你如何定義「卓越」？或者說，要在商業和專業領域上達到真正的卓越，所需要的條件是什麼？

 有些人會把卓越和獲取大量的物質性財富連在一起。又有些人認為，要成為一個卓越的人，就必須在所努力的領域裡取得很高的聲譽或名望。其他人則認為，卓越是成為著名期刊上的文章標題，或者變成名人在電視節目中接受採訪，又或在商業廣告中宣傳公司的產品。

所有上面描述的都是用不同形式來衡量高成就的重要方法，但是它們真的等於卓越嗎？許多人已經在他的專業領域中到了這樣的高度，卻仍然發現自己若有所失地想著：「就這樣了嗎？」  讓我告訴你一個我認識的人，他對卓越有著非常不一樣的觀點。

道格（Doug）是一位退休的企業主，最近對我說，他剛剛在蒙大拿州參加為期一周，與其他10位年輕人一起飛繩釣（fly-fishing）的活動，道格（Doug）已經70歲了，其他人約莫40歲左右。在這樣的年齡差距下，為什麼道格這樣的人要花這麼多時間參與這些人的活動呢？他解釋說：「我不喜歡釣魚。整個星期我也只釣了五條魚，但因為我做這些人的導師很多年了。當我看到他們享受戶外的活動，同時我們也一起研讀聖經，這對我來說是極度的有價值。」

作為導師，道格不僅與這些人分享他的個人經驗和見解，同時也引導他們到那永恆不變的真理和智慧之源－就是神的道。並幫助他們了解神與個人生活的每一層面是如何的有關聯性。

顯然地，作為一名退休商人，道格其實可以不用這樣做。他可以安於已得的榮譽，或者做些以前在全職時期沒時間做的業餘愛好或其他興趣來消磨時間。但實際上他在追求一種特殊的興趣：期待幫助年輕人增長信心並扶持他們成為有果效服事神的僕人，也在工作和生活上有效率。正如哥林多後書5章20節所描述的那樣，成為「基督的使者」。

從某個方面來說，道格正在犧牲自己的時間，但是他真不這麼認為，他認為幫助人學習並用神的方法來實踐，是一項非常特殊的榮幸。即使道格自己沒說，但他其實在實行耶穌基督在馬太福音5章19節後段所說的：「但無論何人遵行這誡命，又教訓人遵行，他在天國要稱為大的。」

道格還應用了耶穌在登山寶訓中所教導的另一個原則：「不要為自己積攢財寶在地上；地上有蟲子咬，能銹壞，也有賊挖窟窿來偷。只要積攢財寶在天上；天上沒有蟲子咬，不能銹壞，也沒有賊挖窟窿來偷。因為你的財寶在哪裏，你的心也在那裏。」(馬太福音6章19~21節)

道格的犧牲非常有可能會讓他在神的國度裡成為卓越。更好的是，他甚至拉著幾位年輕人與他同行，一起卓越。與其追求世界的報酬，他更將目光投向了耶穌所說的「叫你們的果子常存」（約翰福音15章16節）。

© 2021 版權所有非傳統商業網路(前身為純全資源中心)。節錄自和 Rick Boxx 的純全時刻，這本刊 物主要 是從基督徒的角度來探討職場上正直這個主題。如果希望知道更多關於這個事工或是想訂閱每日純全時 刻，請上這個網站: www.unconventionalbusiness.org. Rick Boxx 最新出版的書「提供實用五個關鍵的神 的方法來建立企業。」

反省與問題討論

1. 請回答文章一開始的問題，你如何定義卓越？在商業的領域中，必須擁有些什麼才會被認為是卓越？
2. 為什麼本文作者會說：只在商場上追求有形的回報，例如財富、聲望、地位和稱讚是不夠的呢？
3. 你曾經做過別人的導師，或是接受其他人的帶領而受益嗎？如果有，那是什麼樣的經驗？你覺得帶領別人是否像退休商人道格（Doug）所解釋的那樣，是一件很有價值的事呢？
4. 你認為「積財寶在天上而非在地上」是什麼意思？如果要你評估自己生活和工作在這個面向的評量，你會如何形容？

備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的經文，請參考：

箴言11章4、28節
11:4 發怒的日子資財無益；惟有公義能救人脫離死亡。
11:28 倚仗自己財物的，必跌倒；義人必發旺，如青葉。
箴言15章6、16節
15:6 義人家中多有財寶；惡人得利反受擾害。
15:16 少有財寶，敬畏耶和華，強如多有財寶，煩亂不安。
箴言23章4-5節
23:4 不要勞碌求富，休仗自己的聰明。
23:5 你豈要定睛在虛無的錢財上嗎？因錢財必長翅膀，如鷹向天飛去。
箴言27章24節
27:24 因為資財不能永有，冠冕豈能存到萬代？
箴言28章20節
28:20 誠實人必多福；想要急速發財的，不免受罰。
提摩太前書6章17-19節
6:17 你要囑咐那些今世富足的人，不要自高，也不要倚靠無定的錢財；只要倚靠那厚賜百物給我們享受的上帝。
6:18 又要囑咐他們行善，在好事上富足，甘心施捨，樂意供給( – 或譯：體貼)人，
6:19 為自己積成美好的根基，預備將來，叫他們持定那真正的生命。
彼得前書1章4節 可以得著不能朽壞、不能玷污、不能衰殘、為你們存留在天上的基業。

THE BENEFITS OF PURSUING TRUE GREATNESS

By Rick Boxx

How would you define “greatness”? Or to put it another way, what would it require to achieve true greatness in the business and professional world?

Some would connect greatness with the attaining of mass amounts of material wealth. Others might say that to be great, one would have to earn high status or fame within their chosen field of endeavor. For some, greatness means becoming the featured subject of articles in prestigious periodicals or being a  celebrity who is interviewed on TV shows or used in commercials to pitch the company’s products.

Each of those is significant, different ways for measuring high levels of achievement. But do they truly equate to greatness? Many people have attained such heights in their professions, only to find themselves wondering with regret, “Is that all there is?” Let me tell you about someone I know who has a very different perspective on greatness.

Doug, a retired business owner, told me recently he had just returned from a week-long fly-fishing trip to Montana, with 10 younger men. Doug is in his 70’s, but most of the group consisted of men in their 40’s. With such an age disparity, why would someone like Doug devote so much time with these men? He explained: “I don’t like fishing. I only caught five fish all week, but I have mentored many of these men for years. It is extremely worthwhile for me to see them enjoy the outdoors while we also study the Bible.”

As a mentor, Doug is not only sharing his personal experience and insights with these men, but is also pointing them to the one unchanging, timeless source of truth and wisdom – the Word of God – and helping them to understand how it relates to every area of their lives.

Clearly, Doug does not have to do this. As a retired businessman, he could be “resting on his laurels,” or spending leisure time engaged in hobbies or other interests he did not have as much time for when he was working full-time. In reality, he is pursuing a special interest: the desire to help younger men to grow in their faith and learn how to become effective, fruitful servants of the Lord where they work and live. As 2 Corinthians 5:20 describes it, to become “ambassadors for Christ.”

In one sense, Doug is sacrificing his time. But he really does not view it that way. He regards it a very special privilege to help others learn and practice God’s ways. And in the process, even though he does not claim this for himself, he is fulfilling what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:19, “Whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

He is also applying another principle Jesus taught in His “sermon on the mount,” as recorded in Matthew 6:19:21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moths nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Doug’s sacrifice may lead him to greatness in the kingdom. Better yet, he may just drag a few younger men along with him. Rather than pursuing earthly rewards, he has his sights on what Jesus called, “fruit that will last” (John 15:16).

© 2021, Unconventional Business Network Adapted with permission from “Integrity Moments with Rick Boxx,” a commentary on issues of integrity in the workplace from a Christian perspective. To learn more, visit www.unconventionalbusiness.org. His latest book, Unconventional Business, provides “Five Keys to Growing a Business God’s Way.”

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. To answer the opening question, how would you define “greatness”? Within the context of the marketplace, what does it require to be considered “great”?
2. Based on what Mr. Boxx has written, why is he saying that it not enough to pursue visible and tangible rewards in the workplace, things like wealth and prestige, status and acclaim?
3. Have you ever served as a personal mentor for someone, or been the beneficiary of an individual who mentored you? If so, what has that been like? Have you found it rewarding, as the retired businessman Doug explained?
4. What do you think it means to “lay up treasures in heaven” rather than “treasures on earth”? If you were to evaluate your own life and work in this regard, how would you describe it?

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 11:4,28, 15:6,16, 23:4-5, 27:24, 28:20; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 1 Peter 1:4

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