鉛筆罐的身分 / Identity of a pencils can

Zig Ziglar is a famous motivational speaker and sales guru. He once mentioned about a downtrodden man with an empty can in one hand, and in the other a can of pencils to sell. 

Zig Ziglar 是一位有名的生意專家與顧問。他有次說到一個故事: 有一個落破的男人在街上，一手拿著空罐頭，另一手一罐鉛筆，想要以筆換錢。

Many people came by and dropped a dollar in the empty can, having compassion for him, and just walked on.

很多人走過，有些因為同情，會丟一塊錢到空罐裡，然後離去。

A businessman also walked by, saw him, and dropped a dollar into the can, then continued on his way.

有一個生意人也走過，看到這人的樣子，也掏錢丟進，繼續往前走。

After a few steps, the businessman stopped, turned around, can came back to the downtrodden man and picked up a couple of pencils.

但是沒走幾步，他突然停住，轉過頭又回到這流浪漢前，然後從鉛筆罐裡拿了幾枝。

He then apologized to the man saying, "I took you for a beggar, but you are a businessman like me. That is why I need to get my pencils for the money I paid."

接下他向賣筆的人道歉，說到，"我把你當為一個乞丐，但是你與我一樣，是一個生意人。所以我回來拿我附了錢的鉛筆。”

After some time went by, the businessman was at a social function. A neatly dressed man went up to greet him and said, "I am the one you gave back my self-respect with a few words, and reminded me of my true identity."

過了一段時間，生意人在一個會議中，有一人走來找他，與他說，“我是你有一次以幾句話找回我的自尊心，提醒了我的身分。”

The beggar is now a successful businessman.

這個乞丐現在是一個成功的生意人。

This is the power of identity. It can bring one down, and also lift one up. How man is told who he is becomes his identity. This is especially when the person telling so is one of authority and respect.

這是身分的力量。它可以把一個人拖下，也可以將他扶起。人被稱為如何，如何就成為他的身分，特別是說出的人是有權威或被尊重的。

This is true of parents with their children; and this is even more true with God and His own creation.

這種關係，在父母與子女是如此，那神與祂的子民更是這般。

In the gospel, God tells us we are not sinful, but holy by His blood. Like the beggar with a can of pencils He drops into one can His grace, and takes from the other can our faith.

在福音，神要跟我們說，不再是罪人，而是因祂的寶血聖潔了。就如那位乞丐的罐子，在一個丟進祂的恩典，從另一個拿出我們的信。

We no longer beg for mercy, we receive righteousness by our faith. We are no longer slaves to sin but sons of glory.

我們不需要再乞求神的憐憫，我們只要以信領受祂賜的義。我們不再是罪的奴僕，而是榮耀的子女。

Therefore do not fall for messages that continue to tells us how sinful we are to God, how unworthy in His eyes, and need to continue groveling by confession His forgiveness from sin to sin.

所以讓我們不要聽那些指控人還是多麼的罪惡，在神眼中有多麼虧欠的信息，而還必須一直由認罪，在一次一次的過失上懇求原諒。

Therefore know now the gospel is God telling us to stand tall in His spirit that we are forever righteous, holy and worthy in His sight, for we receive by faith His forgiveness from grace to grace.

所以讓我們現在知道，福音是神告訴我們要以永久的稱義站穩在祂的靈，在祂的眼裡有多麼的聖潔與寶貴，因為我們以經因信得到了不停的赦免在恩典中。

God says, "Live not in an identity of a sinner, but live in my identity of a saint,"

神說，“不要活在一個罪人的自卑，而活在我稱你聖潔的身分，“

"And wander no longer by the poverty of obedience to law, but flourish in the riches of faithfulness by grace." 

“不再自己徘徊在遵守律法的貧乏，而是盛開在我信實恩典裡的富裕。”

Amen!