柔、大方、或对他人友好。一些注释者说它表示宽容他人的失败和错误。其他学者们说它指在不公和虐待面前显出忍耐和顺从—这个人不会对怒气冲冲的怨恨进行反击。这让我们想到很多上周所讨论的话题—谦卑。

The humble believer trusts God and does not hold a grudge even though others have unfairly treated him, harmed him, or ruined his reputation. Such a person does not demand his rights. Instead, he will pattern his behavior after his Lord Jesus, who in supreme humility manifested God’s grace to us (Rom. 5:10).

谦卑的基督徒信靠上帝，即使在遭受不公平的对待、被伤害、名誉被损的情况下，依然不怨恨。这样的信徒不求自己的益处。相反，他的行为效法他的主耶稣，那位以至高无上的谦卑向我们施恩典的主（罗马书5：10）。

If you are conscientiously following Christ, your behavior will go against the existentialism of modern society. Existentialism claims the right to do or say anything that makes one feel good. Today’s existentialist unbeliever has a twisted logic that says, “If something makes you feel good but hurts me, you can’t do it. But if something makes me feel good but hurts you, I can do it.”

如果你真正地跟随基督，你的行为就会与现代社会的存在主义相悖。存在主义者宣扬让自己感觉良好的做或说的权利。今天的非信徒存在主义者有个悖论：“如果有事情使你觉得好但伤害我，那你就不能做。但如果有事情让我觉得好但伤害你，我可以做。”

Unhappily, many believers have been caught up in that kind of thinking. They don’t call it existentialism—self-esteem or positive thinking are the preferred terms—but the results are much the same. Such Christians do what satisfies their desires, often at the expense of other people. At its core, this kind of attitude is simply sinful self-love.

不幸地是，很多基督徒也陷在这样的思想中。他们不称之为存在主义—他们宁可称之为自尊或是正面想法—但结果却大同小异。这样的基督徒做满足他们自己欲望的事，有时以牺牲他人为代价。本质上，这种态度就是罪性：自恋。

In contrast to such self-love, Philippians 4:5 exhorts us to exhibit humble forbearance and graciousness to others. Other Scriptures command us to love our enemies and show mercy to those who sin (Matt. 5:44; 1 Peter 4:8). Such qualities allowed the apostle Paul to say, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11). God wants us to be just as humble and content with our circumstances.

与自恋相反，腓立比书4：5劝诫我们要对他人谦让和慷慨。其他经文命令我们要爱我们的敌人，施恩典给罪人（马太福音5：44，彼得前书4：8）。具备这种特质的使徒保罗说：“我无论在什么景况都可以知足，这是我已经学会了” （腓立比书4：11）。上帝希望我们在自己的景况中可以知足和谦卑。