Living Out Loud 活出信仰

May our lives cause others to ask the reason we have hope.

讓人探詢我們生命有盼望的緣由吧！

In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15

心裡尊主基督為聖。-彼得前書3章15節

While staying at a hotel in Austin, Texas, I noticed a card lying on the desk in my room. It said:

我在德州奧斯汀市的一家飯店住宿時，注意到房間的桌子上有一張卡片。上面寫著：

Welcome

Our prayer is that your stay here will be restful

and that your travels will be fruitful.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and make

His face shine upon you.

歡迎光臨！

願上帝讓你能在這裡好好休息，

在旅途中有豐富的收穫。

願上帝賜福保護你，願祂的臉光照你！

This card from the company that manages the hotel made me want to know more, so I accessed their website and read about their culture, strength, and values. In a winsome way, they seek to pursue excellence and live out their faith in the workplace.

這張卡片是來自管理這間飯店的公司，這讓我想要更進一步地認識他們。所以我瀏覽了他們的網站，了解他們公司的文化、優點和價值觀。他們用一種引人入勝的方式，在職場上追求卓越，並活出他們的信仰。

Their philosophy reminded me of Peter』s words to the followers of Jesus scattered throughout Asia Minor. He encouraged them to demonstrate their faith in Christ in the society where they lived. Even as they faced threats and persecution, Peter told them not to be afraid, 「But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect」 (1 Peter 3:15).

他們的理念使我想到，彼得對分散在小亞細亞各地的信徒所說的話。他鼓勵他們在所處的社會中，活出基督的信仰。即便他們遭遇威脅迫害，彼得仍勸勉他們不要害怕，「只要心裡尊主基督為聖。有人問你們心中盼望的緣由，就要常作準備，以溫柔、敬畏的心回答各人」（彼得前書3章15節）。

A friend of mine calls this 「living a lifestyle that demands an explanation.」 No matter where we live or work, may we in God』s strength live out our faith today—always ready to reply gently and respectfully to everyone who asks the reason for our hope.

我的一位朋友將這種生活稱為「吸引別人探詢的生活方式」。無論我們在哪裡生活或工作，願我們能以上帝所賜的力量活出信仰。若有人想知道我們的盼望從何而來，我們也能隨時準備好以溫柔、敬畏的心作出回應。

Dear heavenly Father, may we honor You today by loving other people and may we speak gently and respectfully to them when they ask about the hope that we have in You, Lord.

親愛的天父，願我們通過愛其他人來尊榮禰，當他們詢問我們盼望的緣由時，願我們以溫柔、敬畏的心回應他們。

1 Peter 3:8-16NIV

3Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.10For,「Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.11They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.」13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 「Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.」15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

彼得前書 3:8-16

3總而言之，你們都要同心，彼此體恤，相愛如弟兄，存慈憐謙卑的心。9不以惡報惡、以辱罵還辱罵，倒要祝福，因你們是為此蒙召，好叫你們承受福氣。10因為經上說：「人若愛生命，願享美福，須要禁止舌頭不出惡言，嘴唇不說詭詐的話；11也要離惡行善，尋求和睦，一心追趕。12因為主的眼看顧義人，主的耳聽他們的祈禱；唯有行惡的人，主向他們變臉。」13你們若是熱心行善，有誰害你們呢？14你們就是為義受苦，也是有福的。不要怕人的威嚇，也不要驚慌，15隻要心裡尊主基督為聖。有人問你們心中盼望的緣由，就要常做準備，以溫柔、敬畏的心回答各人，16存著無虧的良心，叫你們在何事上被毀謗，就在何事上可以叫那誣賴你們在基督里有好品行的人自覺羞愧。

INSIGHT

靈糧透視

When we think of Peter, we often think of young Peter—his rash denials of Christ (John 18:17, 25, 27), his jumping out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus (Matthew 14:22–31), or his cutting off a servant』s ear in the garden of Gethsemane (John 18:10). Yet aged Peter—mature Peter—is a much different man who wrote letters to encourage believers in Jesus. The man who called down a curse on himself as he denied Christ (Matthew 26:73–75) now writes that believers should be prepared to give an answer for their hope—something he was once unwilling to do. Such is the difference the Spirit makes in our lives.

當我們想到彼得時，經常會想到年輕時候的彼得，想到他急躁地否認基督（約翰福音18章17、25、27節）；跳下船在水面上走向耶穌（馬太福音14章22-31節）；在客西馬尼園削掉一個僕人的耳朵（約翰福音18章10節）。然而，年老時的彼得靈命已經成熟，與過去迥然不同，是一個能寫信鼓勵眾信徒的人。那個曾在否認基督過後咒詛自己的人（馬太福音26章73-75節），現在卻鼓勵信徒應該常做準備，好解釋他們盼望的緣由，那是他自己曾經不願意做的事。這就是聖靈可以在我們生命中做出的改變。

How has the Spirit been transforming you and helping you to live out your faith?

聖靈如何改變你，幫助你活出信仰呢？

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