20年後的你會怎麼樣？
By Jim Mathis
我把德國漢莎航空的廣告詞「20年後你還記得什麼？」拿給我的太太看，她和我有相同的看見：二十年後的我們心態還會是年輕的，因為我們在年初時，安排於巴黎度過一個星期的旅程，緊接著在德國舉辦攝影貿易展。
我們的下一個討論事項是有關於20年前我們所做的事情，到現在都還深刻的烙印在記憶中。1998年我們到瑞典和挪威旅行。我和太太、我瑞典籍的母親以及她的新丈夫一起飛往瑞典斯德哥爾摩。在斯德哥爾摩停留幾天之後，我們乘坐火車穿過瑞典到挪威的奧斯陸，沿途停下來尋根，之後從那裡乘坐豪華的火車穿越挪威回到卑爾根。
我們在卑爾根這個美麗的小鎮盡情享受天然美景，坐著高速船沿著海岸看著峽灣和漁村，然後搭乘火車返回卑爾根。
但是，我們的生活有些時候是沒有什麼特別的。例如，80年代對我來說就很模糊。我必須看一下照片才能想起當時做了甚麼事。這也是書籍和相簿中照片的重要價值之一，特別是當我們想記錄日期和標題以便讓家人和朋友回憶美好時光的時候。
我人生中大部分的時間是一名攝影師和經營攝影相關的行業，我總是告訴別人我希望他們能記錄他們的生活，不管是美好時光或是壞事，因為他們多年之後可以享受這些回憶。儲藏在我們頭腦中的圖像也很有價值，特別是當它們涉及我們重要的人際關係時。我很欣賞聖經對此的評論：
一切都和人有關。很多人致力於追求專業的領域或是物質上的目標和成就，但那些都是短暫的。這些「東西」，我們都可以丟掉，因為即使是極負盛名的工作也是暫時的。有一天，我們都將離開並被其他人取代。但是和人之間有意義的關係卻能永遠長存。「因我看你為寶為尊；又因我愛你，所以我使人代替你，使列邦人替換你的生命。」（以賽亞書43章4節）。
對人的付出有永恆的價值。成就會被遺忘，我們的財產會折舊或損壞，但我們對別人生命的積極奉獻會永遠存在。 「我聽見我的兒女們按真理而行，我的喜樂就沒有比這個大的。」（約翰三書1:4）。
我們對「人們的影響力」最後會影響我們自己的生命。使徒保羅在讚美他的年輕門徒提摩太之後告訴他：「你在許多見證人面前聽見我所教訓的，也要交託那忠心能教導別人的人。」（提摩太後書2章2節）。後來他又說：「那美好的仗我已經打過了，當跑的路我已經跑盡了，所信的道我已經守住了」（提摩太後書4章7節）。他被神呼召的工作已經完成了。
在使徒保羅嚥下最後一口氣之前，他的焦點是順服上帝、服事上帝在他人生旅程中所帶來的人。他也是用回顧這些圖像來評價自己人生的最後一刻。
吉姆.馬提斯在堪薩斯州陸路公園市經營一家照相館。他的專長是商業和影劇界人像。他也經營一所攝影學校。他曾是一家咖啡店的經理，也曾是CBMC在堪薩斯州堪薩斯市和密蘇里州堪薩斯市的執行主任。
反省與問題討論
思考過去的一年，從現在開始的20年後你希望自己還記得什麼？而在過去，讓你最難忘的時刻是什麼事？ 回想20年前，用不同的方式去看它，今天還留在你腦海的記憶是什麼？為什麼這些記憶如此令人難忘？ 你是否同意人際關係往往在我們最珍貴的回憶中扮演重要的角色？請分享你的答案。 你是否在努力保存生活中關鍵時刻的照片，又或在你腦海中保留了這些圖像？你在相簿裡面發現哪些亮點？你認為這些圖像中有多少會持續存留在你的生命裡， 甚至是永遠保留？解釋你的答案。
備註：如果你手上有聖經並希望閱讀和這個主題相關的更多信息，請參考下面的經文：
箴言27章17節
27:17鐵磨鐵，磨出刃來；朋友相感（原文是磨朋友的臉）也是如此。
傳道書4章9-12節
4:9兩個人總比一個人好，因為二人勞碌同得美好的果效。
4:10若是跌倒，這人可以扶起他的同伴；若是孤身跌倒，沒有別人扶起他來，這人就有禍了。
4:11再者，二人同睡就都暖和，一人獨睡怎能暖和呢？
4:12有人攻勝孤身一人，若有二人便能敵擋他；三股合成的繩子不容易折斷。
腓立比書4章8-9節
4:8弟兄們，我還有未盡的話：凡是真實的、可敬的、公義的、清潔的、可愛的、有美名的，若有甚麼德行，若有甚麼稱讚，這些事你們都要思念。
4:9你們在我身上所學習的，所領受的，所聽見的，所看見的，這些事你們都要去行，賜平安的 神就必與你們同在。
提摩太後書3章10-11節
3:10 但你已經服從了我的教訓、品行、志向、信心、寬容、愛心、忍耐，
3:11 以及我在安提阿、以哥念、路司得所遭遇的逼迫、苦難。我所忍受是何等的逼迫；但從這一切苦難中，主都把我救出來了。
提摩太後書3章14節
但你所學習的，所確信的，要存在心裏；因為你知道是跟誰學的，
WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER 20 YEARS FROM NOW?
By Jim Mathis
The magazine ad for Lufthansa Airlines asked, "What moments will you still remember in 20 years?" As I showed it to my wife, she and I agreed that the things we had done earlier in the year would still be fresh in our minds 20 years from now. That included spending a week in Paris, followed by a photography trade show in Germany.
Our next question concerned what were we doing 20 years ago that stood out vividly in our memories today. We both immediately thought of our trip to Sweden and Norway in 1998. We flew to Stockholm along with my Swedish mother and her new husband. After a few days in Stockholm, we took the train across Sweden to Oslo, Norway, stopping to track down ancestors along the way. From there it was the spectacular train ride across Norway to Bergen.
We enjoyed that beautiful town, taking a high speed boat up the coast, seeing fjords and fishing villages, before catching the railway back to Bergen.
However, there are a few periods in our life when nothing stands out. For example, the 1980s have proved to be kind of a blur; I would have to look at the pictures to jar my memories. That is one of the great values of photographs in books and albums, especially when we record dates and captions to allow memories of good times with family and friends to come flooding back.
Having spent most of my life as a photographer and operating photography businesses, I always tell people I hope they are documenting their lives, good times and bad, with photographs they can enjoy many years later. However, the images stored in our minds can be just as valuable, especially when they involve important human relationships we have enjoyed. I appreciate what the Bible has to say about this:
It is all about people. Many people devote their lives to the pursuit of goals and achievements, whether it involves professional advancement or acquisition of material things. But those all are fleeting. We can lose the “stuff” we possess, and even the most prestigious job opportunity is temporary. One day we will leave and be replaced by someone else. People – the meaningful relationships we establish with them – are things that will endure. “Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:4).
Investments we make in people pay eternal dividends. Accomplishments are forgotten and our possessions get old and wear out, but the positive contributions we make in the lives of others last forever. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth” (3 John 4).
Our “people impact” will sum up the impact of our lives. After commending his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul told him, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Later he declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). The work he had been called to was done.
To his last breath, the apostle Paul”s focus was toward obedience to his God and service to the people God brought along throughout his journey through life. Those “pictures” were in his mind as he contemplated and evaluated the final moments of his life.
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
Thinking over the past year, what are the things you expect to still be remembering 20 years from now? What have been your most memorable moments? Looking at it a different way, thinking back to 20 years ago, what are the memories that continue to linger with you today? Why do they seem so unforgettable? Do you agree that relationships most often play an important part in our most cherished memories? Why or why not? Whether you have been diligent to keep photographs of key moments in your life, or you have just retained those “pictures” in your mind, what are some of the highlights you would find in your life”s photo album? How many of those images, do you think, will last beyond your lifetime – perhaps even for eternity? Explain your answer.
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Proverbs 27:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Philippians 4:8-9; Timothy 3:10-11,14;
