牧者心聲

近日走在街上，抬頭就能看見樹木長滿黃白花海，讓人頓感春意盎然，亦令我回想起學生時代，每逢到了這個季節，便是時候趕快拾起書本，尋找智慧應付即將來臨的考試。

尋找智慧並非莘莘學子的專利，生活日常、衣食住行、柴米油鹽，全都需要用智慧來處理。得到智慧，亦是神所賜的福。聖經是智慧的寶庫，其中常常提及智慧，勉勵世人要按著智慧來生活。「你們中間誰是有智慧，有見識的人，就應當藉著美好的生活，藉著來自智慧的謙和，把自己的行為表現出來。」（雅三 13，環譯本）

要在屬世的處境中實踐如同活在天國的生命，的確需要各種各樣的恩賜，而智慧便是其中不可或缺的一種。一個得到屬天智慧的人，他會有謙和、清潔、締造和平的心。屬天的智慧能幫助人勝過試探，順服並活出神的旨意，生命結出屬靈的果子，並且能使人愛慕公義如飢似渴，為信徒群體帶來持久的成長。然而，若有人以自我為中心，帶著嫉妒和私心，意欲在信徒群體中表現出與眾不同的見識，顯出聰明才智，便需要留心自己的動機與屬靈狀態，趕快回到真理之中重尋智慧。

雅各書三章 13-18 節提出誰人是有智慧的問題，並為我們道出答案：「至於從上面來的智慧，首先是純潔，其次是和平、溫厚、恭順，充滿憐憫和善果，沒有偏袒，沒有虛偽——這是締造和平的人用和平培植出來的公義果子。」（17-18 節，環譯本）

從神而來的智慧幫助我們調整人生目標，讓我們看清楚是主基督在路上引領，便不會被世界牽著走。有了人生目標，我們也因此能夠有立志行動的決心，踏實地活出信仰。當我們在地上踐行純潔、和平、溫厚、恭順、憐憫，沒有偏袒，沒有虛偽，才是真正關心世界當下的現實。祈盼別人看見我們「在地若天」的生命，又從我們「信而踐行」的行為中，看見因為信耶穌所能活出自由、豐盛的生命。

  Recently, as I walked along the streets and looked up, I could see trees filled with clusters of yellow and white blossoms. Instantly, I felt the freshness of spring, which also reminded me of my student days. This season of the year was always the signal for me to quickly pick up my books and seek wisdom in preparation for the examinations that were about to come.

  The pursuit of wisdom, however, is not the privilege of students alone. In our daily lives, whether it be matters of food, clothing, shelter, or the routines of everyday living, we all need wisdom to navigate them well. Having wisdom is itself a blessing from God. The Bible is a treasury of wisdom, frequently speaking of it and exhorting people to live according to it. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13).

  To live out a life in this world as in the Kingdom of Heaven indeed requires various gifts, and wisdom is an indispensable one among them. A person who possesses wisdom from above will have a gentle, pure, and peace-loving heart. Heavenly wisdom enables one to overcome temptation, to obey and live out God’s will, to bear spiritual fruit in life, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness. It also brings lasting growth to the community of believers. However, if one becomes self-centred, driven by envy and selfish ambition, and seeks to display superior insight or intelligence within the community, one must carefully examine one’s motives and spiritual condition, and return to the truth to seek wisdom anew.

  James 3:13-18 raises the question of who is truly wise, and vv.17-18 provide the answer: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

  Wisdom from God helps us recalibrate our life goals. When we see clearly that it is Christ who leads us along the way, we will not be carried along by the world. With our life goals before us, we are able to act with resolve and live out our faith steadfastly. When we practise purity, peace, gentleness, submission, and mercy on earth, without partiality and without hypocrisy, we are truly engaging with the realities of this world. It is my prayer and hope that others may see in us a life that is “on earth as in heaven,” and through our lives of “faith lived out,” may come to witness the freedom and fullness of life that is found in believing in Jesus.