不久前，我和一位年輕人討論一連串他在耶穌基督信仰中的新發現，特別是關於生活和工作中真正重要的事情。當有一個適當的焦點時，就可能顯著的改變我們個人的生命。例如，無論在職場還是在運動場上，當一個團隊專注時，就能大大地影響努力的結果，不僅可以獲得成功，而且明白在追求理想目標的過程中，他們正在追求卓越。

多年來，我認識的這個年輕人，很明顯的，他非常專注生命中的某些方面。但是，他專注成為某項領域之佼佼者的強烈渴望，是以犧牲生命中的其他方面作為代價的。這一認知讓我們談到了，取得適當平衡，以及將事情放在正確優先順序的重要性。

我是透過五十多年前個人經驗體會到這一點的。我的第一個喜好是棒球，後來高爾夫成了我生活的第一位。我用某種方式在四年內完成了大學學業，但在這些緊張的大學生活期間，我並沒有將全部注意力放在能夠學習的事物上。只是在後來的生命中，我才明白適當的專注於複雜生活中的各個層面，有多麽重要。

對我來說，高爾夫球賽就是一個很好的範例。打高爾夫球的時候，我知道有些時候要專注於下一桿，有些時候則要把注意力轉移到周遭的事情上。高爾夫已經成為我的一個社交管道，因此，如果把我的球友置之於外，只專注在自己的比賽，那是很不體貼的，這會讓我偏離更大的目標，就是和朋友們一起享受在球場上散步的樂趣。所以即使在競爭激烈的比賽中，我依然會盡力保持社交，享受與他人的相處。

在我從事保險職涯的早期，我接受了公司的理念，就是增加自己的活動行程，以幫助更多的客戶，也賺取更多的錢。但是在得到雙肺炎(double pneumonia)住院四天後，神才引起我的注意，要我把焦點轉移到真正重要的事情上。我的注意力從對金錢的熱愛，轉向對神和祂的子民更深的愛。這是我開始學習對祂每天放在我生命中所遇到的人，去表達愛和關心的旅程。

作為基督徒，我開始明白，我需要順服我的救主，而祂的期望是讓我反思聖經中最古老的禱告，這就是所謂的謝瑪(Shema希伯來文是「你要聽」的意思)。我每天早上的部分禱告，取自耶穌在馬太福音22章37-39節中的話，內容大概是這樣的：「主啊！我要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力地愛你。主啊！請幫助我能夠愛人如己。」

在我們的職場角色中，我們有目的和目標，生產和利潤是我們最關心的問題。但是，如果我們要成為有效的、有成果的基督使者，像哥林多後書5章20節所描述的那樣勸人與基督和好，我們最好考量使徒保羅所說「聖靈果子」的建議。「聖靈所結的果子，就是仁愛、喜樂、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信實、溫柔、節制。這樣的事沒有律法禁止。」（加拉太書5章22-23節）然後他補充說：「凡屬基督耶穌的人，是已經把肉體連肉體的邪情私慾同釘在十字架上了。我們若是靠聖靈得生，就當靠聖靈行事。不要貪圖虛名，彼此惹氣，互相嫉妒。」（加拉太書5章24-26節）

如果我們真正愛主，並且希望自己的生活能反映出這一點，我們就要在生活中專注真正重要的事情，並據此過相稱的生活。

Jim Langley擔任人壽和健康保險經紀人期間已有30多年，他的寫作經歷也是。近年來，他的熱情轉向寫下他與神的個人關係。他的目標是鼓勵其他人來親近神。他是CBMC的長期會員，在2014年開始撰寫「比賽最後四分之一場戰略」

備註：如果你手上有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考下面的經文: (因篇幅有限，請查閱未列出的經文：腓立比書3章12-14節)

約書亞記1章7-8節
1:7只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往哪裡去，都可以順利。
1:8這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。
以弗所書5章8-11節
5:8 從前你們是暗昧的，但如今在主裏面是光明的，行事為人就當像光明的子女。
5:9 光明所結的果子就是一切良善、公義、誠實。
5:10 總要察驗何為主所喜悅的事。
5:11 那暗昧無益的事，不要與人同行，倒要責備行這事的人；
腓立比書3章7-9節
3:7 只是我先前以為與我有益的，我現在因基督都當作有損的。
3:8 不但如此，我也將萬事當作有損的，因我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶。我為他已經丟棄萬事，看作糞土，為要得着基督；
3:9 並且得以在他裏面，不是有自己因律法而得的義，乃是有信基督的義，就是因信上帝而來的義，
提摩太前書6章11-12節
6:11 但你這屬上帝的人要逃避這些事，追求公義、敬虔、信心、愛心、忍耐、溫柔。
6:12 你要為真道打那美好的仗，持定永生。你為此被召，也在許多見證人面前，已經作了那美好的見證。

反省與問題討論

1. 你如何描述自己的生活焦點？當每一天開始的時候，對你來說哪些事情是優先要做的？
2. 你認為當我們為自己的生活選擇錯誤的焦點時會發生什麽事？
3. 我們是否應該要持續、有意識的努力，來確定我們選擇專注在哪些事上？如果我們不能認真地評估需要專注的事和原因，可能會產生什麽後果？
4. 決心專注於愛和榮耀神，然後愛別人，甚至在必要時做出犧牲，能在哪些方面影響我們對工作的態度和我們所經歷的結果？

FOCUSING ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS

By  Jim Langley

A while ago I was having a series of discussions with a young man about his new-found faith in Jesus Christ, focusing especially on what really matters in life and work. Having a proper focus can dramatically change the course of our individual lives. For instance, when a team is focused, whether in a workplace or an athletic field, it can greatly affect the results of their efforts. Not only in terms of achieving success, but also in knowing they are striving for excellence as they pursue a desired goal.

Over the years I have known this young fellow, it has become evident that he has been very focused in certain aspects of his life. However, his focus – an intense desire to become the best in a particular endeavor – has come at the expense of other facets of his life. That realization led us to talk about the significance of striking a proper balance, keeping things in the right priority.

I have learned this through personal experience going back more than 50 years. My first passion was baseball. Then golf took over in first place. I somehow completed college in four years, but my focus was definitely not on learning all that I could during those intense years of undergraduate study. Only later in life did I understand how important it is to focus properly on the various aspects of our complex lives.

My golf game has become an example for me. These days, I know there are times to focus on the next shot and then there are times to turn my focus to what’s going on around me. Golf has become a social outlet for me, so it would be quite inconsiderate to block out my playing partners and only focus on my game. That would detract from my greater goal to simply enjoy the walk around the course with friends. Even in competitive rounds, I still do my best to remain sociable and enjoy the company of others.

Early on in my insurance career I bought into the corporate philosophy of increasing my activity in order to help more clients and earn more money. It took four days of hospitalization with double pneumonia for God to get my attention and shift my attention onto what really matters. My focus turned from the love of money to a deep love of God and His people. That was the beginning of my journey of learning to love and care for those He places in my life every day.

As a follower of Christ, I have come to understand that I need to be obedient to my Savior and Lord, and His desire is for me to reflect on the oldest prayer found in Scripture, which is called the Shema’. Part of my daily prayer each morning, drawing from Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:37-39, goes something like this: “Lord, I love you with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength. Lord, please help me to love others as I love myself.”

In our roles in the marketplace, we have goals and objectives. Production and profits are at the forefront of our minds. But if we are to be effective, fruitful ambassadors for Christ, as 2 Corinthians 5:20 describes us, we would be wise to consider the apostle Paul’s counsel on what he termed “the fruit of the Spirit”: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Then he adds, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking and envying each other” (Galatians 5:22-26).

If we truly love the Lord and desire for our lives to reflect that, we need to focus on what really matters and live our lives accordingly.

© 2022, all rights reserved. Jim Langley has been writing for more than 30 years while working as a life and health insurance agent. In recent years, his passion has turned to writing about his relationship with God. His goal is to encourage others to draw near to Him as well. A long-time member of CBMC, he started writing “Fourth Quarter Strategies” in 2014.

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. How would you describe having a focus for your life? What things typically take priority as you approach the start of each day?  
2. What do you think happens when we choose the wrong focus for our lives?
3. Should we make a consistent, intentional effort to determine those things on which we choose to focus? What might result if we fail to seriously evaluate what we focus on and why?
4. In what ways can a determination to focus on loving and honoring God, and then in loving others – even sacrificially if necessary – influence our approach to our jobs and the outcomes we experience?

NOTE: For more about what the Bible says about this topic, consider the following passages:
Joshua 1:7-8; Ephesians 5:8-11; Philippians 3:7-9, 12-14; 1 Timothy 6:11-12

相關（靈修文章）：

• 週一嗎哪
• 讀經日引
• 荒漠甘泉
• 成語靈訓
• 真理再思
• 歲首到年終

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