真正的競爭優勢
By Rick Box
在商業和專業領域中，我們一直在尋找具有競爭力的優勢。我們總是不停在探索可以用來幫助自己在競爭中佔有優勢的資產，諸如嶄新的想法、具有卓越技術和能力的員工，以及產品、服務、營銷的獨家商機等。不久之前，有人提醒我另一個大多數人從沒想過的競爭優勢。
湯姆是我一位來自建築業的朋友，他曾投標一個很大的建築計畫，認為這個計畫對他的公司來說至關重要。他大量禱告，懇求上帝讓自己得標。他覺得上帝會明白這對他的事業有多重要，並幫助他得到合同。因此，當他的競爭對手被選中時，他感到非常沮喪。
起初，湯姆非常失望，甚至對上帝發怒，不明白上帝為什麼沒有回應他的禱告。他被忽略了嗎？幾個月後，他終於明白了原因。透過一位業界的朋友，湯姆得知那項標案最後成為了他競爭對手的財務災難。
那些湯姆以為上帝並未回應的禱告，其實是非常明確的答案。上帝很清楚如果湯姆公司的投標被選中，這個建案將會成為多大的災難。上帝保護他免於承擔可能會害公司破產的建案。正如一首西部鄉村老歌的歌詞所說：「有時上帝最美好的禮物就是我們認為『未被回應』的禱告。」
很多時候我們深信某個計劃或決定是正確的，後來卻發現結果與我們的期許南轅北轍。我已經數不清這種情況在我的生活和職場中發生過多少次了。這就是為什麼經驗教會我要信任上帝，而不是我對某特定情況的有限理解。
詩篇24篇1節教導我們：「地和其中所充滿的，世界和住在其間的，都屬耶和華。」對我而言，這句經文不只是在論述萬物的所有權而已。它也提醒我們上帝是王，用祂最美好的旨意統管萬有，包含我們的生意。有時候，上帝的帶領和我們的禱告、祈求未必相同。
在這瞬息萬變且充滿變數的時代，為了實現目標而評估自己應該或不當做什麼，似乎比過去任何時候都困難。然而，相信上帝無所不知、最終掌權的信心，可以讓我們得到平安，並將我們每一天生活和工作中發生的所有事情都交託給祂。箴言3章5-6節大概是我所知道對工作最偉大的建言之一：「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。」
有時上帝會按照我們所希望的方式回應禱告。但其他時候，就像我的朋友湯姆一樣，祂的回答和我們預期的完全不同。但無論如何，我在多年靈性旅程中學到的是，即使結果是未知的，上帝的回應永遠是我們最需要的。
我們要記住一件事，正如另一句箴言提醒我們的那樣：「人心籌算自己的道路；惟耶和華指引他的腳步。」（箴言16章9節）。這是一個無可相比的”競爭優勢”！
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
回應與問題討論
在你的企業或組織中，你可以得到的最大競爭優勢是什麼？ 在充滿不確定性的商業和專業領域中作計畫、做決定時，除了禱告，你還會採取哪些策略？ 你曾否為工作上重要的決策，或是能成功簽下新客戶或合同禱告？若有，當這些禱告看似毫無回音，或事情的發展和預期天差地別，你有什麼想法？ 你認為能透過禱告向上帝尋求智慧和引導，算是「競爭優勢」嗎？
備註：如果您手上有聖經並希望閱讀更多和這個主題相關的信息，請參考以下的經文：
詩篇37篇3-7節
37:3 你當倚靠耶和華而行善，住在地上，以他的信實為糧；
37:4 又要以耶和華為樂，他就將你心裏所求的賜給你。
37:5 當將你的事交託耶和華，並倚靠他，他就必成全。
37:6 他要使你的公義如光發出，使你的公平明如正午。
37:7 你當默然倚靠耶和華，耐性等候他；不要因那道路通達的和那惡謀成就的心懷不平。
詩篇37篇34節
37:34 你當等候耶和華，遵守他的道，他就抬舉你，使你承受地土；惡人被剪除的時候，你必看見。
箴言16章1、3節
16:1 心中的謀算在乎人；舌頭的應對由於耶和華。
16:3 你所做的，要交託耶和華，你所謀的，就必成立。
箴言21章2、30節
21:2 人所行的，在自己眼中都看為正；惟有耶和華衡量人心。
21:30 沒有人能以智慧、聰明、謀略敵擋耶和華。
耶利米書29章11-13節
29:11 耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。
29:12 你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。
29:13 你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。
A REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
By Rick Boxx
In the business and professional world, we are always looking for a competitive advantage. Fresh ideas; staff with exceptional skills and abilities; a unique niche for products, services and marketing. We are always exploring what assets we can utilize to give us a leg up on the competition. Not long ago I was reminded of one competitive advantage that most people never consider.
Tom, a friend in the construction business, submitted a bid on a very large building project that he felt was critical for his company to win. He prayed and prayed some more, asking God that the project rights would be awarded to them. God, he reasoned, would understand how important it was to his business, so he trusted they would get the contract. He felt great dismay therefore to learn that one of his competitors had been selected instead.
At first, Tom was very disappointed, even angry with God. Why had his prayers not been answered? Had they been ignored? Then one day, months later, he discovered the “why.” Through a friend in the industry, Tom was informed that the project had turned out to be a financial disaster for his competitor.
What he had perceived as an unanswered prayer was in fact a very definitive answer. God knew, well in advance, how devastating it would have been if Tom”s company”s bid had been selected. The Lord had protected him from undertaking a project that likely would have bankrupted the business. As an old country-western song states, sometimes God”s greatest gifts are what we perceive as “unanswered” prayers.
I suspect that many times you have felt convinced of the rightness of a certain plan or decision, only to find the outcome very different from what you expected. That has happened in my life and career more times than I could count. This is why experience has taught me to place my trust in God and not my own limited understanding of a particular situation.
Psalm 24:1 teaches, “The earth is the Lord”s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.” To me this speaks about more than ownership. It also reminds us that God is sovereign and directs all things, including our business interests, according to what He knows to be best. Sometimes in spite of our prayers and what we are asking Him to do.
Living in extremely volatile, uncertain times, it seems more difficult than ever to evaluate what we should or should not do to achieve our goals and objectives. Trusting that God is all-knowing and ultimately in control of all circumstances can give us peace to entrust Him with whatever transpires in our lives – and in our work – on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps one of the greatest pieces of business advice I have ever encountered comes from Proverbs 3:5-6, which instructs us to, “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.”
Sometimes God answers our prayers the way we ask. At other times – as was the case with my friend Tom – His answers come very differently than what we had hoped. But invariably, as I have learned over many years in my spiritual journey, the Lord”s responses are just what we need. Even when we have no idea of what that might be.
We need to remember, as another proverb reminds us, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determined his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). That is an incredible competitive advantage!
Copyright 2019, Unconventional Business Network 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, visit www.unconventionalbusiness.org. His latest book, Unconventional Business, provides “Five Keys to Growing a Business God”s Way.”
Reflection/Discussion Questions
What do you think is the greatest competitive advantage that you can access at your business or organization? What other strategies do you employ in trying to develop plans or make decisions in a business and professional world filled with so much uncertainty? Do you ever pray about decisions you must make at work, or you will succeed in acquiring new customers or contracts? If you do pray about those, how do you feel at those times when your prayers seem to be unanswered or things turn out differently? Do you regard being able to pray, asking God for wisdom and direction, as a “competitive advantage”?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Psalm 37:3-7,34; Proverbs 16:1,3, 21:2,30; Jeremiah 29:11-13
