藉著服事發掘你的志向

我們都有雄心和志向。有些人努力要獲得高階主管的職位，或承擔顯赫的管理責任。還有人想要成為企業家，希望有一天能經營自己的公司。對有些人而言，目標是具體的形式－－報酬或財物。

有些人可能會說：「就是任何讓你快樂的東西」。我們常把快樂定義成得到我們想要的東西。然而，我對艾伯特．史懷哲（德裔法國人、哲學家、醫生）的話很感興趣：

「我不知道你的志向是什麼。但我知道一件事：真正快樂的人是那些發現如何服事的人。」

我們有多少人是把我們的志向建立在服事別人上？我們可想到著名的人士，例如德蕾莎修女和史懷哲。1900年初期史懷哲在西非建立了一間醫院並在中西非洲行醫。但在21世紀，藉著服事別人找到快樂的觀念與我們一般人的想法相牴觸。尤其我們大多數人是在要求很多且無情的工商專業界工作。

首先我們會認為透過服事別人得到快樂是愚昧的理想主義。然而有時我們的生命確實因別人的無私而得到益處：例如一位老師特別花時間去關注一個學生；一位同事自願提供協助，雖然別人並沒有要求他那麼做；一個老闆投資時間與精力來引導我們，幫助我們更有技能，更有生產力，最終成為公司更有價值的員工。

在聖經中耶穌也常談到服事別人。所謂的「金科玉律」就是來自祂的教導：「你們願意人怎樣待你們，你們也要怎樣待人」（路加福音6章31節）。後來耶穌也將舊約的教導告訴一位宗教領袖：「要愛人如己」（利未記19章18節，路加福音10章27節）。

當別人公平且體貼地對待我們，我們會心生感激。所以我們應該也用同樣的態度對待別人。然而許多時候這種事不會自然發生，這需要特意努力去注意到別人的利益。我曾工作過的一間公司就透過一個「價值宣言」做到這一點：「我們尋求別人的最佳利益，並把每一個人都視為獨特的個體。在我們的所有為人處世中，我們都以禮貌、尊重、體貼、和接納彼此對待。」

以下是一些有關服事別人之重要性的聖經原則，值得我們思考：

把別人放在第一位。「凡事不可結黨，不可貪圖虛浮的榮耀；只要存心謙卑，各人看別人比自己強。各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事」（腓立比書2章3-4節）。

活出基督的品格。「你們當以基督耶穌的心為心：他本有神的形像…反倒虛己，取了奴僕的形像」（腓立比書2章5-7節）。

靠上帝的能力服事。「我們既然在捆我們的律法上死了，現今就脫離了律法，叫我們服事主，要按著聖靈的新樣」（羅馬書7章6節）。

思想 / 討論題目
你的個人生活和工作中有哪一個目標是為了別人的利益？ 史懷哲說：「真正快樂的人是那些發現如何服事的人。」你對這句話有何看法？你認為這句話是否切實際？或是太理想化？ 當別人花時間與力氣來服事你，你有何感覺？他們的行為是否激勵你也想去服事別人？請解釋。 若你決定效法史懷哲博士的建議，去尋找方式服事別人，這會使你每天的工作和個人生活有什麼不同？
註：若你有聖經且想要看有關此主題的其他經文，請看：

馬太福音23章11-12節；馬可福音9章35節，10章45節；路加福音22章27節；加拉太書5章13節；彼得前書5章2-6節

DISCOVERING YOUR DESTINY – BY SERVING
By: Robert J. Tamasy

We all have ambitions and aspirations. Some of us are striving to attain lofty executive positions or to achieve prominent management responsibilities. Others prefer an entrepreneurial approach, hoping one day to run their own companies. For some individuals, goals take tangible form – compensation or material possessions.

“Whatever makes you happy,” some people might say. And we tend to define happiness in terms of what we want. So I was intrigued by this statement by Albert Schweitzer, the German-French philosopher and physician:

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

How many of us sincerely shape our ambitions around the service of others? We can think of notable exceptions, such as Mother Teresa and Schweitzer himself, who built a hospital and established a medical practice in west central Africa in the early 1900s. But here in the 21st century, the notion of finding happiness by serving others generally seems contrary to our thinking, especially in the demanding, unforgiving business and professional environment where most of us spend our working hours.

At first we are tempted to dismiss this idea – achieving happiness through the service of others – as foolish idealism. Yet there are times when our own lives have been enhanced by the selflessness of others: a teacher who offered special time and attention; a coworker that voluntarily offered assistance, even when it was not required; a boss who invested time and energy to guide us, helping us become more skilled and productive, ultimately more valuable to the company.

In the Bible, Jesus often talked about serving others. The so-called “Golden Rule” comes from His declaration, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). Later Jesus recounted the admonition from the Old Testament when He told a religious leader, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18, Luke 10:27).

We appreciate being treated fairly and with consideration. So we should offer the same attitude and treatment to others. In many cases, however, this does not occur naturally. It requires intentionality, a commitment to focus on the interests of other people. One company I have worked with accomplishes this through a “values statement” that includes the following statement: “We look for the best in others and see each person as a unique individual. In all our dealings, we will treat each other with courtesy, respect, consideration, and acceptance.”

Here are a few other biblical principles worth considering about the importance of serving others:

Putting others first. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

Living out the character of Christ. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God…made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:5-7).

Serving in the power of God. “…we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit” (Romans 7:6).

Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. A veteran of 39 years in professional journalism, he is the author of Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today”s Workplace and has coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring: 10 Proven Principles for Developing People to Their Fullest Potential.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
Which of your personal and professional goals – if any – have been built around the interests of other people? What do you think of Albert Schweitzer”s statement that, “…the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve”? In your view, is it realistic – or idealistic? How have you felt when others have taken the time and effort to be of service to you in some way? Did those occasions motivate you to want to serve others? Explain your answer. In what ways would your day-to-day activities – at work and in your personal life – look different if you made a determined, concerted effort to follow Dr. Schweitzer”s suggestion to find ways for being of service to others?NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to review some other passages that relate to this topic, consider the following verses: