昨天我們一家去I KE A吃晚餐，吃完後，照例去逛逛賣場幫助消化。以前，我們會用推車讓 Jabez 坐在裡頭逛賣場，以免他亂跑，讓我們在後面緊追；但昨天 Jabez 很棒，我們沒有使用推車，他也沒有放飛自我，讓我們追著跑。
並不是 Jabez 沒有亂跑（他依然會繞著貨架、家具移動、在樣品屋裡穿梭），但不同的是，他在離開我們一段距離時，會回頭看看我們在哪裡、離他有多遠。只要超過他心中的安全距離，他會自己跑回來，和我們在一起；有時候我們覺得他離得太遠，就會喊他一聲，他一聽見，就會自動奔向我們。（然後再笑嘻嘻的跑開）
Jabez 在賣場裡是自由的，想去哪就去哪，但因為對家人的在意，他並不會真的離群——也就是說， Jabez 是「在自由意志下『選擇』與家人在一起」。
神所喜悅的自由意志，不就是這樣嗎：不管外在世界如何，人把神看為心中最最在乎的對象，一如神對人的偏愛，為了罪人「恆久忍耐，又有恩慈」（林前13:4）。
求主將這樣「在意的心」賜給我，對神、對家人，我都能以這樣的心看著對方，不把目光偏離。
The Gift of Jabez（ChatGPT翻譯）
Our son Jabez, who is on the autism spectrum, is truly a blessing from God to our family. Through him, I’ve learned again and again what it means to see life through the eyes of God.
Yesterday, our family went to IKEA for dinner. After we finished eating, we followed our little family tradition—walking around the store to help our food settle. In the past, we would put Jabez in the shopping cart so he wouldn’t run off and make us chase after him. But yesterday was different. Jabez did so well. We didn’t need the cart, and he didn’t run wild or make us chase him through the aisles.
It’s not that he stayed perfectly still—he still wandered happily around the shelves and displays, exploring the model rooms. But this time, when he walked a little too far ahead, he would turn around to see where we were. When he noticed that the distance between us grew too wide, he would run back on his own. And when we called his name, he’d come running back with a smile—before darting off again, full of joy.
In that store, Jabez was free. He could go anywhere he wanted. Yet because he cared about us, he never truly strayed away. In his freedom, he chose to stay close to his family.
Isn’t that the kind of free will that delights God? No matter what the world around us looks like, when a person treasures God above all else—as God treasures us, showing “patience and kindness” toward sinners (1 Corinthians 13:4)—that is the freedom that pleases Him most.
So I pray: Lord, give me such a heart—a heart that cares deeply, that keeps its gaze on You and on those You’ve given me, and never turns away.
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