滿了一把知足，何必為了滿了兩把捕風？（傳4章）

滿了一把、得享安靜、強如滿了兩把、勞碌捕風。（傳 4：6）

綜觀神所造萬物，看起來唯有人類最為貪心。萬物都是依照神創造時的原始設計，按照自己需要的捕食、覓食，即使有儲藏過冬的行為，也沒有像人類那樣將財富過度集中、一臉貪得無厭的情形發生。聖經中神曾對人的「賺錢觀」，用心良苦地將選民帶到幾乎完全沒有物資來源的曠野地，用天降嗎哪的方法教了選民一課：

耶和華所吩咐的是這樣：你們要按着各人的飯量、為帳棚裏的人按着人數收起來、各拿一俄梅珥。（出 16：16）

神對祂兒女的教導就是：「按着各人的飯量、為帳棚裏的人按着人數收起來」。神賜人每人只有一張嘴，所以人還能吃多少？攝取超過神為人設定的食量，招來的就是肥胖、疾病，使壽命變短。對當時以色列人而言，神的教導就是「多收的也沒有餘、少收的也沒有缺」：

及至用俄梅珥量一量、多收的也沒有餘、少收的也沒有缺、各人按着自己的飯量收取。（出 16：18）

「用俄梅珥量一量」，意思就是指一個人真實的收穫、真實的財富與恩典。

這是神的命令，人的一生要賺多少？早已命定。記得小時候家父告訴我們：「人不可貪心，人若賺飽了神給他當賺的錢時候，就要回天家了（死了的意思）。」對當時以色列人而言，神的教導就是：人還是要勤勞，「每天」都要出去撿拾嗎哪，不可以不出去撿。但是，盡本分就好，不要貪心，貪心而得的都會被神以各種方式收走。「生蟲變臭」就是不但沒有獲得利益，還要忙著處理後續所引發的原本沒必要發生的問題。

摩西對他們說：「所收的、不許甚麼人留到早晨。」然而他們不聽摩西的話、內中有留到早晨的、就生蟲變臭了．摩西便向他們發怒。（出 16：19-20）

包含安息日，神在這天要我們休息敬拜神，甚麼工都不可作。因此，這天為私慾所做的努力，都會歸於烏有。

六天可以收取、第七天乃是安息日、那一天必沒有了。第七天百姓中有人出去收、甚麼也找不着。（出 16：26-27）

想起內人剛接學校合唱團時，因為過去合唱團的指導老師在面對市賽、或全國賽時，會利用星期六、日的假日加練。所以當遇到市賽時，家長就問內人說：「老師，我們這次要不要也在六日加練？」內人就表達自己是基督徒，星期六是安息日，所以不練；星期日是家庭日，所以也不練。她要團員平常日子認真練就好。

但是這樣練習顯然不夠。內人多次會在家中提到合唱團還是沒有練得很好，怎麼辦？要我們為她的比賽禱告。結果幾乎每次在比賽當天，神蹟就會出現。內人說：比賽當天，怎麼突然唱得這麼好？感覺好像有天使們站在當中「幫忙唱」。感謝主！結果出來、成績優異，並代表台北市參加全國賽。然後又在全國賽一樣有優異的成績表現，不但如此，而且是年年如此。

神沒有要我們沒日沒夜的努力，祂不要我們過勞，祂原本的設計，人是該日出而作、日落而息的。科學也證明，當人熬夜讀書時，頭腦是不工作的，而且還會降低學業成績的表現。成績優異的「學霸」們，常常都是沒有在熬夜的。

也聽說過教會中曾經有小弟兄在面對大學學測時，堅持安息日來參加高中班（中級班）聚會，不跟他高中三年級同年齡的教會弟兄姊妹去補習。一開始因為少了這樣的補習時間，學校模擬考的成績的確不太理想，讓他的心志有些動搖。但是，從小家庭祭壇所建立的個人讀經習慣，從聖經中知道神的真實命令，使他咬緊牙根、願意堅持下去。那段期間，每週宗教教育高中班的聚會，高三的同靈只剩他一人，他還是決定堅持下去。

那年二月學測放榜之後，只有他一人順利錄取神為他預備的理想學校與科系，其餘去補習的同靈，因考得不理想，都要再去考七月份的指定考試。甚至其中有一位同靈兩次都考得不理想，還要重考一年。

主耶穌教訓我們，要先求祂的國、祂的義，祂就會將我們需用的一切賜給我們。因為神的命令就是「滿了一把」就好，祂給每個人的飯量旨意就是「一俄梅珥」。若是貪心，「滿了兩把」，過分努力了，超過神旨意的勞力去撿拾神所不允許的部分，結果就是生蟲變臭，不但將一無所得，還要為生蟲變臭所產生的後遺症善後、勞碌捕風。

所以不要憂慮、說：「喫甚麼、喝甚麼、穿甚麼。」這都是外邦人所求的．你們需用的這一切東西、你們的天父是知道的。你們要先求他的國、和他的義．這些東西都要加給你們了。所以不要為明天憂慮．因為明天自有明天的憂慮．一天的難處一天當就夠了。（太 6：31-34）

By Isaiah Kao

Better One Handful Of Contentment with Two Fists of Wind (Ecclesiastes 4)

“One handful of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:6, NASB 2020)

Looking at all that God has created, it seems that human beings are the most greedy. All creatures live according to God’s original design, seeking food only as needed. Even when they store food for winter, they do not store wealth excessively like humans, nor do they show endless greed. In the Bible, God thoughtfully taught His people about their "attitude toward money" by bringing them into the wilderness, where there was almost no material supply, and teaching them through manna from heaven:

“This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it every man as much as he should eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.’” (Exodus 16:16, NASB 2020)

God’s teaching to His children is this: "gather according to each person’s need". God has given each person only one mouth—how much can one really eat? Taking in more than what God has designed leads to obesity, illness, and a shortened life. For the Israelites, God’s lesson was: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no lack.”:

“When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat.” (Exodus 16:18, NASB 2020)

“To measure with an omer” means the true portion, the real provision, and grace that a person receives.

This is God’s command. How much a person will earn in life has already been determined. I remember when I was young, my father told us, “A person must not be greedy. When one has earned all that God has appointed for him, it is time to return to heaven.” For the Israelites, God’s teaching was also this: people must still be diligent and go out every day to gather manna. One must not be lazy. However, it is enough to fulfill one’s duty—do not be greedy. What is gained through greed will be taken away by God in various ways. “Breeding worms and becoming foul” means not only gaining nothing, but also having to deal with unnecessary trouble afterward.

Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. (Exodus 16:19–20, NASB 2020)

This also includes the Sabbath. On this day, God commands us to rest and worship Him; no work should be done. Therefore, any effort driven by personal desire on that day will come to nothing.

“Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” It came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. (Exodus 16:26–27, NASB 2020)

I am reminded of when my wife first took charge of a school choir. In the past, the previous instructor would arrange extra practice on Saturdays and Sundays before competitions. So when a city competition approached, parents asked her, “Teacher, should we also add weekend practices this time?” My wife explained that she is a Christian—Saturday is the Sabbath, so no practice; Sunday is family day, so no practice either. She asked the students to practice diligently on weekdays.

Clearly, the practice seemed insufficient. Many times at home, she mentioned that the choir was still not well prepared and asked us to pray for the competition. Yet almost every time, on the day of the competition, a miracle happened. She said, “Why did they suddenly sing so well today? It felt as if angels were among them, helping them sing.” Thanks be to the Lord! The results were excellent, and they represented Taipei City in the national competition. Then again, they achieved outstanding results at the national level, year after year.

God does not want us to work endlessly. He does not want us to be overworked. His original design is that people work at sunrise and rest at sunset. Science also shows that when people stay up late to study, the brain does not function well and academic performance declines. Many top students actually do not stay up late.

I have also heard of a young brother in church who, during the college entrance exams, insisted on attending Sabbath Service instead of going to cram school like his peers. At first, his mock exam results were not good, and his determination wavered. But through his long-established habit of reading the Bible at home, he understood God’s true command and chose to persevere. During that period, he was the only high school student attending the weekly J2 class, yet he remained steadfast.

When the exam results were released that February, he alone was admitted to the ideal school and major that God had prepared for him. The others who attended cram school did not perform well and had to retake exams. Some even had to try again the following year.

The Lord Jesus teaches us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to us. God’s command is simply this: “one handful is enough.” His will for each person’s portion is “one omer.” If we become greedy and try to gather “two handfuls,” striving beyond God’s will, the result will be like manna that breeds worms and becomes foul—gaining nothing, and having to deal with the consequences, truly striving after wind.

“So do not worry,

 saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31–34h, NASB 2020)