牧者心聲
當孩子說要作信徒宣教士
蕭壽華牧師
2024 年 9 月 21 日 / 22 日
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2002年暑假我前往印度新德里探望教會差出的宣教士。與我同行的不是教會的短宣隊，而是我兒子。他剛中五畢業，我渴望他更多認識宣教，或許他將來也可投身宣教，因此我邀他同行，他也欣然前往。當飛機抵達當地，機艙門甫打開，我們便感覺進入了一個鍋爐，當地溫度高達攝氏45度。後來看到當地衛生惡劣、經濟困難、靈界勢力囂張，便明白宣教士在其中生活實在付上極大代價。有一天，兒子熱誠地詢問宣教士若要前來印度宣教，需要有甚麼準備？我聽後突然內心掛慮起來：兒子若要投身宣教，也不一定前來印度，這裡太辛苦了！我這心思也叫自己吃驚，我鼓勵孩子關心宣教，但竟害怕他真的踏上宣教。
基督徒父母知道孩子要委身作信徒宣教士，奉獻一兩年或更長時間在工場支援宣教士，或許會出現矛盾的心情，但也必更深體會天父差遣祂愛子來到世上，是對我們何等的疼愛！事實上，神對我們孩子的呼召，也是對我們的呼召，呼召我們也付上代價，藉著支持孩子前往工場而參與宣教。難道天父不知道父母與孩子的關係會因孩子的離開而受阻隔？不知道孩子的不在會叫父母失去某些供應及支援？若主呼召孩子出去，父母豈不同時要學習順服與信靠那位差遣人的主？不論孩子或父母，都必因順服跟從主而認識神、經歷神。
當然，當孩子願意委身宣教，父母仍需幫助他們分辨神的引導，更要幫助他們察驗內心的動機，是誠實投身宣教、還是為了個人榮譽？是奉獻自己、還是為發揮自我，闖蕩江湖？孩子是否已清楚考慮代價？有沒有牧者的印證？父母如能把對孩子外出的掛憂交託主，也回應、順服主對自己的呼召，他們就必更能幫助孩子辨識主的帶領，也更能尊重、信任孩子事奉主的心志。
不少青年信徒委身作宣教士，是因為父母過去蒙神感動，主動向神表明若主願意，便奉獻孩子投身宣教。哈拿奉獻兒子撒母耳，並蒙神悅納，而神日後也感動撒母耳事奉祂，成為整個民族的祝福。雖然神對個別生命有不同的旨意，不一定按父母的意願行事，但父母主動奉獻孩子仍是神所喜悅的，祂必賜福。父母奉獻孩子以後，要學習等候神的工作，毋須催促孩子前行，只需表明若孩子所領受的是神的呼召，父母必定支持，這會是孩子跟從主的重要鼓勵。
In the summer of 2002, I went to New Delhi, India, to a visit to a missionary sent by our church. With me on the trip was not any short-term mission teams but my own son. He had just completed Form 5 then. I very much hoped he would know more about mission and, someday, maybe he would take part in it. So, I invited him for the trip, and he gladly accepted. When we landed in New Delhi, we felt as if we had entered an oven the moment the cabin doors opened. The local temperature was as high as 45°C. We later also came to know about the poor hygiene conditions, the economic difficulties, and the rampant spiritual powers there. We understood that missionaries paid a heavy price to live there. One day, my son earnestly asked the missionary what preparations one would need before coming to India for mission. I was suddenly a little anxious: If my son were to take part in mission, it was not a must for him to come to India for it was way too difficult here! I was also shocked by my own thought. I had been encouraging my son to care for mission, but then I was afraid that he would really go on mission.
Christian parents may face a dilemma when they know that their children commit themselves to serving as lay missionaries and offer one to two years or even a longer period to support missionaries on the field. But surely, they would, at the same time, more thoroughly understand the great love by which the Heavenly Father sent His beloved Son to the world! The fact is, God's call for our children is also His call for us. He calls us to pay the price and, through our support for our children to go to the mission field, to take part in mission. Would the Heavenly Father not know that the parent-child relationship would be hindered by the child’s leaving? Would He not know that parents would lose certain supplies or support in the absence of the child? If the Lord calls the child to go, would parents not also need to learn to obey and trust in the Lord who sends? Both the child and the parents will surely know and experience God through obeying and following the Lord.
Of course, when their children are willing to commit to mission work, parents will still need to help them discern the guidance of God. They also need to help them examine their inner motives. Are they honestly committing to mission, or are they doing it for personal glory? Are they offering themselves, or are they asserting themselves in roaming the world? Have they clearly considered the price to pay? Do they have the confirmation of pastors? If parents can entrust the Lord with their worries about their children’s going, and if they can respond to and obey the Lord's calling for them, they will certainly be able to help their children discern the guidance of the Lord better. They will also be able to better respect and trust their children's desire to serve the Lord.
Many young believers commit to serving as missionaries because their parents had been moved by God in the past and had proactively expressed to God that they were willing to offer their children for mission if it is His will. Hannah offered her son Samuel and was accepted by God. God later moved Samuel to serve Him, and he became a blessing to the whole nation. Although God has His own will for each individual and may not act according to the desire of parents, He will still be pleased when parents take the initiative to offer their children. He will bless. After offering their children, parents need to learn to wait on God to work. There is no need to urge their children to get underway. They only need to express that if their children have truly received the calling from God, they will no doubt support them. That will be an important encouragement for the children in following the Lord.
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