思考職場上的優先次序
By Rick Boxx
像很多人一樣，在我早年的職業生涯當中，為了要成功，我嘗試每一件事。為了成功，我用盡最大的努力，比做其他事情更多。
我第一次遇見葛雷(Gregg)的時候，他說：「瑞克(Rick), 如果你選擇跟我一起工作，你必須知道我生活的優先次序：神第一、我的家庭第二、工作第三。」我為主工作好幾十年，聽到他說的，正好與我的想法不謀而合。我很難想像葛雷的優先次序怎麼去影響他開的銀行，也是我們工作的地方。
但是，很快的，在進行下一個大工程時，葛雷按照聖經所說的原則和順序來做決定。我在旁邊觀察他的時候，看到了我們應該如何尋求神的智慧，也鼓勵我去思考要如何將神擺在第一位。把神擺在第一位對我的工作，工作品質和效率有正面的影響。
我對工作的看法和生活的優先次序無法一夜之間改變。但是葛雷立下了一個典範，在我的心裡留下了很深遠的影響。這樣的想法之後會開花結果，改變我對工作、工作的目的以及我自己的思考模式。最後，它也會建立一個輔導的事工，當我們在試圖幫助別人，以及了解耶穌對我們的訓誨：「你們要先求他的國和祂的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。」(馬太福音6章33節)
把神放在生活的第一順位說得容易，做到卻不容易。第一、我們必須要相信這是行得通的，然後才能去做。一路上，當然有各種試煉，挑戰我們的信心。很多時候我們不禁會想：「如果我堅持把神放在第一位是行不通的。」或者「只是一個小小的妥協，不會造成甚麼傷害的。這次我稍微改一下原則，下次就不會了。」
然而，我們雅各書裡面讀到要堅持原則的理由：「我的弟兄們，你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂；因為知道你們的信心經過試驗，就生忍耐。但忍耐也當成功，使你們成全、完備，毫無缺欠。」(雅各書 1章2-4節) 當我們的信心受到考驗的時候，包括我們想堅持優先次序時，我們就是在培養毅力了。當時機困難的時候，毅力可以幫助我們堅持自己的信仰。
有些人覺得把神放在第一位聽起來是個太理想化的原則，不符合現實。我們生活在一個高度競爭、無法通融的商業環境中，而且在這裡大部分的人都是逆著聖經的原則在做事的，我們怎麼可能在這種狀況下生存下來？我們總是要面對現實，對吧！
我遇見葛雷的時候也是這樣想的，但是他證明了這是錯誤的想法。即使是遇見困難或是遇到非常難以決定的選擇時，他從沒動搖過。他一直堅守他告訴過我的生活優先次序：神第一、家庭第二、工作第三。當然，想要堅守這樣的原則你要付出代價和做出必要的犧牲，但是葛雷從來沒有妥協過，也從來沒有後悔過。
現在就讓我問你一件問題：神在你的職場生活中排在第幾位？
版權所有2018 非傳統商業網路(前身為純全資源中心)。節錄自和Rick Boxx的純全時刻，這本刊物主要是從基督徒的角度來探討職場上正直這個主題。如果希望知道更多關於這個事工或是想訂閱每日純全時刻，請上這個網站: www.unconventionalbusiness.org. Rick Boxx最新出版的書提供用五個關鍵的神的方法來建立企業。
反省與問題討論
在你的職場生活中，優先次序是甚麼？你是否有意識地在心裡去定義每一個優先順序？你是否把它們寫下來，甚至是每一段時間都拿出來重新再檢視一遍？ 你是否像葛雷一樣，努力在工作和生活上面把神擺在第一位？要堅持這樣的原則很容易或是很困難？你曾經遇到甚麼樣的困難？ 如果在職場上你並沒有把神擺在第一位，你可以想出有誰把神擺在第一位的嗎？從你的觀察當中，堅守這樣的原則對一個人的生活會有甚麼樣的影響？ 你覺得對你來說，堅持把神擺在第一位，最大的考驗是甚麼？你是否在當中培養了毅力？為什麼毅力很重要或甚至是必要的呢？
備註：如果你手上有聖經，想要閱讀更多和這個主題相關的經節，請參考：
詩篇127:1-2; 以賽亞書 26:3, 41:10; 馬太福音 6:9-13, 19-21, 24-34; 腓立比書 4:19
詩篇127篇1-2節
127:1 若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。
127:2 你們清晨早起，夜晚安歇，吃勞碌得來的飯，本是枉然；惟有耶和華所親愛的，必叫他安然睡覺
以賽亞書 26篇3節 堅心倚賴你的，你必保守他十分平安，因為他倚靠你。
以賽亞書41章10節 你不要害怕，因為我與你同在；不要驚惶，因為我是你的 神。我必堅固你，我必幫助你；我必用我公義的右手扶持你。
馬太福音 6章9-13節
6:9 所以，你們禱告要這樣說：我們在天上的父：願人都尊你的名為聖。
6:10 願你的國降臨；願你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。
6:11 我們日用的飲食，今日賜給我們。
6:12 免我們的債，如同我們免了人的債。
6:13 不叫我們遇見試探；救我們脫離兇惡。因為國度、權柄、榮耀，全是你的，直到永遠。阿們！
馬太福音 6章 19-21節
6:19 「不要為自己積攢財寶在地上；地上有蟲子咬，能銹壞，也有賊挖窟窿來偷。
6:20 只要積攢財寶在天上；天上沒有蟲子咬，不能銹壞，也沒有賊挖窟窿來偷。
馬太福音 6章24-34節
6:24「一個人不能事奉兩個主；不是惡這個、愛那個，就是重這個、輕那個。你們不能又事奉 神，又事奉瑪門（瑪門：財利的意思）。」
6:25 「所以我告訴你們，不要為生命憂慮吃甚麼，喝甚麼；為身體憂慮穿甚麼。生命不勝於飲食嗎？身體不勝於衣裳嗎？
6:26 你們看那天上的飛鳥，也不種，也不收，也不積蓄在倉裏，你們的天父尚且養活牠。你們不比飛鳥貴重得多嗎？
6:27 你們哪一個能用思慮使壽數多加一刻呢（或譯：使身量多加一肘呢）？
6:28 何必為衣裳憂慮呢？你想野地裏的百合花怎麼長起來；它也不勞苦，也不紡線。
6:29 然而我告訴你們，就是所羅門極榮華的時候，他所穿戴的，還不如這花一朵呢！
6:30 你們這小信的人哪！野地裏的草今天還在，明天就丟在爐裏， 神還給它這樣的妝飾，何況你們呢！
6:31 所以，不要憂慮說，吃甚麼？喝甚麼？穿甚麼？
6:32 這都是外邦人所求的，你們需用的這一切東西，你們的天父是知道的。
6:33 你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。
6:34 所以，不要為明天憂慮，因為明天自有明天的憂慮；一天的難處一天當就夠了。」
腓立比書 4章19節
4:19 我的 神必照他榮耀的豐富，在基督耶穌裏，使你們一切所需用的都充足。
THINKING THROUGH WORKPLACE PRIORITIES
By Rick Boxx
Early in my business career, like many young people I was trying to gain an understanding of what striving for success would require. One of the things I learned in this process was far from anything I had anticipated.
The first time I met Gregg, he said, “Rick, if you choose to work with me, you need to know my priorities in life. God”s first, my family”s second, and this job is third.” Being a person who had been “running from God” for decades, listing priorities in that order was alien to my thinking. I could not imagine how Gregg”s priorities would impact the way he ran the bank where we worked.
Soon, however, it became clear. Before moving forward on major tasks, Gregg made his business decisions by first considering God and His principles, as they are presented in the Bible. Observing how he made those decisions revealed to me how to seek God”s wisdom, and encouraged me to consider how placing Him first – as my top priority – could have a positive impact on my work, its quality and effectiveness.
My perspectives on work and my priorities in life did not change overnight, but Gregg”s example and the ideas he had sown in my mind had a profound effect on me. Those later bore fruit, revolutionizing my thinking about business, its purpose – and my own. Ultimately, it led me to establish a consulting ministry in which I seek to help others to also understand what it means if we follow Jesus” admonition when He said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Putting God first in our lives is easier said than done. First, we must believe it is even possible to do, and then act upon that belief. Be assured there will be challenges along the way, testing our convictions. There are times when we wonder, “If I insist on putting God first, this will never work.” We might be tempted to think, “Well, a minor compromise will not hurt, will it? I will bend the rules this time, but after this, no more.”
This, however, is one reason we read, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). When our faith is tested, including our desire to remain true to priorities we have established, perseverance develops. This enables us to stay true to our convictions, even when it becomes difficult.
Some people might think that making God the top priority is a nice-sounding ideal, but not very practical. We live and work in a highly competitive, unyielding marketplace environment where most people are operating according to rules that run counter to biblical principles. How can we thrive under those circumstances? We have to be realistic, right?
That is what I thought when I met Gregg. But he proved me wrong. Even when confronted with adversity, or when a particular decision was very difficult, he never wavered. He stayed true to the priorities as he had stated them to me – God, family, then job. There were times when there was a cost to pay, a necessary sacrifice, but he never had to compromise his values. And he never regretted taking such a stand.
Let me ask you: What place does God have in your work priorities?
Copyright 2018, Unconventional Business Network (formerly 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. To learn more about their ministry or to sign up for Rick”s daily Integrity Moments emails, visitwww.unconventionalbusiness.org. His latest book and inspiration for their new ministry name, Unconventional Business, provides “Five Keys to Growing a Business God”s Way.”
Reflection/Discussion Questions
What would you say are your priorities at work? Have you ever consciously and intentionally tried to define them in your mind – and even write them down to review periodically? If you, like Gregg, have strived to put God first in your work and business, how easy – or difficult – has it been to stay true to that commitment? What are some of the challenges you have faced? If you have not always made God your first priority on the job, can you think of anyone who has done so? From your observation, what has been the impact of that commitment? Why do you think the testing of our faith – including holding true to our priorities – results in developing perseverance? Why is that important, or even necessary?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Psalm 127:1-2; Isaiah 26:3, 41:10; Matthew 6:9-13, 19-21, 24-34; Philippians 4:19
