如何保障你的職業
By Dr. Rick Warren
「你大概是這辦公室中最有保障的人。」老闆的這句話顯示她的工作是安全的，使這正在大幅縮編之公司的接待員鬆了一口氣。雖然她的一些同事正面臨工作可能不保的慌亂，她卻有「安全保障」的感覺。
當全球的經濟繼續掙扎，許多公司仍然發現有必要降低人力，使他們在這高度挑戰性的時刻保持競爭力。在這種不確定的環境，知道如何「保障」你的工作是一種有智慧的工作技能！
即使你被解雇還是繼續工作。你可能無法保障你目前的工作，但你可以，也應該以長期的觀點保障自己的工作。我們在聖經舊約裡就可找到一個好例子。
在創世記中，我們讀到約瑟是一個忠心的人，他的父親送給他一件彩衣。他兩度在工作的階梯上被打下來。第一次他跌落在一個坑洞中，第二次則落入監獄裡。第一次他的哥哥們在家庭的董事會中把他推落。後來他老闆的妻子誣告他，使他被關進監獄。這實在不是升遷的理想途徑。
然而，約瑟知道如何保障自己的工作，最後就爬上埃及最大階梯的最高階。事實上，他後來用這些話去饒恕他哥哥們的背叛：「從前你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的」（創世記50章20節）。
不驕傲來保持你的品格。驕傲使人不服事，且阻擋上帝的恩惠（我們不配得的恩寵）流向你。「神阻擋驕傲的人，賜恩給謙卑的人」（雅各書4章6節）。驕傲會扭曲人看實際狀況的視線而導致盲目。驕傲的另一個後果是會讓你的敵人有動機與材料使你落敗。
遵守你的諾言來保持你的品格。遵守諾言的人最後會達到頂峰。「他發了誓，雖然自己吃虧也不更改」（詩篇15篇4節）。請記住，若你少作承諾，就比較容易遵守諾言──然後你就比較可能守住自己所作的每個承諾。當我們能守住向「小人物」──那些對我們的目標和渴望似乎「較不重要的人」，然而仍然值得我們尊重之人－－所作的困難諾言，我們的品格就最能快速成長。
把每個人都當天使一樣地對待來保持你的品格。「不可忘記用愛心接待客旅；因為曾有接待客旅的，不知不覺就接待了天使」（希伯來書13章2節）。你永遠不知道誰最後會成為你的上司。有人說，我們在公司的升遷階梯往上爬時，要小心我們是踏在誰的頭上──他們可能在我們朝下走時反而往上超越我們！絕不要為那些利用別人跑在前頭的人心懷不平，因為他們最後通常會摔觔斗。「我認識一個惡人，他像是一個暴君，凌駕在所有人上頭…但後來我再經過那裡，他已不在，我要找他，但卻找不到了。」
本文版權屬於「標竿人生」。本文改編自華理克博士的專欄。他寫了許多書，包括廣受讚揚的「標竿人生」。這本書被翻譯成許多語言，並賣到全世界。這本書斷言，有一個經過你仔細考慮且清楚表達的目標去過每天的生活是重要的。這本書被認為是改變20世紀的100本基督教書籍之一。他也寫了「目標導向的教會」和「聖誕的目的」。
思想 / 討論題目
你認為你目前工作的穩定度有多少？你是否認為自己的工作很有保障，或者你害怕這工作隨時會不保？ 作者說：「即使你被解雇還是繼續工作。」你認為這是什麼意思？你是否曾有機會把這句建議付諸行動？ 為何驕傲會成為一個想保有工作之人的問題？作者所提到負面、冒犯別人的驕傲與因自己把工作做得好且成就好成果而驕傲有何差異？ 你曾否經歷過某人為了升遷而利用──或欺壓──你？你有何感覺？若你想參考有關此主題的其他聖經經文，請查看以下經節：
箴言20章28節、22章29節、25章13節、28章20節；歌羅西書3章17、23節；馬太福音5章37節；雅各書5章12節
HOW TO “FLAMEPROOF” YOUR CAREER
By Dr. Rick Warren
“You are about the most flameproof person in this office.” Those words from the boss, indicating that her job was safe, brought understandable relief to the receptionist of a corporation that was engaged in major downsizing. Despite the turmoil some of her coworkers were facing, she took some comfort in feeling “flameproof.”
As the global economy continues the struggle, many companies are still finding it necessary to reduce their workforces so they can retain or regain a competitive position in highly challenging times. In such an uncertain environment, knowing how to “flameproof” your career is a wise job skill!
KEEP YOUR CAREER EVEN IF YOU ARE TERMINATED. You might not be able to flameproof your present job, but you can and should flameproof your career in a long-term sense. We find a good example of this in the Bible”s Old Testament:
In the book of Genesis, we read about Joseph, the faithful man in with the amazing multi-colored dream coat (a gift from his father) who twice was knocked off the corporate ladder. First, he landed in a pit and later in a prison. His brothers on the family board of directors gave the first shove. Later his boss”s wife made false accusations that resulted in Joseph being put behind bars. Not exactly the ideal path to take for corporate advancement.
However, Joseph knew how to flameproof his career and ended up on the top rung of the biggest ladder in Egypt. In fact, he later forgave his brothers for their betrayal with these words: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” (Genesis 50:20).
KEEP YOUR CHARACTER BY KEEPING PRIDE IN CHECK. Pride inhibits service and stops the flow of God”s grace (His unmerited, undeserved favor) in your direction. “God (and many others) resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Pride has a tendency to distort one”s view of reality that amounts to blindness. Another consequence of pride is that it gives motivation and ammunition for your enemies to seek to bring about your downfall.
KEEP YOUR CHARACTER BY KEEPING YOUR PROMISES. People that are promise keepers end up in the big tent on the holy hill! “He…who keeps his oath even when it hurts” (Psalms 15:1,40). Remember, it is much easier to keep your promises if you make fewer of them – then it is more likely you will be able to hold true to every one that you do make. Character grows fastest when difficult to honor promises are kept with the “little people” in our lives – those individuals that seem “less important” to our goals and desires, yet are just as deserving of our integrity.
KEEP YOUR CHARACTER BY TREATING EVERYBODY LIKE AN ANGEL. “Never…refuse to extend your hospitality…sometimes men have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). You never know who will end up being your boss. There is a saying that we should be careful who we step on as we climb up the corporate ladder – they might pass us on our way back down! Never fret when people that use others get ahead, because they usually end up losing their head. “I once knew a wicked man who was like a tyrant; he towered over everyone…but later I passed by, and he wasn”t there; I looked for him, but couldn”t find him.”
© 2011, Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved. Adapted from a column by Dr. Rick Warren, author of numerous books, including the highly acclaimed, The Purpose-Drive Life, which has been translated into many languages worldwide. It affirms the importance of a carefully considered, clearly expressed purpose to guide everyday life. It has been named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
How would you rate the security of your current job – do you regard yourself as “flameproof,” or do you fear that it could go up in flames at any moment? What do you think Dr. Warren means when he says, “Keep your career even if you are terminated”? Have you ever had a opportunity to put this advice into practice? Why can personal pride become an issue in one”s desire to keep a job secure? What is the difference between the kind of negative, offensive pride Dr. Warren refers to and taking pride in doing your work well and achieving good results? Have you ever experienced a person using – or abusing – you as he or she was striving to advance their career? How did that feel? NOTE: If you have a Bible, consider these other passages that relate to this topic: Proverbs 20:28, 22:29, 25:13, 28:20; Colossians 3:17, 23; Matthew 5:37; James 5:12
