【双语灵修】学像小孩子

“我实在告诉你们，凡要承受神国的，若不像小孩子，断不能进去。” - 路 18:17

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” - Luke 18:17

在耶稣的时代，接受拉比的祝福是一件大事。拉比为孩子祝福在当时是个习俗——有时还会给予这个孩子一些关于他未来的预言。

In Jesus’ day, receiving a blessing by a rabbi was a big deal. It was customary for rabbis to impart a blessing, a barakah, on children—and that sometimes included a prophetic message about the child’s future.

难怪这些父母会涌向耶稣。接受祂的祝福是个极大的礼物——而且祂甚至会预言孩子的未来。祂会预言谁可能成为拉比吗？或者谁会成为百姓的领袖？或者谁会足享长寿？

No wonder these parents flocked to Jesus. Receiving his blessing would be a great gift—and he might even speak of the child’s future. Would he reveal who might become a rabbi? Or a leader of the people? Or who would enjoy the blessing of long life?

门徒看到这些父母群拥着耶稣，就不太高兴。毕竟，耶稣太忙了，没有时间给这些孩子们！

The disciples saw these parents crowding around Jesus, and they weren’t too happy. After all, Jesus was way too busy to take time for children!

但耶稣不希望祂的国像私人俱乐部一样封闭。当门徒试图阻止父母和孩子时，耶稣却展开双臂，叫这些孩子到祂这里来。主想要与他们靠近，而且赐给他们最好的祝福，说：“在神国里的，正是这样的人。”

But Jesus didn’t want his kingdom fenced in like a private club. As the disciples tried to block the parents and children from him, Jesus called the children toward him with open arms. The Master wanted them near, and he gave them the greatest blessing of all, saying, “The kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

门徒需要学习，他们不能作神国里自我钦定的守门人，而是要慷慨地邀请，让人们知道凡以小孩子般的信靠倚赖来到主面前的，都能接受神丰盛的祝福。

The disciples needed to learn that, rather than being self-imposed gatekeepers of the kingdom, they were to invite people freely, recognizing that all who come to the Lord with the trusting dependency of a child may receive God’s abundant blessings.

耶稣啊，感谢祢鼓励我以小孩子般的信心来到祢面前。我要敞开双手，相信并信靠祢愿意赐下美好的礼物给祢的儿女。今天我就奉祢的名而来。阿们。

Jesus, thank you for encouraging me to come to you with childlike faith. I come with open hands, believing and trusting that you are willing to give good gifts to your children. In your name I come today. Amen.