八福
得回自己的付出
经文
箴言书十一16-31
16恩德的妇女得尊荣；强暴的男子得资财。
17仁慈的人善待自己；残忍的人扰害己身。
18恶人经营，得虚浮的工价；撒义种的，得实在的果效。
19恒心为义的，必得生命；追求邪恶的，必致死亡。
20心中乖僻的，为耶和华所憎恶；行事完全的，为他所喜悦。
21恶人虽然连手，必不免受罚；义人的后裔必得拯救。
22妇女美貌而无见识，如同金环带在猪鼻上。
23义人的心愿尽得好处；恶人的指望致干忿怒。
24有施散的，却更增添；有吝惜过度的，反致穷乏。
25好施舍的，必得丰裕；滋润人的，必得滋润。
26屯粮不卖的，民必咒诅他；情愿出卖的，人必为他祝福。
27恳切求善的，就求得恩惠；惟独求恶的，恶必临到他身。
28倚仗自己财物的，必跌倒；义人必发旺，如青叶。
29扰害己家的，必承受清风；愚昧人必作慧心人的仆人。
30义人所结的果子就是生命树；有智慧的，必能得人。
31看哪，义人在世尚且受报，何况恶人和罪人呢？
信息分享
那些懂得怜恤的人是值得羡慕的，因为他们能够得回自己的付出。心理学家时常指出，我们的态度和情绪是有感染力的。圣经说：「一个人若要结交朋友必须对人友善」（箴十八24，意译）。这经文说出类似的真理。不单这样，怜恤的态度可以鼓励别人懂得怜恤，而怜恤人的人自己不会轻易有负面的情绪，亦不会引起别人对他的敌意。他们会得回自己所付出的。
怜恤的行为能带来改变的力量。当你向别人表达怜恤时，亦会同时唤起对方相同的感受，从而能够产生彼此之间的交流，使你内心更能确认怜恤的重要。怜恤不会给你带来损失，因为你会得到能够丰富自己生命的回报。
当然，怜恤别人并不一定能够引发别人的正面回应，但无论有没有这种回应，怜恤都会提升你自己的生命，令你变得更好。你有没有留意，有这种素质的人似乎都有良好的人际关系？当他们需要别人怜恤的时候，也总会很快地得到；因为我们付出什么，我们能得到什么。愿意为别人付出的人不单拥有良好的人际关系，也拥有良好的健康。我们必须知道，在道德上正确的事情，也同样是有益身心的，只因为道德的法则是一体的，无论牠是铭刻在我们的身体组织里，还是记载在圣经中。
「怜恤令你变得更好」
进深研究
太十八23-35，六15；雅二13
1.耶稣在这个比喻中要教导我们什么？
2.这比喻是否能够成为我们的镜子？
祈祷
慈爱的天父，我在人生道路上寻觅您的脚踪，也常常有惊讶的发现。求您帮助我跟随您的道路、您的态度和您的生活方式。除了您以外没有别的道路能够建立我。阿们。
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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