“凡事不可结党,不可贪图虚浮的荣耀;” - 腓 2:3
贪图虚浮荣耀的人会假装自己比实际情况更好,更强,更有能力。这适用于所有认为靠自己就能成功,不需要神、不需要其他人或机会来帮助自己的人。
当我想到自己所认识的虚浮的人时,他们通常不是那些最努力工作或在社会阶梯上晋升很高的人。具有讽刺意味的是,虚浮的人往往是那些自己付出很少,却从很多特殊待遇和机遇中获益的人。
你更愿意效法谁呢?一个感恩其他人的帮助和环境机遇使他们在生活中获得成功的人——比如支持他们的父母、老师、导师、朋友和同事,以及受教育、被培训和有工作经验的机会?还是去效法那些自认为完全是靠个人努力获得成功的人?
耶稣是虚浮的反面。神所有的荣耀和威严都是属于祂的,但祂却以一种谦卑的方式来到我们中间,生活、服事,使人们在祂的为人和作为中发现祂的荣耀。祂不荣耀自己,而是建立他人。如果我们想真正获得成功,就应该以耶稣的心为心。
祷告
耶稣,透过你活在我们中间的方式,你显明自己。请帮助我们不自私,不虚荣,而是效法你的样式。阿们。
腓立比书 2:1-11
1所以,在基督里若有什么劝勉,爱心有什么安慰,圣灵有什么交通,心中有什么慈悲怜悯,
2你们就要意念相同,爱心相同,有一样的心思,有一样的意念,使我的喜乐可以满足。
3凡事不可结党,不可贪图虚浮的荣耀,只要存心谦卑,各人看别人比自己强。
4各人不要单顾自己的事,也要顾别人的事。
5你们当以基督耶稣的心为心。
6他本有神的形象,不以自己与神同等为强夺的,
7反倒虚己,取了奴仆的形象,成为人的样式;
8既有人的样子,就自己卑微,存心顺服以至于死,且死在十字架上。
9所以神将他升为至高,又赐给他那超乎万名之上的名,
10叫一切在天上的、地上的和地底下的,因耶稣的名无不屈膝,
11无不口称耶稣基督为主,使荣耀归于父神。
Vain Conceit
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit." - Philippians 2:3
People who are filled with vain conceit pretend that they are better, stronger, and more capable than they really are. This applies to anyone who thinks they have made it on their own, without the help of God or other people or opportunities.
When I think of conceited people I have known, they are not usually those who have had to work the hardest or who have had to climb very far up the social ladder. Ironically, conceited people are often those who have done very little for themselves while benefiting from lots of privileges and opportunities.
Whom would you rather follow? Someone who realizes that other people and circumstances have helped them gain success in their lives—such as supportive parents, teachers, mentors, friends, and coworkers, as well as opportunities for education, training, and work experience? Or would you follow someone who thinks they have gained success entirely on their own?
Jesus was the opposite of vain. All of the glory and majesty of God were his, and yet he came to live and serve among us in a humble way that would cause people to find his glory in the kind of person he was and the kinds of things he did. He gloried not in himself but in building others up. If we want to be truly successful, we ought to have the mindset of Jesus.
Prayer
Jesus, the truth about you came through in the way you lived among us. Help us not to be selfish or vain but instead to be like you. Amen.