服事他人-就像僕人一樣服事──SERVING OTHERS – AND BEING TREATED LIKE A SERVANT
在工商職場中，我們常聽到「企業領導者」、「公司高階主管」和「企業家」的詞彙來指稱那些擁有影響力和權力的人。但我們有多常聽到人們形容自己是個「僕人」呢 – 除非他們是在抱怨？
「僕人」一詞可被視為貶義詞，是形容沒有什麼價值的人。有些人甚至將它與奴隸看為同等。但「僕人領導」反而不僅是一個被認可的詞彙，同時也是一種賦權方式，可以將個人和組織生產效率最大化。
我們能找到許多高階主管採納「僕人領導」理念的例子，善用員工和團隊成員的天賦和才能，並賦予他們權力，讓他們能夠充分地發揮作用。但這需要願意將他人的需求和利益放在首位，並讓他們在對他們重要的事務中感到有利害關係。
聖經在腓立比書 2章3-4節中談到這一點：「凡事不可結黨，不可貪圖虛浮的榮耀；只要存心謙卑，各人看別人比自己強。各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」對於擁有權力的人來說，因為職位的關係，期望受到特殊待遇和敬重是很正常的。但正如這段經文所述，要把他人的利益放在自己的利益之前，是需要有謙卑的心。
「僕人領導」不僅限於高階主管和監督管理者。無論員工在組織中職位如何，他們都可以透過服事他人發揮領導力。如以弗所書6章5-9節所教導的「你們作僕人的，要懼怕戰兢，用誠實的心聽從你們肉身的主人，好像聽從基督一般。不要只在眼前事奉，像是討人喜歡的，要像基督的僕人，從心裡遵行神的旨意。甘心事奉，好像服事主，不像服事人。因為曉得各人所行的善事，不論是為奴的，是自主的，都必按所行的得主的賞賜。你們作主人的，待僕人也是一理，不要威嚇他們。因為知道，他們和你們同有一位主在天上；他並不偏待人。」
事實上，對我們每個人來說，「僕人領導」不是一件容易的事。正如「週一嗎哪」的作者肯·科爾科（Ken Korkow）曾經觀察到的，決定在商業世界中服事他人，並不是沒有不舒服之處的：
「當你被視為一名僕人時，你才會知道自己是一名僕人。我希望人們將我視為一名，對上帝忠心耿耿的好僕人，我希望他們對我為主和為他人所做的犧牲，那份承諾留下深刻的印象。但這並不是真正僕人的特徵！」
「真正的僕人，是那些在幕後工作，甚至不被看見，從不引起人對自己的關注-他們只是盡力了解、預先考慮和盡量滿足主人的願望。對基督徒來說，這意味著，服事主和服事祂差派到我們生命中的人。」
我們渴望在工商職場上成為耶穌基督的僕人，我們應以他為首要的榜樣。祂說：「因為人子來，並不是要受人的服事，乃是要服事人，並且要捨命作多人的贖價。」(馬可福音10章45節) 當我們想到對耶穌來說，付出生命意味著為人類贖罪而死在粗糙的木製十字架上，我們就明白做一名僕人的真正含義，即使是包括我們經常形容的「犧牲生命」。
© 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：
腓立比書1章1節
1:1 基督耶穌的僕人保羅和提摩太寫信給凡住腓立比、在基督耶穌裡的眾聖徒，和諸位監督，諸位執事。
歌羅西書3章17節、23-24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，
3:24 因你們知道從主那裡必得著基業為賞賜；你們所事奉的乃是主基督。
提摩太前書6章1-2節
6:1 凡在軛下作僕人的，當以自己主人配受十分的恭敬，免得神的名和道理被人褻瀆。
6:2 僕人有信道的主人，不可因為與他是弟兄就輕看他；更要加意服事他；因為得服事之益處的，是信道蒙愛的。你要以此教訓人，勸勉人。
雅各書1章1-4節
1:1 作神和主耶穌基督僕人的雅各請散住十二個支派之人的安。
1:2 我的弟兄們，你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂；
1:3 因為知道你們的信心經過試驗，就生忍耐。
1:4 但忍耐也當成功，使你們成全、完備，毫無缺欠。
彼得前書2章18-21節
2:18 你們作僕人的，凡事要存敬畏的心順服主人；不但順服那善良溫和的，就是那乖僻的也要順服。
2:19 倘若人為叫良心對得住神，就忍受冤屈的苦楚，這是可喜愛的。
2:20 你們若因犯罪受責打，能忍耐，有什麼可誇的呢？但你們若因行善受苦，能忍耐，這在神看是可喜愛的。
2:21 你們蒙召原是為此；因基督也為你們受過苦，給你們留下榜樣，叫你們跟隨他的腳蹤行。
反省與問題挑論
- 當你第一次聽到「僕人」這個詞彙時，你會想到什麼呢？
- 「僕人領導」這個詞彙對你來說，聽起來很矛盾嗎？它的詞義上存在自相矛盾嗎？請解釋你的答案。
- 無論在公司或組織中擔任什麼角色和責任，努力成為一名僕人領袖可能會帶來哪些益處呢？
- 你認為身為基督徒，應該如何在工商職場上成為僕人，甚至有僕人領袖的決心呢？
SERVING OTHERS – AND BEING TREATED LIKE A SERVANT
By Robert J. Tamasy
In the marketplace, we hear terms such as “business leaders,” “corporate executives” and entrepreneurs in referring to people holding positions of influence and authority. But how often do we hear people describe themselves as “servants” – unless they are complaining?
The term servant can be regarded as demeaning, a term for someone of little value. Some might even view it at the same level as a slave. But in a real sense, “servant leadership” is not only a legitimate term but also an empowering approach that can maximize productivity individually and organizationally.
We can find numerous examples of top executives who have embraced servant leadership in utilizing the gifts and talents of employees and team members, empowering them to put those to the best possible use. But it requires is a willingness to prioritize the needs and interests of others first and give them a stake in matters of importance to them.
The Bible speaks to this in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” It is normal for people in authority to expect special privileges and deference because of their positions, but as the passage states, it requires humility to put the interests of others ahead of one’s own.
Servant leadership is not limited only to top executives and people in supervisory roles. An employee can lead by serving others regardless of their status in the organization. As Ephesians 6:5-8 instructs, “Slaves [employees], obey your earthly masters [employers] with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, no men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”
In reality, servant leadership rarely comes easy for any of us. As Monday Manna contributor Ken Korkow has observed, determining to serve others in the business world is not without its downside:
“You will know you are a servant when you are treated like one. I want people to view me as a good servant of God. I want them to be impressed with my self-sacrificing commitment to the Lord and to others. But that’s not the mark of a real servant!”
“A true servant is one who works in the shadows, even invisible, never drawing attention to himself or herself – simply knowing, anticipating, and meeting the desire of the master. For believers in Jesus Christ, this means serving Him and people He sends our way.”
In our desire to become servants of Jesus Christ in the marketplace, we should look to Him as the foremost example. He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When we consider that for Jesus, giving His life meant dying on a crude wooden cross to atone for the sins of mankind, we understand what being a servant truly means. Even if it involves what we often describe as making “the ultimate sacrifice.”
© 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
- When you first hear the term “servant,” what comes to mind?
- Does the term “servant leadership” sound to you like an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms? Why or why not?
- What could be some of the benefits of striving to become a servant leader, regardless of one’s role and responsibilities in a company or organization?
- How do you think being a follower of Jesus Christ should affect one’s determination to become a servant – even a servant leader – in the marketplace?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Philippians 1:1; Colossians 3:17,23-24; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; James 1:1-4; 1 Peter 2:18-21
相關（靈修文章）：
# TAG
EN English MONDAY MANNA 中國成語 以色列 以色列新聞 你累了嗎 保捷 信仰見證 出埃及記 利未記 創世記 劉國偉 原文解經 國度禾場KHM 天人之聲 天堂 奇妙的創造 妥拉 妥拉人生 家庭 市井心靈 張哈拿牧師 愛情 敬拜 智慧 梁永善牧師 歳首到年終 民數記 清晨妥拉 漫畫事件簿 為以色列代禱 琴與爐 申命記 真理 知識 研經課程 箴言 考門夫人 聖經 荒漠甘泉 見證 週一嗎哪 靈修 靈修文章
