2007-3-12
克服職場中的「巨人」

很少有電影像最近上演的「面對巨人」那樣觸動我的心，讓我感動到流淚。這部電影帶著觀眾像坐了一趟情感的雲霄飛車，也讓我熱淚盈框。影片的重要場景是在格蘭教練（一所小型高中的橄欖球教練）跌入個人和事業的谷底之後。當他面對自己的失敗，並想著未來方向的不確定時，這位體育教練走到一個轉捩點，且對他的橄欖球隊員們有重大的影響。

在休息室開會時，格蘭教練問他的隊員們：「誰能告訴我10年前哪一隊贏得州冠軍？」沒有人給他答案。「那麼5年前呢？」他問到。還是沒人知道答案。

他要隊員們了解，幾年後沒有人會記得他們球賽的結果，不論是贏或輸。所以他們應重新思考打球的目的。在教練眼中，隊員們只是為了自己的榮耀去贏得比賽，而心中沒有一個更大、更長久的目的。

我相信這教練的回答是恰當、符合聖經、且用正確的觀點看競爭。他勉勵隊員們開始去為了榮耀神而打球，不是為了榮耀自己。他的重點是，即使他們輸球，只要他們盡了全力，且是為榮耀神而打的，在神眼中他們就是成功的。

初代教會的主要領袖之一，使徒保羅勸勉哥林多城的信徒：「所以你們或吃或喝，無論作什麼，都是為榮耀神而行」（哥林多前書10章31節）。他們需要一個終極的目的，一個清楚的理由，去作每件事。

在任何組織裡，清楚的目的是非常重要的。在商場上，許多人相信賺錢是他們的主要目的。領袖們太專注於賺取利潤，他們就破壞了人際關係，他們的正直也受到挑戰，有時甚至被破壞。然而，當我們生命的結束時，所有我們賺的錢都留給別人，而我們的身體也被埋在地底下。

你又如何呢？你工作的目的是什麼？我們都需要城實地評估自己做事的理由，就是那些佔據我們許多注意力和精力的事。而且我們要問，那些理由是否真的值得我們付出那麼多精力？

當你每天走進你的辦公室、職場，你是否為了賺錢，或要得到專業上的聲譽，或者你有一個更大，神所賜下，最終會榮耀神的目的？

思想 / 討論題目
1. 若你喜愛某項運動，你是否記得15年前，或甚至是7年前，誰贏得冠軍？或者你對娛樂界比較有興趣，你是否記得18年前誰贏得奧斯卡最佳男主角、女主角或最佳影片，或是6年前誰得到最佳歌手的獎項？在你的行業中，12年前哪一家公司被認為是最傑出的？

根據你的答案，我們所重視、強調的成就有何意義？


2. 若你要說明你的目的，不論是工作或個人生活上的，會是什麼？


3. 你是否同意我們的生命應該由一個終極目的所引導，那目的是大於我們自己的？請解釋。


4. 「我們最終的目的是榮耀神」，你對這觀點有何看法？你是否相信神已給你恩賜、能力和技巧，使你每天能應用在工作中？或者你覺得你所獲得的一切，都是自己一人努力的結果？


註：若你有聖經請看有關此主題的其他經文，請看：
傳道書5章8-20節；以弗所書2章170；歌羅西書3章17，23節；提摩太後書3章16-17節

MONDAY MANNA
A service to the business community
March 12, 2007

OVERCOMING THE ‘GIANTS’ IN THE WORKPLACE
By: Rick Boxx

It’s a rare movie that can stir me emotionally, moving me to tears, but the recent film, “Facing the Giants,” had my eyes filled for much of the time as it took the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. A pivotal scene in the film came after Coach Grant, a football coach for a small high school, hit rock bottom personally and professionally. As he wrestled with his failures and pondered the uncertainties of his future direction, the athletic coach arrived at a turning point that had a significant impact on members of his football team.

During a locker room meeting, Coach Grant asked his team, “Who can tell me who won the state championship 10 years ago?” No one could give him the answer. “How about five years ago?” he asked. There was still no one who knew the answer.

He wanted his players to realize that if years later no one would remember their football results, whether they had won or lost, then they probably should reconsider their purpose. In his opinion, they were simply trying to win football games for their own glory, without a bigger, more enduring purpose in mind.

I believe this coach’s answer was an appropriate, biblical response, putting the matter of competition in its right perspective. He urged the team to begin playing football to glorify God, not themselves. His point was that even if they lost games, as long as they had performed to their best capabilities and had done so to God’s glory, they would be successful in His eyes.

The apostle Paul, one of the foremost leaders of the early church, exhorted believers in the city of Corinth, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). They needed to have an overriding purpose, a clear reason for everything they did.

Clarity of purpose is critical in any organization. In business, many people get caught up in the belief that making money is their primary purpose. Leaders become so focused on generating profits that they damage relationships, and their integrity is challenged – sometimes even destroyed. At the end of our lives, however, it becomes evident that all the money we made stays behind in someone else’s hands, while our earthly bodies are placed six feet underground.

What about you? What is your purpose at work? We all need to honestly evaluate the reasons behind the things we do, those things that command much of our attention and energy. And we need to ask whether those reasons are truly worthy of all of our efforts.

When you arrive at your office, your workplace, each day, are you there simply to make money or gain prestige professionally, or do you have a greater, God-given purpose that will ultimately glorify God?

(Copyright 2007, Integrity Resource Center, Inc.) Adapted with permission from "Integrity Moments with Rick Boxx," a commentary on issues of integrity in the workplace from a Christian perspective. For more information about receiving Integrity Moments in their e-mail box, write to: rboxx@IntegrityMoments.com and type "subscribe" in the subject line or visit his website, www.IntegrityResource.org.



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Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. If you have a favorite sport, can you remember who won the championship 15 years ago, or even seven years ago? Or if you are more interested in entertainment, can you recall who won the Oscar for the best actor, actress, or motion picture 18 years ago, or who received the award for best singer six years ago? In your own industry, which company was recognized as most outstanding 12 years ago?



Based on your answers, what does that tell you about the relative importance of accomplishments on which we tend to place such high value and give so much emphasis?





2. If you were to state your purpose, either professionally or personally, what would it be? Have you ever even given thought to consciously formulating a purpose that involves more than surviving each workday?





3. Do you agree with the idea that our lives should be guided by an overriding purpose that is bigger than ourselves? Explain your answer.





4. What is your reaction to the idea that, ultimately, our purpose should be to bring glory to God? Do you believe that God has given you the gifts, abilities and skills that you utilize in your work each day – or do you feel that all you have attained has been the result solely of your own hard work and dedication?




NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to consider other passages that relate to this topic, look up the following:
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:17,23; 2 Timothy 3:16-17