在商業和專業的領域，我們會欽佩堅強而勇敢的領袖。公司的股東通常會尋找自豪、堅定有自信的人來領導他們的組織，因為這樣的領袖，他們的勇氣、信心和決心似乎不可動搖。耶穌基督在「登山寶訓」中宣稱：「溫柔的人有福了，因為他們必承受地土。」（馬太福音 5章5節），但公司董事會通常不會希望像這樣的人擔任他們公司的領導角色。

 諷刺的是，破碎是一種特質，通常有助於塑造剛強領導者的性格。當他們在面對很大的艱難、失敗和沮喪的掙扎時，卻更加的堅忍不拔，走出困境，成為一個更有韌性、更謙卑的人。為什麼破碎是一種如此有利的「資產」？因為它幫助人們以憐憫、敏感和理解來領導團隊。他們能夠覺察到自己也有軟弱和不足，進而能學會如何去信任和依賴他們周圍所組建的團隊成員。

在我早年擔任一家小型社區報紙的編輯期間，基本上我是一個人單打獨鬥，負責處理每次發行的大部分寫作和報導、攝影、編輯和設計。我向出版商匯報，但大部分的編輯工作都是我自己完成的，包括決策。這是一項令人疲勞且艱鉅的的任務。結果，我犯的錯誤比我可容忍的額度還要多。   在後來的報業職涯中，我有一個完整的編輯團隊，我能夠依靠其他記者和編輯人員各自的技能和經驗，將職責委派給他們。與他人合作，並分享彼此的想法，以創造出最佳的產品，對我是一種極大的釋放。

在以色列王大衛統治的大部分時間裡，他也是靠自己的努力。人民對他懷有崇高的敬意，銘記他在戰時的諸多功績。他也有顧問，但他常常依靠自己的判斷，這有時對他很不利。他的成功，似乎讓他沖昏了頭。

在撒母耳記下第11章中，我們發現，當大衛的軍隊和軍事將領出去打仗時，他仍留在耶路撒冷。他在王宮的平頂上看見一位極漂亮的婦人 – 拔示巴，正在沐浴，並認為身為一國之君，他有權滿足自己的慾望，從而導致了一連串嚴重的後果。

直到後來面對先知拿單時，大衛王才承認他的過犯，並轉向上帝尋求饒恕。大衛的悔改在詩篇51篇中的開頭，發出一段強有力的宣言，在其中他公開承認自己的錯誤，並請求主恢復他。

大衛的禱告：「上帝啊，求你按你的慈愛憐恤我！按你豐盛的慈悲塗抹我的過犯！ 求你將我的罪孽洗除淨盡，並潔除我的罪！」（詩篇 51篇1-2節）禱告後，大衛提出了一個激動人心的請求：「上帝啊，求你為我造清潔的心，使我裏面重新有正直( – 或譯：堅定)的靈。不要丟棄我，使我離開你的面；不要從我收回你的聖靈。求你使我仍得救恩之樂，賜我樂意的靈扶持我。」（詩篇 51篇10-12節）

大衛的總結禱告：「上帝所要的祭就是憂傷的靈；上帝啊，憂傷痛悔的心，你必不輕看。」（詩篇 51篇17節）在我們事奉主的過程中，破碎痛悔的心也能為神所悅納，讓我們能成為更好、更有效的領導者。

© 2022. Robert J. Tamasy 撰寫了《職場大使：CBMC的持續性傳統-傳福音及門徒訓練》；《企業巔峰：給今日職場從箴言而來永恆的智慧》；與Ken Johnson合著《用牧羊人的心追求生活》；與 David A. Stoddard 合著《導師之心》。他的雙週部落格是：www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com

備註：如果你手上有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請參考以下經文：

詩篇 26篇3節
因為你的慈愛常在我眼前，我也按你的真理而行。
箴言 4章23節
4:23 你要保守你心，勝過保守一切( – 或譯：你要切切保守你心)，因為一生的果效是由心發出。
箴言16章2節
16:2 人一切所行的，在自己眼中看為清潔；惟有耶和華衡量人心。
箴言17章3節
17:3 鼎為煉銀，爐為煉金；惟有耶和華熬煉人心。
箴言20章9節
20:9 誰能說，我潔淨了我的心，我脫淨了我的罪？
約翰福音 15章5節
15:5我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裏面的，我也常在他裏面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你們就不能做甚麼。
腓立比書 4章13節
4:13 我靠那加給我力量的，凡事都能做。
彼得前書 5章5-6節
5:5 你們年幼的，也要順服年長的。就是你們眾人也都要以謙卑束腰，彼此順服；因為上帝阻擋驕傲的人，賜恩給謙卑的人。
5:6 所以，你們要自卑，服在上帝大能的手下，到了時候，他必叫你們升高。

反省與問題討論

1. 你認為哪些特質，對成為一名有效的領導者是重要的？
2. 為什麼在考慮一個人是否有資格領導時，破碎似乎是一個不太可能被納入考慮的特質？
3. 你如何定義破碎，它與一個人的性格發展有關嗎？你是否曾認識過因生活經歷和掙扎而被完全破碎的領袖，但卻因此變得更加堅強？如果有，請簡單描述這個人。 
4. 再看看詩篇 51篇10-12節 中的禱告，試著用你的話來表達。你認為讓上帝在某人身上創造一顆「清潔的心」並在他們身上「重新有正直( – 或譯：堅定)的靈。」是什麼意思？你認為破碎在一個人與主的關係中，扮演著重要的角色嗎？如果是，為什麼？

THE BOUNTIFUL BENEFITS OF BROKENNESS

By Robert J. Tamasy

In the business and professional world, we admire strong and bold leaders. Stakeholders in companies typically look for proud, assertive individuals to head their organizations, whose courage, confidence, and determination seem unshakable. In His “sermon on the mount,” Jesus Christ declared, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5), but corporate boards of directors typically do not want people like that for leadership roles in their companies.

Ironically, brokenness is a quality that often helps to shape the characters of strong leaders – people who have struggled through great adversity, failure, and discouragement, but persevered to come out the other side as more resilient, more humble individuals. Why is brokenness such an advantageous “asset”? Because it helps men and women lead with compassion, sensitivity, and understanding. They perceive their own weakness and shortcomings, which enables them to learn how to trust and rely on members of the team they have assembled around them.

During my early years as editor of a small community newspaper, I was essentially a one-man band, handling most of the writing and reporting, photography, editing and design of each edition. I reported to a publisher, but did most of the editorial work myself, including decision-making. It was a tiresome, often daunting task. As a result, I made more than my share of mistakes.

Later in my newspaper career, I had a full editorial staff and was able to rely on the respective skills and experience of other reporters and editors, delegating responsibilities to them. It was a great relief to collaborate with others and share ideas for creating the best possible product.

During much of his reign, King David of Israel also worked on his own. His people held him in high esteem, remembering his many wartime exploits. He had advisors, but typically relied on his own judgment – sometimes to his great detriment. His success, it seems, went to his head.

In 2 Samuel 11, we find David remaining in Jerusalem while his army and military leaders went off to war. He spotted a stunning woman, Bathsheba, bathing on a nearby rooftop, and reasoned that as king he had the regal right to satisfy his sexual desire for her, leading to a series of dire consequences.

Only when later confronted by the prophet Nathan did King David confess his transgressions and turn to God for forgiveness. Out of David’s repentance came a powerful entry in the Psalms in which he openly acknowledged his wrongdoing and asked the Lord for restoration.

After praying, “according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1-2), David made a stirring request: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12).

David concluded, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). In our service to the Lord, our broken and contrite hearts also can be pleasing to Him. And as a result, they can make us better, more effective leaders.

© 2022. Robert J. Tamasy has written Marketplace Ambassadors: CBMC’s Continuing Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, coauthored with Ken Johnson; andThe Heart of Mentoring, coauthored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. What are qualities that you believe are important for being an effective leader?
2. Why does brokenness seem an unlikely characteristic when considering whether someone of qualified to lead?
3. How would you define brokenness, as it relates to the development of a person’s character? Have you ever known a leader who was truly broken by life’s experiences and struggles, yet seemed stronger because of them? If so, describe this person briefly.
4. Look at the prayer in Psalm 51:10-12 again? Try to express it in your words. What do you think it means to have God create a “clean heart” in someone and “renew a steadfast spirit” in them? Do you think brokenness plays an important role in one’s relationship with the Lord? If so, why?     

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Psalm 26:3; Proverbs 4:23, 16:2, 17:3, 20:9; John 15:5; Philippians 4:13; Peter 5:5-6

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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