成為熱心管家的喜樂
2024年12月9日By Austin Pryor
成為熱心管家的喜樂
THE JOY OF BEING ZEALOUS STEWARDS
「熱心」(Zealous)是個有趣的詞。它的意思是，在追求某項使命或目標時，展現出強烈的活力或熱情。如果我們熱心於正確的事情，那麼熱心是件好事。使徒保羅寫道：「有人熱心待你們當然很好，但總要動機純正……」(加拉太書4章18節－聖經當代譯本)。那麼，這個動機可能是什麼呢？19世紀的英國聖公會主教約翰‧查爾斯‧萊爾(J.C.Ryle)，針對一位基督徒對好的動機充滿熱心，有這樣的描述：
「基督信仰的熱心，是一種熱烈燃燒的期盼，渴望討上帝喜悅，遵行祂的旨意，並用所有可能的方式，在世上彰顯祂的榮耀。這種渴望是如此強烈，以至於當它真正掌管一個人的時候，會驅使他們做出任何犧牲、經歷任何困難、放下自己的任何一切、奉獻自己、甘心被使用，甚至願意死去，只為了討上帝喜悅，以及榮耀基督。」
基督徒，被要求要討上帝喜悅並展現忠誠，那其中一項就是他們如何使用金錢－包括他們如何賺取、花用、投資和給予。然而，許多人在這方面的成長卻非常緩慢。這或許是對做管家這件事，所懷抱的誤解。這不僅僅是關於給予，也不只是有錢人才需要學習。因為我們每個人都被呼召，無論在任何年齡或收入，都要成為好管家。「所求於管家的，是要他有忠心。」(哥林多前書4章2節)
有人可能明白，作為一個聰明管家的責任，但卻因為缺乏「如何」做到這一點的理解，而無法進步。像我所在的組織，健全心智投資公司(Sound Mind Investing)，就是在這方面提供幫助。然而，對許多人來說，問題在於無法持續堅守承諾。他們想做得更好，但良好的意圖(和新年新希望)並不足以帶來改變。
這種常見的失敗，讓我開始研究「我的一個詞(My One Word)」這個方法，這是由麥可·阿什克拉夫特(Mike Ashcraft)和瑞秋·奧爾森(Rachel Olsen)所開發的。這種方法，可以改變「自我挫敗」的習慣與行為。阿什克拉夫特和奧爾森解釋說，改變是可能的，但需要一些專注。使用「我的一個詞」的方法時，針對管家管理金錢，你可能會採用的詞是：
• 計劃（Plan），因為每一項花費和投資決策，都應該源自個人的計劃。
• 紀律（Discipline），因為你有一個長期的投資計劃，卻無法堅定執行。
• 耐心（Patience），因為你在需要長遠視角的時候，卻抱有短視心態。
• 榮耀（Glorify），因為你希望你的投資動機，以及財務資源的使用方式，都能討上帝喜悅。
• 放鬆（Relax），因為追蹤經濟頭條的緊張感，使你無法堅持自己的目標。
• 信靠（Trust），因為上帝已經應許「…必照他榮耀的豐富，在基督耶穌裡，使你們一切所需用的都充足。」(腓立比書4章19節)
• 忠心（Faithful），因為成功的意義是，你有確實遵循自己的計劃，而不是去衡量每一個成果。
在他們的著作《我的一個詞》一書中，作者提供了如何選擇你的詞的思考材料，並給出了如何將這個詞，持續放在心頭上的訣竅。讓你的這個詞，在2025年引導你，在花用、投資和慈善捐贈方面的決策。然後，你將準備好迎接最後一個字：
• 忘記（Forget），這樣你就可以放下過去的失敗，朝更有希望的財務未來邁進。然後，你可以和使徒保羅一起宣告：「…我只有一件事，就是忘記背後，努力面前的，向著標竿直跑，要得神在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞。」(腓立比書3章13-14節)
奧斯汀·普萊爾（Austin Pryor）擁有超過40年的投資顧問經驗，是《健全心智投資(Sound Mind Investing)》通訊和網站的創始人。他是《健全心智投資手冊(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、你認為人們會用「熱心」，來形容你生命中的哪些領域呢？特別是，在1到10分的評量表裡(1分最低），你在管理個人財務資源方面，熱心的程度是多少呢？
第二、你認為成為上帝所賜下的資源，忠心的管家是什麼意思呢？
第三、你認為在金錢和物質財產的使用上，忠心(成為好管家)是靈命成長的重要元素嗎？請解釋你的答案。
第四、根據你在這篇週一嗎哪中所讀到的內容，你在展望新年，以及進行財務規劃時，哪「一個詞」會對你最有幫助呢？
挑戰思考
對於我們許多人來說，我們的金錢與使用方式，是最私密的生命領域之一。如果有人詢問我們的財務狀況，我們可能會感到抗拒，認為他們越界了，干涉了非常私人的事務。然而，新的一年即將來臨，我們應該明智地重新評估，自己如何使用上帝託付給我們的資源，並考慮如何更明智且有效地運用這一切。如果你有值得信賴的朋友、顧問或導師，你可能想要與他們，坦誠地討論這件事情，並邀請他們提供意見和建議。
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 : （因篇幅有限，請自行參閱未列出的經文：約書亞記1:8、馬太福音6:19-21）
申命記8章18節
8:18 你要記念耶和華你的神，因為得貨財的力量是他給你的，為要堅定他向你列祖起誓所立的約，像今日一樣。
箴言22章7節
22:7 富戶管轄窮人；欠債的是債主的僕人。
馬太福音6章24節
6:24 「一個人不能事奉兩個主；不是惡這個，愛那個，就是重這個，輕那個。你們不能又事奉神，又事奉瑪門（瑪門：財利的意思）。」
路加福音16章10-12節
16:10 人在最小的事上忠心，在大事上也忠心；在最小的事上不義，在大事上也不義。
16:11 倘若你們在不義的錢財上不忠心，誰還把那真實的錢財託付你們呢？
16:12 倘若你們在別人的東西上不忠心，誰還把你們自己的東西給你們呢？
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THE JOY OF BEING ZEALOUS STEWARDS
MONDAY MANNADec 9, 2024
THE JOY OF BEING ZEALOUS STEWARDS
By Austin Pryor
“Zealous” is an interesting word. It means showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective. It is good to be zealous, if we are zealous for the right things. The apostle Paul wrote, “It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good...” (Galatians 4:18). What might that good purpose be? Nineteenth-century Anglican Bishop J.C. Ryle offered this description of a follower of Jesus Christ who is zealous for a good purpose:
“Zeal in Christianity is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. This desire is so strong that when it really reigns in a person, it impels them to make any sacrifice, to go through any trouble, to deny themselves anything, to spend themselves and be spent, and even to die, if only they can please God and honor Christ.”
One area in which Christ followers are asked to please God and demonstrate faithfulness is in their relationship to their money — how they earn it, spend it, invest it, and give it away. Many people, however, are slow to grow in this area. Perhaps it is a misunderstanding of all that stewardship entails. It’s not just about giving. It is not just for the wealthy. We all are called to practice good stewardship, at every age and income level. “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Someone might understand the responsibility to be a wise steward but fail to progress because he or she lacks understanding in how to do that. Organizations like mine, Sound Mind Investing, can help with that.
But for many the problem is a lack of consistency in following through on commitments. They want to do better, but good intentions (and New Year’s resolutions) are not enough to produce change.
This common failure drew me to the My One Word approach, developed by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen. It can bring about changes in self-defeating habits and behaviors. Ashcraft and Olsen explain change is possible, but focus is required. Using the My One Word approach, your word might be:
• Plan, because every spending and investing decision should flow from a personalized plan.
• Discipline, because you have a long-term investing plan but are inconsistent in following it.
• Patience, because you have a short-term mentality when a long-term view is needed.
• Glorify, because you want your motives for investing & using financial resources to please God.
• Relax, because nervousness in following the headlines prevents you from staying the course.
• Trust, because God has promised to provide “all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
• Faithful, because following your plan, rather than measuring each outcome, defines success.
In their My One Word book, the authors provide food for thought on how to select your word and give tips on how to keep it in the forefront of your mind. Let your one word guide you in your spending, investing, and charitable giving decisions through 2025. Then you will be ready for one final word:
• Forget, so you can let go of past failings and move toward a more promising financial future. Then you can say with the apostle Paul, “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
© 2024. Austin Pryor has more than 40 years of experience advising investors and is the founder of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter and website. He is the author of The Sound Mind Investing Handbook, endorsed by many respected Christian teachers, with more than 100,000 copies sold. Austin lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife Susie.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
1. In what areas of your life do you think people would describe you as being “zealous,” if any? Specifically, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being low), how zealous are you in how you manage the use of your personal financial resources?
2. What do you think it means to be a faithful steward of resources God provides?
3. Do you believe that faithfulness – good stewardship – in the use of our money and material possessions is an important element in our spiritual growth? Why or why not?
4. Based on what you have read in this Monday Manna, which “one word” do you think might be most useful for you as you look ahead to the new year and plan for handling your finances?
Challenge
For many of us, our money and how we use it is one of the most private areas of our lives. We might resist if someone asks us about it, feeling they are overstepping their bounds and meddling in very personal concerns.
And yet, a new calendar year is nearly upon us, and we would be wise to re-evaluate how we are utilizing the resources God has entrusted to us and consider ways we might use them more wisely and effectively. If you have a trusted friend, advisor or mentor, you might want to openly discuss this with them and invite their comments and counsel.
NOTE:
For more about what the Bible says, consider the following passages:
Deuteronomy 8:18; Joshua 1:8; Proverbs 22:7; Matthew 6:19-21,24; Luke 16:10-12
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