耳闻目睹的会影响我们的心思意念。

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable . . . think about such things. Philippians 4:8

凡是真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，……这些事你们都要思念。-腓立比书4章8节

A few years ago, a woman shared with me a story about finding her preteen son watching news coverage of a violent event. Instinctively, she reached for the remote and changed the channel. “You don’t need to be watching that stuff,” she told him rather abruptly. An argument followed, and eventually she shared that he needed to fill his mind with “whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely . . .” (Philippians 4:8). After dinner, she and her husband were watching the news when suddenly their five-year-old daughter burst in and turned off the television. “You don’t need to be watching that stuff,” she declared in her best “mom” voice. “Now, think about those Bible things!”

几年前，一位姐妹告诉我，一天她发现未满十三岁的儿子在看一则暴力事件的新闻报导，她立刻拿起遥控器转台，很突兀地对儿子说：“你不需要看这些东西！”他们母子俩随即开始争执，最后，她苦口婆心地对儿子说，她希望儿子心中所充满的，全都是“公义的、清洁的、可爱的……”（腓立比书4章8节）。晚餐后，她和丈夫正在看电视的新闻报导，五岁的女儿突然冲过来关上电视，并以酷似妈妈的语调说：“你们不需要看这些东西！”女儿还说，“现在，想想那些圣经的教导！”

As adults, we can better absorb and process the news than our children. Still, the couple’s daughter was both amusing and wise when she echoed her mother’s earlier instructions. Even well-adjusted adults can be affected by a steady diet of the darker side of life. Meditating on the kind of things Paul lists in Philippians 4:8 is a powerful antidote to the gloom that sometimes settles on us as we see the condition of our world.

身为成年人，我们吸收和处理新闻报导的能力比孩子更好。尽管如此，这对夫妇的女儿在重复母亲之前的教导时，表现得既有趣又有智慧。即使是适应能力很强的成年人，也可能因为经常接触生活黑暗的一面而受影响。当我们看见世界的情势，有时难免会感到忧愁或沮丧，然而思想保罗在腓立比书4章8节所列出的事，却是帮助我们胜过沮丧的好办法。

Making careful decisions about what fills our minds is an excellent way to honor God and guard our hearts as well.

谨慎地选择脑海中所要思想的，不但是个让上帝得荣耀的绝佳方式，而且也能保守我们的心怀意念。

亲爱的天父，求祢打开我们的眼睛，叫我们能看见美好的事物，并且教导我们思想祢，以及当我们读经、祷告、与别人交往的时候能听到祢的声音。

Philippians 4:4-9  NIV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything,but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

腓立比书 4:4-9 

4 你们要靠主常常喜乐，我再说，你们要喜乐！ 5 当叫众人知道你们谦让的心。主已经近了。 6 应当一无挂虑，只要凡事借着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。 7 神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。8 弟兄们，我还有未尽的话，凡是真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思念。 9 你们在我身上所学习的、所领受的、所听见的、所看见的，这些事你们都要去行，赐平安的神就必与你们同在。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

The virtuous life described in Philippians 4:8 is to be the believer’s focus. What is “true” refers to basing one’s life on reality according to God’s Word. “Noble” means honest or worthy of respect. “Right” corresponds to a moral sense of what is fair. “Pure” indicates a character that is not polluted by sin. “Lovely” means expressing love toward others in relationships. Finally,“admirable” carries with it the idea of a positive reputation and reliable Christian character.

在腓立比书4章8节所讲到的美德，乃是信徒应该学习效法的。这里说“真实的”是指按照上帝的话语生活。“可敬的”是指诚实或值得尊重。“公义的”是指符合公平的道德良知。“清洁的”表示不受罪恶玷污的品格。“可爱的”表示在与人交往中要以爱待人。最后，“有美名的”意指有好的名声和可信赖的基督徒品格。

What are some specific ways you can display these virtues this week?

在本周的生活当中，你会以哪些具体的方式展现出这些美德呢？

整理：于姊妹