牧者心聲
永恆的一個片段
程續戰牧師
2023 年 2 月 4 日 / 5 日
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最近看了《給十九歲的我》這齣用了十年攝製的紀錄片，我看過後，不禁感到充滿盼望，原因是英華女學校的榮休校長李石玉如女士說了一句話：「這只不過是永恆的一個片段。」
石校長接受《時代論壇》訪問時說：「少年人有時會讓人感到他們不可理喻，但只要明白現在看見的她們，只不過是『永恆的一個片段』，她們還有將來的面貌，便可以平心靜氣面對現在的她們。」石校長的話很有啟發性，的確，少年人的現時狀況只是永恆中的一個片段。少年人猶如一棵植物，他們會按著植物不同的成長階段一步步地長大，我們不要只顧他們眼前的面貌，到了時候，他們自然會成長，畢竟有人栽種，有人澆灌，惟有神使它生長（林前三 6）。
這紀錄片中的同學們，都證實了石校長的金石良言是正確的。以其中一位同學阿佘為例，她在文憑試（DSE）中考獲的成績並不理想，我們或許會擔心她將來要走一條怎樣的路，但文憑試只是阿佘永恆中的一個片段，她經過一年的重修，最後也考進了大學，修讀自己喜愛的課程。阿佘的成長路很曲折，但她令人刮目相看，到了時候，她會自然蛻變，轉化為另一個令人驚喜的面貌。
另一位同學 Madam，她是Deputy Head Prefect，但與 Head Prefect 不和。在後來的訪問中，Madam 說大概因為自己當時沒有向 Head Prefect 讓步，以致下面跟隨她們的同學便有樣學樣，不聽 Madam 的指示，因為同學都看到 Madam 沒有聆聽 Head Prefect 的話。後來，Madam 從廉頗與藺相如的歷史事件中得到寶貴的啟迪，認為當時自己應要以大局為重，放下自我，與人和睦。這一次的挫折也是 Madam 永恆中的一個片段，到了時候，她的心意會被更新（弗四 23）。
這影片把同學的實況赤裸裸地放在我們眼前，使人內心激盪，也勉勵著我們思想：作為成年人，我們的婚姻、日常生活、身教言教如何影響著少年人的成長呢？我們可以怎樣與這群率性、又願為理想而奮鬥的少年人一起同行呢？為此，我盼望與你一起守望，在這幻變的年代，與主所深愛的少年人同行。
I recently watched a documentary titled To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self, which took ten years to produce. After watching it, I was inspired with hope because of a remark made by a retired principal of Ying Wa Girls' School, Ms. Ruth Lee: "This is just an episode in eternity."
At an interview by Christian Times, Principal Ruth said, "Teenagers may at times make people feel that they are off the wall but once we understand that what we see in them now is 'just an episode in eternity,' that they will have a future self, we will be able to calmly face them as they are here and now." Principal Ruth's words are truly inspiring. Indeed, the present condition of teenagers is just an episode in eternity. They are like a plant and they gradually grow according to various stages of their life. We should not just look at their current situation because in time, they will naturally grow up. After all, there are those who plant the seed, others water it, but God alone has been making it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6).
And Principal Ruth's words of wisdom is correct – the students in the documentary attested to this. Take Ah She, one of the students, as an example. Her results in the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) were not satisfactory. We might be worried what her future would hold. But DSE is only one episode in her eternity. She repeated class for one year and was finally admitted to university on a subject she loved. Ah She's growth path was winding but she made others see her in new light. In time, she naturally morphed into a self that pleasantly surprises.
Madam, another student, was the Deputy Head Prefect but she was at odds with the Head Prefect. In an interview, she said it was probably because she did not concede to the Head Prefect at that time and so other students under their care followed suit. They ignored Madam’s instructions as they saw that Madam did not listen to the Head Prefect. Later, Madam gained valuable insight from a historical figure and knew she should have laid down her self and be at peace with others for the sake of the overall good. This frustration was also just an episode in Madam's eternity. When the time comes, she is made new in the attitude of her mind (Ephesians 4:23).
This documentary presents the truth about the students nakedly before our eyes. It stirs our hearts and encourages us to think: As adults, how do our marriage, our daily lives, our acts and our speech influence the growth of our teenagers? How can we walk with these teenagers who are willful and are more than ready to strive for their aspirations? I very much hope that we can keep watch and walk with the youth the Lord so loves in this ever-changing era.
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