11. Manna issue 62 - Becoming One's Own Boss: A Christian's Journey 成為自己的主人：基督徒的旅程
Shawn Chou—San Jose, California, USA 美國加州聖荷西
January 31, 1998, is one of the most memorable days of my life that I will never forget.
Every time I get a chance to share my story,
I’m reminded of the amazing grace God bestowed on me and my family.
1998年 1 月 31 日，是我一生最難忘的日子之一，我永遠不會忘記。
每次我有機會分享自已的故事時，
我就會想起，神給我和家人的奇妙恩典。
THE DECISION 決心
One day, out of the blue, my boss asked me
if I had ever thought about starting my own business.
I had nine years of marketing experience that would serve me well
if I chose to do that.
I had never thought about becoming my own boss
because I didn’t believe I would ever be successful.
There is a Chinese saying that goes, “No trickery, no business.”
I just do not have the personality or mindset to be a businessman.
有一天，老闆突然問我，
如果我有沒有曾經想過要自己去創業。
我有九年的行銷經驗，這將對我很有幫助，
如果我選擇去那樣做。
我從來沒有想過成為自己的老闆，
因為我從不相信自己會成功。
中國有句俗話：「無術不成事」。
我只是沒有成為商人的個性或心態。
Moreover, I had personally witnessed a few friends
start their own business only to end up losing their savings
and putting their families in dire situations.
So I questioned myself over and over
if I could survive on this path before finally making a decision on what I should do.
而且我還親眼目睹了幾個朋友，
自己創業卻最終損失了積蓄，
而使他們的家人陷入困境。
於是我一遍又一遍的詢問自己，
是否我能在這條路上生存下來，在最後決定自已該做什麼事之前。
I had toyed with a few ideas of what I wanted to do with my career for the rest of my life,
and these considerations became more serious after my boss’s suggestion.
I wanted to spend more time with my elderly parents,
who lived in San Jose,
so I would have to find a job there.
My wife suggested I study for a computer science degree
so that I could change industries.
But I felt too old to be a student and to start something new all over again.
我曾考慮過一些關於自已餘生，所想要從事職業的想法，
在我老闆的建議之後，這些想法變得更加認真了。
我想花更多的時間陪伴自已年邁的父母，
他們住在聖荷西的人，
所以我將必須在那裡找到一份工作。
我的妻子建議我攻讀電腦科學學位，
這樣我就可以轉變產業。
但我覺得自己太老了，無法成為學生並重新開始新的事物。
I really struggled for quite some time with the idea of starting my own business.
It was a major decision and I really prayed to the Lord and asked for His guidance.
After a period of prayers, I felt great peace in my heart and confidence to give it a try.
I believed God would give me signs
if He did not want me to continue down this path.
我確實在自己創業的想法上，掙扎了很長的一段時間。
這是一個重大決定，我真的向主祈求，並尋求祂的帶領。
經過一段時間的禱告之後，我內心感到非常的平安，也有信心去嘗試。
我相信神會給我異象，
如果祂不想讓我繼續走下去這條路。
It was a major turning point in my life.
I felt like I had lost my career after I quit a successful job
that I enjoyed over nine years.
My wife had also given up her dream to be a licensed pharmacist in New Jersey.
But we had faith that somehow, the Lord would provide.
這是我人生一個重大的轉捩點。
而我在這九年樂在其中，
我辭掉一份我享受了九年多的成功工作之後。
我妻子也放棄了夢想，以成為新澤西州有執照的藥劑師。
但我們相信，無論如何主會預備。
On January 31, 1998, I moved from New Jersey to California to start my own business.
1998 年 1 月 31 日，我從新澤西州搬到加州，開始自己的事業。
A BOSS IN FAVOR WITH GOD: TRUST AND OBEY 蒙神喜悅的主人：信靠與服從
Starting up a business takes a lot of hard work.
I still remember walking into my office at 6 am.
It felt even harder to do this on dark winter mornings,
when most people were still asleep.
Early mornings were prime business time for me
because most of the suppliers I bought from
and the customers I sold to were in earlier time zones.
創業需要付出很多的努力。
我仍然記得早上六點走進自已的辦公室。
在黑暗冬日的早晨，這樣做感覺更加困難，
當大多數人還在睡覺的時候。
清晨是我的黃金工作時間，
因為大部分我採買的供應商，
以及我銷售的客戶，都位於較早的時區。
I thank God for sustaining a sense of determination in me,
which is crucial when a business is only in its initial stages.
However, I had other worries, too.
How do I go about marketing my company?
How do I earn the trust of suppliers and clients?
Since English is not my native language,
will people even consider doing business with me?
我感謝神，讓我保持堅定，
當事業還處於初始階段之時，這一點至關重要。
然而，我還有其他的憂慮。
我該如何著手行銷自已的公司呢？
我應該如何贏得供應商和客戶的信任呢？
由於英語不是我的母語，
大家會想要與我做生意嗎？
I had my worries, but trusting in God was all that I could do.
If it was His will, I trusted that He would give me His blessings.
我有自已的憂慮，但我能做的就是信靠神。
如果這是祂的旨意，我相信祂會給我祝福。
Another challenge I faced was greed.
我面對的另一個挑戰就是貪婪。
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,
for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
(1 Tim 6:10)
10貪財是萬惡之根。
有人貪戀錢財，就被引誘離了真道，
用許多愁苦把自己刺透了。
（提前 6：10）
In the first year of my company,
I had a chance to gain more profit by concealing reduced prices from suppliers.
If I didn’t share this information with my clients,
I could earn more money because my agreement was to share the profit margin with my clients.
But if I didn’t tell them, they would not know or find out.
在我公司的第一年，
我有機會因為隱瞞供應商的降價來獲得更多利潤。
如果我不分享這些訊息給自已的客戶，
我就可以賺更多的錢，因為我的合約是與自已的客戶分享利潤。
但如果我不告訴他們，他們就不會知道或發現。
But I told myself that I needed to be an honest businessman
because I was one of the chosen people of God.
I could make a little more money by not disclosing some information,
but doing that would provoke the wrath of God.
So I told my clients that my supplier reduced his selling price.
I knew this would sound foolish to many people,
but I believed God would guide me and bless me if I kept His words.
但我告訴自己，我需要成為一個誠實的商人，
因為我是神的選民之一。
因著不透露一些資訊，我可以多賺一點錢，
但這樣做會激起神的憤怒。
所以我告訴客戶，我的供應商降低了售價。
我知道，這對很多人來說聽起來很愚蠢，
但我相信，如果我遵守祂的話語，神會引導我並祝福我。
Left on its own, human desire knows no satisfaction.
Owning one’s business brings with it opportunities
to commit different degrees of fraud
so as to maximize profits.
A Christian is not spared from such temptations.
若任由其自行發展，人類的慾望就不會滿足。
擁有自己的事業會帶來很多機會，
去進行不同程度的詐欺行為，
從而達到利潤最大化。
基督徒也不能倖免於這樣的引誘。
For example, I could deceivingly increase the weight of the products I shipped to my customers
and charge them more money.
I knew how it could be done if I was greedy and wanted to earn more money.
But I always swept such thoughts out of my mind as quickly as they appeared.
We need to train our minds not to let evil thoughts linger.
例如，我可以欺騙性地增加送給客戶的產品重量，
並且向他們收取更多的費用。
我知道如果我很貪心，並且想賺更多的錢，事情可以怎麼辦。
但我總是在這些想法一出現，就將其從腦海清除。
我們需要訓練我們的內心，不要讓邪惡的想法徘徊。
Money can divert our hearts away from God’s words.
To overcome such temptations,
we need to cultivate our spiritual life daily
and constantly meditate upon God’s words in our mind and prayers.
金錢會轉變我們的內心而遠離神的話語。
要克服這樣的引誘，
我們需要每天培養我們的屬靈生活，
並且不斷在心裡和禱告中，默想神的話話。
BUMPS ALONG THE WAY—TRUSTING HIM STILL 一路坎坷—仍然相信祂
Owning a business involves a lot of risk.
I have been cheated a few times by either my suppliers or customers
since I started my business.
擁有一家企業會涉及許多風險。
我曾被供應商或客戶欺騙過好幾次，
自從我開始創業以來。
I started out being too naive and trusting.
In my company’s first year,
I agreed to the terms of open payment with a customer in Bolivia
because I thought he was a very trustworthy person.
I continued to ship new products to him
even before he paid me for previous shipments.
我一開始實在是太天真、太容易信任別人了。
我公司成立的第一年，
我同意給玻利維亞客戶放帳的付款條件，
因為我覺得，他是一個非常值得信賴的人。
我甚至繼續向他寄送新的產品，
甚至在他向我支付之前貨款之前。
It turned out that the payments were uncollectible.
By the time I found out that he was a fraud and had closed his US bank account,
I had lost $110,000.
That was all of the savings I had.
事情發展的結果，這筆款項無法收回。
當我發現他是個騙子，並關閉了他的美國銀行帳戶時，
我已經損失了 11 萬美元。
這就是我所有的積蓄了。
This happened about the same time my beloved mother passed away in a car accident.
I loved my mother very much.
I moved my family to California just to be close to her.
With this double blow, I felt like I had fallen into the bottom of the abyss.
這件事大約就在我深愛的母親，因車禍過世之時同時發生。
我非常深愛我的母親。
我舉家搬到加州，只是為了更親近她。
一受到這樣的雙重打擊，我感覺自己跌入了萬丈深淵。
But I had to stand back up.
Instead of regretting the decision to move to California
and beating myself up for losing so much money,
I turned to the memories of the precious seven months
my family had with my mother in her final days.
I recalled the joy on her face whenever she was with my children.
但我不得不再站立起來。
不是去後悔搬到加州的決定，
並且自責自己損失了這麼多的錢，
我回想起那珍貴的七個月，
我家人在母親最後的日子裡陪伴著她。
我記得每當她與我的子女在一起的時候，她臉上充滿了喜悅。
It was a difficult period but God guided me through it.
In spite of encountering such difficulties,
my mind was still very peaceful.
I did not feel any panic or lose confidence.
I could even see many positive aspects of my decision amid the setbacks.
那是一段艱難的時期，但神引導我走過。
儘管遇到這樣的困難，
我的內心還是很平安。
我沒有感到任何恐慌，或是失去信心。
我甚至可以看到我決定和挫折許多的積極面。
I found that I had more time to help with church work
because I had better flexibility and control over my time as my own boss.
I used to have to work overtime and even on Sabbath days as an employee.
Being my own boss meant more time to nourish my spiritual life.
This realization gave me much courage not to let the major financial loss get me down.
我發現自已有更多時間去幫助教會聖工，
因為身為自己的老闆，我對自己的時間更有的彈性和控制。
我曾經身為員工，必須加班，甚至在安息日加班。
自己當老闆代表了，有更多的時間來培養自已的靈命。
這種體認給了我很大的勇氣，不要讓重大的經濟損失而導致自已沮喪。
I had not planned to serve the Lord more than I previously did.
But I could feel the Spirit compelling me
and giving me more opportunities to serve Him during this time.
我並沒有比以前，去計劃更常事奉主。
但我能感覺，聖靈在驅使自已，
在這段時間，給我更多的機會來事奉祂。
I also gradually realized that it was not God’s will for me
to expand my company but to serve Him more instead.
Once in a while, I would have some ambitious ideas
and even the opportunities to expand my company by putting in more time and money.
But, thank God, those ideas faded away
after studying the words of God in my daily spiritual cultivation.
我也漸漸意識到，這不是神給我的旨意，
去擴大自已的公司，而是反過來更常去事奉祂。
偶爾，我會有一些野心勃勃的想法，
甚至還得到機會，去投入更多時間和金錢，來擴大公司規模。
但是，感謝神，這些想法漸漸消失了，
在我每天的靈修中，研習神的話語之後。
A BOSS IN FAVOR WITH MEN 蒙人喜稅的主人
As Christians, we should always strive to be in favor with both God and men
(Lk 2:52)
in all our ways.
In my business dealings,
I tell myself to adhere to this same principle.
身為基督徒，我們應該總要努力得到神和人的關愛，
（路 2：52）
以我們一切所行的路上。
在我的事業往來之中，
我告訴自己，要堅持這同樣的原則。
Having your own business means having employees who work for you.
It is important to treat employees with love and care.
This includes showing sincere concern for their well-being and acknowledging their efforts.
擁有自己的事業代表了，擁有員工為你工作。
用愛和關懷對待員工是很重要的。
這包括表現出真誠關心他們的福利，並且承認他們的努力。
I had an employee who worked for me for almost four years.
I really thank God for giving me such good help.
I liked him because he was a sincere and honest person,
not to mention responsible and hardworking.
我有一位員工為我工作幾乎四年。
我真的很感謝神，給了我這麼好的幫助。
我喜歡他，因為他是個真心誠實的人，
更不用說負責任和勤奮了。
In 2005, business was really slow and sales were at an all-time low for six months.
I told this employee that I had to let him go in one month’s time
and that he should start looking for another job.
He pleaded with me to reconsider my decision
because he had a mortgage to pay and needed to support his poor family.
2005 年，生意真的很不景氣，銷售額連續六個月處於歷史最低點。
我告訴這位員工，一個月後我必須讓他走，
他應該開始尋找另一份工作。
他懇求我重新考慮我的決定，
因為他有房款要支付，需要養活他貧困的家庭。
I realized how badly he needed the job
and how much of an impact it would have on many people if I let him go.
Even though I was in a tight financial situation myself,
I decided that he could continue to work for me
until a good job offer came his way,
and he stayed for two more years.
我意識到，他多麼需要這份工作，
如果我讓他離開，會給很多人產生很大的影響。
儘管我自己的經濟狀況很緊張，
我決定他可以繼續為我工作，
直到有一份好工作出現在他面前，
他又待了兩年。
My relationship with this employee developed into true friendship.
Currently, he works for a large Internet company, and we still go out to lunch once in a while.
He still has keys to my office and is free to visit anytime he wants.
When I have problems with my computers,
he’s the one who fixes them.
我和這位員工的關係，形成成了真正的友誼。
目前，他給一家大型網路公司工作，我們偶爾仍會出去午餐。
他仍有我辦公室的鑰匙，只要他想都可以隨時來訪。
當我電腦有問題時，
他是解決這些問題的人。
The Bible gives us good guidelines on how to be a good boss.
“Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair,
knowing that you also have a Master in heaven”
(Col 4:1).
Pay and benefits are not the only ways to keep good employees.
Beyond reasonable pay and benefits,
I believe there are other areas in which we need to be right and fair to our employees,
including our attitude and the way we treat them.
聖經給我們良好的指引，要如何成為一位好雇主。
“1你們作主人的，要公公平平的待僕人，
因為知道你們也有一位主在天上。”
（西 4：1）。
薪資和福利並不是留住優秀員工的唯一方法。
除了合理的薪資和福利之外，
我相信，還有其他方面，我們要正確和公平對待員工，
包括我們對待他們的態度和方式。
WANT TO BECOME YOUR OWN BOSS? 想成為自己的主人嗎？
We can make plans but we can’t force our plans to happen,
because everything is under the will of God, who holds our future.
If you have ideas of starting your own business,
a period of praying is necessary, perhaps even fasting,
so you understand His will.
我們可以制定計畫，但我們不能強迫自已的計劃發生，
因為一切都在神的旨意之下，神掌管我們的未來。
如果你有創業的想法，
一段時間的禱告是必要的，甚至可能要禁食，
這樣你就能明白祂的旨意。
Come now, you who say,
“Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city,
spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.
For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Instead you ought to say,
“If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
(Jas 4:13-15)
13嗐！你們有話說：
「今天明天我們要往某城裡去，
在那裡住一年，做買賣得利。」
14其實明天如何，你們還不知道。
你們的生命是甚麼呢？
你們原來是一片雲霧，出現少時就不見了。
15你們只當說：
「主若願意，我們就可以活著，也可以做這事，或做那事。」
（雅 4:13-15）
If your intention to become your own boss is due to greediness
or some other wrong motive,
then you may not receive blessing from our Lord.
It doesn’t mean you will fail in your business,
but you may end up losing your faith.
如果你想自己當老闆，是因為貪婪，
或是其他錯誤的動機，
那麼你就可能得不到我們主的祝福。
這並不代表你的生意會失敗，
但你最終可能會失去信心。
Money and power should not be our priorities
because these things do not give us true peace
or help us in our spiritual journey.
Whatever career path we are considering,
we should evaluate how certain factors would impact our faith.
At no point in time should we ever imagine we are strong enough
to engage in battle with worldly distractions,
and we should not think that we will never fall.
金錢和權勢不應該是我們的重點，
因為這些事情並不會給我們帶來真正的平安，
或是有助益我們的靈性之旅。
無論我們正在考慮什麼職業道路，
我們應該衡量到底有那些因素，將如何影響自已的信仰。
無論在任何時候，我們都不應該想像自己夠堅強，
能與世上的干擾進行博鬥，
我們不應該認為，自已永遠不會跌倒。
If we constantly seek God while being our own boss,
we will have the opportunity to improve our relationship with Him
and be blessed by Him in our work.
如果我們自己做老闆的同時，不斷尋求神，
我們將有機會改善與祂的關係，
並在我們的工作中得到祂的祝福。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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