陶瓷展

陶瓷展

• 1.
  The Pottery Exhibition Thedisplay cases at a pottery exhibition I visited recently were filled with items, large and small, some functional and some decorative, but all crafted with care. Practical coffee sets and elegant vases, ordinary fruit bowls and intricate ornaments, plaques and plates and figurines, mugs and jugs, jam jars and soup tureens, teapots, coffeepots, and sugar bowls—each item spoke of its creator's passion and attention to detail. The art of fashioning clay into bricks, tiles, or porcelain objects is one of the oldest known to the human race. 我最近参观了一个陶瓷展，展馆 里，展品琳琅满目，大小各异。 有实用的，也有装饰用的，全都 精心制作。实用的咖啡用具和别 致的花瓶，普通水果盘和精致的 饰品，瓷片，盘子，小雕像，杯 子，水壶，果酱罐，盛汤盖碗， 茶壶，咖啡壶，糖壶，样样都在 述说着制作者的激情和对细节的 关注。用黏土制作砖瓦或瓷器是 人类最古老的艺术之一。
• 2.
  Each item startedoff as a lump of clay, more or less. What made the difference? A pair of skillful hands, to be sure, but more than that: a purpose and a design. Will this item be a slender vase to display bouquets of flowers, or a set of dishes? Will the craftsman fashion a tiny pitcher to pour cream for coffee, or a large jar for pickling vegetables? God is a potter. We are the clay vessels of His design. He fashioned each of us to be a unique vessel for a unique purpose. He knew exactly where to place each part, each handle, and each spout. He knew which areas needed to be solid and strong. 这些东西最初几乎都是一团泥。那到底是什么使得它们差 别如此巨大？一双灵巧的手，这一点固然正确，但还有一 点：匠人的目标和设计。是让它成为一个纤巧的花瓶，去 展示花束呢，还是成为一套餐具？是把它捏成一个小壶， 用来为咖啡加奶油呢，还是把它做成一个大罐子，用来腌 咸菜？ 上帝是一个陶匠。我们是他做的陶器。他把我们每个人创 造成一个独一无二的器具，去实现一个独一无二的目的。 他很清楚该把每一部分、每一个把手、每一个喷嘴准确地 安在哪里。他知道哪一个部位要结实、坚固。
• 3.
  No matter howinadequate I feel, and how many talents and qualities I lack, God knew what I would need for the purpose He created me to fulfill, my destiny. To grumble about or belittle what He has given me is as ridiculous as the fruit bowl lamenting, "I'm missing a spout," or the vase complaining, "I'm too tall," or the teapot moaning, "I'm just too fat." And what about the plate? Would he gripe, "Why am I so flat and plain?" No, each of these items is designed to fulfill its function. 无论我觉得自己怎样不足，缺少多少 才干和品质，上帝都知道我需要什么， 以实现他造我的目的。抱怨或小看他 赐给我的一切，就像水果盘哀叹说“我 没有喷嘴”一样，或者像花瓶抱怨说： “我太高了，”茶壶抱怨说：“我实在太 胖”。盘子会怎么样呢？它会不会牢骚 满腹地说：“我为什么这样又扁又平？” 不行，这些东西，每一件都有它自己 的功用。
• 4.
  I saw somebeautiful examples of pottery at the exhibition, but when I got home, I didn't regret not owning any of them. I was happy to pick up my old favorite coffee mug, which faithfully fulfills its purpose each day. I have a feeling that's how God sees us. He made us and equipped us for what He wants us to be and do in this life, and nothing pleases Him more than seeing us live up to that potential. 我在陶瓷展上看到了不少漂亮的样品，可 等我回家后，我一点也不遗憾自己不拥有 其中的任何一件。我很快乐地拿起平时我 最喜爱的老咖啡杯子，它每天都在忠实地 实现自己的使命。 我觉得，那正是上帝对我们的看法。他创 造了我们，并赐给我们才能和品质，让我 们去做他希望做的人和完成他希望我们在 今生去完成的事，没有什么能比看到我们 努力做到这一点更让他高兴的了。 Text courtesy of Activated magazine. Used by permission. Art © TFI. Featured on www.freekidstories.org