投資者的目的
By Robert J. Tamasy
你是一個好的投資者嗎？如果你不了解身為投資者的目的，就很難回答這個問題。如果你當投資者的目的，是希望賺得利潤，但年復一年你發現投資都沒賺到利潤，無論你本身是多好的人，你都不是一個好的投資者。
在提姆．凱勒(TIM KELLER) 牧師所寫的書「神是有道理的」一書說道：我們判斷一件事是好是壞，是根據這件事是否達到目的。那我們是如何判斷一個人的人生是好或是壞呢？一個不相信神的人或是不明白生命有更高的意義的人，他們認為人生是沒有意義的，人的生命大概就是隨機而來的。
“然而，對一個跟隨耶穌基督的人來說，我們在這裡是有意義的。華里克牧師在他的暢銷書「標竿人生」當中開頭就說，「你的生命並不是只有你，你生命的意義高過自我實現、內心的平安或是快樂。你人生的意義比你的事業或甚至你遠大的夢想和野心都要大。如果你想知道為什麼你在這裡，你必須要問神。你是因為祂的目的而生和也因為祂給你的目的活著。“
在這本書中，華里克牧師說:神創造我們有五個目的:愛祂、成為祂的家人、像祂一樣、服事祂、向別人傳揚祂。我認為在我們的生活和職場上，我們所擁有的一切，無論是財富或才幹都要依照這五個目的而使用。
· 我們慷慨待人，就是表現出神的心腸。「各人要隨本心所酌定的，不要作難，不要勉強，因為捐得樂意的人是 神所喜愛的。」(哥林多後書9章7節)
· 當我們照顧其他的基督徒時，就是表顯出我們明白在主裡，成為一家人的道理了。「若是弟兄或是姊妹，赤身露體，又缺了日用的飲食； 你們中間有人對他們說：「平平安安地去吧！願你們穿得暖，吃得飽」，卻不給他們身體所需用的，這有甚麼益處呢？這樣，信心若沒有行為就是死的。」(雅各書2章15-17節)
· 當我們願意付出和犧牲時，我們就更像神了，因為祂是一個完美的給予者。「你要囑咐那些今世富足的人，不要自高，也不要倚靠無定的錢財；只要倚靠那厚賜百物給我們享受的 神。」 (提摩太前書6章17節)
· 我們若是認真地負起責任當個神的好管家，就是定意要服事祂了。我們從恩賜的比喻(馬太福音25章14-30節)裡面知道，神要我們當祂的好管家。「所求於管家的，是要他有忠心。」 (哥林多前書4章2節)
· 當和別人分享信仰的時候和大方地給予那些不認識祂的人，就顯現出自己的殷勤了。「耶穌進前來，對他們說：「天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了。 所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗（或譯：給他們施洗，歸於父、子、聖靈的名）。 凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守，我就常與你們同在，直到世界的末了。」(馬太福音28章18-20節)
根據這些經文，你覺得自己是什麼樣的投資者？你是個好管家嗎？
省思與問題討論
你認為要做一個有效率的投資者，你必須很清楚自己投資的目的是什麼嗎？為什麼？請分享你的答案。 你認為一個人可以決定自己人生的目的，以及如何使用經濟和物質上的資源嗎？ 根據文章中聖經經文的原則，身為一個投資者，你會如何完成自己的目標，以及運用自己的資源? 關於文章中提到的使用和投資個人資源的五項目的，你覺得自己最需要改進哪一項才能成為更好的投資者以及成為好管家(優良的經濟和物質資源的使用者)？
備註：如果你手上有聖經，希望能閱讀更多關於這個主題的經文，請參考：箴言11章28節、15章6節、21章20節、23章4-5節；哥林多後書9章8-11節；腓立比書2章3-4節；提摩太前書6章18-19節
FULFILLING YOUR PURPOSE AS AN INVESTOR
By Austin Pryor
Are you a “good” or “bad” investor? This cannot be answered without understanding an investor”s purpose. If you know the purpose of an investor is to manage money in such a way as to make it grow, but your investment accounts fail to see growth year after year, then it becomes apparent that no matter how good a person you may be, you are a “bad” investor.
In Making Sense of God, pastor Tim Keller writes, “All judgments that something or someone is good or bad are based on an awareness of purpose…. How then can we tell if a human being is good or bad? Only if we know our purpose, what human life is for.” For the secular person living without a belief God or a higher purpose, human life is not for anything. It is ultimately meaningless – we are here only by chance due to random physical forces.
For the follower of Jesus Christ, however, we are here for a reason. Pastor Rick Warren begins his popular book, The Purpose Driven Life, this way:
“It”s not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It”s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”
In the book, Warren contends – with abundant support from the Bible – that God created us with five purposes in mind: to love Him; to be a part of His family; to become like Him; to serve Him, and to tell others about Him. May I suggest that each of these purposes should encompass the way in which we manage and share whatever wealth He has entrusted to us?
· We show our love for God when we have a heart of generosity. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
· We show we understand what it means to be a part of God”s family when we look after others in Christ”s family. “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:15-17).
· We show we are more like Him when we give sacrificially because He is the perfect Giver. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).
· We show we intent to serve Him when we take our responsibilities as stewards seriously. We know from the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) that God has made us managers of His resources, and know from that passage that “it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
· We show we are diligent about telling others about Him when we share our faith and give generously to reach out to those who do not know Him. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…””(Matthew 28:18-20).
In light of these passages, how would you say you are doing as an investor? Are you a “good” or “bad” steward?
Austin Pryor has 36 years of experience advising investors, and is the founder of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter and website. He's the author of The Sound Mind Investing Handbook, which enjoys the endorsements of respected Christian teachers with more than 100,000 copies sold. Austin lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with Susie, his wife of 50 years.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
Do you agree with the statement that to be a good, effective investor, you must have a clear sense of purpose in terms of how you and invest – and why? Explain your answer.
How do you think a person should go about determining his or her purpose – for life, as well as for how financial and material resources are utilized?
In light of the principles and scriptural passages cited, how are you doing in fulfilling your purpose as an investor of the resources that are entrusted to your care?
Of the five purposes listed for using and investing personal wealth, which one(s) do you think you might need to work on to improve to become a better investor of your financial and material resources?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about principles it presents, consider the following passages: Proverbs 11:28, 15:6, 21:20, 23:4-5; 2 Corinthians 9:8-11; Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 6:18-19
