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面对人生的变化球
By:Robert J. Tamasy
1950 以前，棒球几乎是美国唯一的运动，当时甚至被称为全国性的休闲娱乐活动。但在第二次世界大战之后，棒球运动变成一个全球性的运动。美国大兵驻扎在日本和韩 国时，把这项运动带到当地，这股棒球热之后又传到了拉丁美洲、欧洲等地。今天棒球已经成为很多风行全世界的运动了！
为什么我要把“棒球”这个主题放进周一吗哪？因为棒球有一个特别的地方，那就是很多球员无法胜过的障碍：可怕的变化球。无法驾驭变化球的打击者没有办法成为职业球员，即便他们成为职业球员也很快就消失了。
我不太打棒球，但是一个朋友这样跟我解释：变化球总是在到达打击者的垒包时才转弯。当变化球来的时候，大部分的打者都会一直专注在他们认为会打到球的地方，而不是球本身，所以最后他们根本就没有打到球。
也 许你没有打过棒球，但你可能经历过类似的问题。我们的生活、职场，常常丢给我们变化球: 例如一个出其不意的变化搞得我们的原本的计划天翻地覆、或是一个重要的客户决定跟别人做生意、我们原本期待的升迁机会给了别人、一个剧烈的经济变化让销售 暴跌，让你的公司挣扎在生存的边缘、或是你的老板也许决定要大大更改你投入多时的计划等等。
类似的事情也可能发生在你个人的生活当中：也许是你接到的一个电话告诉你家里发生重大的危机、一个昂贵的设备或是车子坏掉，打乱你的财务计划、或是你的亲人被诊断出有重大的疾病等等。
重点是：你如何接这个变化球？我们在第一时间是慌张退缩，期望危机可以离开？还是用一个更积极正面的方式回应？以下是圣经告诉我们几个去面对生命中的变化球的原则：
第一、你也许没有准备好，但是有神已经准备好了。你不知道生活里下一步会发生什么事情，但是圣经说: “耶和华说：我知道我向你们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。”（耶利米书29章11节）
第二、你不用一个人独自面对这一切。神应许当我们面对不确定或是即将发生的危难时，我们不需要用害怕来反应，因为祂会与我们同行。“你不要害怕，因为我与你同在；不要惊惶，因为我是你的 神。我必坚固你，我必帮助你；我必用我公义的右手扶持你。”（以赛亚书41章10节）
第三、你会发现突然的转变是一个祝福而不是一个诅咒。当我们精心的计划不能如期实现的时候，我们可以用挫折、愤怒或是绝望来回应。但是通常修正或改变后的计划常常成为我们需要的计划。“人心筹算自己的道路；惟耶和华指引他的脚步。”（箴言16章9节）
劳 勃．泰默西是领袖资产协会的传播部副部长，这是一个总部在美国乔治亚州亚特兰大的非营利组织。他也是一个有40年经验的退休新闻工作者。他写过一本书“最 佳状态的商业：箴言给今日职场的历久弥新智慧”（Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace）。他也与David A. Stoddard合着一本书“导师之心”（The Heart of Mentoring）。要了解更多资讯, 可上网www.leaderslegacy.com 或上他的部落格www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com以及www.bobtamasy.wordpress.com 。
省思 / 讨论题目
- 你是否在打棒球的时候遇过变化球？或是在生活中有过类似的经验？描述一下这些经验。
- 在你的生活或是职场上每天要面对的“变化球”有哪些?你如何去面对和处理他们?你现在是否正在经历这样的状况？
- 当一些预期外的状况发生时，你最常用的回应方式是什么？
- 当你在处理突如其来的、计划外的或是很糟糕的状况时，知道神想要积极地和你一起处理是否带给你安慰和安全感？
注：若你有圣经且想要看有关此主题的其他经文，请看： 箴言3章5-6节、16章3-4节；以赛亚书26章3节；马太福音6章25-34节、11章28-30节、28章20节；约翰一书4章18节
HANDLING THE ‘DREADED CURVEBALL’
By Robert J. Tamasy
Prior to the 1950s, baseball was an almost exclusively American sport. It was often referred to as “the national pastime.” Following World War II, however, baseball became an export. American soldiers stationed in Japan and Korea introduced the sport there, enthusiasm for it spread into Latin America and parts of Europe, and today the game is played in many countries around the world.
The reason for bringing this subject into “Monday Manna” is one unique aspect to the sport, an obstacle that keeps many players from excelling: the “dreaded, late-breaking curveball.” Batters unable to master hitting this curveball either fail to reach the top professional level or, once they get there, soon disappear.
I never played much baseball, but a friend who did explains it this way: “It curves right about the time it gets to home plate. Most hitters’ eyes are focused on where they think they are going to hit the ball – and not on the ball itself.” As a result, instead of hitting the baseball where they intend, they fail to hit it at all.
Even if you have never played an inning of baseball, you have experienced this problem in other ways. Life, and the workplace, can throw us “curveballs” at times – instant, unexpected developments that turn our plans upside-down. An important customer may decide to take business elsewhere. An anticipated promotion might be awarded to someone else. A drastic economic shift could send sales plummeting, leaving your company scurrying to survive. Your boss might decide to make major changes to a project on which you have invested many hours and much energy for weeks.
Similar things can happen in our personal lives: You receive a phone call about a family crisis that has just emerged. An expensive appliance or your car breaks down, throwing your budget into turmoil. Someone close to you receives a serious health diagnosis.
The question becomes, “How will we handle this ‘curveball’?” When our first impulse is to panic – or to cower until the crisis hopefully subsides – how should we respond in a productive manner? The Bible offers numerous principles for handling the curveballs life throws at us. Here are just a few:
You might not be prepared, but Someone is. We cannot know what problems lurk around the next corner, or will confront us tomorrow, but God does. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
You do not have to face the unexpected alone. God promises when we are faced with uncertainty or impending calamity, we need not respond in fear. He will walk through the situation with us. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
You may discover the sudden change of plans is a blessing rather than a curse. When well-conceived plans fail to work out as expected, we can respond in frustration, anger or despair. Often, however, modified plans or a total change in direction will prove to be exactly what we needed. “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. A veteran journalist, he has written Tufting Legacies (iUniverse); Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace (River City Press); and has coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring (NavPress). For more information, see www.leaderslegacy.com or his blogs, www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com and www.bobtamasy.wordpress.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- Have you ever played baseball at any level and experienced “the dreaded late-breaking curveball,” or encountered something similar in another sport? If so, describe what that was like for you.
- What are some of the “curveballs” you have faced in everyday life, or in the workplace? Are you dealing with anything like that right now?
- When such unexpected developments occur, what has been your typical way of responding to them?
- Does it give you any comfort or reassurance to know God wants to be actively involved with you in handling sudden and unplanned changes or adverse circumstances? Why or why not?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:3-4; Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 6:25-34, 28:20, 11:28-30; 1 John 4:18
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