兔子是很膽小的動物。牠們每天早上從洞穴裏跳出來後，
會儘量避免接觸其他的動物（自己的同類除外）。安靜地填飽肚子後，
牠們又蹦蹦跳跳回到自己的洞裏。如果兔子也會說話，
牠們會說：「哇，我們又平安度過一天了。」

有些基督徒和小兔子很像，他們只和基督徒同事一起吃午餐，
只和教會裏的弟兄姊妹往來。他們避免與非基督徒打交道，
也不會參加他們的聚會。難怪有些人認為基督徒是既冷漠又自以為清高的人。

但是耶穌絕對不是這樣子的人，祂主動要求人見人恨的稅吏撒該接待祂。
結果，祂因為和藹親切地對待名聲不好的人，
就被冠上「稅吏和罪人的朋友」（馬太福音11章19節）。

耶穌之所以向稅吏和罪人伸出手，是因為祂知道，
如果不和他們成為朋友，就無法幫助他們。

耶穌從未說過一句不該說的話，也沒有嘲笑那些悲慘的故事。
人們尊敬祂，因為祂關愛他們。


耶穌以聖靈裝備我們，並應允與我們同在，
好讓我們能夠學習祂的樣式。
所以不要再做有如兔子般那樣膽怯的基督徒了。
HVL


讓人們都能看見，
主活在我們裏面；
我們對人的關愛，
是你愛心的表現。
Sper


耶穌要我們在世上為祂做見證。
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Rabbit-Hole Christians

Read:Luke 19:1-10
Jesus . . . said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down,
for today I must stay at your house." —Luke 19:5
Bible In One Year: Deuteronomy 32-34


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Rabbits are timid creatures that pop out of their holes every morning,
try to avoid everything (except other rabbits), eat their food,
and jump back into their holes in the evening.
"Whew! We made it through another day," they'd say if they could talk.

Rabbit-hole Christians are a lot like that.
They eat lunch with other Christians at work and
relate almost exclusively with fellow-believers in their church.
They avoid socializing with unbelievers and
wouldn't think of accepting an invitation to one of their parties.
No wonder unbelievers equate being a Christian with
a kind of aloof self-righteousness.

No one could say that about Jesus.
He actually invited Himself to the home of Zacchaeus,
a notorious tax collector. His congeniality among disreputable people
earned Him the title of "a friend of tax collectors and sinners"
(Matthew 11:19).

He reached out to such people because He knew He couldn't help them
without becoming their friend.

Jesus never said anything He shouldn't have said,
nor did He laugh at off-color stories.
He won people's respect by caring for them.


Jesus has equipped us with the Holy Spirit
and assured us that He'll be with us
so we can follow His example.
Let's guard against being rabbit-hole Christians.
—Herb Vander Lugt


Help us, O Lord, to live our lives
So people clearly see
Reflections of Your caring heart,
Your love and purity.
—Sper


Jesus leaves us in the world
to be a witness to the world.