知道何時該撤離的挑戰
By Jim Mathis
最近聽到美國德州、佛羅里達州遭到颶風重創，或是義大利、印尼或印度遭到洪水的災難時，大家心裡一定都很不好受。當我們看到新聞媒體上的照片裡，家園被毀、家人失散，我們都同感哀傷和無助。
當颶風哈維侵襲德州休士頓的地漥地區的時候，我和一個住在當地的朋友聯絡，他說自己和家人都平安無事，但是他們的房子被洪水包圍成為一座孤島了，水深一英尺。像這樣大的災難發生時，我就會問自己：如果是我和家人遇到這樣的災難，我們會如何反應？我們是否已經準備好要面對這樣的災難了呢？我如何決定何時該繼續留下或者何時該撤退到安全的地方呢？
這個問題是很實際的，也具有象徵意義。它可以應用在大自然的氣候上，也能夠應用在我們每天的生活和工作上。我們的社會在面對大自然氣候的議題上，採取的是忍耐和強硬的態度。但實際上，最近也有很多人在討論要適時辨認狀況撤離當地的居民。
從以前人們玩紙牌的諺語「知道何時該拿著牌，何時該收起來」，我們可以得到一些智慧。這句話的意思就是說：「知道何時該繼續玩，何時該停止。」有一些企業走入歷史中，大概就是因為這樣的原因。例如：柯達相片、蒙哥馬利百貨公司以及邊境書局，這些都只是其中的幾個例子。當改變的洪流來時，他們仍然堅守自己的企業文化和業務，最後只能屈服在這股洪水之下。
不管我們是在經營一個公司，或是試著要建立一個成功的職場生涯，前人的失敗我們應該引以為鑑。在超級暴風雨來臨時(天然災害如颶風、龍捲風、洪水或是森林大火)，或者是意義上的災難，例如無法繼續做下去的職業別、不賺錢的產品線或是住在一個經濟蕭條的地區，我們夠敏銳知道何時該反應嗎？我們能夠辨別何時該離開，不要在原地多待一秒鐘了嗎？
知道何時該反應才能得到最好的結果，是一種智慧。以下是一些來自聖經，如何能找到智慧的原則：
知道把信心放在哪裡。有時候暴風雨是測驗你信心的考驗，你是相信自己的能力，還是神？神能夠引導我們度過我們自己無法勝過的災難。「你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自己的聰明，在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，他必指引你的路。」(箴言3章5-6節).
不要害怕嘗試新的事物。聖經告訴我們很多例子，神帶領一些人離開他們的舒適圈，去嘗試截然不同的新事物，如挪亞、亞伯拉罕、約瑟、路得和但以理。「耶和華如此說：你們不要記念從前的事，也不要思想古時的事。看哪，我要做一件新事；如今要發現，你們豈不知道嗎？我必在曠野開道路，在沙漠開江河。」(以賽亞書43章18-19節).
吉姆.馬提斯在堪薩斯州陸路公園市經營一家照相館。他的專長是商業和影劇界人像。他也經營一所攝影學校。他曾是一家咖啡店的經理，也曾是CBMC在堪薩斯州堪薩斯市和密蘇里州堪薩斯市的執行主任。
省思與問題討論
你現在正面臨「風暴」嗎？是工作上的或是生活上的呢？你要如何處理它？ 你是否也曾經掙扎於「繼續堅持下去」或是「走為上策」的兩難呢？請分享你的經驗，以及後來的結果。 當我們看一些財經報導時，幾乎每天都看到很多公司在不斷改變的商場上求生存。你覺得從柯達公司、蒙哥馬利百貨公司以及邊境書局的例子當中，我們能學到甚麼？ 當你遇到災難或是一個突發的狀況時，你的第一反應是甚麼？ 你把信心放在哪裡？你覺得嘗試新事物令人害怕嗎？請分享自己的答案。
如果你手上有聖經，希望了解更多關於這個主題的經文，請參考：詩篇37篇4-5節；傳道書1章9-10節；以賽亞書41章10節；馬可福音2章21-22節；彼得前書4章12節
THE CHALLENGE OF KNOWING WHEN TO EVACUATE
By Jim Mathis
It is hard not to be moved emotionally when hearing and seeing reports of catastrophic flooding, whether it be on the Texas Gulf coast or Florida in the United States, as we have seen in recent months, in Italy, Indonesia, or India. Images we see of homes destroyed and families torn apart by devastation leave us feeling sad and helpless.
After Hurricane Harvey struck the low-lying region of Houston, Texas, I talked with a friend living there who said he and his family were dry, but the property their house was sitting on had turned into an island. They were surrounded by feet of water. When disasters like these occur, I wonder about my response, as well as what my level of preparedness would be for myself and family, should a similar calamity occur in our area. At what point does a person determine to stay and persevere, and when do they make the decision to evacuate and seek safety elsewhere?
This question is both practical and metaphorical. It can apply to natural calamities, or the adversities we encounter in everyday life and work. Our society puts emphasis on perseverance, of being steadfast and strong in the face of disaster. However, there is not a lot of talk about recognizing when to flee, close a business, or evacuate the area.
One definition of wisdom borrows from the old card-playing adage: "Know when to hold them, and know when to fold them." In other words, when to keep playing – and when to quit. The history of business is littered with the names of companies that held onto a losing hand too long. Eastman Kodak, Montgomery Ward department stores and Borders Books are just a few. All stood firm, clinging to their cultures and practices, even as the tides of change arose around them. Eventually they succumbed to this “flood.”
Whether we are leading a company, or trying to build a successful career, we should take such high-profile failures as warnings. In the face of a severe storm, whether natural threats – hurricanes, tornados, floods, or forest fires – or metaphorical ones such as a job that is not working out, an unprofitable product line, or living in an economically depressed area, do we know the trigger point? Are we able to recognize when we should decide, "It is time to go. I cannot wait any longer. I am out of here"?
Knowing when to act in a way that leads to the best outcome is a sign of wisdom. Here are principles from the Bible on how to find the necessary wisdom:
Know where to put your confidence. Sometimes a storm is a test to reveal where your trust is – in your own ability, or in God. He can guide us through adversities that we think are insurmountable. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Do not fear trying something new. The Scriptures offer numerous accounts of people who were led by God to leave their comfort zones and do drastically new things. Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Ruth and Daniel are just some of the Old Testament examples. “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Jim Mathis is the owner of a photography studio in Overland Park, Kansas, specializing in executive, commercial and theatrical portraits, and operates a school of photography. Jim is the author of High Performance Cameras for Ordinary People, a book on digital photography. He formerly was a coffee shop manager and executive director of CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
Are you facing any “storms” in your life today, whether in relation to your work, or perhaps something in your personal life? How are you dealing with it? Have you encountered times when you struggled with whether to persevere and work through a complex dilemma or to “evacuate,” realizing that to remain would leave your future in jeopardy? Explain how you addressed the situation – and what was the outcome. Reading business reports, almost every day we see examples of companies trying to survive in a continually changing marketplace. What can we learn from the failures of once-highly successful enterprises like Eastman Kodak, Montgomery Ward, or others? What is your first reaction when you confront adversity, when an unexpected “storm” arises? Where are you placing your trust? And do you find the idea of leaving and trying a new thing too intimidating to consider? Explain your answer.
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Psalm 37:4-5; Ecclesiastes 1:9-10; Isaiah 41:10; Mark 2:21-22; 1 Peter 4:12
