11想想未经锻炼之金子的例子。虽然它是真金,却未经锻炼,也不吸引人。它需要锻炼的火。金越受到火烧,就越产生蒙称许的品质。……可能许多年轻人就像未经锻炼的金子。他们不需要磨光或上色;他们需要焚烧。有些爱主的圣徒有一些生命和亮光,他们就因此以为自己适合为主作工;然而,他们缺少蒙称许的品质。一面,他们无论往哪里去,都能有果效;另一面,他们是未经锻炼的,缺少使人喜乐、甜美且舒适的美德。他们有蒙称许的反面,我们可称为不蒙称许。……我们若有蒙称许的美德,就不会成为别人的难处。我们都必须祷告:“主,给我蒙称许的品质。”……你若这样祷告,主会问:“你是认真的么?”你的答复若是肯定的,主就会兴起环境,这些环境会为你产生蒙称许的品质。例如,祂也许赐你最合式的妻子,最有益于在你里面产生这品质。大多数的妻子是绝佳的帮手,帮助神为祂的仆人产生蒙称许的品质。主的仆人多半需要这样的妻子。妻子不是帮助丈夫,乃是帮助神;妻子的性情帮助神在她们的丈夫里面产生蒙称许的品质。
11Consider the example of raw gold. Although it is genuine gold, it is raw and unattractive. It needs the purifying fire. The more the gold suffers the burning of the fire, the more an approved quality will be produced…Perhaps many of the young people are like raw gold. They do not need polishing or painting; they need burning. Some of the saints who love the Lord have an amount of life and light. Because they have these things, they think that they are suitable to work for the Lord. However, they lack approvedness. On the one hand, they can be productive wherever they go; on the other hand, they are raw and lack the virtue that makes people happy, sweet, and comfortable. They have the opposite of approvedness, what we may call disapprovedness…If we have the virtue of approvedness, we will not be a problem to others. We all must pray, “Lord, grant me approvedness.” If you pray in this way, the Lord will ask, “Do you really mean business?” If your answer is affirmative, the Lord will raise up the circumstances that will produce approvedness for you. For example, He may give you the most suitable wife, the wife most useful in producing this quality within you. Most wives are excellent helpers, assisting God in producing approvedness for His servants. Most of the Lord’s servants need such a wife. The wife does not help the husband; she helps God. The disposition of the wives helps God to bring forth approvedness in their husbands.