是有人或事，搬走了你的「乳酪」嗎？──HAS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING MOVED YOUR ‘CHEESE’?
最近我重新閱讀了史賓賽．強森（Spencer Johnson, M.D. First）於1998年首次出版的經典書籍《誰搬走了我的乳酪？Who Moved My Cheese ?》。這個寓言故事，至今仍然能引起我們許多人的共鳴。隨著我們所處的世界，變化每日都在加快中－或許工商職場更甚於其他任何地方。這本小小的書本的副標題仍然切合實際－「這是一個在工作中或生活中處理變化的超然思維」。
如果你不熟悉這個故事，它講述的是兩隻老鼠（嗅嗅Sniff和快快Scurry）以及兩個小小人（哼哼Hem和哈哈Haw），他們在一個迷宮裡行走，尋找乳酪。當他們發現有個充足的乳酪供應地，每天就回到那個地方，享受著乳酪。然而，有一天乳酪卻消失了。
在對於一直出現在那裡的乳酪，突然消失而感到短暫疑惑後，兩隻老鼠開始在迷宮的其他地方尋找乳酪。隨著時間過去，他們的努力得到了回報，他們找到比之前更多更好的乳酪。然而，兩個小小人剛開始卻拒絕接受，所習慣的乳酪將永遠消失，他們每天仍返回到那個地方 – 卻找不到乳酪。
最終，因為飢餓關係，哼哼Hem決定在迷宮的其他地方尋找乳酪。他的同伴哈哈Haw卻很固執，並拒絕承認，乳酪不會再出現在熟悉的地方。他只是不斷地重複問著 :「誰搬走了我的乳酪？」
許多商業和專業人士能夠理解這個「乳酪」的故事。他們的追求可能不是真正的乳酪－他們的「乳酪」可能是更多的客戶、一個更令人滿足的事業、更多的金錢、更幸福的生活，或是其他事物。當資源供給已經枯竭時，回到同一地方尋找這種「乳酪」是徒勞無功的。尋找「乳酪」必須走向另一條不同的路徑。
在我的職業生涯中，這種「乳酪」已經被搬走多次了。變化往往令人不安。過去我對自己一直在做的工作感到很自在，是我熟悉並能掌控的，而要做出重大改變，可說是讓人感到焦慮的。
聖經並沒有特別談論乳酪，但確有針對，當某個人或某件事，搬走了我們「乳酪」時所面臨的挑戰，有所教導。以下只是一些信仰如何在我們的「乳酪」被搬走時，可提供幫助的例子：
凡事都有定期。無論我們喜歡與否，變化都是不可避免的。「凡事都有定期，天下萬務都有定時。…栽種有時，拔出所栽種的也有時…拆毀有時，建造有時…」(傳道書3章1-8節)
上帝決定何時應該搬走「乳酪」。當改變成為必要時，我們可以相信上帝已經知道，對我們而言什麼是最好的。「先知耶利米從耶路撒冷寄信與被擄的祭司、先知，和眾民，並生存的長老，就是尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫去的。」(耶利米書29章1節)
當我們的「乳酪」搬走時，通常都會有一個好理由。「你所做的，要交託耶和華，你所謀的，就必成立。耶和華所造的，各適其用…」(箴言16章3-4節) ，「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)
© 2023. Robert J. Tamasy 是企業巔峰: 給今日職場從箴言而來永恆的智慧 一書的作者。也與導師之心的作者David A. Stoddard 合著Tufting Legacies。編輯多本著作包括Mike Landry. Bob的書：透過苦難成長。Mike Landry. Bob的網站為www.bobtamasy-readywriterink.com
備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考以下的經文：
箴言3章3-6節
3:3 不可使慈愛、誠實離開你，要繫在你頸項上，刻在你心版上。
3:4 這樣，你必在神和世人眼前蒙恩寵，有聰明。
3:5 你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自己的聰明，
3:6 在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，他必指引你的路。
箴言16章25節
16:25 有一條路，人以為正，至終成為死亡之路。
箴言21章2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。
以賽亞書26章3節
26:3堅心倚賴你的，你必保守他十分平安，因為他倚靠你。
以賽亞書41章10節
41:10 你不要害怕，因為我與你同在；不要驚惶，因為我是你的神。我必堅固你，我必幫助你；我必用我公義的右手扶持你。
馬太福音6章25-26節
6:25 「所以我告訴你們，不要為生命憂慮吃什麼，喝什麼；為身體憂慮穿什麼。生命不勝於飲食嗎？身體不勝於衣裳嗎？
6:26 你們看那天上的飛鳥，也不種，也不收，也不積蓄在倉裡，你們的天父尚且養活他。你們不比飛鳥貴重得多嗎？
腓立比書4章6-7節
4:6 應當一無掛慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，和感謝，將你們所要的告訴神。
4:7神所賜、出人意外的平安必在基督耶穌裡保守你們的心懷意念。
反省與問題討論
- 在閱讀這篇週一嗎哪之前，你有聽過《誰搬走了我的乳酪？》這本書嗎？請簡單的陳述你對這個寓言故事的看法。
- 你能體會故事中的老鼠和「小小人」，當發現乳酪已經被搬走而感到的驚訝嗎？想想當你的「乳酪」被搬走時，你如何反應這種情況？你會像是老鼠，迅速決定在其他地方尋找乳酪？還是更像哼哼和哈哈(Hem and Haw)，固執或勉強地等待，乳酪會回到自己習慣的位置呢？請解釋你的答案。
- 在21世紀的職場中，常常讓我們的「乳酪」頻繁地被搬走，並且通常是在令人困擾或出乎意料的時候發生。都是哪些因素造成這種情況呢？
- 當我們應付生命或事業中意想不到，或不希望發生的變化時，如何倚靠主來獲得力量和信心？這如何能幫助我們做出反應，尋找「乳酪」可能移走的位置呢？
HAS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING MOVED YOUR ‘CHEESE’?
By Robert J. Tamasy
Recently I re-read the classic book, Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D. First published in 1998, this allegory still resonates for many of us today. With the pace of change in our world seeming to escalate daily – perhaps more in the marketplace than anywhere else – this little book continues to live up to its subtitle, “An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life.”
If you are not familiar with the story, it is about two mice (Sniff and Scurry) and little people (Hem and Haw) who travel through a maze in search of cheese. When they discover an abundant supply, they return to the spot day after day, enjoying their cheese. Then one day the cheese has disappeared.
After a bit of confusion, puzzled about what happened to the cheese that had always been there, the mice begin searching for cheese elsewhere in the maze. In time, their efforts are rewarded as they locate more and better cheese than before. The little people, however, initially refuse to accept that their accustomed cheese is gone forever. They return to the spot day after day, only to find – no cheese.
Ultimately Hem, driven by hunger, decides to search elsewhere in the maze for cheese. However, his counterpart, Haw, is stubborn. He refuses to acknowledge the cheese will no longer be found in its accustomed place. “Who moved my Cheese?!” he repeatedly asks.
Many thousands of business and professional people can relate to the “cheese” story. Their quest might not be for actual cheese – their “cheese” might be more customers, a more satisfying career, more money, a happier life, or something else. Returning to the same place in search of this “cheese” when the supply has been exhausted is futile. The quest of “cheese” must follow a different path.
In my own career, the “cheese” has moved numerous times. Often the change has been disconcerting. I was comfortable doing the work I had been doing. It was familiar, I felt in control, and the prospect of making a major change was unsettling to say the least.
The Scriptures do not speak about cheese specifically, but they do address the challenges when someone or something seems to have moved our “cheese.” Here are just a few examples of how faith can help when our “cheese” has moved:
There is a time for everything. Few things remain the same in life. Change, whether we like it or not, is unavoidable, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…a time to plant and a time to uproot…a time to tear down and a time to build…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).
God determines when the ‘cheese’ should move. When change becomes necessary, we can trust God already knows what is best for us. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, please to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
When our ‘cheese’ moves, it is usually for a good reason. God has an overarching purpose, and He will fit the changes we face in life into His overall plan. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for His own ends…” (Proverbs 16:3-4). “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
© 2023. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; andThe Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- Had you heard of the book, Who Moved the Cheese? before reading this Monday Manna? What do you think about this allegory – moralistic story – as briefly described?
- Can you relate to the mice and “little people” in their surprise to discover the cheese has moved? Think of a time when your own ‘cheese’ has moved. How did you respond to the situation? Were you most like the mice, quickly deciding to search for it elsewhere, or were you more like Hem and Haw, stubbornly or reluctantly waiting for the cheese to be returned to its accustomed location? Explain your answer.
- What are some of the factors in the 21st century marketplace that are causing our ‘cheese’ to move frequently, often when it seems most inconvenient or unexpected?
- How can our faith in the Lord give us strength and confidence as we seek to deal with the effects of unexpected or undesired changes in our lives or careers? How can it help us in how we respond, seeking to find where our ‘cheese’ might have moved?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:25, 21:2; Isaiah 26:3, 41:10; Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-7
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