一无可失(中英文)
原作者: Helen Chan
中译者:杨光(《真理报》加西版2008年3月号)

想象一下：一种致命的瘟疫正在肆虐全球。再过几年，人类将会灭亡，大家都在想方设法地延长生命，避免那必然的结局。止疼药只带来短暂的帮助，但是因药效逐渐消失了，人们继续经受着痛苦。世界人口正在迅速减少。

一天， 有一个人决定去爬山，做为生前最后一次的旅行。他爬得很累，因得病而加倍的痛苦。他已一无可失，所以就继续向上爬。终于到了顶峰，他发现了一潭温泉，精疲力竭地用最后一份力量爬进去了，准备好要了此残生。

但是死亡没有到来。反而，他感到一种变化，一股他都记不起来的感觉充满了他全身。难以忍受的刺痛没有了，剧烈的疼痛消失了，他的整个身体痊愈了。这人找到了治愈方法兴高采烈地跑下山去，想说服所有人跟他上山。话传开了，有些人因好奇就跟去了，但也有人却很怀疑：有那么好的事儿吗？他们试了那么多的治疗方法：温泉浴、矿泉浴、草药都没有用。这人是疯了吧。

有一组人决定要上山，跋涉太辛苦了，大家都很虚弱，饱受烈日曝晒、风吹雨打。他们向痊愈的那个人大骂道，“为什么带我们上这儿来？想让我们在这鬼山上找死吗？我要止痛药！我宁愿死也不要继续下去。不就是个破温泉嘛，让医生去弄清楚吧。”
那人苦苦哀求，但他们不愿意听他的话。虽然止疼药不能治病根，但起码比现状好。有些人便转身下山去了。

但还是有人继续往上爬，渴望也能得到同样的新生命。他们知道在山下无药可救，已经一无可失了。达到山顶后，他们爬进泉浴里，第二天也经历了奇迹般的痊愈，高兴地跑下山 。
那些半途回头的人非常忌妒、心怀怨恨，他们想说服别人不要去温泉，说路上太艰苦，他们应该倚靠能带来及时解脱的止疼药。有些人开始爬山，却同样半途而废。有些人以为可以坐直升飞机直接上山顶，在温泉里泡了一晚上，但还是全身酸痛地出来。只有那些一路步行，上到山顶后疲惫不堪的，才能精力充沛地下山。

被治好的那些人想告诉大家真实情况，但还是被众人讽刺。这让他们感到焦急不安：亲友们就在眼前一步步接近死亡，但还是不愿意听从劝告，觉得对方在装样子，也许他们看上去更健康了，但谁能肯定他们真的得医治了呢？那只是个效果更长的治疗，会逐渐失效的。
得着医治的人不肯就这样放弃，他们确定自己被治好了，所以不会让人们的奚落和责难阻止他们去分享那医治的方法，即使他们得罪了人也没关系，亲友们都快不行了，自己的名誉还算什么：什么更重要，一条生命还是我的自尊心？

如果这真的发生了，你会怎么做：为了活命而上山还是坐以待毙？第二个选择很愚蠢吧？答案应该很明显。

我写这个是为了说明我的感受，疾病代表罪恶，跋涉山川代表跟随耶稣基督。我知道有天堂，有地狱：生命和死亡。我知道如何得到永生。地上生命的结束不是句点，而是一个开始。我是否会因为跟随神很困难而选择安逸的生活，颓废至死？

天堂是一个没有罪孽的地方，而我们全身都是罪。我们没资格进入神的家，所以神提供了一个进入的办法：一个无罪的人代替其它所有的人的罪面对审判。但如果我们不为这个人而活，甚至连一点时间都不愿给他，他为什么要为我们而死？

当你最终站在父神的面前时，耶稣会不会站出来说：“父亲，这个人爱我，为我活，请让我代替他受审判吧。”还是祂只能站在旁边，伤心地看着你说：“我不认识这个人，他从没承认过我，我的牺牲，或我的爱。”

我想要你认识耶稣，我不希望你有一天被逐出神的面前，进入永远的黑暗。你可能觉得我很烦，也许你在想，“为什么不能自己想怎么活就怎么活？是我的生命呀！”如果我有能救你命的方法，难到你不想我告诉你吗？我不告诉你是对的吗？如果你有补救方法，难到你不会告诉别人，不会告诉你关心的人吗？

我是否害怕激怒你，使你反感？当然！我可不想让你觉得我奇怪、傲慢或无礼，但什么更重要，你的生命或我的自尊心？我选择你的生命胜过我的自尊，所以我要分享治疗方法，分享我在耶稣基督里得到的平安喜乐，那位为你为我牺牲生命的。跟随耶稣不是一件容易的事，是一条艰难的旅途，但最后的赏赐是大的。这不是一个能草率做的决定，而是你一生要做的最大的决定。

我希望你抽出时间读了一下，好好想了一下。希望你能感觉到我向你分享主耶稣的热切心情。如果你有问题请来问我，我不会逼你相信任何东西，我会尊重你的决定。你有什么好失去的呢？你要知道我好想让你明白，我好渴望你能经历耶稣基督。
你有什么好失去的呢？

Nothing to Lose
Author: Helen Chan
Chinese translation: Linda Yang

Picture this: a pandemic has taken over the world. Everyone on earth would die in a matter of years and were trying to delay the inevitable end. Painkillers helped for a short time, but eventually everyone became immune to it, and the pain continued to rip through every being. The human population was quickly diminishing.

One day, a man went on a hike up a mountain for one last trip. It was a grueling climb, compounded by the weight of the disease. He had nothing to lose anymore, so he kept going. Finally at the top of the mountain, he came upon a steaming hot spring. Beaten and weary, he used his last ounce of strength to climb in. He was now ready to die.

Death did not come. Instead, something changed, something his mind could not even remember feeling. Where was the stinging, the excruciating pain? He could feel with every fibre of his being that he was well. The man ran down the mountain, ecstatic with joy that he had found the cure. Going to the people, he tried to persuade everyone to go up the mountain. News spread. Out of curiosity, some followed. Others were skeptical. It was too good to be true. They had tried hot springs and mineral baths and herbal medicine. Nothing worked. The guy was just delusional.

A group made the trek into the mountains. It was hard going. Everyone was already weak, but the sun, the wind, and then the torrential rains were relentless. They cried out at the one healed man. "Why did you bring us here?" "Did you want us all to die on this forsaken mountain?" "I want my pain-killers!" "I would rather die numb and painless than go through with this pointless journey." "It's just a stupid hot spring. Leave it up to the doctors."

The man pleaded with them, but they didn't want to hear anything he had to say. The painkillers weren't cures, but it was better than this. Some turned and left.

Others, however, continued forward, yearning for the new life they saw in him. They knew there was no cure down below. They had nothing to lose. They reached the mountaintop and climbed into the spring. The next day, they too leapt down the mountain, filled with joy at their miraculous healing.
The ones who quit were envious. Embittered, they tried to turn others away. They told how the journey made the pain intensify and how they should rely on the treatments instead for instant gratification. Some started the journey but quit halfway. Others, who tried to be smart, took helicopters to the top, soaked in the spring all night, but still came out in pain. Only those who went through the entire journey on foot, who reached the top weary and defeated, came down cured and renewed.

The Healed tried to tell people the truth, but they were ridiculed. They were desperate: their loved ones were dying before their eyes, yet still they refused to listen. They were probably just pretending, the people told themselves. Sure, they seemed more alive, but who could tell they were really cured? It was just a longer treatment; it'd wear off.

The Healed persisted. They knew for sure they were healed. They would not let mere taunts and glares keep them from sharing, even if it meant offending the people. What good is popularity when your loved ones are dying? What was more important, a life or your pride?

If that really happened, what would you do? Make the journey in order to live, or sit around and wait for death? The latter sounds foolish, doesn't it? The answer seems so obvious.

I wrote this to illustrate how I feel. The disease is sin. The journey is following Jesus Christ. I know that there is a heaven and a hell: life and death. I know that we are heading towards death, every single one of us. But I know the way to eternal life. The end of this life on earth is not the final end but a beginning. Do I take the easy way out and waste away until death just because the journey in following God is difficult?

Heaven is a place without sin, yet we are covered in sin. We have no right to step into God's house, so God created a way for us to enter: one sinless Man was judged in the place of every sinful individual. However, if we don't live for or even give our time to this Man, why should he lay down His life for us?

When you stand before the Father at the end, will Jesus step forward and say, "Father, this person loved me and lived for me. Judge me in place of him/her." Or will Jesus stand at the side, look at you sadly and say, "I don't know this person. S/he never acknowledged me, my sacrifice, or my love."
I want you to know Jesus. I don't want you one day to be turned from His presence into eternal darkness. I may seem annoying. Perhaps you're thinking, "Why can't she just let me live my life my way? It's my life!" If I had a cure to a disease that you carried, wouldn't you want me to share it with you? Would it be right to keep it to myself? Wouldn't you, if you had the cure, want to share it with others, with the people you loved?

Am I scared of offending you or pushing you away? Yes! I don't want you to think I'm weird, or stuck up, or offensive. But what matters more? Your life or my pride? I choose your life over my pride. So I will share the cure, the joy and peace that I have found in Jesus Christ, who put down His life for me, and you. Following God is not easy. It is a difficult journey, but the reward is great. This is not a light decision. It's the biggest one that you will ever make in your life.

I hope you read all that and will reflect on it. I hope you felt my eagerness in showing you my Lord Jesus. Please feel free to come to me if you have any questions. I won't try to force you to believe anything. I will respect your decision. What have you got to lose in knowing? Know that I want this for you so badly. I want you to experience Jesus Christ.

What have you got to lose?