人生不設限·第十二章 你的任務是付出

20歲那年，我決定到南非進行兩個星期的巡回演講，而我跟邀請我的人從未見過面。爸爸、媽媽對這個演講活動不怎么熱心，主要是顧慮我的安全和健康，還有費用問題。你可以想象嗎?約翰·品格只看過我早期的一部影片，就決心邀請我去他的國家，為那些最貧窮的人演講。通過教會網(wǎng)絡，約翰一個人為我在南非的教會、學校和孤兒院辦了一系列的見面會。

When I was twenty, I decided to go to South Africa on a two-week speaking tour arranged by someone I'd never met. My mum and dad were not enthused because they were concerned about my safety and health, and about the costs involved. Can you imagine that? John Pingo had seen one of my first videos and made it his mission to lure me to speak to the neediest people in the poorest regions of his country. On his own he set up a series of appearances for me at congregations, schools, and orphanages through his network of Doxa Deo churches.

約翰寫信、打電話、寫E-mail，不斷邀請我到他的國家，這份堅持和熱情打動了我。在成長過程中，有時我會被我的境況、被未來到底該怎么辦這些事折磨，能讓我擺脫痛苦的，除了禱告，便是走出去為別人做點什么。我愈是執(zhí)著于自己的困難，感覺就愈糟。然而，當我轉移注意力，去為有需要的人服務時，我的精神就會振奮起來，也了解到：受苦的不是只有我一個。

John wrote, called, and e-mailed, begging me to come to his country. His persistence and enthusiasm triggered something in me. When I was growing up and sometimes tortured over my circumstances and my future, the one action other than prayer that seemed to bring me relief was to reach out and do something for another person. The more I dwelled on my own challenges, the worse I felt, but when I changed my focus to serving the needs of someone else, it lifted my spirits and helped me understand that no one suffers alone.

無論你能付出的是多是少，請記住，小小善行和巨額捐款一樣有力。光是改變了一個人的生命，你就有很大的貢獻，因為一個簡單的善念會產(chǎn)生連鎖反應，引發(fā)類似的行為，于是你一開始那個善行的結果將被擴大許多倍。想想看，你有多少次因為某個人對你做了件好事，你心存感激之下，也轉身為其他人做了點什么?我相信，以這種方式回應是人的天性。

Whether you have a lot or a little to offer, just remember that small acts of kindness can be just as powerful as big donations. If you make a difference in just one life, you've done a great service, because simple kindness can start a chain reaction of similar actions, resulting in your effort's initial results becoming magnified many times. How many times have you had someone do something nice for you and then, feeling grateful, you turn around and do a kindness for someone else? I believe it is part of our God-given nature to respond in this manner.

我在前面提過，有個女孩在我覺得自己很沒有用、很多余的人生關鍵時刻，以一句簡單而親切的話給了我信心。她激勵了我，讓我覺得自己或許也有些東西可以給出去。而現(xiàn)在，我在傳揚上帝之愛的同時，也試著去鼓舞世界各地有需要的人。當初那個女孩一分簡單的善意，已經(jīng)被擴大許多倍。

Earlier I told you how a simple kind comment from a girl in my school infused me with confidence at a critical point in my life when I had been feeling useless and unwanted. She gave me a boost that made me think maybe I did have something to offer, and now I seek to provide inspiration to those in need worldwide while spreading the word of God's love. That girl's simple kindness to me has been magnified many, many times over.

所以，如果你說等到你擁有更多時，會做得更多，我希望你現(xiàn)在就去做你能做的，而且要持續(xù)。錢不是你唯一能貢獻的東西，無論上帝賜給你什么，請以各種方式分享出去，讓他人受惠。如果你有木工或其他方面的技能，就去為你的教會、仁人家園[32]、海地大地震的災民和其他貧困地區(qū)的人服務。無論是縫紉、歌唱、會計或汽車修理，你可以加倍貢獻才華的方式有很多。

So if you say that you would do more if you had more, I encourage you to simply do what you can now and every day. Money isn't the only contribution you can make. Whatever God has given you, share it in ways to benefit others. If you have carpentry or other trade skills, offer them to your church, to Habitat for Humanity, or to the victims of disasters in Haiti and other needy places. Whether it's sewing or singing, accounting or auto repair, there are plenty of ways you can multiply your talents.

一位中國香港的高中生最近寫E-mail到我的網(wǎng)站，他的故事說明了，不論年紀大小，也不論貧富，每個人都可以發(fā)揮影響力。

A high school student from Hong Kong recently e-mailed my Web site, demonstrating how we can all make a difference no matter how old, how rich, or how poor.

 

 

我很幸運，能過著美好的生活，但有時還是會覺得自己沒用，覺得恐懼。我很怕上高中，因為我聽過一大堆老鳥欺負菜鳥的故事。上學第一天，我跟其他同學一起加入了“行動人道主義”組織[33]，遇到一位很棒的老師。他要我們別把自己當成一個班級，而是要看作一個家庭。

I live a very fortunate life, but even still there were times when I nonetheless felt useless and frightened. I was scared entering my high school years because of stories I'd heard about how the older students might treat you. Then on my first day of school, I joined the other students in my Humanities in Action classroom and I had a great teacher who taught us to no longer see ourselves as a class but a family.

隨著時間過去，我們學到很多，知道了世界各地發(fā)生的大事，例如1994年在盧安達，以及最近發(fā)生在蘇丹達爾富爾地區(qū)的種族屠殺。我和班上同學都涌現(xiàn)了之前從沒有過的感覺：熱情。我們渴望了解達爾富爾地區(qū)的人到底發(fā)生了什么事，并幫助他們。雖然大家不會對14歲的孩子有太多期待，但我們找到一個方法讓世人知道我們?nèi)绾伟l(fā)揮影響力。

Over time we learned so many things. We were introduced to important events in other parts of the world, such as the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and the current Genocide in Darfur, Sudan. My class and I came to feel something that we had never felt before: Passion. We had a passion to understand and help what was happening to the people in Darfur. Even though people wouldn't expect much from 14-year-old kids, we found a way of showing the world how we could make a difference.

我們舉行了一場表演，讓觀眾知道達爾富爾這個地方到底發(fā)生了什么事。我們找到了點燃靈魂的熱情。

We put on a performance in which we showed the audience what was happening in Darfur. We found a passion that ignited our souls and spirit.

因為這份熱情，我們做到了意想不到的事，并募到足夠的錢，送了些基本民生物資給達爾富爾地區(qū)的人。

Because of this we were able to do the unexpected and raised enough money to send essential supplies to help people in Darfur.

 

 

這個年輕人說的話真的很有智慧，對吧?服務他人的熱情或許是上帝賜給我們最棒的禮物。我相信達爾富爾地區(qū)的人會對所收到的每樣東西心懷感激，無論禮物是大是小。上帝奇妙可畏的力量在于，想要為別人做些什么時，我們“愿意給的心”和能力一樣重要。當我們伸手助人時，上帝就通過我們運作：當你愿意去做好事時，猜猜看你可以仰賴誰的能力?上帝!《圣經(jīng)》上說：“我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能做。”[34]

Those are wise words from a young person, aren't they? The passion to serve others may be the greatest gift God can bestow. I'm sure the people in Darfur who benefited from the supplies were grateful for every single item, big or small. The awesome power of God is reflected in the fact that if we want to do something for others, our availability is every bit as important as our capability. God works through us when we reach out for others. Once you make yourself available for good works, guess whose capabilities you can rely on? God's! The Bible says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

你希望別人怎么待你，你就這樣對待別人。如果養(yǎng)成習慣，每天都做一些小小的善行，你會覺得充滿力量，并從自己受傷與失望的情緒中解放出來。當然，你不應該期待慷慨或幫助他人能讓你得到好處，但做好事會帶來意想不到的回報。

Whatever you want for yourself, do it for others. If you make even small acts of compassion a daily habit, you will feel empowered and liberated from your own hurts and disappointments. You shouldn't expect to benefit from being generous or supportive to others, but good deeds can lead to surprising rewards.

我很鼓吹無條件的慷慨，因為這是榮耀上帝的事，也會讓它的祝福加倍。此外我也相信，當你為別人付出時，祝福會回到你身上。所以如果你沒有朋友，就去做別人的朋友;如果你某一天過得很糟，就去幫助某人，讓他那一天可以好過一點;如果你的感覺受到傷害，就去治療別人的感覺。

I'm an advocate of unconditional generosity because it honors God and multiplies His blessings. Yet I also believe that when you do unto others, blessings come to you as well. So if you don't have a friend, be a friend. If you are having a bad day, make someone else's day. If your feelings are hurt, heal those of another.

你永遠不會知道，僅僅通過一個小小的善意行動，你會為這個世界帶來多大的改變。小漣漪會掀起大波濤，看到我因為被嘲笑而心情低落，過來跟我說我長得不錯的那位女同學，不只撫慰了我受傷的心，也點燃一簇火花，開啟了我日后走到世界各地去幫助他人的生涯。

You never know how much of a difference you can make in this world simply by performing a small act of kindness. Small ripples can set huge waves in motion. The classmate who saw that I was feeling down after being teased and told me that I was looking good not only soothed my hurt feelings, she lit a spark that ignited my career and my mission to reach out to others worldwide.