兔子是很胆小的动物。它们每天早上从洞穴里跳出来后，
会尽量避免接触其他的动物（自己的同类除外）。安静地填饱肚子后，
它们又蹦蹦跳跳回到自己的洞里。如果兔子也会说话，
它们会说：「哇，我们又平安度过一天了。」

有些基督徒和小兔子很像，他们只和基督徒同事一起吃午餐，
只和教会里的弟兄姊妹往来。他们避免与非基督徒打交道，
也不会参加他们的聚会。难怪有些人认为基督徒是既冷漠又自以为清高的人。

但是耶稣绝对不是这样子的人，祂主动要求人见人恨的税吏撒该接待祂。
结果，祂因为和蔼亲切地对待名声不好的人，
就被冠上「税吏和罪人的朋友」（马太福音11章19节）。

耶稣之所以向税吏和罪人伸出手，是因为祂知道，
如果不和他们成为朋友，就无法帮助他们。

耶稣从未说过一句不该说的话，也没有嘲笑那些悲惨的故事。
人们尊敬祂，因为祂关爱他们。


耶稣以圣灵装备我们，并应允与我们同在，
好让我们能够学习祂的样式。
所以不要再做有如兔子般那样胆怯的基督徒了。
HVL


让人们都能看见，
主活在我们里面；
我们对人的关爱，
是你爱心的表现。
Sper


耶稣要我们在世上为祂做见证。
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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.