0225 服事的匱乏
難道我越發愛你們，就越發少得你們的愛嗎？《哥林多後書12:15》
人類自然的愛期望得到回報，但保羅說：「對我來說，你們是否愛我並不重要。總之，我甘願一貧如洗；不僅是為了你們之故，更是為了能把你們帶到神面前，我願意深受貧窮之苦。」，「因你們知道我們主耶穌基督的恩典：祂本來富足，卻為你們成了貧窮…」（林後 8:9）。保羅的事奉理念與我們主的理念是一樣的，他不在乎自己付出的代價有多大——他很樂意付出；這對保羅來說是一件喜樂的事。
教會機制關於神僕人的理念與耶穌基督的理念完全不同。祂的理念是我們藉著成為他人的僕人來服事祂。耶穌基督實際上「比社會主義者更社會化」。祂說，在祂的國度里，最大的那位將是眾人的僕人（見馬太福音 23:11）。一個聖徒真正的考驗，不在於他願否傳福音，而是願意做一些如給門徒洗腳的事，也就是願意做那些在人眼中似乎不重要，但在神眼裡卻至關重要的事。保羅樂意為了神對其他人的利益而奉獻自己的一生，他不在乎為此付出什麼代價。但在我們服事之前，我們會停下來思考我們個人和財務的擔憂——「如果神要我去那裡怎麼辦？我的工資呢？那裡的氣候如何？誰來照顧我？一個人必須考慮所有這些事情。」所有這些都表明我們對服事神持有保留的態度。但使徒保羅沒有任何條件或保留。保羅把他的一生聚焦在耶穌基督對新約聖徒的理念上，也就是說，不僅僅是個傳播福音的人，而是為了他人而在耶穌基督手中成為擘開的餅和澆奠的酒的人。
來自章伯斯的智慧
耶穌對門徒所說的偉大之語是「舍己」。當神把我們帶進門徒的關係中時，我們必須冒險相信祂的話，完全信靠祂，並注意當祂帶我們去冒險時，我們就接受之。《登山寶訓研究》
0225 The Destitution of Service
…though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. —2 Corinthians 12:15
Natural human love expects something in return. But Paul is saying, “It doesn’t really matter to me whether you love me or not. I am willing to be completely destitute anyway; willing to be poverty-stricken, not just for your sakes, but also that I may be able to get you to God.” “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor…” (2 Corinthians 8:9). And Paul’s idea of service was the same as our Lord’s. He did not care how high the cost was to himself— he would gladly pay it. It was a joyful thing to Paul.
The institutional church’s idea of a servant of God is not at all like Jesus Christ’s idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of others. Jesus Christ actually “out-socialized” the socialists. He said that in His kingdom the greatest one would be the servant of all (see Matthew 23:11). The real test of a saint is not one’s willingness to preach the gospel, but one’s willingness to do something like washing the disciples’ feet— that is, being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God. It was Paul’s delight to spend his life for God’s interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. But before we will serve, we stop to ponder our personal and financial concerns— “What if God wants me to go over there? And what about my salary? What is the climate like there? Who will take care of me? A person must consider all these things.” All that is an indication that we have reservations about serving God. But the apostle Paul had no conditions or reservations. Paul focused his life on Jesus Christ’s idea of a New Testament saint; that is, not one who merely proclaims the gospel, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for the sake of others.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it. –Studies in the Sermon on the Mount