圣经的重要信息：管教--我们如何回应
希伯来书十二章6至11节
6因为主所爱的，他必管教，又鞭打凡所收纳的儿子。
7你们所忍受的，是神管教你们，待你们如同待儿子。焉有儿子不被父亲管教的呢？
8管教原是众子所共受的，你们若不受管教，就是私子，不是儿子了。
9再者，我们曾有生身的父管教我们，我们尚且敬重他，何况万灵的父，我们岂不更当顺服他得生么？
10生身的父都是暂随己意管教我们；惟有万灵的父管教我们，是要我们得益处，使我们在他的圣洁上有分。
11凡管教的事，当时不觉得快乐，反觉得愁苦；后来却为那经练过的人结出平安的果子，就是义。
信息分享
另一些人会问：「神会不会因为我以前犯的错惩罚我？」这样的理解也不正确。但是，当神严厉的管教临到的时候，我们的确需要以正确的态度来回应。
今天的经文提到三种态度。第一种是「轻看」管教（6节）。英文KJV版本译作「藐视」。倘若我们身体的某部分出现痛楚，我们却漠然不理，便忽略了身体向我们发出的讯号。同样地，当神用祂的话语责备我们，或是透过某些痛苦的经历管教我们，我们却置诸不理，我们就真的有祸了。
第二种态度是「灰心」（6节）。英文KJV版本译作「失去勇气」。我们经历管教的时候，很容易会沉溺在自怜当中，抱怨神容易，赚得别人的同情也不难。然而，神要的却是我们在当中获益，得坚固，因为那难处是祂为我们的好处所容许的。
第三种态度是我们可以从管教中获益（11节）。在难处中我们也许不好过，从来严厉的管教都不容易接受。但这样的管教终会结出「义」的果子，也使神的旨意得以成就。而这样的好处，唯有那些愿意顺服、带着信心和喜乐接受神管教的人，才能得着。
我们的态度如何？轻看神严厉的管教？灰心？自怜？或是从中获益？这在乎我们的抉择。当然，神必帮助我们。祂会借着内住的圣灵，赐我们力量，使我们能忍受管教所带来的苦楚，并借此而获益，生命变得更丰盛。你会向祂祈求在我们里面并为着我们作工吗？
牢记：
神的责备是出自于爱，而不是怒气。
GREAT WORDS OF THE BIBLE: CHASTENING - Our Attitude to the Lord's Discipline
Hebrews 12:6-11
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Message
Other people ask, 'Do you think the Lord is punishing me for what I did years ago?' Both are wrong but we do need to have a right attitude when it appears that the Lord is using strong discipline on us.
There are three attitudes mentioned in our reading today. First, we can make light of it (v.6) 'Despise it' are the words in the KJV. If we ignore physical pain, we are going past one of nature's danger signals. If we take no notice when God is speaking strongly, in conviction or in suffering, we are in real danger.
Second, we can lose heart. (v.6) 'Faint under it' is the wording of the KJV. It is easy to indulge in self pity. It is easy to blame God. It is easy to cry on everyone's shoulder. What God wants is for us to be strengthened and helped by it. He has allowed it for our good.
Third, we can benefit from it. (v.11) It may not seem to be a very happy situation. No strong discipline ever is. It will eventually bring about 'a harvest of righteousness' and that will fulfill God's purpose. That will only be so for those who enter into its meaning with surrender, faith and joy.
What is our attitude? Make light of God's strong discipline? Lose heart? Give way to self pity? Or benefit from it? The choice is ours, but God will help us even in this. By His indwelling Spirit, he will give us the strength to endure, to be blessed and be enriched by it all. Can we ask Him to do that in us and for us?
A LINE FOR TODAY: In love and not in anger all His chastening come.