(箴言 16:4)
“耶和華所造的，各適其用．就是惡人，也為禍患的日子所造 。”
這節經文的核心意義在於，神所創造的一切都有其獨特的用處。當我們看到社會上的好人時，很容易理解他們對世界的貢獻；但面對壞人時，我們可能會疑惑他們存在的意義。
其實，壞人的存在主要有幾個層面的作用。首先，上帝有時會利用壞人作為使基督徒悔改的契機。當我們在生活中表現驕傲或犯錯時，身邊出現一些讓人不快的人事物，往往能激發我們的反省，讓我們意識到自己的不足並回轉向神。其次，壞人也能成為鍛鍊我們生命的工具。透過與難相處的人共事或相處，我們可以學習忍耐與磨練品格，這是一種生命質量的提升。
最後，經文提到壞人是為禍患的日子所造，這代表神的審判終將臨到。我們不需要因為惡人看似生活順遂而感到不平，因為神主導著最終的審判。所以當我們身處逆境或遇見惡人時，不妨先反思自己是否有需要修正的地方，並藉此機會操練生命。
(Proverbs 16:4)
“The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.”
The core meaning of this verse lies in the fact that everything created by God has its own unique purpose. When we see good people in society, it is easy to understand their contribution to the world; however, when faced with bad people, we might wonder about the significance of their existence.
In fact, the existence of bad people serves several layers of purpose. First, God sometimes uses bad people as an opportunity to lead Christians to repentance. When we exhibit pride or make mistakes in our lives, the appearance of unpleasant people or things around us can often trigger reflection, allowing us to realize our own shortcomings and turn back to God. Secondly, bad people can also become tools for tempering our lives. By working or interacting with difficult individuals, we can learn patience and refine our character, which is an elevation of life’s quality.
Finally, the verse mentions that the wicked are made for the day of evil, which represents that God’s judgment will ultimately arrive. We do not need to feel indignant just because the wicked seem to live a smooth life, because God oversees the final judgment. Therefore, when we are in adversity or encounter bad people, we might as well first reflect on whether there are areas in ourselves that need correction, and take this opportunity to exercise our lives.
