1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. We are glad you tuned in today.
很高兴你能收听我们今天的节目。
3. In our last broadcast, we asked if you wanted to be like your heavenly Father.
在上次的节目里，我们问你，是否愿意效法天父？
4. Do you want to demonstrate biblical kindness?
你愿意实践圣经所教导的恩慈吗？
5. Let us review what biblical kindness means.
让我们来复习一下恩慈的含义。
6. Kindness is a characteristic of God.
恩慈是神的一种品格。
7. Let’s read the third Epistle of John, verse 11.
我们来读约翰三书11节。
（请读约翰三书11节。）
8. It is out of His kindness that God made a covenant with Israel.
就是因为神有恩慈，祂才和以色列人立约。
9. It is out of His kindness that God kept His side of the covenant, despite of their rebellion and blatant disobedience.
就是因为神有恩慈，纵使以色列人悖逆神，放肆地反叛祂，神仍然坚守祂那方面的约。
10. I mentioned that He kept the covenant, even when they cursed Him.
我说过，甚至他们诅咒神的时候，神仍然守住这个约。
11. He kept the covenant, even when they hated Him.
即使他们恨恶神的时候，神依然如此守约。
12. He kept the covenant, even when they turned their backs on God.
而就算他们离弃神的时候，神都守住了这个约。
13. I also told you that is of God’s kindness, that He left the splendor of Heaven and the majesty of glory to become a man.
我也说过，就是因为神有恩慈，祂才离开尊贵荣耀的天堂，降世为人。
14. It is of His kindness that, though perfect in every way, yet, hung on a criminal’s cross.
就是因为神有恩慈，虽然祂完美无暇，却情愿被当作一个罪犯钉在十字架上。
15. Why?
为什么？
16. In order to pay for the wages of the sins of all who believe in Him.
要为所有相信祂的人付上罪的代价。
17. It is of His kindness, that He does not judge us as we deserve.
就是因为神有恩慈，祂没有按照我们该受的刑罚来审判我们。
18. It is of His kindness that He accepts repentant sinners,
就是因为神有恩慈，祂接受了所有悔改的罪人，
19. even the people who hated God.
甚至那些恨过祂的人。
20. When they repent of their sins, and turn to Jesus Christ their Savior, He forgives them and receives them.
当他们为自己的罪悔过，转向耶稣基督，承认祂是他们的救主时，祂便赦免他们，接纳他们。
21. He does not call them enemies; but He calls them sons and daughters,
祂不把他们看为敌人，而是称他们为儿女。
22. and that is what He does.
这就是祂所做的。
23. That is the kindness of God.
这就是神的恩慈。
24. It is of His kindness that He provides for us every day.
就是因为祂有恩慈，所以祂每天供应我们的需要。
25. It is of His kindness that He gives us what we don’t deserve.
就是因为祂有恩慈，所以祂给了我们本不配得的东西。
26. I have been walking with the Lord for over thirty-five years.
我跟随主已经超过三十五年了。
27. He has never failed me once.
祂从未失信过。
28. That is the kindness of God.
这就是神的恩慈。
29. It is overwhelming when you think of the kindness of God.
当你想到神的恩慈时，会深深折服。
30. Only those who are spiritually myopic refuse to see the kindness of God.
只有那些在属灵上近视的人，才看不到神的恩慈。
31. Like any of the fruit of the Spirit, kindness has to grow.
正如其他圣灵的果子一样，恩慈也需要成长。
32. You cannot say, “Now, I am going to decide to be kind.”
你不能说，“现在，我决定要变得恩慈了。”
33. Kindness is the work of the Holy Spirit.
恩慈是圣灵的工作。
34. There are some people who are just nice by nature,
有些人天性就是和蔼可亲的。
35. and, when they become Christians, they grow even nicer;
当他们成为基督徒后，就更加亲切友善了。
36. but most of us have to work very hard on being kind.
然而，大多数人要有恩慈，还需要格外努力。
37. We have to be filled of the Spirit every single day;
我们必须每天都被圣灵充满。
38. and, because we get filled of the Spirit, and empty ourselves, we are able to bear the fruit of the Spirit.
而且，因为我们倒空自己，被圣灵充满，我们才可以结出圣灵的果子来。
39. In fact, that fruit will only grow as we see to it that we are daily filled of the Holy Spirit.
实际上，也只有每天都留意要被圣灵充满，我们才能真正结出圣灵的果子来。
40. The fruit will grow as you daily cultivate the Tree of your life, and pull out all of the noxious weeds of selfishness every single day.
只有每天培养你的生命之树，除去自私的毒草，果子才会成长。
41. I want to tell you a few things about growing the fruit of kindness, as we continue to live the Spirit-filled life.
让我们保持被圣灵充满的生命，现在，我来告诉你一些有关培养恩慈果子的事，
42. Number one,
第一，
43. one of the most helpful ways to cultivate kindness is by putting yourself in the other person’s place.
培养恩慈的果子，一个最有效的方法，就是设身处地的为别人着想。
44. In dealing with our children, it is very easy to forget what it was like for us when we were teenagers.
在教养儿女时，我们常常忘记了自己年青时的样子，
45. Rigidity and lack of sympathy are always a result of forgetting --
健忘使我们变得严厉而缺乏同情心，
46. forgetting our own short-comings,
忘记了我们自己的缺点，
47. forgetting our own past needs,
忘记了我们过去的需要，
48. forgetting our own failures,
忘记了我们自己的失败，
49. forgetting our own weaknesses,
也忘记了我们的弱点，
50. forgetting our indebtedness to others who have shown kindness to us.
常常忘恩负义。
51. We all have giants in our lives.
在我们的生活中到处都有巨人。
52. What do I mean by that?
我说巨人是什么意思？
53. People who have helped us,
就是帮助过我们的人，
54. people who have encouraged us,
鼓励过我们的人，
55. people who have supported us,
支持过我们的人，
56. people without whose help we would not be where we are.
没有他们，我们就不可能达到今天的地步。
57. I want to tell you that, if it wasn’t for the giants in my life, I would not be able to speak to you on the air right now.
让我告诉你，如果不是他们，我今天就不可能通过广播来和你谈话。
58. God has given me some great giants.
神已经赐给我一些伟大的巨人。
59. Let me ask you a personal question.
我来问你一个问题，
60. When was the last time you called a giant that God used in your life and you said, “Thank you?”
神在你生命中也使用一些巨人来帮助你，然而，你曾几何时打过电话给他们，说声“谢谢”呢？
61. Have you ever done that?
你这样做过吗？
62. Have you done it lately?
最近做过吗？
63. Why don’t you do it this week?
为什么不在这个星期之内就这么做？
64. Pick up the phone and call someone, or write a letter and say "thank you" to that person who did something to bless your life.
拿起话筒，给他打电话，或者写一封信，对那曾经帮助你，为你的生命带来祝福的人，说声“谢谢”。
65. Unlike Diotrephes in the third Epistle of John, John was talking about how kind the congregation was.
在约翰三书里，约翰谈到教会的会众多么有恩慈，相反的，丢特腓就不是这样。
66. In the third Epistle of John, verse 6, he said, “They have told the church about your love...”
在约翰三书第6节，他说“他们在教会面前证明了你的爱……”
67. but only that man was such a lover of self.
然而只有丢特腓，他单单爱他自己。
68. He was so selfish.
他非常自私。
69. He was so self-centered that he would have nothing to do with the others.
以自我为中心，从不关心其他人，
70. He refused to be in fellowship with them.
他拒绝与大家来往。
71. Let’s read verses 9 and 10.
我们来读9节和10节。
（请读约翰三书9-10节。）
72. The second thing about kindness is this:
有关恩慈的第二件事：
73. there are some believers who show kindness to others, yet, they are incapable of showing kindness to themselves.
有些基督徒对别人很有恩慈，对自己却毫无恩慈。
74. They are unmercifully hard on themselves.
他们苛责自己。
75. They let their past failure and sin keep them from growing spiritually.
他们容许过去的失败和罪过，拦阻自己的灵命成长。
76. I want you to think of the Apostle Paul, just for a minute.
让我们用一点点时间，想想使徒保罗这个人。
77. He was involved in persecuting Christians.
他曾经迫害过基督徒。
78. He was there helping when the Jews stoned Stephen;
当犹太人用石头打司提反时，他也在场。
79. but, if he allowed his past killing and imprisoning of Christians to haunt him,
但如果，他容许自己过去杀害和捉拿基督徒的事不断地困扰自己，
80. what if he allowed all of his past to be at the forefront of his life?
如果他容许这些过去的事阻挡在自己生命的面前，
81. He would never have accomplished for God what he did accomplish;
他就绝不可能完成他为神成就的一切。
82. and that is why he could say, “I forget what’s behind, and I strain forward to the goal.”
这就是为什么他说，“忘记背后，努力面前的。”
83. Some Christians know and believe that they have been forgiven by God,
有些基督徒知道，也相信，他们已经得到神的饶恕。
84. but they have a hard time forgiving themselves.
但他们仍然很难原谅自己。
85. The devil uses this to constantly pull them back and build a stronghold in their lives.
魔鬼正利用这一点，不断地要拖垮他们，并霸占他们的生命。
86. The third thing I want to tell you about the fruit of kindness is the ability to receive kindness.
我要告诉你有关恩慈果子的第三件事就是，要能够接受别人的恩慈。
87. This is one of the areas that I personally found it to be the most difficult;
对我自己来说，这是最困难的；
88. and that is I have a problem accepting kindness from others.
要我去接受别人的恩慈，实在不容易。
89. A friend of mine and mentor years ago said the following to me,
几年前，我的一个朋友和导师，对我说，
90. “When you refuse to accept others’ kindness, you are depriving them from the joy of showing kindness.”
“你拒绝接受别人的好意，就是剥夺了他表达恩慈的喜乐。”
91. It took me a long time to learn this lesson.
我花了很长的时间来学习这一点。
92. A fourth thing I want to tell you about the fruit of kindness is this:
第四件我要告诉你有关恩慈果子的事就是，
93. kindness will not grow, if you allow an imaginary war and conflict in your mind.
如果你允许一些假想的斗争和冲突存在你心中，恩慈就不会成长。
94. The imaginary war happens when you muse over disagreements that you have had with your spouse or a friend,
当你和你的配偶或朋友闹意见时，你左思右想，心中就会产生这种斗争，
95. or a co-worker or a neighbor.
或者你和同事、邻居之间意见不同，也是如此。
96. What you are doing is this:
你的处境就是：
97. when you give harbor to these imaginary war thoughts in your mind,
你让这些假想的争斗在你心里不断地酝酿发酵，
98. they become worse in your mind than in reality;
于是，你心里所想的，比现实所发生的糟多了。
99. and it keeps on getting worse,
并且越来越糟。
100. until you eventually eliminate any possibility of acting with kindness toward that person;
一直到你对那个人再也无法表示丝毫的友善和恩慈；
101. and it gets even worse than that,
更糟糕的是，
102. until eventually you eliminate any possibility of acting with kindness toward anybody.
最后，你对任何人都无法表示丝毫的友善和恩慈。
103. Your motto will become, “Do unto others before they have a chance to do unto you.”
你的座右铭将变成，“先下手为强。”
104. It’s like this man who had a flat tire on a lonely road in a dark farm road.
正像一个人，车胎爆了，被困在一条黑暗孤寂的农村路旁。
105. He did not have the tools necessary to change the tire;
他没有换轮胎的工具；
106. then, he saw a light coming from a house in the distance,
这时，他看到远处房子里有一点灯光，
107. so he walked over to borrow some tools.
因此他走过去，想借一些工具。
108. On his way to the farmhouse, he began to have this imaginary war in his head.
在走向农舍的路上，他脑子里开始浮现一个假想的斗争画面。
109. He tried to imagine the different possible receptions by which he would be received by the man of the house.
他想象着，房主如何对待他的各种可能性。
110. “What if the man of the house is really rude and angry and he gets mad at me for inconveniencing him?
“万一房主因为我打扰了他而发怒，对我很不客气，十分粗鲁，怎么办？
111. What if he comes to the door with a shotgun in his hand and tries to kill me?”
万一他手里拿着枪，来到门口，要杀我，怎么办？”
112. “What if…what if… what if…?”
“万一……万一……”
113. and he became angrier by the minute.
他越想越气。
114. He built a terrific war scenario in his mind.
在他脑子里出现了一场可怕的冲突。
115. By the time he knocked on the door, and the man opened the door,
等到他走到那里敲门，房主出来开门时，
116. he yelled at him and said, “I don’t want your stupid tools.”
他大喊大叫地说：“我才不要你的烂工具呢！”
117. Now, the fifth, and the last, thing I want to tell you about kindness is this:
现在，让我告诉你第五点，也是最后一点有关恩慈的事，
118. it grows with exercise.
恩慈是经过操练而不断成长的。
119. As you begin to show kindness, you will find yourself empowered by the Holy Spirit to exercise more kindness;
当你开始表露恩慈，你会发现自己从圣灵得着力量去练习。
120. and, then, you will exercise kindness more often,
然后，你会不断地操练恩慈，
121. until it becomes part of you.
直到它成为你人格的一部分。
122. A distinguished judge once said,
有一个杰出的法官有一次说，
123. “I have seen hundreds of juvenile offenders and their parents brought before me in the court;
“我看过数百个青少年罪犯，他们的父母带他们上法庭，站在我面前；
124. yet, never once in all these years have I seen one parent touch a youngster or put his arms around his shoulders.”
但这么多年，从来没看到一个父母亲，触摸他们的孩子，或者揽着孩子的肩膀的。”
125. Contrast that with the father of the prodigal son story in Luke 15.
我们来比较一下，路加福音15章，浪子的故事中那位父亲，
126. Listen to what he did in verse 20.
听听20节里，他是怎样做的。
（请读路加福音15章20节。）
127. The father of the prodigal fell on his son’s neck and kissed him.
浪子的父亲抱着他的颈项，连连与他亲嘴。
128. In a world where of selfishness,
在一个自私的世界里，
129. in a world where selfishness is looked upon as a virtue,
在一个高举自私的世界里，
130. in a world where selfishness is like a noxious weed trying to choke kindness,
在一个自私的毒草，扼杀着恩慈的世界里，
131. the Bible tells us that those who belong to Jesus,
圣经告诉我们，凡是属于耶稣的人，
132. those who are daily filled with the Spirit of God,
凡是每天被圣灵充满的人，
133. are daily growing the fruit of kindness.
正在每天结出恩慈的果子来。
134. Are you?
你呢？
135. It is my prayer that you would say “yes.”
我祈祷你会说“我也要。”
136. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
下次节目再会，愿神大大地赐福于你。
