五旬节二十

然后来献礼物

——马太福音五章廿三、四节

我们所注意的往往是我与神的关系如何，但神所注意的却往往是我们与弟兄的关系如何。

神不只要问我们“你在哪里”，他也要问“你的兄弟在哪里”。神不但注意我们与他的关系，他也注意我们与弟兄的关系。

并不是所有献在祭坛上的礼物都为神所悦纳。如果我们亏欠了弟兄，弟兄正向我们抱怨，我们的礼物再好，神也不愿收纳。因而首先要做的，是把礼物留在坛前，先去同弟兄和好，然后来献礼物。

我们与弟兄的关系如何？与邻舍的关系如何？与众人的关系如何？没有一个与弟兄、与邻舍、与众人的正常关系，我们的礼物将永远被留在祭坛之前，永不能成为神所悦纳的馨香之祭。

Pentecost 20

Matthew 5:23-24

And then come and offer your gift

  We are always concerned about the state of our relationship with God, but God is always concerned about our relationships with others.

  God asks not simply, “Where are you?” but also “Where is your brother? Where is your sister?” Not every gift which is placed upon the altar finds favor with God. If something is wrong between my sister and me or if my brother has something against me, God will not accept my gift, no matter how good it may be. Thus I must first leave my gift at the altar, go and be reconciled with my brother or sister, and only then return and offer my gift.

  What kind of relationships do we have with our family? With our neighbors? With the people we meet each day? Unless our relationships with all these people are set upon the proper course, our gift will always be left at the altar and will never be a pleasing sacrifice to God.