Jesus brings light into our life.

耶稣照亮我们的生命。

Shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:15–16

你们显在这世代中，好像明光照耀，将生命的道表明出来。-腓立比书2章15-16节

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is an English lullaby. Its lyrics, originally a poem by Jane Taylor, capture the wonder of God’s universe where stars hang “up above the world so high.” In the rarely published later stanzas, the star acts as a guide: “As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveler in the dark.”

我们熟悉的经典儿歌《一闪一闪小星星》其实是英国的摇篮曲，其歌词是取自珍．泰勒所写的一首诗，描绘在上帝创造的美妙宇宙中，众星“挂在天空放光明”。这首诗的后半段较鲜为人知，写出星星能指引方向：“因你灿烂的光明，照亮游子夜中行。”

In Philippians, Paul challenges believers in Philippi to be blameless and pure as they “shine . . . like stars in the sky” while offering the good news of the gospel to all around them (2:15–16). We wonder how we can shine like stars. We often feel inadequate and struggle to think our “light” is bright enough to make a difference. But stars don’t try to be stars. They just are. Light changes our world. And it changes us. God brought physical light into our world (Genesis 1:3); and through Jesus, God brings spiritual light into our lives (John 1:1–4).

在腓立比书，保罗勉励信徒向周遭的人传福音时，要纯洁无可指摘，“好像明光照耀”（腓立比书2章15-16节）。或许我们觉得自己怎么能成为明光照耀，毕竟我们经常软弱，很难想像自己的“光”足以带来任何影响。但是星星并不是“努力”去做星星，它本来就是星星。明光改变了世界，也改变了我们。上帝创造了世界的光（创世记1章3节），而且祂也藉着耶稣，为我们的生命带来属灵的亮光（约翰福音1章1-4节）。

We who have God’s light in us are to shine in such a way that those around us see light and are drawn to its source. As effortlessly as a star hanging in the night sky, our light makes a difference because of what it is: Light! When we simply shine, we follow Paul’s directive to “hold firmly to the word of life” in a world in deep darkness, and we draw others to the source of our hope: Jesus.

我们有上帝的亮光在心里，要照耀世界，让周遭的人看见这光，并被光的源头所吸引。如同星星毫不费力地挂在天空绽放光明，我们的光也能影响世界，因我们是世上的光！当我们如同明光照耀四周，就是遵行保罗的教导，在幽暗的世界中“将生命的道表明出来”，吸引人们看见我们盼望的源头：耶稣。

Dear God, may Your light shine out of the very cracks of our beings as we hold out the Word of life to others.

亲爱的上帝，当我们向人宣扬祢生命的道时，求祢从我们破碎的生命中发出明亮光辉。

Philippians 2:14-16    NIV

2 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

腓立比书 2:14-16

2 凡所行的，都不要发怨言、起争论， 15 使你们无可指摘，诚实无伪，在这弯曲悖谬的世代做神无瑕疵的儿女。你们显在这世代中，好像明光照耀， 16 将生命的道表明出来，叫我在基督的日子好夸我没有空跑，也没有徒劳。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

Paul’s words here—“Do everything without grumbling or arguing” (Philippians 2:14)—remind us of the Israelites during the Exodus. Soon after the people had experienced their miraculous deliverance from slavery, they “grumbled against Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 16:2). They even said, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!” (v. 3). God hated their murmuring. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he alludes to that generation of Israelites: “Do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Corinthians 10:10).

保罗说：“凡所行的，都不要发怨言、起争论”（腓立比书2章14节）。不禁让人联想到，出埃及记所记载的以色列民经历了奇妙的拯救，离开为奴之地，但不久后却“向摩西、亚伦发怨言”（出埃及记16章2节）。他们甚至说：“巴不得我们早死在埃及地耶和华的手下”（3节），以致惹动上帝的怒气。在写给哥林多教会的书信中，保罗也略为提及那一代的以色列民，说：“你们也不要发怨言，像他们有发怨言的，就被灭命的所灭。”（哥林多前书10章10节）

We’re all prone to complain; it’s the norm in this world. That’s why doing things “without grumbling or arguing” (Philippians 2:14) will set us apart in this world. When we live our lives in grateful obedience to God, we will shine “like stars in the sky” (v. 15). Our quiet and humble service will stand in stark contrast to the dissatisfied world around us. Living a quiet and peaceable life of gratitude is the real countercultural movement.

我们都很容易发怨言，这是世人的常态。但正因如此，若我们“凡所行的，都不要发怨言、起争论”（腓立比书2章14节），便能使我们与世人有所分别。我们在生活中，若能存着感恩的心、顺服上帝，就可以在这世代中，“好像明光照耀”（15节）。我们安静、谦卑的服事，将会与身边经常发怨言的人形成鲜明的对比。以感恩的心过恬静的生活，就能活出与当今文化不一样的见证。

Do people avoid us because we’re always complaining? Or are they drawn to Christ because they sense His Spirit working in us to give us a grateful heart?

人们是否因为我们总是抱怨而避开我们呢？或者人们看到我们因为圣灵内住而有感恩的心，从而被基督吸引呢？

整理：于姊妹