一天在教會裡，我跟來訪的一家人打招呼。我蹲跪在他們年幼女兒的輪椅旁邊，向她介紹我的服務犬加莉，並稱讚她的粉紅色眼鏡與靴子都很漂亮。雖然她無法說話，但她的微笑告訴我，她很享受我們的交談。另一個小女孩走過來，她不敢和我的新朋友有眼神的接觸，只是悄悄地對我說：「妳告訴她，我喜歡她的裙子。」我說：「妳自己跟她說吧！她很善良，就像妳一樣。」我向小女孩解釋，雖然這位新朋友的溝通方式不同，但要與她說話卻很容易，只要看著她、對她微笑，便能讓她感到被接納和被愛。

無論在聖經裡或在現今的世界，都會有人因為與眾不同而遭到排擠。但這位偉大的上帝卻欣賞我們的不同之處，並邀請我們與祂建立關係，進入祂的家。在詩篇138篇，大衛說：「我要一心稱謝祢，在諸神面前歌頌祢！」（1節）又說：「上主雖偉大，卻眷顧卑微的人。」（6節，新普及譯本）

這位崇高聖潔的上帝眷顧我們這些祂所創造的人類，祂以恩慈待我們，尤其是在我們謙卑的時候，更是如此。讓我們祈求上帝，幫助我們能以恩慈和善意對待他人，我們也要感謝上帝，因確知你我雖是卑微卻蒙祂所愛。

One day at church, I greeted a visiting family. I knelt next to their little girl’s wheelchair, introduced her to my service dog, Callie, and complimented her pretty, pink glasses and boots. Though she was nonverbal, her smile told me she enjoyed our conversation. Another little girl approached, avoiding eye contact with my new friend. She whispered, “Tell her I like her dress.” I said, “You tell her. She’s kind, just like you.” I explained how easy it was to speak with our new friend even though she communicated differently, and how looking at her and smiling would help her feel accepted and loved.

In Scripture and in this world, people are often excluded because they’re perceived as different. However, our great God celebrates our differences and invites us into relationship with Him and His family. In Psalm 138, David says, “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise” (v. 1). He says, “the Lord is exalted” and yet, He “looks kindly on the lowly” (v. 6).

God, exalted and holy, looks kindly on us, His created ones, especially when we humble ourselves. As we ask Him to help us look kindly on and behave kindly toward others, we can thank Him for affirming that we’re lowly and loved!