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“美国阿拉斯加州播音”

美国“父亲节”专题：“生前一粒豆”

Father's Day Article:  Better a Bean

World Christian Broadcasting, Chinese Dept.

作者：谢德华 (By Edward Short)

关于孝道，古人又有一句古话说：“树欲静而风不止，子欲养而亲不待。" 我认为这句话描述不少人，父母亲已经过世，但是孩子心里知道他没有好好的孝敬过他们。所以，宋朝文人欧阳修说：“祭而丰不如养而薄”。

我是一名基督徒。基督徒时常读的《 圣经》教导我们说：“你们作儿女的，要听从父母；这是基督徒的本份” （以弗所书6：1）。《 圣经》又教导我们说：“要孝敬父母，好使你… 享长寿”（出埃及记20：12）。在这里，神让我们明白，在他看来，孝道多么重要。

《 圣经》教导我们说：好父亲，模范父亲，不是独裁。他们关心爱护家庭。他们也孝敬自己的父亲，并且他们也教导自己的孩子敬重他们。等父亲逝世以后，他们不需要“自我责备”是否曾经尊敬自己的父亲。生前就给父亲所应得的尊敬。 生前给爸爸的不只是一粒豆，给他的而是他一生当有的尊敬。

对身为基督徒的我来说，过父亲节，不应该只是一年一次；每年365 天，天天都应该是父亲节。每天爱爸爸，每天尊敬爸爸。

您呢？

Father’s Day gives Americans the chance to show our respect and thanks to our fathers. Generally speaking, we will send our fathers presents and cards, and we'll prepare their favorite foods.  My situation is not exactly the same, however.  My father passed away many years ago, so I have no more opportunities to give him gifts.

My situation reminds me of a Chinese saying: "It is better to give a bean while he is alive, than to sacrifice a pig to him after he is gone." This proverb makes me realize that one should make full use of chances to show respect and thanks while one’s father is still alive.

So as an American, I am really glad that the USA has "Father’s Day."

There is another old Chinese saying about filial piety: "The tree wants to be still—but the wind is blowing; the son wants to show his respect—but his parents have gone." I think this proverb applies to many people whose parents have died. These people realize in their hearts they did not show proper respect to their parents. During the Song Dynasty, the writer Ou Yang Xiu said: "Caring for parents, even with little, while they live, is better than sacrificing to them in abundance after they die."

I am a Christian. The Bible, which Christians read regularly, teaches us: "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1). It also teaches us, "Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long" (Exodus 20:12). From these verses we understand how important it is to God for us to honor our parents.

The Bible teaches that commendable fathers are not arrogant dictators. They care for their families and honor their parents—and lovingly teach their children to do the same. That way when one's father dies, one need not worry whether or not he had honored him. Each of us should appreciate our own father while he is still living. We should give him not just a "bean," but also the respect which he deserves.

To me as a Christian, Father’s Day should not be only one day a year, but every day should be Father’s Day—365 days a year. Love your father and respect him every day.

As a father, I also know that fatherhood is not a "one-way street." I have the responsibility to be a good father so that my children will love, honor, and obey me.

What about you?