21今天在五旬节派或灵恩运动里，许多人强调恩赐、神迹和能力。然而保罗所著重的不是这些事，他和他的同工，带著一种高品格、高水准的人性，来开展神的国度，并背负耶稣的见证。他们藉著一种变化且拔高的人性，用皂荚木所作的两根杠来背负著见证。保罗藉著他的人性及其坚刚的品质，来扩展耶稣的见证。例如保罗写信给帖撒罗尼迦人说：『弟兄们，你们记念我们的辛苦劳碌，昼夜作工，传神的福音给你们，免得叫你们一人受累。』（帖前二9。）这就是皂荚木。早期的传教士到中国时，他们很难把福音传给伦理强、哲学重的中国人。那时中国人很保守，并且以他们的文化为荣。不过许多到中国的传教士的确有皂荚木，有拔高的人性。这些传教士实在有人性，能彀打动中国人，并且开了福音的门。让我告诉你们一个例子，说明这些传教士如何表现皂荚木，把福音带给保守的中国人。当时所有的村子都向外国人关闭，无论谁看见外国人，都要敲锣警告村人进屋子里去把门关上；这是一贯的作风。没有一个人愿意接触『洋鬼子』。然而，有一位传教士躲在一家人的门边；终于有人开了门，传教士就把一根棍子插在门口，免得门又关上。等他一有了机会，就进门走进院子里；只要一进去，就马上朝磨坊走去，开始磨起麦子或谷子。那家的人说：『如果这个洋鬼子要为我们作推磨的苦工，就让他去罢。』最终，那家人不忍心，想保持点伦理，就给他一些吃的、喝的，然后他就有机会和他们谈到主。因著皂荚木背负著这样的见证，中国这个保守国家的各个地区都相继因著福音打开了。为此我敬拜主，并且感谢祂，差遣最好的传教士和最属灵的人在中国为祂劳苦。
21Today many in the Pentecostal or charismatic movement emphasize gifts, miracles, and power. However, Paul’s emphasis was not on such things. He and his co-workers spread the kingdom of God and bore the testimony of Jesus by having a humanity with a high character and standing. They bore the testimony on poles made of acacia wood, by a transformed and uplifted humanity. Paul spread the testimony of Jesus by means of his humanity with its strong character. For example, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For you remember, brothers, our labor and hardship: working night and day so as not to be burdensome to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thes. 2:9). This is acacia wood. When the early missionaries went to China, it was not easy for them to reach the ethical and philosophical Chinese with the gospel. These Chinese were conservative and proud of their culture. But a good number of missionaries to China truly had the acacia wood, the uplifted humanity. These missionaries were genuinely human in a way that could reach the Chinese and open the door for the gospel. Let me give you one illustration of how these missionaries demonstrated the acacia wood in bringing the gospel to the conservative Chinese. All the villages were closed to foreigners. It was the practice for anyone who saw a foreigner to sound a gong to warn the villagers to go into their houses and shut the door. No one desired contact with the “foreign devils.” One missionary, however, would hide right beside the door of one of the houses. Eventually, someone would open the door, and the missionary would thrust a stick into the opening, thus preventing the door from being shut. Then he would put his foot in the door and, as soon as he had the opportunity, walk into the yard. Once inside, he would head for the millstone and begin grinding wheat or corn. The family might say, “If this foreign devil wants to do this hard work of grinding for us, let him go ahead.” Eventually, in keeping with their ethical character, they would give him something to eat and drink. Then he would have an opportunity to speak with them about the Lord. Gradually, by such a testimony borne by acacia wood, various sections of the conservative country of China were opened for the gospel. I worship the Lord for this and thank Him for sending the best missionaries and the most spiritual persons to labor for Him in China.