Friday, February 10, 2006

職場聖徒

當「職場聖徒」最好不過了,既可賺得世界的金錢,又可披戴著神聖的身份,他日享有上天家的入場券!

我時常記著一段十多年前聽見過的一段說話,那是一位姊妹質疑某些屢屢延遲回應上帝呼召的信徒,是否拿著帶職事奉的藉口,其實只不過想推搪當一個全心全意的信徒。這種人曲解了「帶職事奉」的意思,將原本要求我們在職場也當分別為聖和盡信徒本份(愛人愛神、服事人如同服事主、追求卓越、並且見證主、領人歸主等),變成既服事瑪門又服事神(太六24),想同時賺取世界和天堂,一腳踏兩船的花心信徒。這種「兩頭蛇信徒」當然一方面明明知到屬世界的東西終必敗壞和天路的美好,另一方面卻放不下世界各樣的吸引,和沒勇氣和信心踏上全然奉獻的道路。

我想說的其實並不是要譴責這些信徒,因為我多少就是有點像他們。我之前也分享過,自己可能也曾消滅過聖靈的感動。今天的我擁有多了、掛慮也多了,要回應神就越加困難。那怎麼辦?那我就只好背著那份多年來的歉意和內疚,試圖透過努力事奉來補救,和抵擋魔鬼的控訴。我不清楚其他兩頭蛇信徒的想法或心境,但我想說的,是當中那份爭扎和把持不定。不用告訴我,這樣透過努力事奉對補救給上帝的推搪是沒有用的,因為這些在頭腦上我都完全明白了。我想說的,是像我這種兩頭蛇信徒,雖然曾經拒絕了上帝的呼喚,將來亦好像不打算回頭,過去了的就由著它過去,唯有尋求上帝和自己的諒解,硬著心腸在職場上繼續盡著信徒的本份,在神面前給工作和教會事奉繼續付上真心真意,當一個愛神愛人的信徒,盼望以這樣來回應神的大愛...

路十八9-14主耶穌在「站著祈禱的法利賽人和捶著胸祈禱的稅吏」這比喻中所提到這驕傲自持的法利賽人,可說是另一種兩頭蛇信徒。但我相信主耶穌是恨惡這些偽善者,卻是愛我這個軟弱的罪人,如愛捶胸的稅吏一樣。我想這就是態度的分別吧,對嗎?

我每來到一個新的工作崗位,固然想到要怎樣做好自己本份,以最好的表現不叫上帝失禮(現在我已明白上帝跟本不會給我失禮,我只會失掉其他信徒努力為上帝和基督教建立的名聲,叫他們更難做見證...),亦同時會想想上帝要我來到這公司這崗位的意義,其中可以肯定的,當然是要我在同事之間作見證,讓人透過我認識神和祂兒子耶穌基督並祂的救恩。每次我想到要離開一家公司,我便會問問自己在這崗位給神作過甚麼?最重要的亦當然是有沒有至少向過一位同事傳講救恩?假若還未有,那是否我應該繼續留下來,因為我還有未完的使命!

回想在過去廿多年的工作生涯裡面,最叫自己自豪和無愧的,莫過於帶領了一位女同事信主。她信主的經過,已經由她自己在這裡寫了出來。這位姊妹早已神學畢業,並越洋嫁到美國去了。現在她倆夫婦都是全時間事奉上帝的人,怎能叫我不感到安慰!?領這位姊妹歸主,真的花了我不少唇舌。就是她信主已後,我還要不斷在公司裡面跟她談道,告訴、解釋和跟她辯論為甚麼信徒要參與教會生活。從她的見證,我想起一個自我中心、甚至信主以後也誤以為可以獨自安安樂樂當基督徒的一位姊妹,怎樣對教會生活和弟兄姊妹相交完全改觀,甚至為搶救靈魂的天國工程擺上自己和整家人。或許這就是上帝藉著她圓了我回應祂呼召的心願吧...(看,又找借口推搪了!上帝給信徒的呼召都是個人的、不能替代的。)
姊妹一家準備到菲律賓宣教,現正處籌募經濟支持的階段。她們邀請我給她們設計了一個磁石貼,用來送給那些在金錢上支持她們的弟兄姊妹。概念是讓這些提供奉獻的支持者將磁石貼貼在家中的雪櫃門上,好讓他們也隨時謹記為她們代禱。我欠了這個人情太久了(這裡第四項),最近終於完成!倘若你想知道多一點她們所委身的事工,可以到這裡了解一下。當然我還會鼓勵你無論在禱告或經濟上支持她們。你的幫助,會幫助菲律賓訓練出更好更多神的僕人,叫這個國家更多人得著救恩,更多信徒的生命得著造就!

(很久沒有寫過那麼長了!)

4 Comments:

At 2/10/2006 11:21:00 PM, Blogger Amy said...

Dear readers,
I am the sister-in-Christ that Patrick mentioned in this post. To this day, whenever I share my testimony, I still tell people how relentless Patrick was in sharing the gospel with me. I was not a pleasant person to deal with, well, to be honest, I was quite difficult. I argued, debated, rejected almost everything that Patrick tried to tell me about Jesus Christ. But God used Patrick greatly, He gave Patrick a heart for the lost and confused, people like me, and He gave him a persistent attitude that I don't see very often, on top of that, a gentle and joyful demeanor.

In fact, mine completing an Master of Divinity degree was also Patrick's doing. It was him whom introduced me to theology, I was hooked the first theology book I touched. (Patrick, you might not remember, but you introduced me to a book about different theories of creation.)

God saved me, but it was Patrick whom brought me into attention of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Thank you Patrick, you should be proud because you have been faithful to the One who called you, and you always want to please your God and your Saviour. Thank you Lulu, for being the woman whom has supported him all these years.

 
At 2/12/2006 02:46:00 AM, Blogger ablogaday said...

Dear Amy, not until you reminded me just now that I really forgot about the book on creation theories! Yes, I did expose to you how serious people could be, didn't I?

I am proud indeed, but I'm also guilty once in a while for not responded to that call so many years ago. But it is also God who transformed how I see this guilty feeling -- the more I feel about the guilt, the more I see how God loves me and tolerated me. I'm not saying we need sin to justify His love, but it is His love that helped me triumphed over my sins.

Thank you Lulu, you are my support -- can't do it without you.

 
At 2/16/2006 01:09:00 AM, Blogger Amy said...

Patrick, your faithfullness has surpassed if you have responded to the call or not, there is nothing to be guilty about. The market place NEEDS someone like you. Imagine if you were in seminary while I first started at KMB, I don't know how much longer it will take for me to become a Christian!

 
At 2/16/2006 01:29:00 AM, Blogger ablogaday said...

Thanks for the warming and comforting words, dear sister!

By the way, take good care of your health. You can't afford to have all 3 of you being sick, can you?

Also, do let me know about people's feedbacks about the magnet when you distribute them. Thanks and blessings in the Lord.

 

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