馬太福音16:26［人若賺得全世界, 貼上自己的生命, 有什麼益處呢？人還能拿什麼換生命呢？］［案例］有一個名叫巴賀的農夫為沒有土地而憂慮煩惱. 一位朋友對他說”有一個很遠的地方, 只需花一千元, 就可以買到大面積的良田.” 巴賀於是動身前往. 那裏的酋長對他說”你步行一天能夠走多少路, 那些地方就算是你的. 不過有一個條件, 你當天在日落前必須回到出發的地點, 否則, 你的一千元就會被沒收.” 巴賀越往前走土地越好, 真捨不得放棄. 不知不覺太陽斜西了, 巴賀拚命往回跑. 天黑時, 巴賀使盡最後力氣, 終於跑回原點, 口裡噴出一大口鮮血倒在地上, 不久就斷氣了. 酋長為巴賀挖了一個坑, 從頭到腳共計六尺, 把巴賀的屍體放進去, 這正是他所需要的地. ［理由］生命最重要的事. 你最近是否正緊抓著一些以為重要的東西？花些時間思考, 最近所忙碌的事和上帝永恆的國度, 家庭的溫暖, 親人的愛, 朋友的情義…相比較, 哪個比較重要？在安靜中求上帝賜予你智慧, 定出生活中的順序和重點. ［結論］親愛的天父上帝, 祢是配得我們敬拜和稱頌的, 因為祢是賜生命的主. 不但賜給我們在世上的生命, 雖然短暫, 也能夠過得有意義. 祢又要賜給我們永恆的生命, 使我們能夠永遠與主同在. 我們感謝祢！我們祈求祢, 光照我們, 使我們曉得選擇生命中最重要的事, 就是永恆的生命和人際關係, 因為有主的愛, 我們也要愛周邊的人, 特別是我們的家人與真摯的朋友, 使我們活著的生命能夠彰顯主的愛. 禱告是奉主耶穌基督的名, 阿們！
Matthew 16:26 [What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?] [Illustration] There was a farmer named Pahom who was deeply troubled by not owning any land. A friend told him, “There is a faraway place where, for just one thousand coins, you can acquire a vast expanse of fertile land.” Pahom set off immediately. The local chief explained the terms: “For a thousand coins, you can claim as much land as you can walk around in one day. However, there’s one condition: you must return to the starting point by sunset. If you fail to do so, your thousand coins will be forfeited.” Excited by the opportunity, Pahom began walking. The further he went, the more desirable the land became, making it difficult for him to stop. Time passed quickly, and soon the sun began to set. Pahom desperately ran back toward the starting point, pushing himself to his limits. As darkness fell, Pahom reached the starting point, but at the cost of his life. With his final effort, he collapsed, coughing up blood, and died shortly afterward. The chief dug a six-foot-long grave, just enough to bury Pahom’s body, remarking, “This is all the land he truly needed.” [Reason] What Truly Matters in Life. Are you currently holding onto something you believe to be important? Take a moment to reflect: compare what you’ve been striving for recently with eternal matters—God’s kingdom, family warmth, the love of your loved ones, and the loyalty of true friends. Which holds greater value? In moments of quiet, ask God for wisdom to prioritize your life and focus on what truly matters. The transient pursuits of this world often distract us from the eternal treasures that God has prepared for us. [Conclusion] Dear Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of our worship and praise, for You are the giver of life. Not only have You granted us our earthly lives, short as they may be, but You have also promised us eternal life, allowing us to dwell with You forever. We thank You for this grace! We pray that You illuminate our hearts and help us discern what truly matters in life: eternal life and meaningful relationships. May Your love compel us to love those around us—especially our families and sincere friends—so that our lives may reflect Your love. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!