The Most Precious Gift 最珍贵的礼物
Author: Sis Jean Ong
Translator: Sis Charis Ong
One day, I was chatting with an 84-year-old member of Blk 8 NRCS while traveling on the bus. As we passed by the Bidadari New Town, I commented that looking at the construction progress, the new shopping mall should be in operation by the end of this year. Yet she replied, “I wonder if I would live to see it”. Her reply caught me by surprise because she is in strong health and leads an active lifestyle.
Her response led me to ponder about life again. Indeed, everyone’s lifespan is different. Especially in the past few years, among the people I know, some left at the age of 40, and others get to celebrate their 90th birthday.
We get to experience many things in life, including the joys of new births and pains of goodbyes; there is happiness and joy, as well as pain and grief. We might question: what on earth am I here for, what am I living for? Is there anything that can make me happy? Is it a colourful social life? Sounds of joyful laughter? Success, power, or status? Or is it longevity? Is there anything that is of value and everlasting?
The fact is, nothing is permanent in this life, like Solomon put it in Ecclesiastes 2:11: “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”
However, we Christians are a blessed lot. Not only did God rescue us from sin, but He also gave us the most precious gift of eternal life. Apart from giving us the gift of salvation, He also commanded us to share this good news to others, so that they may also receive this most precious gift from God. We don’t know how long our lives will be, but we know we ought to seize every opportunity to share this good news with the people we meet. Let us not dwell on our failures but fix our eyes on chances. Therefore, let us get to work to share this most precious and valuable gift we’ve received with others!
作者: 黄师母
有一天，我和恩邻中心一位84岁的年长会员在公交车上聊天。我们经过了新社区比达达立，我就告诉她，从施工情况来看，新的购物中心应该在今年年底前会开业。她回答让我很震惊，因为她身体健康，生活方式活跃, 但她却说："不知道我是否还能活那么久"。
她的回答让我对生命再一次的有所反思。的确，每个人的寿命长短不一。特别是这几年，在我周围的人当中，有40岁离世的，也有活到90岁的。
在我们的生命里，可以有很多不同的生活经历，包括经历新生的喜悦、离别的痛苦；生活中有幸福和喜乐、也有痛苦和悲伤。我们或许也会问自己，我为何活在世上、我的人生目标是什么？有什么可以使我快乐？是多姿多彩的社交活动吗？是欢笑声吗？是成功、权力与地位吗？是长寿吗? 什么是有价值的和长久的？
生活中没有什么是持久的，就如所罗门王所说（传道书2：11）「然后，我省察我手所作的一切，和我劳碌所成就的，想不到一切都是虚空，都是捕风，在日光之下毫无益处。」
但我们身为基督徒的是非常有福的。上帝不仅把我们从罪中拯救出来，祂还赐给我们一份最珍贵的礼物，就是"永生"。祂不仅给了我们这份救赎的礼物，祂还命令我们把这个好消息分享给别人，好让他们也能够得着这份来自上帝，那最珍贵的礼物。我们不知道每个人寿命有多长，但我们都知道应该抓紧每一个机会，向所遇到的人分享福音的好消息。不要看失败，乃是要看机会。因此，让我们现在就行动吧！把所领受的这份最珍贵和最有价值的礼物分享出去！