二月十六日

我無論在什麼景況都可以知足，這是我已經學會了。（腓4:11）

這話使我們知道知足並不是人自然的習性。莠草反而長得快，長得好，真是“野火燒不盡，春風吹又生”。人生而有貪婪、不知足和怨尤，真像地裡生的荊棘蒺藜一樣；我們勿須教人抱怨，人們雖未受過這樣的教育，但是卻極會抱怨。相反地中也有很多寶貴的東西需要加以培養。若是我們要收麥，就必須耕種；若是我們要看花，就必須整理園地，善加照料。那末，知足便是天堂上得一種花，若我們要得這樣的花，就必須好生培養；它並不能自然而然地在我們心中生長起來，必須有新的性情才能使它生長，就是那樣，我們也必須好好看顧，好使神撒在我們心中的恩發長起來。保羅說“都可以知足，這是我已經學會了”，也就是說他從前有一個時期不會這樣。必須付上代價，忍受苦痛才能得到其中的奧秘。毫無疑問，有時他以為他學會了，豈知還是不行。到了最後他才達到了這境地，因此才能說：“我無論在什麼景況都可以知足，這是我已經學會了。”那時他已經是老態龍鍾，鬢髮蒼蒼，離死不遠的老人了——一個被尼祿囚在羅馬監牢裡的囚犯。我們也當甘願忍受保羅的災害，與他同嘗地牢的苦味，才能達到他所臻至的境界，你不要以為不學就可以會，或是學會了而不加管制。這種能力不能馬上運用自如，必須逐漸學得。我們從經驗中就可以知道了。弟兄啊！雖然難免，可是不要再怨尤吧，要繼續在知足的大學裡作一個勤學的學生。

February 16

"I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content." --Philippians 4:11

These words show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. "Ill weeds grow apace." Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener's care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us. Paul says, "I have learned . . . to be content;" as much as to say, he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to attain to the mystery of that great truth. No doubt he sometimes thought he had learned, and then broke down. And when at last he had attained unto it, and could say, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," he was an old, grey-headed man, upon the borders of the grave--a poor prisoner shut up in Nero's dungeon at Rome. We might well be willing to endure Paul's infirmities, and share the cold dungeon with him, if we too might by any means attain unto his good degree. Do not indulge the notion that you can be contented with learning, or learn without discipline. It is not a power that may be exercised naturally, but a science to be acquired gradually. We know this from experience. Brother, hush that murmur, natural though it be, and continue a diligent pupil in the College of Content.