Sometimes following God means difficult conversations.

跟随上帝的人，有时必须以爱心说出逆耳忠言。

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:8 

若是能行，总要尽力与众人和睦。-罗马书12章18节

I once drove fifty miles to have a hard conversation with a remote staff person. I had received a report from another employee that suggested he was misrepresenting our company, and I was concerned for our reputation. I felt nudged to offer an opinion that might change his choices.

有一回，我开车90公里到偏远地区找一名员工。因为有人举报他冒用公司的名义，而我关心公司的声誉，所以觉得有必要前去劝他回心转意，但我知道这需要很大的智慧。

In 1 Samuel 25, an unlikely person took great personal risk to confront a future king of Israel who was about to make a disastrous choice. Abigail was married to Nabal, whose character matched the meaning of his name (“fool”) (vv. 3, 25). Nabal had refused to pay David and his troops the customary wage for protecting his livestock (vv. 10–11). Hearing that David planned a murderous revenge on her household, and knowing her foolish husband wouldn’t listen to reason, Abigail prepared a peace offering, rode to meet David, and persuaded him to reconsider (vv. 18–31).

在撒母耳记上25章，有一个人冒着生命危险，前去劝阻未来的以色列王，使他回心转意，避免了一场血战。这人便是拿八的妻子亚比该，她丈夫的性情正恰如其名（“拿八”意为“愚顽”）（3、25节）。大卫和跟随他的人保护了拿八的羊群，拿八却拒绝依循惯例供应他们的需要（10-11节）。当亚比该得知大卫准备报复，杀害拿八家所有男丁的时候，她知道自己那愚顽的丈夫必不听劝，就预备求和的礼物，骑驴去见大卫，劝他三思而后行（18-31节）。

How did Abigail accomplish this? After sending ahead donkeys loaded with food to satisfy David and his men and settle the debt, she spoke truth to David. She wisely reminded David of God’s call on his life. If he resisted his desire for revenge, when God made him king, he wouldn’t “have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed” (v. 31).

在撒母耳记上25章，有一个人冒着生命危险，前去劝阻未来的以色列王，使他回心转意，避免了一场血战。这人便是拿八的妻子亚比该，她丈夫的性情正恰如其名（“拿八”意为“愚顽”）（3、25节）。大卫和跟随他的人保护了拿八的羊群，拿八却拒绝依循惯例供应他们的需要（10-11节）。当亚比该得知大卫准备报复，杀害拿八家所有男丁的时候，她知道自己那愚顽的丈夫必不听劝，就预备求和的礼物，骑驴去见大卫，劝他三思而后行（18-31节）。

You might also know someone dangerously close to a mistake that could harm others and compromise their own future effectiveness for God. Like Abigail, might God be calling you to a hard conversation?  

或许，你身边也有人正处于危险边缘，即将铸成大错，不只伤害别人，还可能再也无法服事上帝。上帝是否要你像亚比该一样，有智慧地劝阻这个人呢？

Dear God, please help me know when to lovingly confront others.

亲爱的上帝，求祢帮助我，知道如何有智慧地以爱心劝诫他人。

1 Samuel 25:21-35    NIV

25 David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. 22 May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” 23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. 27 And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you. 28 “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lordyour God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lordyour God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.” 32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabalwould have been left alive by daybreak.” 35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

撒母耳记上 25:21-35

25 大卫曾说：“我在旷野为那人看守所有的，以致他一样不失落，实在是徒然了。他向我以恶报善！ 22 凡属拿八的男丁，我若留一个到明日早晨，愿神重重降罚于我！” 23 亚比该见大卫，便急忙下驴，在大卫面前脸伏于地叩拜， 24 俯伏在大卫的脚前，说：“我主啊，愿这罪归我！求你容婢女向你进言，更求你听婢女的话。 25 我主不要理这坏人拿八，他的性情与他的名相称。他名叫拿八，他为人果然愚顽。但我主所打发的仆人，婢女并没有看见。 26 我主啊，耶和华既然阻止你亲手报仇，取流血的罪，所以我指着永生的耶和华，又敢在你面前起誓说：愿你的仇敌和谋害你的人都像拿八一样！ 27 如今，求你将婢女送来的礼物给跟随你的仆人。 28 求你饶恕婢女的罪过。耶和华必为我主建立坚固的家，因我主为耶和华争战，并且在你平生的日子查不出有什么过来。 29 虽有人起来追逼你，寻索你的性命，你的性命却在耶和华你的神那里蒙保护，如包裹宝器一样。你仇敌的性命，耶和华必抛去，如用机弦甩石一样。 30、31 我主现在若不亲手报仇流无辜人的血，到了耶和华照所应许你的话赐福于你，立你做以色列的王，那时我主必不致心里不安，觉得良心有亏。耶和华赐福于我主的时候，求你记念婢女。” 32 大卫对亚比该说：“耶和华以色列的神是应当称颂的！因为他今日使你来迎接我。33 你和你的见识也当称赞，因为你今日拦阻我亲手报仇，流人的血。 34 我指着阻止我加害于你的耶和华以色列永生的神起誓，你若不速速地来迎接我，到明日早晨，凡属拿八的男丁必定不留一个。” 35 大卫受了亚比该送来的礼物，就对她说：“我听了你的话，准了你的情面，你可以平平安安地回家吧。”

整理：于姊妹