双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：10月27日 本来的面目

10月27日

本来的面目

神注目观看人的道路，看明人的脚步。

——伯34:21

有一个与猪相关的古老的故事……一个农夫把一头猪带回了家，给它洗澡、擦干净它的蹄子、给它抹香奈儿牌香水，在它脖子上系上丝带，然后把它放在客厅里……猪看起来很不错。它做了几分钟乖巧的好宠物。可是当门一打开，这头猪就离开了客厅，跳到了它能找到的最近的泥潭里。为什么会这样呢？因为在它的内心它始终是一头猪，它的本性不可能改变，它只是改变了外表，内心却没改变……

你可以给一个人穿漂亮的衣服，领他坐到教会的第一排座位，他看起来几乎像一个圣徒。或许他可以愚弄他的好朋友一段时间，但是回到办公室里，或者在周六晚上的俱乐部里，你将会看到他的本性再次显露出来。为什么他会如此行呢？因为他的本性没有改变，他并没有重生。

今日祷告

全能的神，很多的时候，我贬低了基督徒的身份，再次跌入泥潭。求你因着耶稣基督的缘故，洁净我，坚固我。奉主耶稣基督的圣名，阿们！

True Colors

God carefully watches the goings on of all mankind . . .
—Job 34:21 (TLB)

There is an old story that tells about a pig. . . . The farmer brought the pig into the house. He gave him a bath, polished his hooves, put some Chanel No. 5 on him, put a ribbon around his neck, and put him in the living room. The pig looked fine. He made a nice and companionable pet for a few minutes. But as soon as the door was opened, the pig left the living room and jumped into the first mud puddle that he could find. Why? Because he was still a pig at heart. His nature had not been changed. He had changed outwardly but not inwardly. . . .

You can take a man—dress him up, put him in the front row in church, and he almost looks like a saint. He may fool even his best friends for a while, but then put him in his office, or in the club on Saturday night, and you will see his true nature come out again. Why does he act that way? Because his nature has not been changed. He has not been born again.

Prayer for the day
Almighty God, there are times when I debase my Christian walk and slip again into the mire. Cleanse and strengthen me, for Jesus’ sake.