我們被造來崇拜，即使在職場
By Jim Mathis
所有人類似乎都被設計來崇拜，在我們職業生涯也是。如果我們要成為一個完整的人，似乎需要一個對象來表達我們的感情。有些人是崇拜運動或特定的運動團隊和運動員。這些運動迷了解所相關的統計數據，投入大量的時間和大筆資金來跟踪他們的團隊。狂熱粉絲的行為和熱烈的崇拜之間沒甚麼兩樣。
有些人崇拜音樂，崇拜他們最喜愛的樂團或藝人。有些人則是崇拜政治派別或重要的信念。其他人則是崇拜特定的職業，例如軍隊，或是象徵，例如旗幟，並且特別尊重他們崇拜的對象。我的祖國美國則是崇拜民族主義的一個國家：美國認為自己優於其他所有國家，這樣的崇拜其實是會產生問題的。
對於許多商人來說，他們的工作成了崇拜的對象。他們可能會將過多的時間花在他們的公司或職業，而不是家人、朋友或健康上面，他們尤其會忽略上帝。
有時候我們會過分崇拜金錢或追求金錢，忘記金錢只是一種工具，而不是「上帝」。這就是耶穌在馬太福音6章24節中所說的「一個人不能侍奉兩個主。」。不是恨惡金錢愛上帝，就是專注於錢而鄙視上帝。你不能同時為上帝和金錢服務。聖經意思是說：「如果金錢與上帝同時競爭我們的時間、精力和敬畏，我們就無法在靈性上成長。」
即使在基督教內部，崇拜也有很多種形式。有些形式會分散我們對真實上帝的注意力。人們經常崇拜某種特定的風格或禮拜秩序，甚至是聖經，把它們放於上帝之上。有些人則是崇拜他們的配偶，將這種崇拜與正常的愛和感情混為一談。
從一開始，上帝就知道這將會是一個問題， 所以祂在我們裡面建立了崇拜的慾望，祂把十誡傳給摩西時，祂希望自己成為我們崇拜的焦點。上帝賜給祂的百姓的第一條誡命就是：「我是耶和華你的神，除了我以外，你不可有別的神。」
這是聖經所傳達的訊息，記載在出埃及記20章3-6節：「除了我以外，你不可有別的神。「不可為自己雕刻偶像，也不可做甚麼形像彷彿上天、下地，和地底下、水中的百物。不可跪拜那些像，也不可事奉它，因為我耶和華─你的 神是忌邪的 神。恨我的，我必追討他的罪，自父及子，直到三四代；愛我、守我誡命的，我必向他們發慈愛，直到千代。」
在我們閱讀以十誡為主題的經文時，就發現當摩西從西乃山上回來時，以色列人已經建造了一座金牛犢來供奉。很快地，他們崇拜的對象就不一樣了。
我們需要崇拜。但我們必須問自己的問題是：「我們崇拜的對像是否真的值得我們致力奉獻呢？這是一個永遠不會讓我們失望的「上帝」嗎？」根據我的經驗，真正的上帝只有一個。上帝說：「我永遠不會離開你，也不會離棄你。」（希伯來書13章5節）。有哪一個「神」可以這樣說？
反省與問題討論
你如何定義崇拜？你覺得崇拜，是作者所說的嚴肅的宗教活動，還是也會涉及生活其他方面？ 你發現自己會傾向於崇拜什麼類型的東西？ 如果我們意識到自己的崇拜對象有很多個，不止是一件事物或物體，要怎樣才能消除這些除了上帝以外的事物悄悄進入我們的生命呢？ 在您看來，崇拜如何影響您的職業生涯發展以及每天如何處理工作呢？
備註: 如果您手上有聖經，希望知道更多關於這個主題的經文，請參考:
出埃及記 20章5節
20:5不可跪拜那些像，也不可事奉它，因為我耶和華─你的 神是忌邪的 神。恨我的，我必追討他的罪，自父及子，直到三四代；
出埃及記 23章24-26節
23:24你不可跪拜他們的神，不可事奉他，也不可效法他們的行為，卻要把神像盡行拆毀，打碎他們的柱像。
23:25你們要事奉耶和華─你們的 神，他必賜福與你的糧與你的水，也必從你們中間除去疾病。
23:26你境內必沒有墜胎的，不生產的。我要使你滿了你年日的數目。
列王記下17章36-39節
17:36但那用大能和伸出來的膀臂領你們出埃及地的耶和華，你們當敬畏，跪拜，向他獻祭。
17:37 他給你們寫的律例、典章、律法、誡命，你們應當永遠謹守遵行，不可敬畏別神。
17:38 我─耶和華與你們所立的約你們不可忘記，也不可敬畏別神。
17:39 但要敬畏耶和華─你們的 神，他必救你們脫離一切仇敵的手。」
詩篇29篇1-2節
29:1神的眾子啊，你們要將榮耀、能力歸給耶和華，歸給耶和華！
29:2 要將耶和華的名所當得的榮耀歸給他，以聖潔的（的：或譯為）妝飾敬拜耶和華。
馬太福音4章8-10節
4:8 魔鬼又帶他上了一座最高的山，將世上的萬國與萬國的榮華都指給他看，
4:9 對他說：「你若俯伏拜我，我就把這一切都賜給你。」
4:10 耶穌說：「撒但（就是抵擋的意思，乃魔鬼的別名），退去吧！因為經上記著說：當拜主－你的 神，單要事奉他。」
路加福音 4章5-8節
4:5 魔鬼又領他上了高山，霎時間把天下的萬國都指給他看，
4:6 對他說：「這一切權柄、榮華，我都要給你，因為這原是交付我的，我願意給誰就給誰。
4:7 你若在我面前下拜，這都要歸你。」
4:8 耶穌說：「經上記著說：當拜主─你的 神，單要事奉他。」
EVEN IN THE WORKPLACE, WE ARE MADE TO WORSHIP
by Jim Mathis
It seems all human beings are designed to worship something, even within the scope of our professional lives. We seem to require having an object for our affections if we are to be whole, to be complete. Some people worship sports or a particular sport, team, or player. They know all the statistics, and devote countless hours and significant amounts of money to following their team. The line between dedicated fan and ardent worship can easily become obliterated.
Other people worship music, giving highest honor to their favorite band or entertainer. Some people worship a political affiliation or an important cause. Others worship a specific profession, such as the military, or a symbol, like a flag, and give special honor to the object of their worship. Nationalism, which is worshipping one”s country and considering it superior to every other nation, has spawned real problems in some places, including my home country, the United States.
For many business people, their work becomes an object of worship. They might devote inordinate amounts of time to their company or profession to the exclusion of family, friends, their health, and especially God.
Sometimes we worship money or its pursuit, forgetting money is intended only as a tool, not as a “god.” This is one reason Jesus said, in Matthew 6: 24, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” He was asserting we cannot grow spiritually if money competes with God for our time, energy and reverence.
Even within Christianity, worship can take many forms, some that distract from our devotion to the one true God. People often worship a particular style or order of worship, or even the Bible, placing it above the God whose story it tells. Some people worship their spouse, confusing such worship with normal love and affection.
From the beginning, God knew this would be a problem. He built into us a desire to worship, but when He handed down the Ten Commandments to Moses, made clear He alone should be the focus of our worship. The very first commandment God gave to His people said, “I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me.”
The Message, an paraphrase of the Bible, expresses Exodus 20:3-6 this way: “No other gods, only me. No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don”t bow down to them and don”t serve them because I am God, your God, and I”m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I”m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.”
In reading the biblical account that surrounds the giving of the Ten Commandments, we discover that by the time Moses had gotten back from the mountain with commandments, the Israelites had already built a calf of gold to worship. It did not take long for them to let the object of their worship to become divided.
We have a need to worship something. The question we must ask ourselves is whether the object of our worship truly deserves our devotion and dedication? Is it a “god” that will never fail us? In my experience, there is only one, the God who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). What other “god” can say that?
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. He formerly was executive director of CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
How would you define worship? In your opinion, is worship strictly a religious practice, or does involve other aspects of life, as Mr. Mathis asserts? What types of things do you find yourself inclined to worship? If we realize our worship has become divided, that we are worshiping more than one thing or object, how can we order our lives to eliminate other “gods” or prevent them from creeping in? In your view, how should worship affect your approach to your career and how you approach the work you do every day?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Exodus 20:5, 23:24-26; 2 Kings 17:36-39; Psalm 29:1-2; Matthew 4:8-10; Luke 4:5-8
