你有没有遇到過這樣的老闆，每當他或她不在辦公室的時候，就是一個歡慶的時刻呢？我很幸運地有好幾位上司是我很喜歡跟他們一起工作的，但也有一兩個老闆，每當他們不在的時候，我就會鬆一口氣。

他們不是壞人，但他們的管理風格會讓在場的人感到壓抑。大家都感到很緊張，不確定老闆下一步會做什麼，或是他們會如何打亂大家習慣的工作節奏。所以，老闆不在辦公室時，緊張的氣氛立刻就消失了，讓工作環境更加愉快。

然而，即使是最好的老闆，當他們不在的時候，我們也有一種會放鬆的傾向。我們可以不用擔心被突然召見，叫進到他們的辦公室。在他們回來之前，我們有充足的時間工作並完成指定的任務。甚至可能會想把腳放在桌子上，稍微放鬆一下，因為沒有人會命令我們「把你的腳從桌子上拿下來！」

有些人會選擇在這種情況下佔點便宜，對他們來說，當老闆不在時，就是可以偷懶、怠工的機會。就像俗語所說：「貓兒不在，老鼠作怪。」但如果老闆改變計劃並突然返回，打斷了他們隨興的「假期」，那該怎麼辦呢？

對於我們這些把自己視為「基督的使者」（哥林多後書5章20節）的人來說，在服事神和與我們共事的人時，保持勤奮的重要性變得更大。耶穌基督告訴他的門徒一個關於「才幹的比喻」，天國好比一位商人要去外地旅行，他把不同數量的才幹（錢）分給三個僕人，並信任他們，在他不在的時候，能夠明智地運用這些資源。

當「老闆」回來的時候，他要求每個僕人交代他們是怎麼使用他的錢的。其中兩個人善加利用才幹，明智地投資了錢，主人稱讚了他們忠心的工作。第三個僕人只是簡單地把他的一個才幹（錢）埋藏起來，並找藉口說：「….我知道你是忍心的人，沒有種的地方要收割，沒有散的地方要聚斂。我就害怕，去把你的一千銀子（錢）埋藏在這裏。…」（馬太福音25章24-25節）

這個回答是不可接受的。老闆從那個懶惰的僕人那裡拿回了錢，解雇了他，並把錢給了最有進取心的僕人。然後他宣布：「因為凡有的，還要加給他，叫他有餘；沒有的，連他所有的也要奪過來。」（馬太福音25章29節）有兩個僕人聽到了：「好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人」這句話，而另一個則被趕走了。

保羅寫信給哥林多的基督徒時說：「人應當以我們為基督的執事，為神奧祕事的管家。所求於管家的，是要他有忠心。」（哥林多前書4章1-2節）對於我們這些在職場上工作的人來說，這不是僅僅包括傳達聖經的真理，還包括適當地成為我們所服事的神在世上的代表。

終有一天，我們都必須為主所託付給我們的才幹、機會、經驗和資源的使用情況交帳。這就是為什麼我們被告知：「小子們哪，你們要住在主裡面。這樣，他若顯現，我們就可以坦然無懼；當他來的時候，在他面前也不至於慚愧。」（約翰一書2章28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，請參考下面的經文(因篇幅有限，請自行查考未列出之經文箴言10:4-5、箴言12:11)：

箴言 22章29節
22:29 你看見辦事殷勤的人嗎？他必站在君王面前，必不站在下賤人面前。
馬太福音 25章1-13節
25: 1 那時，天國好比十個童女拿著燈出去迎接新郎。
25: 2其中有五個是愚拙的，五個是聰明的。
25: 3愚拙的拿著燈，卻不預備油；
25: 4聰明的拿著燈，又預備油在器皿裡。
25: 5新郎遲延的時候，她們都打盹，睡著了。
25: 6半夜有人喊著說：『新郎來了，你們出來迎接他！』
25: 7那些童女就都起來收拾燈。
25: 8愚拙的對聰明的說：『請分點油給我們，因為我們的燈要滅了。』
25: 9聰明的回答說：『恐怕不夠你我用的；不如你們自己到賣油的那裡去買吧。』
25:10她們去買的時候，新郎到了。那預備好了的，同他進去坐席，門就關了。
25:11其餘的童女隨後也來了，說：『主啊，主啊，給我們開門！』
25:12他卻回答說：『我實在告訴你們，我不認識你們。』
25:13所以，你們要儆醒；因為那日子，那時辰，你們不知道。
歌羅西書3章17、23節
3:17無論做什麼，或說話或行事，都要奉主耶穌的名，藉著他感謝父神。
3:23無論做什麼，都要從心裡做，像是給主做的，不是給人做的。
彼得後書3章13-16節
3:13但我們照他的應許，盼望新天新地，有義居在其中。
3:14親愛的弟兄啊，你們既盼望這些事，就當殷勤，使自己沒有玷污，無可指摘，安然見主；
3:15並且要以我主長久忍耐為得救的因由，就如我們所親愛的兄弟保羅，照著所賜給他的智慧寫了信給你們。
3:16他一切的信上也都是講論這事。信中有些難明白的，那無學問、不堅固的人強解，如強解別的經書一樣，就自取沉淪。

反省與問題討論

1. 你是否曾經遇過霸道或難以相處的老闆或主管，當他/她不在辦公室或甚至出差時，你就會感到一種解脫呢？而當他/她不在的時候，你的工作態度又會如何呢？
2. 你認為做為「基督的使者」（在CBMC我們稱為「天國大使」）是什麼意思呢？這個認知會如何影響我們對待工作的態度呢？不管有沒有人，在場監督我們在做什麼。
3. 你認為那個在比喻中偷懶的僕人，是否有任何理由做最少的工作呢？即便他知道他的主人是「嚴厲／忍心的人」，請解釋你的答案。
4. 你如何看待，終有一天必須為我們的生命和工作，向神交帳，知道「所求於管家的，是要他有忠心。」這個觀念呢？這會如何影響你每天的工作態度和方法呢？

KEEP VIGILANT: THE BOSS MIGHT COME TODAY

By Robert J. Tamasy  

Have you ever had a boss that whenever he or she were out of the office, it was a time for celebration. I was fortunate to have several superiors I reported to that I enjoyed being around, but there were a couple bosses whose absence would cause me to exhale a breath of relief.

They were not bad people, but their management styles were such that they created an oppressive atmosphere when they were present. Everyone felt on edge, not certain what the boss would do next or how he or she would disrupt their accustomed routines. So, their absence from the office immediately eased the tension and made for a more congenial working environment.

Even with the best bosses, however, there is a tendency to relax when they are away. We will not be suddenly summoned to their office. We have time to work on and complete assigned projects before they return. We might even be tempted to put our feet on our desk and take it easy for a while, knowing there’s no one to order us, “Get your feet off the desk!”

Some people choose to take advantage of the situation. For them, the boss being away means slacking off on their work. As the adage says, “When the cat’s away the mice will play.” But what if the boss has a change of plans and returns unexpectedly, interrupting their impromptu “vacation”?

For those of us who regard ourselves as “Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20), the importance to remain diligent in serving God and those for whom we work is even greater. Jesus Christ told His followers the “parable of the talents,” about a businessman who was going away on a journey. He gave three servants differing amounts of talents (money), trusting them to use it wisely in his absence.

When the “boss” returned, he asked each servant to give an account for what they had done with his money. Two of them had put the talents to good use, investing the money well, and the businessman commended their faithful work. The third had simply buried his single talent, offering the excuse, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and buried his your [money] in the ground” (Matthew 25:24-25).

That answer was not acceptable. The boss took the money from the lazy servant, fired him, and gave it to the most enterprising servant. Then he declared, “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (Matthew 25:29). Two servants heard the words, “well done good and faithful servant.” The other was cast out.

Writing to Christ followers in ancient Corinth, the apostle Paul stated, “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). For those of us in the marketplace, this involves not only the expressions of biblical truth, but also properly representing the God we serve.

One day we will all be asked to give an account for how we used the abilities, opportunities, experience, and resources the Lord entrusted to us. This is why we are told, “And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).

© 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; and The Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. CBMC INTERNATIONAL: Christopher Simpson, President [email protected]

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever had a boss or supervisor who was overbearing or hard to work with, and you could feel a sense of relief when he or she was out of the office or even out of town? How did you respond in their absence, in terms of your work ethic?
2. What do you think it means to be an “ambassador for Christ”? How should this understanding affect how we approach our work, whether someone is there to observe firsthand what we are doing or not?
3. Do you think the lazy servant in the parable was in any way justified in doing the minimum for the businessman he worked for, knowing he was “a hard man”? Why or why not?
4. How do you respond to the idea of one day having to give an account to God for our lives and our work, knowing that “those who have been given a trust must prove faithful”? How should this affect your attitude and approach toward your work each day.

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages:
Proverbs 10:4-5, 12:11, 22:29; Matthew 25:1-13; Colossians 3:17,23; 2 Peter 3:13-16

相關（靈修文章）：

• 週一嗎哪
• 讀經日引
• 荒漠甘泉
• 成語靈訓
• 真理再思
• 歲首到年終

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