玉麟筆記 Yulin’s Note

『我無論在甚麼景況、都可以知足、這是我已經學會了．我知道怎樣處卑賤、也知道怎樣處豐富、或飽足、或飢餓、或有餘、或缺乏、隨事隨在、我都得了秘訣。我靠著那加給我力量的（我在那加我能力者的裡面，）、凡事都能作。』（腓四11下~13）

一般人渴慕豐富，厭惡卑賤；希望飽足，不希望飢餓；喜歡有餘，不喜歡缺乏；但基督徒的生活卻是在任何的環境裡都能知道怎樣自處。就著保羅的話來說，這是一種的秘訣，是世人所未知的，但卻是我們基督徒的寶貝與能力。

這秘訣首先在於基督徒的知足。這知足保守我們免於世界的引誘與人的貪婪，也使我們認識神所量給我們的一切都是最好的，是最適合我們的，是對我們最有益處的。不僅如此，我們能知足，因為我們認識，也經歷在裡面的基督就是我們最大的滿足。

另一面，知足並不是說基督徒不進取，因為一個不進取的人怎麼可能有那麼多面的經歷？保羅的知足是積極的，是在竭力追求中的得著基督的滿足，是在勞苦中看見基督顯出的喜樂，是在各面的環境中因著基督而有的平安穩妥。

很寶貝這句話，「我在那加我能力者的裡面，凡事都能作。」其實希臘文的「作」本身就是有能力的意思，所以或許可以這麼說，「在那加我能力者的裡面，凡事我都有能力。」面對卑賤的打擊，我有能力；面對豐富的試誘，我也有能力；面對飢餓、缺乏的憂慮，我有能力；面對飽足、有餘的安逸，我也有能力。哦，基督在我們裡面的加力，使我們的人生何等的豐富、何等的多彩多姿。任何的環境都不能成為我們的限制與阻礙，各種的經歷不過是叫我們與神更親，叫我們更多得著基督。讚美主，那在我們裡面加力的基督就是我們生活的秘訣。

“… for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. “(Phil. 4:11b~13, ESV)

Most people long to prosper and hate to be lowly; want plenty, but not hunger; like abundance, but not lack. However, the Christian life is to know how to be in all environments. From Paul’s words, this is a secret which is unknown to the world, but it is the treasure and power of Christian.

First, the secret is to be content. It keeps us Christians from the temptations of the world as well as greediness of man. It also makes us know that what God has measured for us is the best, is the most suitable for us, and is most beneficial to us. Not only that, we can be content because we know and experience that Christ is our biggest satisfaction.

However, contentment is not to say that Christians are not pioneering, because it is impossible for a passive person to have such rich experiences. The contentment for Paul is so positive, which is the satisfaction of gaining Christ through his pressing on, the joy of expressing Christ through his labor, and the peace from Christ in any environment.

I treasure this sentence a lot, “I can do all things through (or in) him who strengthens me.” Here “do” in Greek has a meaning of “to have power.” So we may translate as “I have power for all things in Him who strengthens me.” I have power to face the blows of abasement, I have power to face the temptation of abundance; I have power to face the concerns of hunger and lack, I have also the power to face the comforts of plenty and excess. Oh, what a rich and beautiful life is that Christ has empowered us inside. No environment can become our limitations or obstacles. All experiences will not hinder us but help us to be more close to God and gain more of Christ. Praise the Lord, Christ who strengthen us is the secret of our lives.