牧者心聲
美好人生是以美好的關係建成

黃志剛牧師
2024 年 11 月 16 日 / 17 日


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本文的標題是翻譯自一位資深精神科醫生Robert Waldinger在一次公開講座中作總結的一句話:"A good life is built with good relationships." 講座內容是關於一個進行了75年、以700多名美國男士為對象的追蹤研究,目的是探討甚麼因素締造一個真正快樂、滿足的人生。研究結果顯示:幸福人生的關鍵不在於財富、名氣或拼命工作,而是與人建立良好的關係。由此,我聯想到以下三方面:

1. 美好關係的特徵——分享他們都專心致志於使徒的教導、團契、擘餅和祈禱。(徒二42,新漢語譯本)

無論是家人、朋友、或教會,成熟健康的關係都不是單方面付出,而是彼此幫助,互相扶持。「團契」的原文字義有「分享、貢獻、參與一份」的含意,表明基督徒群體的特徵除了有主同在,便是慷慨付出,不相計較,有福同享,有難同當。當我們的團契生活能夠名實相副,我們便成為美好的生命見證。

2. 美好關係的基石——基督神是信實的,他呼召你們,要讓你們跟他兒子我們的主耶穌基督連結在一起。弟兄們,我奉我們主耶穌基督的名,勸你們大家要同心。你們中間不該有分裂,倒要團結起來,心思一致,意向相同。(林前一9-10)

使徒保羅勸勉哥林多教會要同心合意,團結一致。這種生命展現建基於神對教會的呼召,祂呼召教會與聖子耶穌連結一起。「連結在一起」的原文是進入團契——我們不僅與主內弟兄姊妹成為團契,也與基督進入團契,分享祂賦予我們的救命之恩和生命中的各樣恩惠。我們擁有的美好人生,源於神使基督與我們和好,更新神與人、人與人的關係。

3. 關係復和的竅門——祈禱所以你們要彼此認罪,互相代禱,使你們得到醫治。義人的祈禱能發揮很大的功效。(雅五16)

人際關係需要維繫、保鮮,甚或修補,才能破鏡重圓、歷久常新。關係越親密,關係破損所帶來的隔膜和傷痛往往越大越深——我們知道要道歉,要原諒,可是往往難於啟齒,心有不甘。箇中原因,也許是不覺得自己有錯,或是為了維護尊嚴,保護自己免(再)受傷害,甚或感到誰是誰非都不再重要,不想再花費心力糾纏下去。要做到聖經所說「彼此認罪,互相代禱」,雖然知易行難,但並非沒有可能——祈禱,請人代禱——求主幫助自己和對方邁向復和之路。

美好人生,是以與神與人的和好關係建成。


昔牧尋聲 Archive


Pastor's Sharing

The Good Life is Built with Good Relationships

Rev Patrick Wong

  The title above, "The good life is built with good relationships," comes from the conclusion to a talk by Dr. Robert Waldinger, senior psychiatrist, on a 75-year longitudinal study of more than 700 American men to find out the crucial factors leading to a happy, fulfilling life. The study finds that a good life has nothing to do with wealth, fame or hard work. It is all about good interpersonal relationships. That inspired my thoughts in the three areas below:

  1. A good relationship is marked by sharing: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42)

  2.   Whether in family, with friends or the church community, a mature, healthy relationship is never a one-way effort. There must be mutual help and support. The word for "fellowship" in the original language denotes "sharing, contribution and participation." It tells us that the Christian community is marked not only by the presence of the Lord, but also by generous giving, not being calculating, and by sharing the good times and the bad. When we really live out our fellowship life, we make a good life testimony.

  3. Christ is the cornerstone of a good relationship: "God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." (1 Corinthians 1:9-10)

  4.   The Apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthian church to be perfectly united in mind and thought. A life like this is based on God's call for the church into fellowship with His Son Jesus. When we are "into fellowship," we not only have fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ but also with Christ. We share in Christ's redemption and grace for our everyday life. Our good life stems from the fact that God has reconciled us to Him through Christ and renewed His relationship with man, and man's relationship with man.

  5. Prayer is the key to reconciliation: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)

  Interpersonal relationships need to be maintained, kept fresh and even mended to enable reconciliation and to be kept in good condition. The closer the relationship, the deeper the hurt, alienation and pain when it breaks. We all know about apologies and forgiveness, but every so often, we just cannot do it or will not do it. The reason is probably that we do not find ourselves at fault. Or it may be because we want to protect our dignity and prevent further hurt. Or we may think that it really does not matter who is right and who is wrong after all. And we just do not want to spend any more time pursuing any of this. It is difficult, but not impossible, to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other." Prayer and intercession are the key – pray that the Lord will help us step onto the path of reconciliation with the other party.

  The good life is built with reconciled relationships with God and man.









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