新视野

他母亲每年为他作一件小外袍。(撒上2:19)

他母亲每年为他作一件小外袍。(撒上2:19)
这是何等开心的事！敏捷的手指在爱的牵引下飞快地缝制着。她所有的天赋和智慧都倾注在了这件小小外袍上，她唯一的愿望和期待不仅在于制成一件有用的外袍，更是一件合宜的外袍。不仅母亲，父亲也时常为他们的孩子制作小外袍，在布料破损多年之后，这件外袍依然包裹着孩子。有多少男男女女至今还穿着他们父母多年前为他们缝制的外袍！
习惯是灵魂的外袍。使徒嘱咐那些转变的人要脱去旧人，“这旧人是因私欲的迷惑，渐渐变坏的”，并穿上新人，“这新人是照着神的形像造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁”；脱去恼恨、忿怒和恶毒，穿上慈爱、谦卑和温柔。还有比这更好的词句让我们看清习惯是内在生命的外袍吗？习惯在哪里又是如何形成的？不是在生命的中途，而是在它的开始；不是在一些关键时刻，而是在每日的点滴间；不是在生命展开的大舞台，而是在家中，在最早孩提时的环境中。愿基督那无暇的义袍能时刻展现在那些我们每日接触的人面前！
通过他们对他人和孩子的行为，通过日常的家庭生活，通过他们的作为而非言词，通过他们说话的方式、休闲的方式以及祷告的方式，男男女女们都在缝制着小小的外袍。不管是好是坏，他们的孩子都会一直穿在身上，也许还会一代一代地往下传。
节选自Frederick Brotherton Meyer “our daily homily” 翻译供稿者：Jane

His mother made him a little coat. 1 Samuel 2:19

What happy work it was! Those nimble fingers flew along the seams, because love inspired them. All her woman’s art and wit were put into the garment, her one idea and ambition being to make something which should be not only useful, but becoming. Not mothers only, but fathers, are always making little coats for their children, which they wear Iong years after a material fabric would have become worn out. How many men and women are wearing today the coats which their parents cut out and made for them long years ago!

Habits are the vesture of the soul. The Apostle bade his converts put off the old man, “which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts,” and to put on the new man, “which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”; to put off anger, wrath, and malice, whilst they put on mercy, humility, and meekness. What words could better establish the fact that habits are (as the name indicates) the clothing of the inner life! Where and how are habits formed? Not in the mid passage of life, but at its dawn; not in great crises, but in daily circumstances; not in life’s arena, but in the home, amid the surroundings of earliest childhood. Oh that the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness may ever be exhibited before those with whom we daily come in contact!

By their behaviour to each other and to their children; by the ordering of the home life; by their actions, more than by their words; by the way in which they speak, and spend their leisure hours, and pray men and women are making the little coats which, for better or worse, their children wear ever after, and perhaps pass down to after generations.