義人死亡、無人放在心上．虔誠人被收去、無人思念．這義人被收去是免了將來的禍患。他們得享〔原文作進入〕平安、素行正直的、各人在墳裏〔原文作床上〕安歇。(賽 57：1-2)
今天的讀經進度讀到這章，於心有戚戚焉！因為6/16總會財政處處負責許執事的執事娘蒙主召回，總會當天即前往喪家關懷。
這章一開頭就提到人人都將面對的問題「死亡」，正如中國人常說的：「死有輕於鴻毛，有重於泰山。」有些人的死，可以被世人歌功頌德數年，但是總有一天還是要由世人所遺忘。即使是義人也是一樣，因著義人的人生總是低調、謙卑的特質，更是不容易被記念。但是神卻不輕看，因為「在耶和華眼中看聖民之死、極為寶貴。」(詩 116：15)。而且義人死亡、虔誠人被收去，「是免了將來的禍患」。這些義人、虔誠人、素行正直的，「他們得享〔原文作進入〕平安」、「各人在墳裏〔原文作床上〕安歇。」
記得當天由總負責帶隊，總會一級主管與總幹事前往喪家。許執事喪偶必定經歷巨大傷痛，但是本著神僕人的心志，即使心中難過，卻強忍眼淚，為了使人得造就，更令人不捨。作女兒的，則替父親接待我們，為我們敘述這個離世的過程，都可以看見神的同在，讓神親自擦去他們的眼淚，安慰他們的心，也安慰了我們。從頭到尾，許執事與他女兒都微笑回應我們的關心，直到許執事所屬南興教會的職務人員來關懷。
當羅聰緣執事娘看到許執事女兒，就親切地走過來，擁抱她，這時剛剛那位笑臉迎人的女兒突然潰堤，泣不成聲。突然讓我想到一句話「原來笑著哭，最痛！」
在這個過程中，我看見女執事或執事娘的重要！因為我們總會這些同工，都是弟兄，因著男兒有淚不輕彈，如何安慰喪家？許執事的喪偶，在疼痛等級中是屬於最痛苦的那一級，他沒有流淚，是因他還在震撼中。等到震撼逐漸消退，慢慢回神之後，那樣撕心裂肺的痛苦將排山倒海而來。這時，身為好同工的我們又能做甚麼？
羅'執事娘的擁抱，適時瓦解作女兒心中的不捨之情，得以宣洩出來，使她的情緒得到緩解。但是許執事的情緒壓抑，令人不捨！神造人，使人在哭出來、眼淚流下來的當下，可以啟動身體的多巴胺，使憂傷的情緒藉快樂激素多巴胺得以緩解。有人說：約瑟若不藉著那三次痛哭，他多年來壓抑在內心的傷痛如何解開？如何在最後一次大哭之後，說出令世世代代的我們得安慰的真理：「神的意思原是好的！」？
在這次的喪家關懷，令人陷入深深的思考中。
智慧人的心、在遭喪之家．愚昧人的心、在快樂之家。(傳 7：4)
By Isaiah Kao
The righteous person is taken away from evil (Isaiah 57)
- June 18, 2026
“The righteous person perishes, and no one takes it to heart; And devout people are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous person is taken away from evil, He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.” (Isaiah 57:1-2 NASB2020)
Today's Bible reading progress reached this chapter, and I felt a deep resonance! Because on June 16th, the wife of Deacon Hsu, who serve for General Assembly Finance Department, was called back by the Lord, and the General Assembly immediately went to the griefed family to offer condolences.
This chapter begins by mentioning the issue of "death" that everyone will face, just as the Chinese often say: "Death can be as light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain." Some people's deaths can be praised by the world for years, but one day they will still be forgotten by the world. Even the righteous are not easily remembered because their lives are always characterized by humility and modesty. But God does not despise them, for “Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.”
(Psalm 116:15 NASB2020) Moreover, the righteous person perishes and the devout people are taken away" from evil." These righteous, devout, and upright people "find peace," and "they rest in their beds."
I remember on that day, the Chairman of the General Assembly led the group, including board members and the secretary, to the family. Deacon Hsu must have been experiencing immense grief at the loss of his spouse, but in the spirit of a servant of God, even though he was heartbroken, he held back his tears, which was even more sorrowful because he wanted to edify others. His daughter received us on his father's behalf, recounting how her mother passed away. All of us could see God's presence there, God personally wiped away their tears, comforted their hearts, and comforted us as well. Throughout the time we were there, Deacon Hsu and his daughter responded to our concerns with smiles until the ministers from Deacon Hsu's local church, Nanxing Church, came to offer their support.
When Deacon Luo Congyuan's wife saw Deacon Hsu’s daughter, she warmly approached and embraced her. At that moment, the daughter, who had just been smiling the entire time, suddenly broke down in tears. This reminded me of the saying, "Smiling while crying is the most painful!"
In this process, I saw the importance of deaconess or deacon’s wives! Because we, as fellow workers in the General Assembly, are all brothers, and men don't easily shed tears, how could we comfort a family in grief? Deacon Hsu's loss of his spouse belongs to the most painful level of grief. He didn't cry because he was still in shock. As the shock gradually subsides and he slowly recovers, that heart-wrenching pain will come crashing down. At that time, what can we, as good fellow workers, do?
Deacon Luo's wife's embrace timely dismantled the daughter's reluctance to part, allowing her to release her emotions and providing relief. But Deacon Hsu's suppressed emotions are heartbreaking! God created man so that crying, the shedding of tears, would trigger dopamine in the body, lessen sorrow through the release of the "happy hormone" dopamine. Some say: if Joseph hadn't cried bitterly those three times, how could he have released the pain that had been suppressed within him for so many years? How could he, after his final weeping, have uttered the truth that comforts us for generations: “God meant it for good!"
This visitation to the house of mourning has prompted deep reflection.
“The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 7:4 NASB2020)
By Isaiah Kao
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