8月10日
标 题：他人的见证
经 节：“我在这里，你们要在耶和华和祂的受膏者面前给我作见证。我夺过谁的牛，抢过谁的驴，欺负过谁，虐待过谁，从谁手里受过贿赂因而眼瞎呢？若有，我必偿还。”众人说：“你未曾欺负我们，虐待我们，也未曾从谁手里受过什么。”（撒母耳记上十二章3～4节）
不需要隐藏是一种自由。正直的生活使你得到这个自由。正直与否不在于你怎么说自己，而在于神与人们怎样说你。撒母耳终其一生住在神的百姓之中，当时国家高位的领袖既不正直又腐败；对撒母耳来说，与他们相交时是很容易妥协让步的。然而，撒母耳胆敢站立在他的同胞面前，要他们说出自己是否侵犯过他们。百姓们一点也想不出来。
撒母耳身为领导，大可占百姓的便宜。然而，因为他谨守自己的动机及保持清白的人际关系，撒母耳能够毫无所惧地，要百姓说出自己是否曾经虐待他们。要公然开放自己的生命，让众人仔细检验自己，是极需勇气的，但撒母耳丝毫不怕众人如何说他。他不逃避任何他所触犯与伤害的人。他的信心是来自坚守过无瑕疵的生活。
如果你曾经冒犯某人，你不可能改变过去，但是从今天开始，你可以选择过完全正直的生活。过公义的生活可以释放你，使你毫不羞愧面对任何人，因为你确知自己的行为像基督一样。如果你的名誉有玷污，当寻求被你冒犯的人宽恕你。求神每日指引你处理人际关系，好叫你与他人相交毫无抱愧。
The Testimony of Others
“Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His
anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I
cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe
with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.” And they said,
“You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from
any man’s hand.” (1 Samuel 12:3-4)
There is a freedom that comes in having nothing to hide. Living a life
of integrity allows you this freedom. Your integrity is measured not by what
you say about yourself but by what God and people say about you. Samuel had
lived all his life among the people of God. Leaders who preceded him were
dishonest and corrupt; it would have been easy for Samuel to compromise in his
dealings as well. Near the end of his life, however, Samuel could boldly stand
before his nation and ask them to reveal any offense he had committed against
any of them. They could not think of one.
In his position of leadership, Samuel could have taken advantage of
people. Yet because he carefully guarded his motives and kept his relationships
blameless, Samuel could fearlessly ask the people to report if he had mistreated
them in any way. It takes courage to open your life up to the scrutiny of
others, but Samuel did not fear what others would say about him. He did not
have to avoid anyone whom he had offended. He had a confidence that comes from
living a blameless life.
If you have mistreated others, you cannot change the past, but you can
choose to live with absolute integrity from this day forward. Living
righteously frees you to face any person unashamedly, knowing you have behaved
in a Christlike manner. If your reputation is stained, seek forgiveness from
those you have offended. Ask God to guide you daily in your relationships so
that you have no regrets about your treatment of others.
