人还把我们看作世界上的污秽。（林前四13）
这并非夸大的话。我们这些称为福音的使者，这些话在我们身上不适用的唯一原因，不是因为保罗忘记或误解了这些话的确切真理，而是我们仍有太多恋栈不舍的欲望，以致未让自己成为“世界上的污秽”。“在我肉身上补满基督患难的缺欠”，并不是成圣达到圣洁的证明，乃是“为福音分别出来”的证据。
彼得说：“有火炼的试验临到你们，不要以为奇怪。”我们若对所遇的事以为奇怪，乃是由于我们懦弱胆怯。我们如此关注自己的利益和欲望，使我们远离泥潭，并说：“我不要降服，我不要折腰”。你大可不必，如果你愿意，你是可以“咬紧牙关”得救的。你可以拒绝神将你算作一位“为福音分别出来”的人。或者你可以说：“只要福音被传扬，我不管自己是否被看作地上的渣滓。”耶稣基督的仆人，就是肯为福音而殉道的人。一个徒有道德修养的人，当他接触到蔑视、不道德和诡诈，他会对这种冒犯感到厌恶，转身离开，在绝望中把心门关闭起来。但神救赎的奇迹却是，最坏、最卑鄙的罪犯也无法耗尽他深厚的爱。保罗并没有说神把他分别出来，为要显明他能将他变成多么出色的人，而是“要把他儿子启示在我心里…”(加1:16)。
祈祷◆噢，主啊，请你以温柔抚慰那被你的话语所刺透而经历破碎的心灵和生命。
February 3: Becoming the “Filth of the World”
We have been made as the filth of the world . . . —1 Corinthians 4:13
These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration-being “separated to the gospel of God . . .” (Romans 1:1).
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you . . .” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won’t submit; I won’t bow or bend.” And you don’t have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel . . . .” Or you can say, “I don’t care if I am treated like ‘the filth of the world’ as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me. . .” (Galatians 1:16).