八福
得回自己的付出
經文
箴言書十一16-31
16恩德的婦女得尊榮；強暴的男子得資財。
17仁慈的人善待自己；殘忍的人擾害己身。
18惡人經營，得虛浮的工價；撒義種的，得實在的果效。
19恆心為義的，必得生命；追求邪惡的，必致死亡。
20心中乖僻的，為耶和華所憎惡；行事完全的，為他所喜悅。
21惡人雖然連手，必不免受罰；義人的後裔必得拯救。
22婦女美貌而無見識，如同金環帶在豬鼻上。
23義人的心願盡得好處；惡人的指望致干忿怒。
24有施散的，卻更增添；有吝惜過度的，反致窮乏。
25好施舍的，必得豐裕；滋潤人的，必得滋潤。
26屯糧不賣的，民必咒詛他；情願出賣的，人必為他祝福。
27懇切求善的，就求得恩惠；惟獨求惡的，惡必臨到他身。
28倚仗自己財物的，必跌倒；義人必發旺，如青葉。
29擾害己家的，必承受清風；愚昧人必作慧心人的仆人。
30義人所結的果子就是生命樹；有智慧的，必能得人。
31看哪，義人在世尚且受報，何況惡人和罪人呢？
信息分享
那些懂得憐恤的人是值得羨慕的，因為他們能夠得回自己的付出。心理學家時常指出，我們的態度和情緒是有感染力的。聖經說：「一個人若要結交朋友必須對人友善」（箴十八24，意譯）。這經文說出類似的真理。不單這樣，憐恤的態度可以鼓勵別人懂得憐恤，而憐恤人的人自己不會輕易有負面的情緒，亦不會引起別人對他的敵意。他們會得回自己所付出的。
憐恤的行為能帶來改變的力量。當你向別人表達憐恤時，亦會同時喚起對方相同的感受，從而能夠產生彼此之間的交流，使你內心更能確認憐恤的重要。憐恤不會給你帶來損失，因為你會得到能夠豐富自己生命的回報。
當然，憐恤別人並不一定能夠引發別人的正面回應，但無論有沒有這種回應，憐恤都會提升你自己的生命，令你變得更好。你有沒有留意，有這種素質的人似乎都有良好的人際關系？當他們需要別人憐恤的時候，也總會很快地得到；因為我們付出什麼，我們能得到什麼。願意為別人付出的人不單擁有良好的人際關系，也擁有良好的健康。我們必須知道，在道德上正確的事情，也同樣是有益身心的，隻因為道德的法則是一體的，無論牠是銘刻在我們的身體組織裡，還是記載在聖經中。
「憐恤令你變得更好」
進深研究
太十八23-35，六15；雅二13
1.耶穌在這個比喻中要教導我們什麼？
2.這比喻是否能夠成為我們的鏡子？
祈禱
慈愛的天父，我在人生道路上尋覓您的腳蹤，也常常有驚訝的發現。求您幫助我跟隨您的道路、您的態度和您的生活方式。除了您以外沒有別的道路能夠建立我。阿們。
The Beatitudes
Getting back what you give
Bible reading:
Proverbs 11:16-31
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.
20 The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God's blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Message
Those who know how to be merciful are men and women to be envied. They get back what they give. Psychologists are always pointing out that our attitudes and emotions are contagious. Scripture puts the same truth in these words: "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly" (Prov. 18:24, AV). And what's more, a merciful attitude can encourage others to themselves be merciful. People who are merciful are not so apt to arouse harsh feelings or awaken enmities - they receive what they give.
Within the act of mercy is the power to effect change. When you demonstrate mercy toward someone, it calls forth the same feeling tones from the other person, and there will be an exchange that will reinforce the importance of the quality of mercy in your own spirit. So you do not lose anything, for they, in turn, give you something of themselves that can enrich your life.
It does not always happen, of course, that the demonstration of mercy evokes a positive response in others, but whether it does or not, you are all the better for being merciful. The pay-off is in you. Have you noticed how a person with this quality always seems to have good personal relationships? And when he or she has need of mercy from others, then it is instantly forthcoming - for as we give, so shall we receive. And not only do they enjoy good personal relationships - they enjoy (other things being equal) good physical health. The right thing morally is always the healthy thing physically. For morality is one - whether it is written in our tissues, or whether it is written in the Testaments.
"You are all the better for being merciful"
Prayer
Gracious Father, I am finding Your way amid my own ways. Daily, hourly, it is being disclosed before my astonished gaze. Help me to follow Your way, Your attitudes and Your lifestyle. For all other ways defeat me. Yours develops me. Amen.
Further study
Matthew 18:23-35; 6:15
James 2:13
1. What was Jesus teaching in this parable?
2. How is this sometimes a picture of us?
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