“‘天国好像宝贝藏在地里，人遇见就把它藏起来，欢欢喜喜地去变卖一切所有的，买这块地。’” – 太 13:44
诚邀你与我到来玫瑰园（Roseland）社区。我们开车沿着密歇根大道走，沿途会经过Root Brothers鲁特兄弟五金店，货币兑换换店门前闪烁着“支票换现金”的霓虹灯招牌；在一辆红色的雪佛兰车的门窗上，有一个引人注目的牌子，上面写着“2,300元出售 － 犹如新车！！”雪花落在RCM门前的人们身上，他们此时正在等待食品分发站开工。
大门里面有男女义工共八人，他们正忙于叠好装满食物的罐子和盒子。一切安排就绪后，说话带着牙买加口音的RCM义工Arlene女士说：“好啦，让我们一起祷告吧。 … 圣灵啊，求你以耶稣的爱充满我们。愿你的子民得到你所赐的福。阿们。”在接下来的两个小时，这群雇员和义工便把食品分发给来自这个社区的群众们。
在芝加哥东109街转密歇根大道的街角，是神的国度的冰山一角。就像一个农夫在地里遇见宝贝后、便变卖一切来买这块地那样，在芝加哥南部的这个社区，我有幸稍稍看到并参与了神国度的一部份。
当你认识所在社区的人们时，盼望你也能够在你所居住的社区中更深经历到基督的同在。
祷告
主啊，求你打开我们的眼睛和耳朵、叫我们看见你，也听见你。惟愿我们因你在我们所在社区中埋藏的宝贝 － 你的国度 － 而心怀感佩。阿们。
马太福音 13:44-46
44“天国好像宝贝藏在地里，人遇见了就把它藏起来，欢欢喜喜地去变卖一切所有的，买这块地。
45“天国又好像买卖人寻找好珠子，
46遇见一颗重价的珠子，就去变卖他一切所有的，买了这颗珠子。
Hidden Treasure
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” – Matthew 13:44
Come to Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood with me. Drive down Michigan Avenue, past Root Brothers Hardware. “Checks Cashed” blinks in neon from the Currency Exchange, and “$2,300 – LIKE NEW!!” shines from the window of a red Chevy Cavalier. Snow falls on people outside Roseland Christian Ministries (RCM) as they wait for the food pantry to open.
Just inside the front door eight men and women are busy stacking cans and boxes of food. As they finish, RCM volunteer Ms. Arlene says, in a Jamaican accent, “OK, let us gather to pray. . . . Holy Spirit, fill us with the love of Jesus. May your gifts be given to your people. Amen.” For the next two hours this group of employees and volunteers serves groceries to people coming in from the local community.
The corner of East 109th and Michigan in Chicago is a part of God’s kingdom. Like a farmer who finds treasure in a field and then sells everything he has to purchase that field, I have had the privilege of seeing and working in a sliver of God’s kingdom here on Chicago’s South Side.
And as you meet some of the people here, my hope is that you may discover a deeper awareness of Christ’s presence in the communities where you live.
Prayer
Lord, open our eyes to see you and our ears to hear you. May we be surprised by the treasure that is your kingdom in the communities we are a part of. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳