死的东西，活的人 （马太福音 25:35-40）

我病了几天，但是仍然需要到超市买点食物。在排队准备结账的时候，我注意到收银员一面为在我前面的顾客结账，一面不时的转过头来看我。轮到我结账的时候，这位年轻的收银员很严肃的看了我几秒钟，然后一面扫码一面问我，“小姐，你不舒服吗？你的脸色很不好哦。”我楞了一下但也很快的回答，“对，病了几天，刚刚恢复但是还是很累。”她点点头，“要照顾身体啊，记得吃药，记得吃东西，记得喝水，好好休息…”其实，接下来她说什么，我也记不清了，但是心里至今仍非常非常感动。

收银员的职责就是扫码、结账、收钱… 其他的基本上就不关她的事了，更何况还是对一个彼此都不认识的陌生人。但是这位收银员不一样。虽然她手上拿着“死的东西”（我买的物品），她的眼睛却看到“活的人”（我）；她做着每天同样重复的程序，但在“例常及习惯”的过程中，她对周围的人、事、物及环境却没有麻木，反而有所察觉。更宝贵的是，她愿意跨越她的工作范围，开口去关心一个与她无关且“脸色很不好”的顾客。

主耶稣在世上服事的时候，祂的眼光看见了路边毫不起眼、被人轻视的瘸腿瞎子；祂在拥挤的人群中，愿意停下脚步回头看了看患上血漏，悄悄来摸祂衣裳的病妇；祂在忙碌紧凑的工作和生活中，没有拒绝会吵闹蹦跳，还会问很多问题的小孩子上前来靠近祂… 主耶稣是怎么作到的？很显然的，主耶稣的目光没有放在“死的东西”上，祂的目光一直都在祂所深爱“活的人”身上。

弟兄姐妹，求主帮助我们，让我们看得清先后、分得出轻重。更求主赐给我们有敏锐的心，不要把时间精力过份的放在“死的东西”、“会朽坏的东西”、“不能带进永恒的东西”…上面。看一看还在我们身边，原本是我们该爱的家人、亲人、朋友、邻舍…的身上吧，即使对方可能只是一个陌生人。

以马内利！

主的使女，
秀娟

Non-living Things, Living Beings (Matthew 25:35-40)

I was sick for a few days but still needed to go to the supermarket to buy food. While I was waiting in the checkout line, I noticed the cashier glancing at me occasionally while serving the customer in front of me. When it was my turn, the cashier gave me a serious look and asked “Ma’am, you look unwell, are you feeling under the weather?” I was taken aback by her but soon replied “yes, I was sick for a few days and feeling tired even though I have recovered. She nodded in acknowledgment and said “Do take care, remember your meals, hydrate yourself, and get lots of rest…” I cannot remember exactly what she said but I am still very touched by her till this day.

The cashier’s duties are to scan codes, check out, collect money… The rest is basically none of her business, let alone to a stranger who doesn’t know each other. But this cashier was different. Although she holds “non-living things” (the items I bought) in her hands, her eyes see “living people” (me); she goes through the same repetitive routine every day, but in the process of “routines and habits”; she was not numb but aware to the people, things, objects, and environment around her. What’s more valuable is that she is willing to go beyond the scope of her work and speak up to care about a “downcast looking” customer who has nothing to do with her.

When our Lord Jesus served on earth, He saw the insignificant, the despised crippled and the blind; while there was a crowd pressing around him, he was willing to pause and give attention to the woman who had had a discharge of blood and was secretly touching the fringe of His garment. In the hustle bustle of work and life, He did not reject the many hyperactive and inquisitive kids coming near him… How did He achieve this? Clearly, Lord Jesus did not focus on the “non-living things”. His attention was always on the living which He deeply loved.

Brothers and sisters, may the Lord help us to set our priorities right. Even more so, may the Lord grant us perceptive hearts so as not to spend too much time and effort on “non-living things”, “things that are perishable” and “cannot be brought into eternity”. Look out for those around us, the ones we should loving, be it our immediate family, friends, relatives, neighbours… and even strangers.

Emmanuel
His Servant Maid,
Lena
(Translated by: Pak Lim)