10月10日
标 题：领袖与经理人
经 节：耶和华对撒母耳说：“百姓向你说的一切话，你只管依从；因为他们不是厌弃你，乃是厌弃我，不要我作他们的王。”（撒母耳记上八章7节）
以色列从前是与众不同的国家，其他国家都有国王或统治者，而以色列的王是神自己！以色列百姓抱怨，想和其他国家一样有地上的统治者！读到这段历史时，我们很希奇他们的愚蠢，其实我们很容易犯同样毛病，选择自己的智慧高过神的领导。
当今在领袖与管理的课题上有许多研讨。广为流传的教导是认为领袖要有异象，能为百姓或机构设立目标，让大家遵循；管理者的工作则是每日安排他手上所有的资源、财力。在基督徒的生活中，神是我们的生活、我们的家庭、我们教会的领袖。神设立方向，订立生活优先级，神也供应我们所需。我们是管理者，使用祂所赐的资源，做祂要我们做的事。
在圣经中称领袖是“主”。主耶稣有权柄启示我们生活的方向。祂以主的身分订立我们的生涯规划，带领我们认识婚姻的伴侣，帮助我们设立每日作息的优先级。我们要做祂所赐予之灵魂体的好管家。祂是我们的一家之主，知道什么对孩子最好，也知道如何使婚姻坚韧。我们的责任是在祂带领我们创建基督化家庭时，要顺服祂。基督是教会的主，扩展教会是祂的责任。只有祂知道什么对教会最好，我们的任务是忠实地实行祂要我们运行的角色。
不要愚昧地相信人类的智慧和人类的领导，就像那些以色列人一样。跟随主，并且单单地信任祂。
Leaders and Managers
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7)
The Israelites were to be a nation unlike any other. Every other nation had a king or ruler, but Israel’s king was to be God Himself! Still, the Israelites complained that they wanted to be like other nations and have an earthly ruler! As we read about the Israelites, we marvel at their foolishness. Yet we are prone to make the same mistake, choosing our human wisdom over God’s leadership.
There is much discussion these days about leaders and managers. According to popular teaching, leaders have the vision and set goals for people or organizations to follow. Managers handle the day-to-day marshaling of resources under their charge. In the Christian life, God is the leader of our lives, our families, and our churches. God sets the direction; He establishes the priorities; He provides the resources. We are the managers. We take what He gives us and do with it as He directs.
The biblical term for leader is Lord. As our Lord, Christ has the authority to reveal the direction for our lives. As Lord, He chooses our careers, leads us to our marriage partners, and helps us set our daily priorities. We are to be good managers of the mind, body, and spiritual life He gives. He is the Lord of our families. He knows what is best for our children. He knows how to make marriages strong. Our responsibility is to obey Him as He leads our families to Christlikeness. Christ is the Lord of our church. He takes responsibility for expanding it (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:18). Only He knows what is best for our church. Our task is to faithfully perform the role He assigns us.
Do not foolishly trust in human wisdom and leadership as the Israelites did. Follow your Lord and trust Him alone.
