0111 我对神的顺服，别人付什么代价
当他们带耶稣去的时候，有一个古利奈人西门，从鄉下来；他们就抓住他，把十字架搁在他身上，叫他背着跟随耶稣 。《路加福音23:26》
如果我们顺服神，其他人付上的代价，将比我们付的更大，这就是痛苦的开始。如果我们爱主，顺服不会使我们付出任何代价，反而是一种喜悦。但对于那些不爱祂的人来说，我们的顺服的确要付出很多的代价；如果我们顺服神，那就意味着其他人的计划会被干扰。他们会嘲笑我们说：「你称这为基督教吗？」我们可以避免这痛苦，但若要顺服神，就不能这样做；我们必须容让代价付出。
当我们的顺服开始让别人付出代价时，我们人类根深蒂固的骄傲，就会说：「我绝不接受任何人的东西。」 但我们必须接受，否则就不顺服神。我们无权认为我们与他人的关系应该与主自己的关系有何不同（参见路加福音8:1-3）。
当我们试图自己承担所有的代价，结果就是我们灵命没有长进。实际上，我们不能；因为我们是如此参与上帝的普世心意，其他人会立即受到我们顺服神的影响。我们会继续忠心地顺服神，并愿意忍受拒绝独立自主而有的羞辱吗？还是会做相反的选择，说：「我不要让别人受苦」？如果我们选择，我们能不顺服神，那处境会立即得到缓解，但也会使我们的主忧伤。然而，若我们顺服神，祂会看顾那些因我们顺服的后果而受苦的人。我们只需顺服，并将所有的后果交托给祂。
不要强求神你愿承受什么后果，作为你顺服祂的条件，要谨防这个倾向。
来自章伯斯的智慧
如果我们想在人们中间熟练地使用神的话语，我们就必须保持与人而非于理论的接触，并且永不脱离与人的接触。《上帝的工人》
0111 What My Obedience to God Costs Other People
As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon…, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. —Luke 23:26
If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything— it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people’s plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, “You call this Christianity?” We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.
When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, “I will never accept anything from anyone.” But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).
A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, “I will not cause other people to suffer”? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.
Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human beings, if we are going to use the word of God skillfully amongst them. Workmen of God, 1341 L