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哥林多前书4:1-5：人应当以我们为基督的执事，为神奥秘事的管家。2所求于管家的，是要他有忠心。3我被你们论断，或被别人论断，我都以为极小的事，连我自己也不论断自己。4我虽不觉得自己有错，却也不能因此得以称义；但判断我的乃是主。5所以，时候未到，甚么都不要论断，只等主来，他要照出暗中的隐情，显明人心的意念。那时，各人要从神那里得着称赞。
在我的职业生涯中，我对自己和我的工作人员都做过很多专业的评审。这些评审有助于我从另一个角度看待我自己。有时候我认为自己做得不够好，但是那些评审我的人却和我有不同的意见。也有些时候，我也会收到建设性的批评，这让我看到了自己所缺失的东西。
但这样的评审也存在危险。无论是我评估自己，还是接受同行对我的评审，总有一种危险，那就是评审可能针对的是我这个人，而不是神的工作。如果我的服事仅仅是为了取悦我的会众，那我就完全失去了重点。重要的是我做的工是上帝要我做的，重要的是我要对他的呼召忠心。
今天早晨，我听到了对最高法院法官尼尔·戈萨奇的采访。他回忆起当他还是实习律师的时候，他的导师拜伦·怀特法官，陪他一路穿过法院大厅的过道，墙壁上挂着所有法官的画像。他问戈萨奇是否知道他们的名字。他的脸红了，承认他只知道其中的一半。怀特法官说：“我也不全知道，但事情就该这样。”他的意思是一个法官在最高法院工作的目的不是为了自己的名声，而是为了完成法院的工作。
作为一名牧师，如果我的服事只是为了试图取悦会众，只是为了自己的名声，那我就完全失去了重点。重要的是服事基督，做福音奥秘事的好管家。 祷告：主耶稣，请赐给我一颗施洗约翰的心，他说过他必衰微，你必兴旺。谢谢你呼召我进入你的事工，让我做福音的执事（仆人）。求你使我在你所召我作的一切事上忠心。更重要的是，愿你的名因我所做的一切，所说的一切而得荣耀。阿们。
1 Corinthians 4: This is the way a person should think of us: as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2 In this connection, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But it is a trivial matter to me if I am evaluated by you or by a day in a human court. Why, I do not even evaluate myself. 4 I do not in fact know of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this; rather, the one who evaluates me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing ahead of time, until the Lord comes. He will bring to light whatever is hidden in darkness and also reveal the intentions of hearts. Then there will be praise for each person from God. (EHV)
I have done a number of professional evaluations in my career, both of myself and of people on my staff. They can be helpful in that it allowed me to see myself in a different light. There were times when I thought I wasn’t doing well in my work, when those who evaluated me spoke differently. And there were times when I received constructive criticism that opened my eyes to something I was missing.
But there is a danger in evaluations. When I evaluate myself or go through an evaluation by my peers, there is always a danger that it will be about me and not about the Lord’s work. If I am doing my work to look good in the eyes of my people, I have missed the point altogether. All that matters is that I am doing what God wants me to do, that I be found faithful to his calling.
This morning, I heard an interview of supreme court justice, Neil Gorsuch. He recalled the time when he was an intern on the court, when his mentor, Judge Byron White, walked him down the hall where all the portraits of the judges were hanging. He asked Gorsuch if he could name them all. Red faced, he admitted he could name only half. Judge White said, “Neither can I, and that’s the way it should be.” The point he was making was that a judge shouldn’t be serving on the Supreme Court to make a name for himself, but to do the work of the court.
As a pastor, if I am trying to please people and to make a name for myself, I’ve missed the point. What is important is to serve Christ and be a steward of the mysteries of the gospel.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the heart of John the Baptist, who said that he must decrease so that you might increase. Thank you for calling me into this ministry and letting me be a minister (servant) of the gospel. Make me faithful in whatever work you have called me to do. And above all, let your name be glorified in all that I do or say. Amen.