Paul, denied of every comfort, wrote the above words in his dungeon2. A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning, and found everything withered3 and dying. He asked the oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found it was sick of life and determined4 to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine was all out of heart because it could not bear grapes, like the vine. The vine was going to throw its life away because it could not stand erect5 and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting6 because it was not tall and fragrant7 like the lilac; and so on all through the garden. Coming to a heart's-ease, he found its bright face lifted as cheery as ever. "Well, heart's-ease, I'm glad, amidst all this discouragement, to find one brave little flower. You do not seem to be the least disheartened." "No, I am not of much account, but I thought that if you wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one; but as I knew you wanted a heart's-ease, I am determined to be the best little heart's-ease that I can."
"Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God's heritage
Can do it so well as you."
They who are God's without reserve, are in every state content; for they will only what He wills, and desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do; they strip themselves of everything, and in this nakedness find all things restored an hundredfold.
一月七日
“我无论在什么景况,都可以知足,这是我已经学会了“ (腓四:11)
保罗,轻看了一切的福乐,在监狱中写上面的几句话。有一个故事讲到一个国王一天早晨独自到他的花园中去散步,他发现所有的花草树木都枯萎凋谢了。园中充满了死象,一无生气。国王非常诧异,就问园门口的一棵橡树:它们中间究竟出了什么岔子。后来他才知道橡树因为自怨没有松树那样高大俊秀,所以就生出厌世之心,不想活了。松树又恨自己不能像葡萄藤那样多结果子。葡萄藤也将自尽,因为它终日匍伏于地,不能直立,又不能像桃树那样开美丽可爱的花。牵牛花,也病倒了,因为它叹自己没有紫丁香那样芬芳。其余的都垂头丧气,怨自己不如人,只有一枝顶小的心安草,国王见它仍在喷香吐艳,维持原状。国王高兴极了,对它说: “心安草,我真欢喜,别的都悲观厌世,只有你这枝小草这样勇敢。你似乎一点都没有沮丧。”小草儿回答说:“王阿,我绝对没有,连一丝的灰心,一毫的失望,也没有。我虽然算不得什么,但是我知道如果你要一棵橡树,或者一棵松树或者葡萄藤,或者桃树,或者牵牛花,或者紫丁香,你就会去种植;我知道你要我作一枝小的心安草,所以我就心满意足地尽力作一枝小的心安草”。
别人或担当更大任务,
但你有你本分的工作,
在神所拣选子民之中,
无人比得上你更适确。
那些不为自己留起丝毫地位的奉献者,在万事上都能知足;因为他们只愿意神所愿意的,只作神所要他们作的。他们剥夺自己的一切,在这样的赤裸中,神在今世偿还他们百倍。
点击收听单词发音
1 whatsoever | |
adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么 | |
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2 dungeon | |
n.地牢,土牢 | |
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3 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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4 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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5 erect | |
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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6 fretting | |
n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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7 fragrant | |
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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