經歷作為神管家的喜樂
CBMC週一嗎哪2025年7月28日
By Austin Pryor
經歷作為神管家的喜樂
EXPERIENCING GOD’S PLEASURE AS HIS MANAGERS
無論是新年初始還是像現在這樣的年中，我們都應該避免沉溺於過去，而是享受當下並且期待美好的未來。我們的失敗，無論是財務上還是其他的，都已經成為過去。當然，我們的成功也已經成為過去。我們不能安逸地躺在得勝的桂冠上。我們可以用嶄新的姿態面對每一天。新的機會正等著我們，還有很多事情有待完成。
神所賜給我們的管家職責是一生之久。神才是擁有者，正如歷代志上29章11節所說：「耶和華啊，尊大、能力、榮耀、強勝、威嚴都是你的；凡天上地下的都是你的……」但是神卻讓我們成為祂所擁有之物的管家。正如耶穌在比喻中所表達的：「天國又好比一個人要往外國去，就叫了僕人來，把他的家業交給他們」(馬太福音25章14節)。
我們每個人都被賦予一小塊園地，在神的葡萄園裡服事，我們應當按照祂所賜予的恩賜來勞動。談到財務，我們工作當勤奮(歌羅西書3章23-24節)；消費要明智(箴言21章20節)；儲蓄有目標(箴言6章6-8節)；投資用策略(傳道書11章2節)；並且奉獻應慷慨(哥林多後書9章7節)。
身為基督徒，我們學習如何「奉主耶穌的名」行事（歌羅西書3章17節），也就是代表耶穌，或是站在祂的立場上。這也意味著學習「凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守」（馬太福音28章20節）。在神的面前，我們的內在生命將被轉化，我們會成為展現神自然(和超自然)行事方式的人。在耶穌看來，沒有任何理由可以不遵行祂的吩咐，因為祂只會要我們去做最好的事。
所以，我們理當順服，因為這是門徒所當作的。然而，這最後一句話：「祂只會要我們去做最好的事」，應該會帶給我們安慰與鼓勵。神擁有關於如何得到幸福、充實生命的一切最佳資訊，而祂也已經將這些指引賜給了我們，為的是我們的益處。
當我們順服地運用恩賜時，我們正是在行出我們受造的目的－榮耀神，並且參與拓展神的國度。沒有什麼比這件事，更能帶來個人的滿足感了。我們在獲獎的電影《火戰車》(Chariots of Fire)中看到了這一點，這部電影講述了蘇格蘭人李愛銳(Eric Liddell)一部分的故事，他在1924年的奧運會奪得金牌，後來成為前往中國的宣教士。
我最喜歡這部電影的部分是，李愛銳和他妹妹珍妮(Jennie)之間的副線劇情。珍妮擔心跑步會影響到他的宣教工作。在其中一個場景中，李愛銳告訴珍妮他已經被宣教協會接受，可以前往中國的好消息。然後他補充說：「但是我還有很多跑步比賽要參加。珍妮，珍妮，妳必須明白。我相信神創造我有著一個目的－為了中國。但是祂也讓我跑得很快，我在跑步時，我能感受到祂的喜悅……贏得勝利就是榮耀祂。」
在之後一個激動人心的時刻，我們看見了李愛銳在比賽最後關頭的表現。他仰著頭、雙腿飛快、揮舞雙臂，興奮不已，因為他已經將最好的自己，獻給了他相信神呼召他要去做的事。神得到了榮耀，而李愛銳的跑步也為他的宣教工作，吸引到人們的關注並且贏得支持。
我們每個人都被呼召，要用許多方式來服事神。其中之一便是透過聖靈所引導的管家職分，妥善管理神所託付給我們的資源。這是你的比賽，帶著熱情去奔跑吧。
© 2025。 奧斯汀·普萊爾（Austin Pryor）擁有超過40年的投資顧問經驗，是《理智投資(Sound Mind Investing)》通訊和網站的創始人。他是《理智投資手冊(The Sound Mind Investing Handbook)》一書的作者，該書獲得了受人尊敬的基督教教師的支持，已售出超過10萬本。奧斯汀和他的妻子蘇西居住在肯塔基州的路易斯維爾。
反省與問題討論
第一、讀到神擁有「天上和地下的」，包括你的財務資源和所有物質財產時，你有什麼感受呢？你相信這是真的嗎？請解釋你的答案。
第二、在實際的日常生活中，你認為作為神所擁有，並且託付給你照管之物的管家或管理者，是什麼意思呢？
第三、你相信「神只會要我們去做最好的事」這句話是真的嗎？當你深思熟慮的計畫，甚至是你禱告過的事情，並沒有如預期或希望的那樣發展時，又該怎麼辦呢？
第四、你是否曾經像李愛銳那樣，在做某件事情或追求某個目標時，「感受到神的喜悅」呢？或者你是否曾經堅信，神確實呼召並且賜予你某項特定的恩賜呢？請解釋你的經歷。
挑戰思考
本週或許是個好時機，可以停下腳步，重新評估你對於自己所「擁有」之物的態度，同時思考聖經的教導：神才是擁有一切，而我們只是神所賜予之物的管家或管理者。不妨找個小組，也許是你的CBMC分會，或者你信任的朋友或導師，一起討論你的觀點，也聽聽他們的想法。你認為有哪些改變－如果有的話－是必要的呢？
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 :
歌羅西書3章23-24節
3:23 無論做甚麼，都要從心裏做，像是給主做的，不是給人做的，
3:24 因你們知道從主那裏必得着基業為賞賜；你們所事奉的乃是主基督。
箴言21章20節
21:20 智慧人家中積蓄寶物膏油；愚昧人隨得來隨吞下。
箴言6章6-8節
6:6 懶惰人哪，你去察看螞蟻的動作就可得智慧。
6:7 螞蟻沒有元帥，沒有官長，沒有君王，
6:8 尚且在夏天預備食物，在收割時聚斂糧食。
傳道書11章2節
11:2 你要分給七人，或分給八人，因為你不知道將來有甚麼災禍臨到地上。
哥林多後書9章7節
9:7 各人要隨本心所酌定的，不要作難，不要勉強，因為捐得樂意的人是神所喜愛的。
歌羅西書3章17節
3:17無論做甚麼，或說話或行事，都要奉主耶穌的名，藉着他感謝父神。
馬太福音28章20節
28:20 凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守，我就常與你們同在，直到世界的末了。」
希伯來書12章1節
12:1 我們既有這許多的見證人，如同雲彩圍着我們，就當放下各樣的重擔，脫去容易纏累我們的罪，存心忍耐，奔那擺在我們前頭的路程。
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EXPERIENCING GOD’S PLEASURE AS HIS MANAGERS
MONDAY MANNAJUL 28, 2025
EXPERIENCING GOD’S PLEASURE AS HIS MANAGERS
By Austin Pryor
Whether at the start of a new year or the middle of one – as we are now – it is good not to dwell on the past but to enjoy the present and anticipate a promising future. Our failures, financial and otherwise, are behind us. Of course, our successes are behind us as well. We cannot rest on our laurels. We can approach each day with a clean slate. New opportunities await and there is much yet to be done.
Our God-given stewardship responsibilities are lifelong. He is the owner, as 1 Chronicles 29:11 tells us: “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.” But He has made us managers of what He owns. As Jesus expressed in one of His parables, “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them” (Matthew 25:14).
Each of us has been given a small plot where we serve in His vineyard, and we are to labor according to the gifts He has bestowed on us. With respect to financial matters, we are to be diligent in our work (Colossians 3:23-24); wise in our spending (Proverbs 21:20); purposeful in our saving (Proverbs 6:6-8); strategic in our investing (Ecclesiastes 11:2); and generous in our giving (2 Corinthians 9:7).
As Christ’s followers we learn how to do everything “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17); that is, on His behalf or in His place. That also means learning “to conform to everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). In the Lord’s presence our inner life will be transformed, and we will become the kind of people exhibiting His natural (and supernatural) course of action. In Jesus’ eyes, there is no good reason for not doing what He said to do, because He only tells us to do what is best.
So, we are to be obedient because that is what disciples do. But that last phrase, “He only tells us to do what is best,” should comfort and encourage us. God has all the best information on what makes for a happy and fulfilling life, and He has given us these prescriptions for our good.
And when we use our gifts in obedience, we are doing what we were made to do – glorifying God and helping to advance His kingdom. There is nothing so personally satisfying. We see this in the award-winning film, Chariots of Fire, which tells in part the story of Eric Liddell, a Scot who became a gold medalist at the 1924 Olympics and later a missionary to China.
My favorite part of the film is the subplot between Eric and his sister, Jennie, who is concerned his running will take him away from his missionary efforts. In one scene, Eric tells Jennie the good news he has been accepted by the mission society to go to China. Then he adds, “But I’ve got a lot of running to do first. Jennie, Jennie, you’ve got to understand. I believe that God made me for a purpose — for China. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.... To win is to honor Him.”
In an emotional moment later, we see Eric in the final moments of his race. With head thrown back, legs pumping, arms flailing, he is exhilarated, having given his best to what he believed God called him to do. God was honored and Eric’s running called attention to, and gathered support for, his mission work.
There are many ways each of us is called to serve the Lord. Exercising Spirit-led stewardship, properly managing the resources God entrusts to us, is one of them. It is your race. Run it with passion.
© 2025. Austin Pryor has 40 years of experience advising investors and is the founder of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter and website. He's the author of The Sound Mind Investing Handbook which enjoys the endorsements of respected Christian teachers with more than 100,000 copies sold. Austin lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife Susie. They have three grown sons and many grandchildren.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. How does it make you feel to read that God owns “everything in heaven and earth,” which includes your financial resources and all your material possessions? Do you believe that is true? Why or why not?
2. What do you think it means in a practical, everyday sense to be a steward or manager of what God owns and has entrusted to your care?
3. Do you believe it is true that “He only tells us to do what is best”? What about when your well-considered plans, even things you have prayed about, do not turn out as you expected or had hoped they would?
4.Have you ever “felt God’s pleasure” while you were doing or pursuing something, as Eric Liddell did, or believed that He had truly called and gifted you to something specific? Explain your answer.
Challenge
This might be a good week to pause and re-evaluate your attitude toward the things you “own,” considering the biblical teaching that God owns all things and that we are to serve as His stewards or managers of what we have been given.
It might be helpful to meet with a small group, perhaps your CBMC team if you are in one, or a trusted friend or mentor to discuss your perspectives and have them share their own with you. What changes – if any – do you conclude might be necessary?
NOTE:
For more about what the Bible says, consider the following passages:
Proverbs 6:6-8, 21:20; Ecclesiastes 11:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Colossians 3:23-24; Hebrews 12:1
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