Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Title: All The Small Things
By: Amanda Foo
Text: Luke 16:10

“Sorry Bang, I was rushing to go somewhere,” I pleadingly tell the police officer who pulled me over for speeding on the freeway earlier. Technically, I am rushing. I’m rushing to go home, my mind rationalizes. Fortunately, the police officer lets me off without a ticket and I drive home happily, making sure I was within the speed limit this time.

When I got past the joy of having avoided a RM300 summon, I was soon overcome with guilt. Was it really necessary for me to lie just to get out of a speeding ticket? After all, I did break the law and it was only right that I bear the consequences. At that point of time, it seemed like such an innocent white lie, and no one was harmed in the process. But I’d disobeyed God – just for the sake of saving RM300.

Luke 16:10 says: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.” Faithfulness to God’s commands matter, regardless of how we judge the relative significance of that particular action. Our primary aim should be obedience to a Father whose glory is at stake and who knows what’s best for us.

God primarily calls us to ordinary obedience; small, daily actions that may not yield immediate results. In fact, our Christian life is a long game built on a thousand tiny thoughts, words, decisions and moments. And though this perseverance is so much harder than we ever anticipated, it is more precious to God than many of us realize. 1 John 5:3 tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” Everyday conformity to God’s will is an invitation to enjoy God even more. As we make these moment-by-moment decisions to obey Him, Christ sanctifies us.

The next time we’re tempted to tell a white lie to get out of a sticky situation, let us reconsider. Our daily decisions to follow Christ closely are incredibly important for our perseverance in the faith. It is very easy to dismiss our everyday situations as inconsequential (or petty), but they are not. Following God encompasses obedience in the bigger things, but it is also about choosing to submit to His will in the little things. So let us be faithful. Every day. In all circumstances. It will take a lifetime of becoming more like Christ, but let us keep our eyes on the prize, for the day when God says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Prayer
God, forgive me for the times that I have knowingly lied just to get out of a difficult situation. Help me Lord to realize the importance of being faithful even in the little things, and help me to persevere, for pleasing You is ultimately what brings me the most joy. Thank You God, for sending Jesus to die on the cross that I may have the biggest gift of all – the hope of eternal life. Help me to live for You today, and all the days ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

班底浸信教会
每日灵粮
星期二, 2021年11月30日
标题：所有的小事
作者：胡少凤姐妹
翻译：陈健萍姐妹

“对不起，兄弟，我急着去一个地方。” 我恳求着告诉之前因为我在高速公路上超速行驶而拦下我的警察。严格来说，我是在赶时间。我急于回家，我的思维合理化。幸运的是，警察没有开罚单就轻易放过我了，我高兴地开车回家，确保这次我没有超速。

当我庆幸避免了300令吉罚款传单过后，我心里很快就充满了愧疚。我真的有必要为了逃脱超速罚单而撒谎吗？毕竟，我确实违法了，承担后果是理所当然的。在那个时候，这似乎是一个无恶意的谎言，而且没有人在这个过程中受到伤害。但我违背了上帝 – 仅只为了省下300令吉。

路加福音16章10节：“人在最小的事上忠心，在大事上也忠心；在最小的事上不义，在大事上也不义。” 无论我们如何判断某一特定行为的相对重要性，信守上帝的命令是很重要的。我们的首要目标应该是顺服一位知道什么对我们是最好的天父，这攸关祂的荣耀。

上帝主要是叫我们服从；即便是平常小事，未必会产生立竿见影效果的日常小行为。事实上，我们的基督徒生活是一场持久战，建立在一千个微小的思想、话语、决定和瞬间之上。虽然这种毅力比我们预想的要难得多，但对上帝来说，它比我们许多人意识到的更珍贵。约翰一书5章3节告诉我们：“我们遵守神的诫命，这就是爱他了，并且他的诫命不是难守的。” 每天遵从上帝的旨意，就是我们更多地享受上帝的邀请。当我们每时每刻都作出顺服祂的决定时，基督就使我们成圣了。

下一次，当我们试图撒一个善意的谎言来摆脱棘手的处境时，让我们重新考虑一下。我们每天紧随基督的决定，对我们在信心上的坚持是极其重要的。我们很容易将日常情况视为无关紧要(或琐碎)，但事实并非如此。跟随上帝涵盖了在更大的事情上顺服，但也包括在小事上选择服从祂的意旨。所以让我们忠诚；每一天，在任何情况下。我们需要一生来操练日臻像基督，但让我们把注意力放在奖赏上，着眼于那一天，上帝说：“做得好，又良善又忠心的仆人。”

祷告

上帝，求祢赦免我为了摆脱困境而故意撒谎。主啊，求帮助我认识到即使是在小事上也要忠心的重要性，并帮助我坚持下去，因为讨祢喜悦最终会带给我最大的喜乐。感谢上帝，差遣耶稣舍命在十字架上，让我得到最大的礼物 – 永生的盼望。求帮助我，今天和未来的每一天皆为祢而活。奉耶稣的名，阿们。