八月二十一日
滋润人的，必得滋润。（箴11：25）
我们在这里要学一个大功课：我们要得，必先予；要聚，必先散；要自己快乐，必先使人快乐；要自己的灵性强健，必先帮助别人的灵性；我们浇灌别人，自己也得了浇灌。这是怎样一回事呢？我们努力使自己有用，结果便有能力有用了。我们蕴蓄著的天才和才能必须藉运用才发挥无余。我们工作的力量是潜隐著的，连自己也不知道，但到我们爲主争战，或攀登艰难山的时候才发现出来。我们不知道自已有惠人的同情心，但到我们擦去寡妇的眼泪，解去孤儿的苦情时就知道了。我们常发现在要教训人的时候，自己反得了教训。我们有多少人曾在病榻上学得了宝贵的教训！当我们以经言教导人的时候，常是面红耳赤，因爲感到自己所知道的太少了。在我们与软弱的圣徒对谈时，自己反而更清楚地知道神的旨意，更深刻地认识神的真道，因此当浇灌别人的时候，自己便会谦卑。我们发现自己还有许多恩典未曾得到；许多软弱的圣徒反而在知识上超过了我们。在我们爲别人工作的时候也能加增自己的安慰，我们要使他们快乐，而那安慰反使我们的心畅快起来。正像冰天雪里两位游客一样，这个用力扶著那个的手，免得他冻死，谁知这样一来自己的血反而大大流动起来，因而救了自己的命。撒勒法的穷寡妇把她仅有的食物给先知吃，而从那时起她便毫无所缺。给人才有人给你，且必连摇带按、上尖下流地给你。
August
21
“He
that watereth shall be watered also himself.” — Proverbs 11:25
We are here taught the great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to
accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others
happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the
spiritual good of others. In watering others, we are ourselves watered. How?
Our efforts to be useful, bring out our powers for usefulness. We have latent
talents and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise. Our
strength for labour is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to
fight the Lord’s battles, or to climb the mountains of difficulty. We do not
know what tender sympathies we possess until we try to dry the widow’s tears,
and soothe the orphan’s grief. We often find in attempting to teach others, that
we gain instruction for ourselves. Oh, what gracious lessons some of us have
learned at sick beds! We went to teach the Scriptures, we came away blushing
that we knew so little of them. In our converse with poor saints, we are taught
the way of God more perfectly for ourselves and get a deeper insight into
divine truth. So that watering others makes us humble. We discover how much
grace there is where we had not looked for it; and how much the poor saint may
outstrip us in knowledge. Our own comfort is also increased by our working for
others. We endeavour to cheer them, and the consolation gladdens our own heart.
Like the two men in the snow; one chafed the other’s limbs to keep him from
dying, and in so doing kept his own blood in circulation, and saved his own
life. The poor widow of Sarepta gave from her scanty store a supply for the
prophet’s wants, and from that day she never again knew what want was. Give
then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running
over.
