幻變世界中的「職青生活plan」

全球性流行病、戰爭、網購的盛行、混合辦公模式、人工智能…在過去五年，這些宏觀環境中出現的趨勢，影響著我們資源上的分配、人際關係模式，及對社會的參與。作為一個在職青年／成人，如何在這些變化中過健康、忠實的生活？

注重健康．身心社靈
環境的變化對我來說從來都不是一個新概念。在外國讀大學時，工讀實習課程 (co-op program) 訓練我適應每四個月一次的轉變。該課程要求學生在校園學習四個月，然後接下來的四個月要尋找實習工作並搬遷到工作地點。整個循環在那五年制學位中重複進行。每次當我搬到一個新的城市，除了住宿外，我通常會尋找三個主要的地方：健身中心、教會和圖書館。透過照顧自己的身心社靈上的需求，我竭力在離鄉別井時，保持健康的生活方式，並培養出對轉變的韌性。


進入新公司/搬家

畢業後，我回到香港工作了十四年。在過去四年我見證了新冠疫情帶來的種種轉變。平常的教會和工作生活被打亂，這確實使我思考生命到底是什麼。身處如此多的不確定和社交孤立中，我可以抓緊什麼？以致能盡量減少這些損害健康的壓力？感謝上帝的恩典，我在疫情限聚期間沒有感染新冠病毒，但這算得上是健康嗎？根據世界衛生組織（WHO）的定義：「健康是包括身體、心理和社交健全的狀態，而不只沒有病弱。」

根據上述定義，沒有疾病似乎只是健康的開始。於我而言，在限聚期間保持活力的健康生活是這樣的：
1.每週與家人一起進行桌遊之夜。（社交）
2.持續參與網上團契及崇拜。（心靈）
3.學習烹飪新菜式以減輕在家工作的壓力。（心智）
4.在住處附近單獨騎腳踏車或慢跑。（身體）

單人騎行/家庭烘焙/家中舉辦線上崇拜

工作熱誠・體現神屬性
在大學和職業的生涯裡，我了解到活力是需要有目的地投入精力而獲得的。你愈是保留，就愈糟糕。例如，傳送訊息問候別人可以滋潤你的靈魂；堅持運動有利於你的身體能量水平。

聖經在箴言11:24-25中教導我們：「有施捨的，錢財增添；吝惜過度，反致窮乏。慷慨待人，必然豐裕；滋潤人的，連自己也得滋潤。」

這種意志力不是來自自我，乃是從成長中建立的習慣和價值觀累積而來的。因此，個人價值觀需建立在永恆不變的真理上，這至關重要。

心智發展方面，重點是時刻盡心盡意盡智地榮耀上帝。

「你們無論做什麼，都要從心裡做，像是為主做的，不是為人做的；因為你們知道，從主那裡必得著基業作為賞賜。你們要服侍的是主基督。行不義的人必受不義的報應；主並不偏待人。」（西3:23-24）

以上所言，並不是叫我們取悅他人，因為人的要求往往會因著彼此關係的轉變而變化。但當你由衷認識那位超越任何境況、永恆的上帝時，你就可以超越取悅他人的範疇，而專注於在你所做的一切事情裡，展現上帝的愛與關懷。例如，當你的同事離職，新的同事到任，你可以盡己所能去關心和培育新同事。這樣，你便可以平靜地應對同事的離任，而不是專注於你的虧損，繼續盡心地做上帝的工作。

於我而言，盡心工作的原則是意味著：只要你能在目前的工作崗位上盡自己最大的努力，體現神的屬性，就不需要擔心此刻是否需要轉行。當然，如果你覺得自己可以在新的平台／公司做更大的事情，你可以禱告尋求是否神的心意。

展現信仰・同行+見證
靈性發展方面，就是以認識耶穌的性情和明白祂在我們生命中的旨意，來活出基督徒的見證。

「信神所差來的，這就是神的工作。」（約6:29）

若要為神竭盡全力，你需要了解神的性情，才能仿效祂，並藉著神不變的原則以應對不斷轉變的世代。假如你不認識神和祂的旨意，你會缺乏永恆的動力在變幻生活中保持平靜。例如，當你明白到耶穌對你的愛足以在十字架上寬恕你一切的過犯時，你就不會沉浸在自己的失敗中，並有力量繼續作祂的工。另一方面，你知道神恨惡罪，所以當你經歷過祂的真實和原則，你自然就不想冒犯祂。

至於身體，你可以透過增強體魄為神作工來榮耀祂。「要在你們的身體上榮耀神。」（林前 6:20）

這應該是你做運動的動力。當你愛神愛得足夠，就會被驅使以自己的身體來榮耀祂，並以此向你周圍的人作見證。

社交方面，榮耀神就是以祂的愛來與人同行。「那人單獨一個不好。」（創2:18）

人是群居動物，應對轉變的最佳方式就是攜手並進。透過與人同行，你也可以獲得新的視角，避免陷入自身問題的深淵。

我們的世界會否被機器主宰，以致人與人之間不再有直接互動？混合／家庭工作模式和網購，會否徹底改變我們的商業環境？世界會否發生另一場全球大戰或疫症？我們的確不知道世界的未來發展會如何，但若能堅持上述身心社靈發展的永恆原則，在這不斷變幻的世代裡，我們仍可不懈地持守忠誠和健康。


撰文／蘇逸東Christian（英語團契）
翻譯／丘子彬牧師（Jeffrey）


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Living a Healthy & Faithful Life in an ever-changing world 

Global pandemics, armed conflicts, the prevalence of online retail, Hybrid office work modes, artificial intelligence tools… these are just a few trends observed in our macro environment these past 5 years that have influenced the way we use our resources, relate to one another and contribute to our society. As a career youth/working adult, how are we to live a healthy and faithful life amidst these changes? 

Changes in my environment have never been a new concept to me. During my university years abroad, I have been trained to cope with change every 4 months during my co-op work program. My program requires students to study on campus for 4 months, look for an internship job, and relocate to work in the following 4 months. The whole cycle repeats throughout the 5-year degree. Every time I move to a new city, I usually look for 3 main things in addition to accommodation: a local fitness centre, church and library. By taking care of my physical, spiritual, social & intellectual needs, I strived to remain a healthy lifestyle while away from family in HK and develop some sort of resilience to change. 

Since graduation, I have been working in HK for the past 14 years, and in the past 4 years witnessed the changes brought by COVID-19. Disruptions to regular church and work life really made me ponder what life is all about. With so much uncertainty and social isolation, what could I hold on to minimize stress which disrupts health? By God’s grace I didn’t catch COVID during the city lockdown period, but is that sufficient to be considered healthy? 

By WHO’s definition: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

By the above definition, the absence of illness seems to be only the beginning of health. During the lockdown, living a healthy life to maintain vitality looked something like this for me: 
1.Weekly Boardgames night with family members. (Social) 
2.Making a habit to attend & support regular online zoom fellowship sessions/online sermons/worship. (Spiritual) 
3.Taking up cooking new recipes to de-stress from working at home. (Intellectual) 
4.Taking up solo Cycling or Jogging near residence. (Physical) 

In both my university & career years, I’ve learnt that vitality is something that you gain by purposely investing your energy. The more you hold back the more miserable you become. For example, throwing out a message to ask how a person is nourishes your soul. Forcing yourself to do exercise benefits your physical energy levels. 

The Bible teaches us in Proverbs 11:24-25 "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

This willpower comes not from self, but from habits & values accumulated over the course of a young adult’s development. Therefore, it is important that personal values are built on long lasting unchanging principles about life. 

For intellectual development the principle can be to give glory to God through fruitful use of intellect/mind giving Personal Best at all times. 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Col 3:23-24)

In the above passage, we do our best not to please others, whose requirements can change depending on the person & his/her relationship to you. When you use your intellect for a God who transcends situations with an eternal timeframe, you too can look beyond pleasing others and focus on displaying God’s attributes of love & care in whatever you do. For example, when your existing colleagues leave the company and new ones come, you should take the same dedication to care for the new colleagues and build them up. By doing this you are reacting calmly to the situation of staff departures, not focusing on your losses but keep doing the work of God with all your heart. 

For me, the principle of working with all your heart means that as long as you can do your best & display God’s attributes in your current career position, you don’t need to worry about whether you should change careers at this instant. Of course, if you feel you can do greater things in a new platform/company, you may prayerfully seek it. 

For spiritual development, the principle could be to do the work of Christians, which is to know Jesus in his Character and know his Will for our lives. 

“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29)

To do your best for God, you need to know God’s character so you can emulate and be able to get through changing situations with unchangeable principles.  Once you don’t know God & His Will, you won’t have the eternal motivation to stay peaceful in changing life situations. For example, when you know that Jesus loves you enough to forgive your trespasses on the cross, you won’t dwell in your failures and have the strength to keep doing His Work. On the other hand, you know that God hates sin so you would naturally not want to offend Him once you’ve experienced His truth & working principles. 

For physical development, you give glory to God through increased physical strength to labor for Him. “Honor God with your bodies” (1Cor 6:20)

This would be the driving principle for you to go to the gym or do physical activity. When you love God enough, you’d be driven to honor Him with your body & witness to those around you in this aspect.

For social development, the principle can be to give glory to God by accompanying others in their life walk & showing His love. “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Gen 2:18)

People are social creatures and the best way to combat change is to walk together. By walking together with others, you can gain new perspectives and avoid dwelling too deep in your problems. 

Will our world be so dominated by robots/machines that people won’t be interacting directly with each other? Will hybrid/homework modes & online retail completely change our cityscape without places of commerce? Will there be World War 3 and another global pandemic? While we might not know what the future holds in terms of our world’s development, if we hold onto eternal principles for intellectual, spiritual, social & physical development of self as discussed above I believe that we can have long lasting motivation to remain faithful and healthy amidst an ever-changing world.


Christian So 蘇逸東（English Fellowship）