這到底是誰的事業？
By Jim Langley
身為商業和專業人士，我們每天都要參與許多商業交易。我負責督管金融服務業務已超過35個年頭。我們必須經常如此捫心自問：「這到底是誰的事業？」
大多數人都會很自豪地回答：「這是我們（我）的事業。」尤其對家族企業來說，這是一個典型的答案。比較大型的企業經常是由一組合作夥伴或大量股東所共同擁有。至於規模最龐大的公司，則通常由少數幾位大股東享有企業主要控制權。
如果我們認為事業是屬於自己的，那就是欺騙自己。上帝清楚告訴我們誰統管萬有！雖然天父的確允許我們在地上從商一段時間，但這一切全都屬於天父。即便我們時常能夠把事業傳承給下一代，遲早有一天這些都會回歸於主。這全都是上帝完美供應的一部分！在我看來，工作是好的，我們應該享受其中。工作不應該是一種苦差事，但要真正享受它，我們需要有正確的觀念。接下來，我會以自己的靈性之旅為例來解釋這個觀念。
快滿40歲的幾個月前，我從一般公司跳槽到金融服務業。對於之前從來沒有銷售過任何商品的我而言，這是一個很大的冒險。我確實擁有比較容易跳槽的技能，但不保證成功。那時，我只知道自己必須擺脫以前的企業文化。
我的思維中一直保有創業家的自由精神。之前，紐約人壽願意承擔培訓我的風險。35年後，我仍然在回饋這家公司。在我有所自覺之前，它就已經看見了我的潛能。
進入新領域的第一年對我來說是一個真正的挑戰。我的第一任老闆接管美國加州聖塔巴巴拉市的總辦公室後，另一位經理回去當業務員，所以我被允許找一位新的銷售經理。幾個月前我才剛接受耶穌基督為我的救主，所以我選擇與一位有堅定基督信仰的銷售經理共事。能夠與他的團隊合作真是一個巨大的祝福，後來我被指派到銷售管理的職位。
在金融業的第四年，有人介紹我加入CBMC（國際基督徒工商人員協會）。在這個國際組織中建立的關係給予我應對急難狀況的工具，以及維持強壯靈命的鼓勵。在這裡，我學到最重要的教導之一就是本文標題：這到底是誰的事業？
在過去的幾十年裡，有數不清關於商業成功的文章。我認為其中有一本書最為突出，那就是詹姆˙柯林斯(Jim Collins)的從《A到A+:為什麼有些公司能躍升，而其他的不能？》(GOOD TO GREAT: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don”t) 。這本書已經成為現代管理理論的經典。柯林斯寫道，要獲得商業上的成功並不容易。我想再加上一句：成功來自於承認上帝才是真正擁有這個生意的主人–成功後把榮耀歸給上帝時，也要感謝所有一同工作的夥伴。
在路加福音12章16-21節中，耶穌說了一個富人的比喻。有一個富人決定拆掉自己原有的穀倉，建造更大的穀倉來儲存他所有豐收的作物。這個人發現自己家財萬貫，認為自己可以「安安逸逸的吃喝快樂」。但在20-21節中，耶穌提出警告：「神卻對他說：『無知的人哪，今夜必要你的靈魂；你所預備的要歸誰呢？』凡為自己積財，在 神面前卻不富足的，也是這樣。」
我們要對上帝慷慨，知道我們一切所擁有的都是祂的。我建議、強烈鼓勵你努力尋求祂，在你一切的事業與生活中認定祂。
反省與問題討論
在讀今天的週一嗎哪之前，如果有人問你：「你的事業是誰的？」你會如何回答？ 讀完今天的週一嗎哪之後，如果有人問你：「你的事業是誰的？」你會如何回應？ 你是否同意本文作者Jim Langley所說的：「上帝是我們事業、工作、能力和經驗的最終掌權者」？請說明理由。 如果有人相信上帝確實擁有他們的事業、工作和所做的一切，這將會-或說是應當-造成什麼不同？如果這個看法是正確的，無論我們是組織中的高級管理人員、中層經理人員，或基層員工，這對我們所扮演的角色有什麼意義？
備註：如果你想看聖經中關於這個主題的其他經文，請閱讀並思想下面的經文: (因經文較長，考慮到篇幅和新舊約經文，您可以參閱下列未列出的經文:路加福音12:16-21)
創世紀3章22-23節
3:22 耶和華 神說：「那人已經與我們相似，能知道善惡；現在恐怕他伸手又摘生命樹的果子吃，就永遠活著。」
3:23 耶和華 神便打發他出伊甸園去，耕種他所自出之土。
箴言6章12-21節
6:12 無賴的惡徒，行動就用乖僻的口，
6:13 用眼傳神，用腳示意，用指點劃，
6:14 心中乖僻，常設惡謀，布散紛爭。
6:15 所以，災難必忽然臨到他身；他必頃刻敗壞，無法可治。
6:16 耶和華所恨惡的有六樣，連他心所憎惡的共有七樣：
6:17 就是高傲的眼，撒謊的舌，流無辜人血的手，
6:18 圖謀惡計的心，飛跑行惡的腳，
6:19 吐謊言的假見證，並弟兄中布散紛爭的人。
6:20 我兒，要謹守你父親的誡命；不可離棄你母親的法則（或譯：指教），
6:21 要常繫在你心上，掛在你項上。
傳道書5章18-20節
5:18 我所見為善為美的，就是人在 神賜他一生的日子吃喝，享受日光之下勞碌得來的好處，因為這是他的分。
5:19 神賜人資財豐富，使他能以吃用，能取自己的分，在他勞碌中喜樂，這乃是 神的恩賜
5:20 他不多思念自己一生的年日，因為 神應他的心使他喜樂。
雅各書4章13-16節
4:13 嗐！你們有話說：「今天明天我們要往某城裏去，在那裏住一年，做買賣得利。」
4:14 其實明天如何，你們還不知道。你們的生命是甚麼呢？你們原來是一片雲霧，出現少時就不見了。
4:15 你們只當說：「主若願意，我們就可以活著，也可以做這事，或做那事。」
4:16 現今你們竟以張狂誇口；凡這樣誇口都是惡的。
WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT, ANYWAY?
By Jim Langley
As business and professional people, we are all involved in business dealings every day. I have been overseeing my financial services practice for more than 35 years. One question we should always ask: “Whose business is this, anyway?”
Most would proudly respond, “It”s our (my) business.” This would be a typical answer for any family-owned venture. Larger businesses are usually owned by a group of partners or a substantial number of stockholders. Often a few majority stockholders have primary control of the largest businesses.
I believe we are deluding ourselves if we feel the businesses we run belong to us. The Bible tells us who really owns everything! It”s all our heavenly Father”s, but He does allow us to oversee business affairs for a time while we are here on earth. And quite often we get to pass the business on as an inheritance to the next generation. Sooner or later, however, it all comes back to Him. It is all part of His wonderful provision! In my view, work is good and should be enjoyed. It should not be a drudgery, but to truly enjoy it, we must have the right perspective. I offer my own spiritual journey as an example.
Just months before my 40th birthday, I took a leap from corporate life into the financial services profession. Having never sold any products before, I knew this was a big risk. Yes, I had skills that made the jump easier, but there was no guarantee of success. I just knew I needed to get out of the corporate culture.
I”ve always been entrepreneurial in my thinking and somewhat of a free spirit. New York Life was willing to take the risk in training me, and 35 years later I am still giving back to the company that saw something in me that I did not know existed.
The first year in my new discipline turned out to be a true challenge. I was allowed to select a new sales manager after my first boss took over the Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A. general office, and my second manager returned to the sales force. A few months earlier I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, so I chose to work with a sales manager whom I admired for his strong Christian faith. Working with his team was an immense blessing, and later I was appointed to a sales management position.
In my fourth year, I was introduced to CBMC (Christian Business Men”s Connection). Relationships formed in that international organization gave me much-needed tools and encouragement to remain strong spiritually during extremely challenging times. One of the most important lessons I learned was coming to grips with the question I asked above: Whose business is it anyway?
Volumes have been written on business success over the past few decades. Among them, for me one book stands out above all the rest: Jim Collins” GOOD TO GREAT: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don”t, which has become a modern classic in management theory. As Collins writes, business greatness does not come easy. I would add my belief that it comes from recognizing God truly owns the business – and appreciating all who work in the business, while giving God the glory for the successes that follow.
In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus tells the parable of one rich man who decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store all the bountiful crops he had harvested. This man realized he had many good things and felt he could simply “Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” In verses 20-21 Jesus warns, “But God said to him, “You fool. This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself.” This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”
We need to be rich toward God and realize that all we have is His. I would recommend and strongly encourage you to seek Him and recognize His presence in all you do in business – and life in general.
© 2018, all rights reserved. Jim Langley has been writing for more than 30 years while working as a life and health insurance agent. In recent years, his passion has turned to writing about his personal relationship with God. His goal is to encourage others to draw near to Him as well. A long-time member of CBMC, he started writing “Fourth Quarter Strategies” in 2014.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
Before reading this edition of “Monday Manna,” if someone had asked you, “Who owns your business?”, how would you have responded? After reading this edition of “Monday Manna,” if someone were to ask you, “Who owns your business?”, how would you respond? Do you agree with Jim Langley”s assertion that ultimately, God owns our business – as well as our work, our abilities and experience? Why or why not? What difference would it make – or should it make – if someone believes that indeed, God owns their business, as well as their work and all that they do? If that is true, what does it say of our roles in our companies, whether we are top executives, in middle management roles, or assigned staff positions within the organization?
NOTE: If you would like to consider other things the Bible says about this topic, read and reflect on the following passages: Genesis 3:22-23; Proverbs 6:12-21; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20; Luke 12:16-21; James 4:13-16
