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你如何投资你的生命？
By Lane Kramer
过去20多年来我一直以一个纯商业的立场与一些非常成功的执行长们在一起。他们当中有些人用非常少的资本就让公司成长到相当大的规模，然后以几百万美元将公司卖掉。有些人则能够雇用几百名员工，领导很大的公司。然而，我怀疑单单这些有形的商业指标就表示他们的生命成功吗？
当然，这答案取决于一个人如何定义成功。你如何定义你的生命是否成功？你是否用你赚多少钱来衡量成功？或你的公司成长到多大的规模？或者透过关系来衡量，例如你与上帝、朋友和家人的关系？你认为上帝会如何衡量你的生命是否成功？
对我而言，那问题的答案取决于在我的事业、我的家庭、我的教会、我的朋友圈、在整个商场，以及我所居住的美国德州达拉斯社区里，我是否实现上帝给我的目的，并且做上帝要我做的事。
我 衡量成功的方式是透过一个投资人的眼镜。每一天我必须决定我要把时间、才干、钱财、人脉资本和体力投资到哪里，才会带来最大的效益。这些都是上帝托付给我 的恩赐。要如何部署这些恩赐，以及要把它们部署在哪里的投资选择，不是件容易的事，但却是重要的事。如哥林多前书4章2-5节所说：“所求于管家的，是要他有忠心…（主）要照出暗中的隐情，显明人心的意念。那时，各人要从 神那里得著称赞。”
例如，在执行长协会之后，我是否留下来花更多时间使我的企业更成长，或者我把这段时间投资在家中，与我的妻子共进晚餐？礼拜天下午我是否固定花时间与我老迈的母亲谈天，或者我把这段时间用来看华尔街日报（Wall Street Journal），作投资研究？礼拜天早上我是去骑自行车，或是在教会里崇拜并参加主日学？我是否参加监狱服事，或是去乡村俱乐部参加会员的比赛？决定，决定。这些都需要来自上帝的智慧。
所有的投资人都想让资本得到最大的回报。那也正是我在整个生命中所要做的事。哥林多前书第4章和圣经其他经文告诉我，有一天上帝会检视我的一生，并要我说明我是如何投资祂所给我的恩赐。所以身为那些恩赐的管家，而非拥有者，我必须思考主人（真正的拥有者）会要我如何投资祂所托付我的一切。
我们应该寻求作一个好管家/投资人，因为我们爱上帝，且想要服事祂，上帝是我们的创造者，祂也了解我们的人性。祂知道我们都想要因为是好投资人而被肯定，被奖赏。而圣经清楚地说，上帝将因我们忠心地投资/管理祂在今生和天上所给我们的一切恩赐而奖赏我们。
在未来的“周一吗哪”里，我将提出一些特别的意见，是有关如何确保我们成为上帝托付我们照顾并使用之资源的好投资人。同时，花一些时间思考你在“生命投资”上做得如何。
连恩．克拉玛是德州达拉斯的商人，他成立一个会员制的组织“执行长协会”，帮助执行长建立符合圣经原则和价值观的世界级公司。他的网站是www.ceoinst.com。
省思 / 讨论题目
- 你个人如何定义成功？根据你的定义，到现在为止你会如何为你的进展评分？
- 本文作者建议把成功视为将我们所拥有的时间、才干和其他资源作好的投资。你是否同意？
- 哥林多前书4章谈到我们受到上帝的托付，要成为一个管家。你对此有何回应？
- 根据你所读到的，你认为要采取什么步骤才可成为一个更有效的管家，或者在职场中你如何作你可处置之时间、才能和其他资源的投资人？
注：若你有圣经且想要看有关此主题的其他经文，请看：
箴言12章24节，14章23节，20章5-6节，28章20节；马太福音24章45节，25章14-30节；路加福音16章10节；腓利门书6节
HOW ARE YOU INVESTING YOUR LIFE?
By Lane Kramer
Over the last 20 years I have been around some very successful CEOs from a purely business standpoint. Some of these people have taken very modest amounts of capital and have grown companies to a considerable size, and then sold them for millions of dollars. Others have been able to employ hundreds of people and lead very large companies. However, I wonder if these tangible business indicators alone mean they have truly been successful in life?
The answer to that, of course, depends on how a person defines success. How do you define success for your life? Do you measure success by how many dollars you earn, how big your company grows, or is it through a more relational approach, such as the quality of your relationships with God, friends and family members? How do you think God would measure success for your life?
For me, the answer to that last question is determined by whether I am fulfilling my God-given purpose and doing what God wants me to do in my business and my family, as well as my worship community, circle of friends, the marketplace as a whole, and the Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. community where I live.
One way I measure success is through the lens of an investor. Every day I have to determine where to maximize my investment of time, talents, treasure, relational capital, and physical energy. These are all gifts from God that He has entrusted to me. The investment choices of how and where to deploy them are not always easy, but they are important. As it says in 1 Corinthians 4:2-5, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful…. (the Lord) will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”
For example, do I spend more time “after hours” at The CEO Institute trying to further grow my business, or do I invest that same hour at home having dinner with my wife? Do I spend regular time on Sunday afternoon talking with my elderly mother, or do I devote the time to investment research in the Wall Street Journal? Do I ride my bicycle on Sunday morning, or do I invest that time worshipping at my church and attending Sunday school? Do I participate in a prison ministry event, or do I play in the member-guest tournament at the country club? Decisions, decisions. They require wisdom from God.
All investors try to maximize the return on investment of capital. That is precisely what I am trying to do in my life as a whole. As we are told in the passage from 1 Corinthians 4 and elsewhere in the Bible, I know one day God will review my life and ask for an accounting of how I invested the gifts He gave to me. So as a steward of those gifts, and not the owner, I have to think about how the Master (the true Owner) would have me invest what He has entrusted to me.
While we should primarily seek to be a good Steward/ Investor because we love God and want to serve Him, God as our Creator also understands our human nature. He knows we all want to be recognized and rewarded for being good investors. And the Bible makes it clear that God will reward us for our faithfulness in investing/stewarding all His gifts both in this life and in Heaven.
In a future “Monday Manna,” I will present some specific ideas on how we can ensure being good investors of the resources God has entrusted to our care and use. In the meantime, take some time and consider how you are doing in “life investing.”
Lane Kramer is a Dallas, Texas business who founded The CEO Institute, a membership-based organization to help CEOs build world-class companies consistent with biblical principles and values. His website is www.ceoinst.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- What is your personal definition of success? Based on your definition, how would you rate your progress to date?
- Mr. Kramer suggests viewing success in terms of being an investor of the time, talents and other resources we have. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- The passage from 1 Corinthians, chapter 4 talks about receiving a trust, or being made a steward, by God. How do you respond to this idea?
- In light of what you have read, what steps would you think could be helpful in becoming a more effective steward or investor of what you have at your disposal, including your time, abilities and other resources available to you in your workplace?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to review additional passages that relate to this topic, consider the following verses: Proverbs 12:24, 14:23, 20:5-6, 28:20; Matthew 24:45, 25:14-30; Luke 16:10; Philemon 6 (NIV, Amplified)
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