What does it mean to be human? 這是我常常問自己的問題, 也是我最近一直在反覆思考的事。如果教育不是為了上好大學找理想工作, 如果教育是為了活出真理, 良善, 跟美…那我必須找到成為「人」的價值 與意義。但這樣的問答, 若離了基督…我找不到解答。聽了很多 podcasts, 摺衣服的時候聽, 在廚房工作也聽, 我真的很想找到答案! 我有聽過人說學歷史是要避免重蹈覆轍, 學歷史要能批判性思考看多方的角度, 這些我都知道, 我也同意。但我始終覺得….不只是這些。History is way MORE than just becoming critical thinkers and avoiding repeated mistakes.
我受教育的目的……跟我如何成為「人」有直接的關係。而唯一的解答只有在「基督」裡。
以下是我自我問答的過程…..
What Does it Mean to be Human
It means…
When we were once lost in our helpless state, God came and rescued us.
We are redeemed.
When we were in moments or seasons of doubts, God reached out to us and showed us that doubts are His ways to deepen our understanding of Him.
We are renewed.
When we failed, made mistakes, messed up our lives, God sent His son to die for our transgression while we were still sinners.
We are forgiven.
When we were lost, losing directions and meanings in life, God before the time began had already designed wonderful plans for each of us.
We are to live purposefully.
When we were drowning in sorrows, sadness and frustrations, God wiped away our tears by His abundant, and unceasing grace.
We are to testify joyfully.
When we were struck by hardship, suffering, and disasters, God promises to never leave us, and to give us courage and strength to face the day.
We are to act hopefully.
So what does it mean to be human?
To be human is to walk on a journey of knowing who we once were, and who we are becoming as God’s redeemed nation.
It is a journey of sanctification. A journey of knowing God.
Tetrapods: Tetrapods pertain to the vertebrates having four limbs or leg-like appendages. In taxonomy, these animals belong to the superclass Tetrapoda. The superclass Tetrapoda includes the amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. (https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/tetrapod)
如果我在Google 搜尋美 Beauty 的定義, Meriam Webster 字典對美的定義如下 “the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit (翻譯: 使感官愉悦或愉悦地提升思想或精神的人或事物的质量), Meriam Webster 對美的第二個定義是 A beautiful Person or thing. (翻譯: 美麗的人或物)。這兩個定義都非常的主觀, 你認為的美跟我看見的美立基點根本不一樣。但若我們回朔到西元前柏拉圖(Plato)以及許多西方哲學家對美的定義, 我們會發現截然不同的看法。以下是他們對美的定義
Beauty is the loveliness, the radiance, the delightfulness, the delectableness of the True and the Good, that draws the human person toward Truth and Goodness by directing what Plato called our eros (Aristotle’s pathos) or a loving desire within the human person. (翻譯: 美是可愛的, 是真與善的光芒, 透過柏拉圖所稱的渴望或人對愛的渴慕將人類吸引至真理與良善)
Take my life, and let it be by 海弗格爾Frances Ridley Havergal
Take my life, and let it be 我一生求主管理 Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; 願獻身心為活祭 Take my hands, and let them move 我雙手為主作工 At the impulse of Thy love; 因被主慈愛感動 At the impulse of Thy love. 因被主慈愛感動
Take my feet, and let them be 願我腳為主走路 Swift and beautiful for Thee. 步步遵從主吩咐 Take my voice, and let me sing 願我口時常頌揚 Always, only, for my King; 讚美我榮耀君王 Always, only, for my King. 讚美我榮耀君王