(English at the bottom)
近期為政局感到不安，因為除了見到社會撕裂、人心不安，連教會亦捲入分歧中，信徒之間由立場不同，繼而分裂。教會領袖意見對立，兩邊的講法各有各的理據也各有認同者。
我是擔心信徒及教會因政見而分裂，甚至互相攻擊，與真理越走越遠，對信仰造成傷害，對神的家亦已造成傷害。
前天閱讀《每日經歷神》的文章挪亞與神同行，作者提到挪亞是當時社會唯一的義人：『挪亞不管周遭人的行為如何，仍然選擇要在神面前過正直誠實的生活』
祈求主幫助香港的信徒，包括自己及親朋，明白及持守信仰真理、明辨是非。因為社交平台上，不難見到信徒引用不同聖經經文、各自表述，甚至互相攻擊，除了令人心痛，也不禁令我問，究竟那些聖經經文及記載的事件，應該如何按正意分解？
主耶穌不會是一個自相矛盾的主。究竟教會以至信徒個人，在面對政治紛爭，應該如何處理？神祢的旨意如何？但願能清楚聖靈的提醒和教導。
信仰如何應用到生活？相信需要個人在信仰上紥穩根基，如房子建在石上的比喻，而不是在沙土上被大水衝擊受破壞。
願能對不同資訊仍保持理性客觀，並看清撒旦的詭計，不要分裂教會，信徒合一。
今天是父親節，閱讀《靈命日糧》的文章，提醒我神是我們天家的父親，與地上父親相比，神完全了解我們。如此的話，神完全了解香港現況，一定不願見到信徒及教會分裂、互相攻擊。《雅各書》1章20節說：『因為人的怒氣並不成就上帝的義。』
人有血氣，互相對立或意氣之爭，一觸即發，只要各方面行錯一步，便火上加油，將事情推至極端，一發不可收拾。
總覺得真理有基本核心原則，主的教導，主調是友愛、忍耐、寬恕、不論斷、不以牙還牙、要以温柔的心將弟兄挽回過來……
有時，原本初時只是以事論事或好意提醒別人，但發展下去，對方可能變成維謢己見、爭論，到最後變成疏遠或對立。
最少有四種因素，對人的心理及行為影響很大，亦易迷惑人：自尊心、想別人認同、成就感、滿足感。例如對相反意見聽不入耳，傾向爭取共鳴而抗拒異見，結果影響是非判斷及價值觀。
和平，就從內心有和平開始。如果人的內心沒有和平，社會也難有和平。
聖方濟的禱詞稱為《和平禱詞》，要促進和平，有多種元素。人所需要做的也有多方面，如下所列：
破壞和平容易，締造和平困難。
建設社會也如是，破壞容易建造難。
沒有人想破壞自己的家，但和平已在不知不覺中被破壞，該如何播種和平？
建設社會也如是，破壞容易建造難。
沒有人想破壞自己的家，但和平已在不知不覺中被破壞，該如何播種和平？
四年後的結論
人類以不公不義的手法，去爭取自己所認為的公義，是不合乎聖經真理的。
Cultivating peace
Many people are confused by the recent political
crisis, because apart from splitting the society into different parties, people’s
hearts are not peaceful. Even churches are affected and divided. The stands
among Christians are varied, and subsequently, Christians are divided. Church
leaders are holding varied or even opposing stands, both sides have their own
rationales or arguments, and both sides have supporters.
What I have started to worried about is that the
churches and Christians would be divided by political stands, or even criticize
each other, and walking further and further away from the truth, resulting in
negative effects on their faith, and also tearing apart the Church family.
Days ago, the article ‘Noah Walking with God’ in the
daily devotional book ‘ Experiencing God Day-by-Day’, Noah was the only
righteous person in his time in the society, “Noah had chosen to live uprightly
before God despite what everyone around him was doing.
I thus pray that God would help the Christians in
Hong Kong, including myself and my relatives and friends, that we may
understand and uphold the faith and truth, and be able to differentiate truth
and false, good and bad, because in the social media, it is not uncommon to
find Christians quoting different verses or incidents from the Bible and then
defend their stands or even accusing each other. Besides heart breaking, such
situation has also made me query, how should those verses or incidents be
correctly interpreted?
I’m sure Jesus Christ is not a God who is holding
contradictory values or attitudes Himself. How should churches and individual
Christians face such political dilemma? What is your will, my Lord? May we be
able to hear your reminders and teachings clearly through the Holy Spirit.
How could faith be applied to daily life? I’m sure
we all need to build a firm foundation in our faith, just as houses are built
on rocks and not sand and destroyed by water.
May we keep objective and rational towards varied
information and news, and identify clearly the tactics of the demon. May the
churches not be divided apart, and Christians stand as one family of God.
Today is Fathers’ Day. When I read the article in
Our Daily Bread, it has reminded me that our Lord is our Heavenly Father.
Compared with fathers on earth, ‘Jesus knows each of us like this: intimately,
completely, and perfectly”, as such, our Lord fully understands the situation
in Hong Kong and He surely would not like to see His body, i.e. the churches
and fellow Christians, attacking each others. As James 1:20, “because human
anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
People are affected by their emotions. When people
stand against each other or conflict emotionally, if any side takes a wrong
step, the conflict would spark off extreme consequences at the touch of a hair,
which could not be reverted.
Yet, I think that the truth has basic principles, and
the fundamental rules in the teachings of the Lord are, e.g. love, patience,
forgive others, should not judge others, ‘eye for eye, and tooth for tooth’,
‘restore that person gently’.
Sometimes, in the
beginning, it’s only a discussion based on facts or a reminder out of good
will. But it may develop into a protection of personal views, then become an
argument, and in the end it may become division or even opposition.
There are at least four
factors that influence the mind and behavior of people, and easily confuse
people as well: self-esteem, identity (hoping others would agree with oneself),
sense of accomplishment, and feeling of satisfaction. For example, could not
tolerate opposing opinions from others and have a tendency to seek agreements
from others, which in the end affect one’s judgments and values.
Peace could only start
from peace in our mind. If people do not have peace in mind, there could hardly
be peace in the society.
The Prayer of St.
Francis of Assisi is called a prayer for peace. There are a number of factors
in order to foster peace, and people need to do various actions for peace which
begin from themselves and not expecting others.
It’s easy to destroy
peace, but it’s difficult to create peace.
It’s not easy to build
a society, but it’s easy to uproot a society.
No one would like to
destroy one’s own family. But peace has already been destroyed unconsciously.
So how could peace be cultivated?
Conclusion after 4 years
Human beings use non justice methods to fight for justice, does not align with the teachings in the Bible.
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