硬幣的另一面

I’m not sure why it is, but it seems that if a person loves a restaurant, for example, he or she can be the best advertisement that restaurant has. But let that person have a bad experience, a bad meal or bad service and suddenly that person seems to feel it is his or her duty to make sure everyone else doesn’t like that restaurant either. 

我不確定為什麼會這樣，但似乎如果一個人喜歡一家餐館，例如，他或她可以成為該餐館最好的廣告。但是，如果讓那個人有一次糟糕的經歷、一頓糟糕的飯菜或糟糕的服務，那麼這個人似乎突然覺得他或她有責任確保其他人也不喜歡那家餐廳。

They tend to put as much effort into singing about its faults, failures and shortcomings the same way they sang it’s praises when all was well.

他們傾向於付出同樣的努力來歌頌它的錯誤、失敗和缺點，就像他們在一切順利時歌頌它一樣。

It’s the opposite side of the coin, but still made up of the same material. They are as passionate about noting the bad as they are noting the good.

它是硬幣的反面，但仍然由相同的材料製成。他們熱衷於注意到壞處，就像他們注意到好的地方一樣。

Now I’m not tossing out the whole bushel of apples just because there are a few rotten apples among it. There are good people who just because they have had a bad experience they aren’t ready to toss out the baby with the bathwater. 

現在我不會因為其中有一些爛蘋果就扔掉整蒲式耳的蘋果。有些好人只是因為經歷了一次糟糕的經歷，他們還沒準備好把孩子和洗澡水一起倒掉。

They are ready instead to chalk it up to someone was a little off their game that day and concede that it happens to all of us at some and time. But for those certain people, whoever they may be, they aren’t always quite so ready and willing to give second chances.

相反，他們準備把這歸因於那天有人表現不佳，並承認這種情況有時會發生在我們所有人身上。但對於某些人來說，無論他們是誰，他們並不總是那麼準備好並願意給予第二次機會。

The thing is, the attitude doesn’t really stop with restaurants. It doesn’t usually matter what it is – even churches. With this being a religious column, you had to know this was heading somewhere in that direction, right? Of course.

問題是，這種態度並不僅限於餐廳。通常它是什麼並不重要——甚至是教堂。既然這是一個宗教專欄，你必須知道它正朝著那個方向發展，對嗎？當然。

But I have seen it so many times over the years. Someone goes into a church and because everything is new and fresh, they fall in love with the church. They enjoy the praise and worship, they fall in love with the friendly people and they even go so far as like the way the preacher preaches. 

但這些年來我已經看過很多次了。有人走進教堂，因為一切都是新鮮的，他就愛上了教堂。他們享受讚美和敬拜，他們愛上友善的人們，甚至像傳道人所講的。

And so it goes for a while. They invite their family and tell their friends about this great church they found until something goes awry. 

這樣的情況持續了一段時間。他們邀請家人並向朋友介紹他們發現的這座偉大的教堂，直到出現問題。

They don’t like the way something was done or didn’t like that something wasn’t done, but something along the way went off kilter and the coin gets flipped and it lands face up on the opposite side. 

他們不喜歡某件事被完成的方式，或不喜歡某件事沒有完成，但一路上有些事情出了問題，硬幣被翻轉，面朝上落在了另一面。

Suddenly, these same people who one week thought the church was the greatest thing since sliced bread, now can’t find anything good to say about it. And the grudge isn’t usually gotten over anytime soon. 

突然之間，這些一週前認為教會是自切片麵包以來最偉大的事物的人們，現在卻找不到任何好話可說。而且怨恨通常不會很快消除。

Churches are supposed to be in the forgiving business and handing out second chances, but they are seldom extended the same consideration. Some folks tend to forget that the church is run by human beings just like themselves and people do make mistakes, but it’s not always a mistake on the part of the church. 

教會應該寬容並給予第二次機會，但他們很少給予同樣的考慮。有些人往往忘記了教會是由像他們一樣的人來管理的，人們確實會犯錯誤，但這並不總是教會的錯誤。

It could be as simple as not agreeing with a decision that was made and now they feel that same passion for making sure family, friends, coworkers and everyone else know not to attend that church.

這可能很簡單，就像不同意所做的決定一樣，現在他們也同樣熱衷於確保家人、朋友、同事和其他人知道不要去那個教會。

And only God knows how many people never give the church a chance because of someone’s opinion or attitude about that church. And it hurts the church but that is not all that’s hurt. 

只有上帝知道有多少人因為某人對教會的看法或態度而從未給教會機會。這傷害了教會，但這還不是全部。

The cause of Christianity gets hurt. Folks don’t want to get involved with a gospel where its people can’t get along. Nearly every time someone leaves a church angry and upset, the devil has a field day because he knows the hit the Kingdom of God is going to take as Christians once again show how much they can’t get along and they don’t really love each other like they profess. 

基督教事業受到傷害。人們不想捲入與人們無法相處的福音中。幾乎每次有人帶著憤怒和不安離開教會時，魔鬼都會大發雷霆，因為他知道神的國度將遭受打擊，因為基督徒再次表明他們是多麼無法相處，他們並不真正愛別人。宣稱的那樣。

If someone feels he or she has a good reason to leave a church, how about at least let others make their own mind to either attend there, or even to just give it a try. There are always two sides to every coin, but all of us, in and out of the church, should think a little more what our other side says to others.

如果有人覺得他或她有充分的理由離開教會，那麼至少讓其他人自己決定是否要去那裡，或者只是嘗試一下。每一枚硬幣總是有正反兩面，但我們所有人，無論是教會內外，都應該多思考一下我們的另一面對其他人所說的話。

“And they will know we are Christians by our love.” 

“他們會因我們的愛而知道我們是基督徒。”

First published April 21, 2021.

首次發佈於 2021 年 4 月 21 日。