11. Manna issue 58 - Rise Without Compromise 無懼妥協勇往直前
How we can be true to our faith while on the job.
我們如何在職場時忠於自己的信仰。
Jason Chong—Pacifica, California, USA 美國加州太平洋教會
As we gear ourselves to a frantic pace on our career paths,
we may wonder how much of our achievements come at a loss to our identity.
After all these years,
do we still believe we are the same person with all of our principles intact?
Or have we become a Jekyll outside of work and a Hyde inside?
當我們在職場道路裝備自已瘋狂奔波時，
我們可能會想，自已的成就有多少是以失去自已的身分為代價的。
經過這麼多年，
我們是否仍相信自已是同一個人，而自已所有的原則都原封不動？
或者說，我們在工作上已經成為化身博士外表溫文儒雅的傑基爾且內心殘暴邪惡的海德？
For example, let’s look at the story of William Sullivan,
an IT worker who misused his access to very private and profitable information
and was discovered in July 2007.
例如，讓我們來看看這個故事，
威廉·沙利文 William Sullivan 是一名資訊科技的工作者，
他濫用自已的權限查詢非常私密及可圖利的信息，
並在 2007 年 7 月被發現 。
A senior database administrator for a consumer reporting agency in Florida
has admitted stealing more than 8.4 million account records
and selling them to a data broker.
He netted $580,000 over five years from the scheme.
佛羅里達州有一家消費者報告機構的高級資料庫管理員，
承認了竊取了超過 840 萬份帳號記錄，
並出售資料給經紀人。
五年來，他從該計謀淨賺了 58 萬美元。
William Gary Sullivan, a DBA for Fidelity National Information Services,
faces up to 10 years in federal prison and $500,000 in fines,
although prosecutors agreed to recommend a more lenient sentence in exchange for his guilty plea.
He’s also required to surrender all remaining proceeds and pay restitution to his victims.1
富達國家資訊服務公司 (Fidelity National Information Services) 的管理者，
威廉、加里、沙利文 (William Gary Sullivan)
面臨最高 10 年聯邦監禁及 50 萬美元的罰款，
儘管檢察官同意建議從輕處罰以換取他的認罪。
他還被要求上交所有剩餘收益，並向受害者支付賠償金。 1
We don’t know much about Mr. Sullivan from this excerpt,
yet we can imagine how he ended up this way.
After working at the same company for several years,
he has learned where the system starts and where it ends
and all the leaky holes in between.
從這段摘錄中，我們對沙利文先生了解不多，
但我們可以想像為何何會落得如此下場。
在同一家公司工作多年後，
他已經得知系統從哪裡開始，到哪裡結束，
以及其間的所有系統漏洞。
He is cautious at first and doesn’t want to be too greedy.
After the first successful try and no immediate retribution,
he goes for another and another and another
until the day the system finally catches up to him.
他一開始很謹慎，並不想太貪心。
在第一次成功嘗試後，並沒有立即受到報應，
他又進行了另一次，一次又一次
直到有一天，系統終於抓到他了。
Mr. Sullivan did not start out in the company as a thief, but he ended as one.
沙利文先生在公司開始時並不是一個小偷，但他最後卻成為了一個小偷。
CHRISTIANS AT WORK 職場的基督徒
We enter our respective workplaces as representatives of God’s blessings.
Think about it: we represent God Himself because He placed us where we are for His purpose.
I think of it as God staffing positions needed in the world.
So there must be a reason why we are there.
At the very least, we should represent our Master in the best way.
我們作為神祝福的代言人進入了各自的工作。
想想看：我們代表神本人，因為祂安置我們在現在之地，為了達成祂的目的。
我看這是神為世界安排所需的職位。
所以我們為何在那裡一定是有原因的。
至少，我們應該以最好的方式代表自已的主人。
After months or years at work, do we still represent our Master well?
Reflect upon the time from when you first started to work until now.
How have you changed from when you first entered the workforce?
Do you still have the same principles?
Do you pray more or less?
經過數月或數年的工作後，我們是否還能好好代表主人呢？
回想起從你剛開始工作到現在的這段時間。
與你剛進入公司時相比，自已發生了怎麼樣的變化呢？
你們是否還秉持著同樣的原則嗎？
你禱告的多還是少？
It is interesting to see what the state of our spirituality is
after we’ve been in the working environment for a while.
Has it grown or has it become worse?
看看自已的屬靈狀態是什麼樣子真的很有趣，
在我們進入職場一段時間之後。
自已的狀態變好了還是變得更糟了？
As we grow older we start to develop our own principles
that govern our day to-day interactions and determine how we handle situations.
These principles define who we are to other people.
For example, if a particular person never tells a lie
it becomes his principle to always tell the truth,
and hence he is viewed as an honest person.
隨著年齡增長，我們開始形成自己的原則，
那會影響我們日常的交往並決定自已如何處理狀況。
這些原則定義了我們在別人眼中是怎樣的人。
例如，如果某個人從不說謊，
那就成為他的原則始終講實話，
因此他被視為是一個誠實的人。
Compromising those principles will slowly erode our identities.
People will start to doubt our character.
妥協了這些原則將會慢慢敗壞自已的認同。
人們會開始懷疑我們的品格。
The same can be said of being a Christian.
Christians should have principles,
particularly those guided by biblical teachings.
Our adherence and actions in accordance to those principles
will separate us from those who don’t hold the same ideals.
If there were no separation, then do we allow ourselves to be called Christians?
身為基督徒也是如此。
基督徒應該有原則，
特別是那些受過聖經教導的人。
我們的堅持與行為都依照這些原則，
就會讓我們與那些沒有同樣想法的人有所分別。
若是沒有差別，那麼我們是否會讓自已被稱為基督徒呢？
DANIEL—AN EXEMPLARY CHILD OF GOD WITH CAREER SUCCESS
但以理─神的模範的兒子，事業有成
Throughout history, there have been God-fearing people
who held to godly principles in spite of ungodly surroundings.
Many of them even rose to great positions in their time.
縱觀歷史，一直都有敬畏神的人，
雖然周遭環境邪惡，他他仍然堅守神的原則。
他們有許多人甚至在當時都升至高位。
During Babylonian captivity,
Daniel, a young man from a noble family, was brought to Babylon.
Along with other captive Israelite youths,
he was taught the language and the literature of the Babylonians.
在巴比倫被虜期間，
但以理是一位貴族出身的年輕人，被帶去了巴比倫。
與其他被俘的以色列青年一起，
他學了巴比倫的語言和文學。
Daniel started off serving the king in a low position,
but he eventually became one of the three governors overseeing the entire empire
(Dan 6:1, 2).
While he gained power and riches,
he lost nothing of himself as a worshipper of the one true God.
但以理起初開始在低位服事國王，
但他最終成為治理整個帝國的三位總督之一
（但 6：1，2）
當他獲得權力和財富時，
作為獨一真神的敬拜者，他並沒有失去任何自我。
The amazing story of Daniel can be summed up as “rise without compromise.”
Indeed, he rose through the ranks of service through two Babylonian kings,
one Medo-Persian king, and one Persian king.
In today’s terms that would be equivalent to working in one company
and climbing the corporate ladder
while going through two corporate takeovers and four different managers.
但以理奇妙的故事可以概括為“不妥協的崛起”。
事實上，他透過兩任巴比倫王麾下職務階層逐步晉升，
一位是瑪代波斯王，而另一位是波斯王。
照今日的說法，這就相當於任職於一家公司，
並從基層一路升到高層，
期間經歷了兩次公司併購及四位不同的經理人。
We know that it’s not easy to get to the top in the business world.
We hear all the time of CEO’s of large companies getting indicted for various illegal activities.
Even if most employees never reach that stage of corruption,
office politics isn’t necessarily black and white.
我們知道，在商業世界中要爬到頂峰並不容易。
我們經常聽到大公司的執行長因各種非法活動而被起訴。
即使大多數員工從未達到那腐敗的階段，
辦公室政治不一定是非黑即白。
How did Daniel climb to the top?
Note that his enemies could find “no charge or fault, because he was faithful;
nor was there any error or fault found in him”
(Dan 6:4).
但以理是如何爬上巔峰的？
請注意，他的敵人可能會“4找不著他的錯誤過失，
因他忠心辦事，毫無錯誤過失。”
（但 6：4）
Daniel separated himself from the rest of Babylon,
and he refused to compromise his convictions right from the very beginning:
但以理與巴比倫其餘人分別，
他從一開始就拒絕妥協自己的信仰：
But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies,
nor with the wine which he drank;
therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
(Dan 1:8)
8但以理卻立志
不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，
所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。
（但 1：8）
Biblical historians have debated
as to why Daniel and his friends refused the king’s delicacies.
Food from the pagan king’s table during Babylonian times
could have been offered to idols before consumption.
Possibly, animals were not slaughtered and prepared according to the law of Moses.
聖經歷史學家一直爭論，
至於為何但以理和他的朋友拒絕王的美食。
在巴比倫時期自異教國王餐桌的食物，
可以早在食用前就已經先獻給偶像。
很有可能，動物並沒有照著摩西律法來進行屠宰和準備。
In any case, by refusing to eat the good food,
they would keep themselves from being defiled in the eyes of God.
無論如何，藉著拒絕吃好食物，
他們可以避免自己在神眼中受玷污。
Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.
And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel,
“I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink.
For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age?
Then you would endanger my head before the king.”
(Dan 1:9, 10)
9神使但以理在太監長眼前蒙恩惠，受憐憫。
10太監長對但以理說：
“我懼怕我主我王，他已經派定你們的飲食；
倘若他見你們的面貌比你們同歲的少年人肌瘦，怎麼好呢？
這樣，你們就使我的頭在王那裡難保。”
（但 1：9，10）
God did not help Daniel unconditionally.
Daniel had to first resolve not to compromise.
God then helped him in his endeavor
by moving the chief official to favor Daniel and listen to his appeal.
神並不是無條件的幫助但以理。
但以理必須先下定決心不妥協。
然後神才幫助他實現他奮鬥，
藉著感主管官員恩待但以理並聽取他的訴求。
The chief official could have thrown Daniel in jail
or executed him for disobeying the customs of the country,
for he had his own life to worry about if he failed to carry out the king’s orders.
Instead of taking “no” for an answer,
Daniel and his friends negotiated a plausible solution:
主管官員本可以將但以理關進監獄，
或因違反當地習俗而處死刑，
因為如果他不能執行國王的命令，他就要擔心自己的性命。
與其以“不”回答對方，
但以理和他許多的朋友商量出一個可行的解決方案：
So Daniel said to the steward
whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
“Please test your servants for ten days,
and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then let our appearance be examined before you,
and the appearance of the young men
who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies;
and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”
(Dan 1:11-13)
11但以理對太監長所派管理但以理、哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅的委辦說：
12求你試試僕人們十天，
給我們素菜吃，白水喝，
13然後看看我們的面貌和用王膳那少年人的面貌，
就照你所看的待僕人罷！
（但 1：11-13）
The official accepted the terms:
“So he consented with them in this matter,
and tested them ten days”
(Dan 1:14).
官員接受了這些條件：
“14委辦便允准他們這件事，
試看他們十天。”
（但 1：14）
From this account, we can see
how Daniel and his friends were very persistent with their beliefs.
However, they were also flexible enough to work with their superiors
to come up with a solution that was amicable to both parties.
從這個記錄我們可以看到，
但以理和他的朋友如何堅持自己的信仰。
然而，他們也很靈活，可以與長官合作，
來想出一個對雙方都友好的解決方案。
TO BE A MODERN-DAY DANIEL 成為現代的但以理
At our workplace, have we been similarly presented with situations
that conflict with our core Christian principles?
Did we compromise our principles without even trying to offer a solution?
Or did we attempt to meet halfway?
在我們的工作場所，我們是否遇到過類似的情況，
與我們核心的基督教原則互相衝突呢？
我們是否沒有嘗試提出解決方案的情況下就妥協了自已的原則？
或者我們嘗試過折衷處理？
In my line of work, I have access to many types of software.
People in my industry know much about copyright protection,
but we are equally savvy as to how to circumvent it.
Every piece of software my office acquires has specific limits on
who and how many people can use it.
在我的行業中，我可以接觸到許多類型的軟體。
我這行業的人都很清楚版權保護，
但我們同樣很精通要如何繞過它。
我辦公室購買的每一款軟體都有特定的限制，
在誰及多少人可以使用它。
There was one time where a member of the faculty in the department
where I work needed a piece of software for commercial research
outside of the sphere of his academic position.
However, the program we had was strictly for educational use only.
Of course, there was no way for the company to ever find out what the software was used for.
有一次，系裡的一位教員，
在我工作的地方需要一款商業研究的軟體，
超出了他學術職位的範圍。
然而，我們的程式嚴謹規範只可教育使用。
當然，公司根本無法得知該軟體的用途。
My boss told me to go ahead and install the program for that faculty member.
I objected because of the legalities.
I felt that professor should buy the research version.
我老闆要給予許可為那位教員安裝程式。
我因合法性問題而提出反對。
我覺得那位教授應該購買研究版。
My boss and I had a conversation
in which he made it known he really wanted to please the professor.
Then he proceeded to tell me how ridiculous software laws and restrictions are
and that companies are just too greedy.
老闆和我談話，
那時他表明自己確實想取悅教授。
然後他繼續告訴我軟體法律和限制是多麼荒謬，
而且那公司太貪婪了。
My situation was nowhere near the difficulty Daniel faced.
However, I knew that it wasn’t the right thing to do.
Even though this was a small matter,
I still think if you give an inch, they’ll take a mile.
I’ve come to realize
that the little things that we easily dismiss
are the things that will slowly wear away our principles.
我的情況與但以理所面臨的困難相比，根本不算什麼。
然而，我知道這不是正確的做法。
雖然這只是一件小事，
我仍然認為，如果你讓一小步，他們就會得寸進尺。
我意識到，
我們很容易忽略的這些小事，
這些事情會慢慢侵蝕我們的原則。
Every time I give away my principles,
a little bit of me as a Christian disappears.
It also gets harder to draw the line
when you’ve already crossed it many times.
It gives you less leverage to use
the next time you are asked to do something you are not comfortable with.
每次我放棄自已的原則，
我作為基督徒的一小部份就消失了。
而且要劃清界線也變得更加困難了，
由其是你已經很多次跨越它。
它減少了你掌握的主導權，
下次若你被受求去做一些你感到不適的事情。
I believe that God will surely bless us for doing things that please Him.
We may run into obstacles but somehow,
some way, God will make it work.
We just have to have the strong conviction and persistence
to not give up our principles.
Like Daniel, let’s not take no for an answer.
We can always come up with another solution
that doesn’t lead to a compromise.
As long as we try, God will exhibit His mercy
and help us like He did Daniel and his friends.
我相信神一定會祝福我們去作那些祂喜悅的事情。
我們可能會遇到障礙，但無論如何，
不管怎樣，神都會順利開路。
我們只需要有堅定的確信和堅持，
不去放棄自已的原則。
就像但以理一樣，我們不要去接受“否定”的答案。
我們總能找到其他的解決方案，
這不會導致需要妥協。
只要我們試看看，神就會展現祂的仁慈，
並像祂幫助但以理和他的朋友一樣來幫助我們。
And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh
than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.
Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink,
and gave them vegetables.
(Dan 1:15, 16)
15過了十天，見他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人更加俊美肥胖。
16於是委辦撤去派他們用的膳，飲的酒，
給他們素菜吃。
（但 1：15，16）
Today, my department adheres more strictly to licensing policies.
No more lengthy discussions on the matter,
only what is and what is not the right thing to do
and what is an amicable solution.
如今，我的部門遵守更嚴格的軟體授權規範。
不再就此事項進行冗長的討論，
只有進行正確與不是正確的事情，
以及什麼是友好解決方案。
God is watching all of us all the time.
He sent us into the world to bring the good word to all of mankind.
A job is a blessing, and He places us all strategically.
We enter the workforce as children of God,
and when it’s our time to leave,
we will hopefully leave in the same manner.
神無時無刻都看顧在我們大家。
祂差派我們來到這個世界，給全人類帶來福音。
工作是一種祝福，祂給我們大家精心安排。
我們以神子女身分進入職場，
當我們要離開的時候，
我們會希望以同樣的狀態離開。
1. http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/12/04/admin_steals_consumer_records/,
viewed December 2008
IT pro admits stealing 8.4M consumer records
1. http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/12/04/admin_steals_consumer_records/,
瀏覽日期：2008 年 12 月
IT 專業人士承認竊取 840 萬筆消費記錄
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