9月2日
标 题：单独工作
经 节：摩西的岳父看见他向百姓所做的一切事，就说：“你向百姓做的是什么事呢？你为什么独自坐着，众百姓从早到晚都站在你的左右呢？”（出埃及记十八章14节）
当我们热切地想讨好神及拓展祂的国度时，往往会负起神从未要我们去担的责任。基督徒生活最大的挑战之一，是决定神不要我们做什么！我们的本意是值得称许的：我们爱神，爱祂的百姓，并且在周围看到许多需要。然而，有时候我们的好意所造成的伤害，比我们能给予的好处还要多。
摩西知道，以色列百姓之间的争端需要有人仲裁。这些过去是奴隶的百姓，需要学习活出神百姓的样式，所以他当仁不让，负起这个重责。于是在摩西的面前，每天站了一大排不快乐的百姓，他们希望自己的案件能够陈明。日复一日地，摩西把解决同胞问题的重责，扛在肩头。他的岳父，一个外人，终于看到摩西的所作所为，并向摩西挑战如此作法是否有智慧。摩西负起超过他所能承担的重责，试图扛下非一人所能完成的工作，把自己搞得疲惫不堪。他独自挑起这个责任的同时，也剥夺了其他人服事主的机会。他帮了同胞的倒忙，否则他们的问题可以早一点被解决。
当你看到需求，不要自然而然地假设神要你去满足这个需求。开始运行一个事工的唯一理由，是神清楚告诉你这是祂的旨意。当你感到自己被手中的工作压得无法动弹，你可能做超过神要你做的工。要祷告直到清楚你手上的工是神的旨意，好叫你不致劫夺神在你及其他人身上最美的心意。
Working
Alone
So when
Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this
thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the
people stand before you from morning until evening?” (Exodus 18:14)
In
our zeal to please God and advance His kingdom, we Christians often take on
responsibilities that God never intended us to have. One of the great
challenges of the Christian life is determining what God does not want us to
do! Our intentions are admirable: We love God, we love His people, and we see
many needs around us. But sometimes our good intentions cause more harm than
good.
Moses
was aware of the need for someone to settle disputes among the Israelites.
Someone had to help those former slaves learn how to live together as the
people of God, so Moses took it upon himself to meet this need. Long lines of
unhappy people, hoping to have their cases heard, stood before Moses each day.
Moses spent day after day carrying the weight of his nation’s problems on his
shoulders. Finally his father-in-law, an outsider, witnessed what Moses was
doing and challenged the wisdom of his actions. Moses was taking on more than
he could handle. He was wearing himself out trying to do what was impossible
for one person. In doing this service alone, Moses was robbing others of an
opportunity to serve the Lord. He was also doing a disservice to his people, who
otherwise could have had their issues resolved much sooner.
When
you become aware of a need, do not automatically assume God wants you to meet
it. The only reason to perform ministry is that God clearly tells you it is His
will. If you are feeling overwhelmed by all that you are doing, you are
probably doing more than God has asked. Pray carefully about the assignments
you take on, so that you don’t rob yourself and others of God’s best.
