老化的難題──ADDRESSING THE AGING DILEMMA
For English version, please refer to the latter part of this page
對於許多國家的商業和專業領袖來說，高齡員工的問題，已成為一個重要的討論議題。在一些國家，例如美國，職場中的人口平均年齡正在上升。有些公司制定了強制退休的年齡限制，但人們延長職業生涯的權利，應該被任意的數字所決定嗎？
我的經驗告訴我，年齡並不總是一個公平評估一個人在職場價值的方式。我們需要考慮的是，在其特定的職位中是否總具備適當的能力。做為一個在保險業的資深從業人員為例，我知道我的專業需要具備敏銳的頭腦和一定的身體耐力。
我在到達保險職業生涯40年時，我很樂意地把接力棒交給一位年輕且能幹的人。然而，我也知道上帝祝福了我長壽和健全的心智。事實上，我相信我工作效率最高的年數還未臨到。現在的旅程令人振奮，我期待上帝引領未來的路。如果你已經從你的職位上退休了，希望你有找到有效利用時間的方式。但是我還沒有準備好過悠閒的生活。
作為基督徒和持續讀取聖經中上帝話語的我，對於古代兩位長壽的以色列人，在曠野的40年旅程中，始終忠於上帝而感到印象深刻。約書亞和迦勒，代表以法蓮和猶大兩個支派，與其他來自其餘支派的十個人一起被派去窺探應許之地。如民數記13章中描述，他們是唯一帶回樂觀「少數意見報告」的人，他們向摩西和以色列人給予熱情的描述，其在任務中所看見的。
約書亞和迦勒，也是上帝呼召，帶領以色列餘民進入迦南地，並為祂的選民奪回土地的。而其他的探子則被禁止進入應許之地。「凡從埃及上來、二十歲以外的人斷不得看見我對亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓應許之地，因為他們沒有專心跟從我。惟有基尼洗族耶孚尼的兒子迦勒和嫩的兒子約書亞可以看見，因為他們專心跟從我。」(民數記32章11-12節)
當約書亞和迦勒穿過約旦河時，他們都已經80多歲，而且兩人後來都活過了100歲！在這段時間裡，以色列征服了上帝應許給他們的大部分土地，人民繁榮興盛。他們倆都是愛上帝且高效的領袖，他們帶領以色列人取得許多勝利，也有一些挫折，然而以色列人忠實地跟隨著他們的榜樣。
他們兩位都在上帝的引領下，展現了屬靈（spiritual）、心智（mental）和身體（physical）的能力，使他們能夠引導迷途的以色列群眾。今天我們每一個信靠上帝的，無論是年輕剛踏入職場的、正在事業中間的，或者接近工作生涯尾聲的，我們仍然可獲得同樣的屬靈（spiritual）、心智（mental）和身體（physical）的能力。
如果上帝賜予你長壽，並賜福你具備必要的屬靈、心智和身體的能力，祂期望你在任何處境中，都保持信心和順服。對於那些始終忠心順服的人，上帝會為他們安排一個美好的計劃。
Jim Langley擔任人壽和健康保險經紀人期間已有30多年，他的寫作經歷也是。近年來，他的熱情轉向寫下他與神的個人關係。他的目標是鼓勵其他人來親近神。他是CBMC的長期會員，在2014年開始撰寫「比賽最後四分之一場戰略」。
挑戰思考
兩個常在職場上最棒，但經常未使用到的資源是智慧和經驗，這些特質通常是年長員工所充分具備的。如果你是其中一位年長員工，應該有意識且積極地尋找機會，與他人分享你所學到的經驗。如果你是一位年輕的員工，花些時間與那更有經驗的同事相處，可能會帶來巨大的好處。這週試著想想，如何開始分享你的經驗和智慧，或者找到那位可以教導和指引你的人。
備註：如果你手上有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考下面的經文：(因篇幅有限，請自行參閱未列出的經文：提摩太前書3:1-10、使徒行傳11:30)
民數記8章26節
8:26 只要在會幕裡，和他們的弟兄一同伺候，謹守所吩咐的，不再辦事了。至於所吩咐利未人的，你要這樣向他們行。
箴言27章17節
27:17 鐵磨鐵，磨出刃來；朋友相感（原文作磨朋友的臉）也是如此。
傳道書3章1-8節
3:1 凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。
3:2生有時，死有時；栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時；
3:3殺戮有時，醫治有時；拆毀有時，建造有時；
3:4哭有時，笑有時；哀慟有時，跳舞有時；
3:5拋擲石頭有時，堆聚石頭有時；懷抱有時，不懷抱有時；
3:6尋找有時，失落有時；保守有時，捨棄有時；
3:7撕裂有時，縫補有時；靜默有時，言語有時；
3:8喜愛有時，恨惡有時；爭戰有時，和好有時。
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。
提摩太前書5章17節
5:17 那善於管理教會的長老，當以為配受加倍的敬奉；那勞苦傳道教導人的，更當如此。
反省與問題討論
- 如果有人問你：「一個人在什麼時候，會是老到無法繼續工作？」你會如何回答？
- 你的公司或組織有強制性或建議性的退休年齡嗎？你認為有些職業因為其特殊要求而應該設定年齡限制嗎？如果是的話，你會認為哪些職業應該設立年齡限制，請解釋你的答案。
- 只要人能擁有履行職責所需的體力、心智和屬靈能力，允許他們繼續擔任現有的職務，會有一些什麼益處？
- 在很大一部分勞動力年齡越來越大的社會中，人們過早退休（無論是出於自己的選擇還是企業的決定）會有哪些「不利」之處？在你的組織中，你能想到誰可能是約書亞或迦勒角色的人嗎？
ADDRESSING THE AGING DILEMMA
By Jim Langley
For business and professional leaders in many nations, the issue of aging employees has become an important matter for discussion. In some countries, such as the United States, people in the workplace are getting older on average. Some companies have age limits established for mandatory retirement, but should people’s right to extend their careers be limited by an arbitrary number?
My experience has taught me that a person’s age is not always a fair way of assessing someone’s worth in the workplace. What we all need to consider is each individual person’s capacity for properly serving in their specific role competently. Being a veteran of the insurance industry, for example, I know my profession requires mental acuity and some physical stamina.
I have reached the point in my 40-year insurance career where I am receptive to ‘passing the baton’ to a younger competent person. However, I also know God has blessed me with longevity and a sound mind. In fact, I believe some of my most productive years might still lay ahead of me. This present journey has been exhilarating, and I look forward to where God is leading me in the future. If you are retired from your profession, I hope you have found productive uses for your time. But I am not ready for a life of leisure.
As a follower of Jesus Christ and a consistent reader of God’s Word, the Bible, I have been impressed by the long lives of two men who remained devoted to God during the ancient Israelites’ 40-year journey in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb, representing the tribes of Ephraim and Judah, along with 10 others from the remaining tribes were sent to spy out the Promised Land, as recounted in Numbers 13. They alone returned from the covert mission with a positive “minority report,” giving a glowing account to Moses and the Israelites about what they saw during their covert mission.
Joshua and Caleb also were the two men God called to lead the Israelite remnant into Canaan and claim
the land for His chosen people. The others spies were prohibited from entering the Promised Land. “Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — except [Caleb and Joshua] for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly” (Numbers 32:11-12).
Joshua and Caleb were both in their 80’s when they crossed the Jordan River, and both lived well past the age of 100! During those years, Israel conquered most of the land God had promised to them and the people flourished. These men were effective leaders who certainly loved the Lord, leading the Israelites to many victories and a few setbacks as the Israelites faithfully followed their example.
Both men were led by God’s Spirit as they demonstrated spiritual, mental, and physical strength that enabled them to lead the wayward flock of Israelites. This same spiritual, mental, and physical strength is available today to each of us who place our trust in the Lord, regardless of whether we are young and just getting started in our careers, midway through them, or nearing the conclusion of our working lives.
If the Lord gives you longevity and blesses you with the necessary spiritual, mental and physical strength, He is expecting you to remain faithful and obedient in whatever circumstances you find yourself in. God has a wonderful plan for those who remain obedient to the end.
© 2024, 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 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
- If someone were to ask you, “When is a person too old to continue working?”, how would you respond?
- Does your company or organization have a mandatory or even suggested retirement age? Do you think there are some professions where age limits should be established because of their unique demands? If so, which would you say they are – and why?
- What might be some of the benefits of allowing people to continue in their current roles as long as they possess the physical, mental and spiritual strength needed to fulfill their responsibilities?
- In societies where a significant proportion of the workforce is getting older, what might be some of the “downsides” of people retiring too early, whether by their own choice or by corporate decisions? Can you think of anyone in your organization who might serve in a Joshua or Caleb type of role?
NOTE: For more about what the Bible says about this topic, consider the following passages:
Numbers 8:26; Proverbs 27:17; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 4:9-12; Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 3:1-10, 5:17
Challenge for This Week
Two of the greatest and yet often untapped resources in the workplace today are wisdom and experience. These are qualities that older workers typically have in abundance. If you are one of those older workers, you should be intentionally and actively seeking out ways to share what you have learned with others. If you are a younger worker, you might benefit greatly from spending time with a more experienced colleague. This week, think of ways you can either start sharing your experience and wisdom, or find that person who can teach and show you what they have learned.
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