12月28日
标 题：为神所称许
经 节：因为蒙悦纳的，不是自己称许的，乃是主所称许的。（哥林多后书十章18节）
对每个人来说，希望自己的行为得到称许，是很普通的事。孩提时期，我们渴望得到父母的肯定。长大了，我们在乎朋友，同事及上司的看法。有时候，别人对我们的观点，可能会变得过于重要，甚至成为我们衡量自我价值的方式。
保罗说，他从来不曾努力去得到人的称许。有些批评保罗的人，想以评论左右保罗的言行，他们赞美他们自己的言行。这些人寻找众人的称许，结果他们得到自己所追求的。
耶稣说，那些寻求别人称许的人，[已经得了他们的赏赐]（马太福音六：2-5）。保罗也领悟到，得人的赞赏并不困难，但得神的称许却需要更大的成就。耶稣由天父那儿得到的称许：[做得好]，也成为保罗的目标（提摩太后书二：3-5）。保罗知道自满并不难，他也曾满意自己的生活，直到他领悟自己所引以为荣的公义，在神的国度中只不过是一堆粪土罢了（腓立比书三：8）。在保罗变成基督徒以后，他了解：神对他行为的评估，比他对自己的看法更重要。
你最看重谁的意见？你是否满意并享受周遭人的称许？你是否很满意自己目前的生活方式？由神来的称许是最重要的。把生命奉献给神的愉悦，应是你过公义生活的动机。
Commended
by God
For not
he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians
10:18)
It
is common for all of us to seek approval for our actions. As children, we
longed for the affirmation of our parents. As we grew older, we also valued the
opinions of our friends, colleagues, and employers. At times, the esteem of
others can claim such importance that it becomes our way to measure our worth
as a person. Paul said that he was not striving to obtain the approval of
people. Some of his critics thought their criticisms could determine what he
did. Yet these same people were praising themselves for their own opinions and
behavior. They were seeking the approval of others, and they were receiving it.
Jesus
said that those who seek to gain the approval of others “have their own reward”
(Matt. 6:2–5). Paul, too, realized that achieving the praise of others is not
difficult, but earning God’s approval is a far greater accomplishment. The
affirmation “Well done!” that Jesus received from the Father became Paul’s goal
as well (2 Tim. 2:3–5). Paul knew that self-approval is not hard to attain.
Paul himself had once been pleased with his own life, until he came to realize
that the righteousness he was so proud of was mere rubbish in the kingdom of
God (Phil. 3:8). After his conversion, Paul understood that God’s evaluation of
his actions was what mattered, not his own opinion of himself.
Whose
opinion matters most to you? Have you become complacent, enjoying the approval
of those around you? Have you become satisfied with your estimation of the way
you are living? The commendation that matters most is the one that comes from
God. The pleasure that your life gives to God should be your motivation to live
righteously.
