牧养有错误志向的人(上篇)：错误志向的五个原因
我是个牧师，并且一生大部分时间都沉溺于工作。好像匿名戒酒会的参与者在三十年滴酒不沾后，认为自己是一个“在戒酒的酒鬼”，我也认为自己进天堂前都是一个努力戒除工作瘾症的人，因为它在我生命中如此根深蒂固。
也许你认同这一点。 或者“工作瘾症”听起来像“急性牙髓炎上瘾”那么可笑。无论是哪种，我来和你分享些牧养建议，都是从牧养我们教会（包括我本人）那些有错误志向的人中得到的经验。
注意我说的是“错误的志向”，而不是“立志过度”，因为基督徒不可能立志过度。工作在人类堕落之前就被创造了（创2:15），而且将来在天堂仍将继续（赛65:21-23）。因此使徒保罗告诉我们“要把握时机”（弗5:16）。如果这都不是志向，我不知道什么才是。（译注：和合本在弗5:16和西4:5两处都是说“要爱惜光阴”，与英文KJV的“redeeming the time”对应，新译本使用的是“要把握时机”，与本文所引的NIV圣经中的“make the most of every opportunity”更贴切。）
身为基督徒，我们被呼召向着基督立志。然而许多人的志向只是为了追求这世界上的东西。我们如何来牧养他们呢？本文我给出错误志向背后的五个根本原因，下篇文章我将给出帮助这些人避免落入陷阱的四个观点。
人为何会有错误的志向？
根本原因一：不安全感
几年前与五位财富500强公司的首席财务长官一起晚饭。其中一人说：“我有个理论想测试一下，你们当中有几人是父母离婚家中孩子里的老大？”除了一人外其余的全举手了。“对呀。因为作为一个孩子你无法摆脱感觉失败，这驱动你在事业上拼搏？”所有人都点头。
你会众中有多少超级自信的成功人士是被不安全感和恐惧感所驱使，而不是被力量驱使？不安全感可能会促使这些基督徒达到其职业生涯的高度，但也会严重阻碍他们在职场上服事基督。不安全感可以是来自破碎的家庭、昔日所受的虐待、不起眼的学历、艰难的婚姻、令人失望的孩子，或者许多其他因素。
竭力在世界上留下我们的印记可以是正确并且敬虔的。摩西就在诗篇90篇中求神坚立他手所作的工。但是竭力提升我们自己，而不是荣耀神就是自我服侍和偶像崇拜了。
根本原因二：不愿意等待
乔知道他太太和孩子们这天过得糟糕透顶，他比平常回家早了半个钟头，他也完成了当天的工作任务，那他为什么不太情愿早点下班呢？是因为他不爱他的家人？不能在结束之前离开？还是因为他害怕别人因为他走得早而看轻他？让我们假设这些都不是真正的原因。
那么为什么感到勉强呢？因为他的自我价值建立在依靠自己的能力将事情做好的上面。所以提前三十分钟下班感觉好像否定了他对自己的认同。他想用生命完成事情——这是个好的本能。事实上，这是创世记1-2章里神对人类计划的一部分。然而当他将生命中的某个呼召（他的工作）置于神给他的其他呼召（他的家庭）之上时，他对神的计划表现出了不耐烦。他像扫罗王那样等不及先知撒母耳来向耶和华献那极重要的祭。扫罗的目标（击败神的敌人）是对的。但是他不信靠神的计划去完成，而是施行自己的计划。
同样，许多错误的志向来自于人试图通过自己的智慧，而非神的计划来成就好的事情（在这个世界发挥作用）。我们牺牲其它而痴迷于工作，因为我们不愿相信，获得我们所渴望的永恒益处的最佳方法，是在所有领受的呼召上顺服神的命令。神的计划经常似乎是迂回又低效的——但是在他的智慧里，他真正知道什么是最好的道路
根本原因三：经济上的恐惧
有时错误的志向与身份认同、自我实现或任何其他存在的欲望都无关，而仅仅是金钱的原因。
罗恩之前是个区域销售经理，在他失业之前，他买了一个房子，并且达到了他预算的上限。现在他在另一个领域找到了一份工作，他感到业绩压力巨大，否则他的家人就得失去那房子，这也会导致孩子们不能在好的学区就读，失去邻居多年的友谊，以及他们非常享受的生活方式。
最可能的是，他在工作中感受到的的压力与家人的生活息息相关，好像每件事情都需要钱来解决。脑海中不禁浮想起保罗对提摩太的话：“然而，敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了，因为我们没有带甚么到世上来，也不能带甚么去，只要有衣有食，就当知足。”（提前6:6-8）
根本原因四：逃避
你已经努力劝说玛丽更多地委身小组，可她对工作的追求总是来挡道。然而当你多了解玛丽的家庭生活，你会难过地，逐渐发现她投入工作的原因。婚姻触礁，孩子们也令人蒙羞——可在职场上她是个英雄。一次又一次地调查表明，当代的美国人认为，他们在职场上的主要动力是被认可——不仅是金钱、不仅是职业晋升、不仅是优秀的同事。
如果工作是玛丽唯一觉得自己被认可的地方呢？如果工作是玛丽唯一觉得她配得认可的地方呢？
根本原因五：没有好榜样
哈维尔跟着他父亲长大，他父作为地方检察官对他们的城市有很大的贡献，哈维尔决心子承父业。然而和他父亲不同，哈维尔没有法律方面天赋，所以他取得工作成功的唯一方式，是将工作当成他生活中的唯一要事。另外他身边的基督徒和他完全一样——或者至少看上去一样。
整形外科医生、车行老板、法官、房地产巨头，他教会里的长老们和其他领袖们似乎都实现了哈维尔期待的属世和属灵里的双重“成功”。但哈维尔不知道的是，这些教会领袖不像他那样允许工作束缚他们生活的其他部分。他缺乏好的榜样。他很少看到有平凡能力的人在他的教会里被看作“成功”。他需要了解那些公认为基督徒领袖的生命究竟是怎么样的。
编者的话：现在我们了解了错误志向的五个根本原因，下篇文章会分享对于这个问题，在牧养上的的4个方面。
Pastoring the Wrongly Ambitious
I am a pastor, and I am addicted to work—just as I have been for most of my life. Like the participant at Alcoholics Anonymous who considers himself a “recovering alcoholic” after thirty years without a drop of booze, I will consider myself a recovering work addict until the day I reach heaven, because it is so ingrained in my flesh.
Perhaps you identify with this. Or perhaps “addicted to work” sounds as preposterous to you as “addicted to root canals.” Either way, let me share with you some advice from my experience pastoring those in my church (including myself) who are wrongly ambitious.
Notice that I said “wrongly ambitious” and not “overambitious.” That’s because for the Christian it is impossible to be overambitious. Work was created before the Fall (Gen. 2:15) and will continue on into heaven (Isa. 65:21-23). And so the apostle Paul tells us to “make the most of every opportunity” (Eph. 5:16). If that’s not ambition, I don’t know what is.
As Christians, we are called to be ambitious for Christ. And yet many seem ambitious only for the things of this world. How do we pastor them? I will give you five root causes behind wrongheaded ambition, and four ideas of how to help those who have fallen into these traps.
WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME WRONGLY AMBITIOUS?
Why do people become wrongly ambitious?
Root Cause #1: Insecurity
Let me describe a dinner conversation several years ago with five CFOs of Fortune-500 companies. “I’ve got a theory I want to test,” said one of them. “How many of you are the oldest child of divorced parents?” Every hand went up but one. “Right. Driven in your career because you can’t shake your perceived failure as a child?” All heads nod.
How many of the uber-confident, successful overachievers in your congregation are driven out of insecurity and fear rather than strength? Insecurity may well propel these Christians to the heights of their profession, but it will severely hinder their ability to serve Christ in their profession. Insecurity can stem from a broken home, past abuse, an unimpressive education, a struggling marriage, disappointing children, or a host of other factors.
Striving to make our mark on the world can be right and godly. Think of Moses’ asking God to establish the work of his hands in Psalm 90. But striving to promote ourselves rather than God is self-serving and idolatrous.
Root Cause #2: Impatience
Joe knows his wife has had a terrible day with the kids; it’s thirty minutes before he would normally go home; and he’s accomplished everything on his to-do list. So why does he feel so reluctant to leave early? Is it because he doesn’t love his family? Is it because he’s not allowed to leave before closing or because he’s afraid people will think less of him for leaving early? Let’s assume the answer to all these is “no.” So why the reluctance? Because his self-worth is wrapped up in his ability to get things done. And so leaving thirty minutes early feels like a denial of his basic identity. He wants to accomplish things with his life—which is a good instinct. In fact, it was part of God’s plan for humanity in Genesis 1-2. But when, in search of that impact, he elevates one particular calling in life (his job) above others that God has given (his family), he shows himself to be impatient with God’s plans. He’s like King Saul who couldn’t wait for the prophet Samuel to make an all-important sacrifice to the Lord. Saul’s goal (defeating God’s enemies) was right on. But instead of trusting God’s plan to get there, he went with his own plan instead.
Similarly, much wrongheaded ambition comes from trying to achieve something good (impact on this world) through human wisdom rather than God’s good plan. We become obsessed with a job at the expense of other things because we’re not willing to trust that obeying God’s commands across all of our callings is the best way to achieve the eternal impact we desire. God’s plans often seem circuitous and inefficient—but in his wisdom he really does know best.
Root Cause #3: Financial Fear
Sometimes wrongheaded ambition has nothing to do with identity, self-actualization, or any other existential desire, but is merely about money.
Ron bought a house that was on the upper end of his budget—and that was before he lost his job as a regional sales manager. Now that he’s found work in a different field, he feels intense pressure to perform or else his family will lose the house, which would also involve leaving a great school district, years of friendship with neighbors, and a lifestyle they’ve come to enjoy.
Most likely, the level of stress he feels at work is echoed through his family’s life, as everything seems to be about having enough money. Paul’s words to Timothy come to mind: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Tim. 6:6-8).
Root Cause #4: Escape
You’ve been trying to convince Mary to get more involved with her small group, but work commitments always get in the way. Yet as you learn more about Mary’s family life, the reason for her interest in work comes sadly into focus. Her marriage is on the rocks and her kids seem to be a disgrace—but at work she’s a hero. In survey after survey, modern Americans say that their main motivator in the workplace is recognition—more than money, more than career advancement, more than great coworkers.
What if her job is the only place where Mary feels she gets recognition? What if her job is the only place where Mary feels she deserves recognition?
Root Cause #5: No Good Models
Javier grew up with a father who greatly blessed their city through his work as district attorney, and Javier is determined to follow in those footsteps. Unlike his father, however, Javier wasn’t blessed with a natural mind for the law, and so the only way he is succeeding at work is by making it the only thing that matters in his life. Beyond that, all of the other Christians in his life are exactly the same—or at least appear that way. Orthopedic surgeon, car dealership owner, judge, real estate magnate: the elders and other leaders in his church all seem to fulfill Javier’s vision for worldly and spiritual “success.” What Javier doesn’t know is that none of these church leaders allow their jobs to put a stranglehold on the rest of life like he does. His problem is a lack of models. He sees few examples of people with ordinary ability who are viewed as “successful” in his local church. And he lacks a window into the lives of those who have been recognized as Christian leaders.
作者：Jamie Dunlop
Jamie Dunlop是国会山浸信会的牧师，负责教会行政管理和直属机构的运作。
翻译肢体：张金星
用圣经视野和实用资源装备教会领袖
进而通过健康的教会向世界彰显神的荣耀
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