The Key to Success || 成功的关键

Article #39 the series: You Are God’s Masterpiece: The Genesis Notes.
你是神的杰作:《创世记手记》系列第三十九篇

How To Be A Success In Life
如何在生命中获得成功

There are so many books written on the topic of success. So many articles online. So many seminars to attend. We can learn a lot – I think these resources are helpful – but does the Bible offer any keys to success? How is Joseph doing on his quest to be successful?

市面上有很多关于成功的书籍，网上也有很多文章，还可以参加很多这类研讨会。我们可以从中学到很多，我认为这些资源都是有益的，但圣经是否给出了一些成功的关键呢？约瑟在追求成功的过程中是怎么做的？

God gave Joseph two dreams when he was 17-years-old that he would be super successful. So successful he would rule over his brothers and own parents. But then he got the shock of his life. His brothers sold him into slavery. This was probably the worst day of Joseph’s life when he lost everything. His family, home, cool clothes and wealth of his father. He became a lowly slave. How he could he achieve the super success of his dreams?

当约瑟十七岁的时候， 神给了他两个异梦，预示他会极其成功——他将统治他的哥哥们和自己的父母！但接下来他震惊了，他的哥哥们竟把他卖为奴隶。这可能是约瑟一生中最糟糕的一天——他失去了一切。他的家人、住宅、炫酷的彩衣以及父亲的财富。他成了一个卑微的奴隶。他如何才能实现异梦中那样极其成功的景象呢？

Note all of the words used at the beginning of Genesis 39 that indicate Joseph was a success.

注意在创世记第39章开头用到的所有词语，这些词语表明约瑟是一个成功的人。

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,”
Genesis 39:1-6 NIV

 

约瑟被带下埃及去。有一个埃及人，是法老的内臣，护卫长波提乏，从那些带下他来的以实玛利人手下买了他去。约瑟住在他主人埃及人的家中，耶和华与他同在，他就百事顺利。他主人见耶和华与他同在，又见耶和华使他手里所办的尽都顺利，约瑟就在主人眼前蒙恩，伺候他主人，并且主人派他管理家务，把一切所有的都交在他手里。自从主人派约瑟管理家务和他一切所有的，耶和华就因约瑟的缘故赐福与那埃及人的家；凡家里和田间一切所有的都蒙耶和华赐福。波提乏将一切所有的都交在约瑟的手中，除了自己所吃的饭，别的事一概不知。约瑟原来秀雅俊美。
创世记39:1-6

Wouldn’t you love to have all of these words to describe your work? Prospered, blessed, favor and success. According to these verses what was the key to Joseph’s success?

难道你会不喜欢用这些词来描述你的工作吗？百事顺利，赐福，蒙恩和成功。从这些经文来看，约瑟成功的秘诀是什么？

The Key to Success
成功的关键

God was with Joseph so much that even his boss, Potiphar, saw it and recognized it. The presence of God is the greatest key to success! Our God is awesome. We need to stay in His presence every day – for Him to be with us in everything we do. Wouldn’t it be amazing if your boss described you like Potiphar described Joseph? Potiphar saw God was with Joseph.

神与约瑟同在，甚至连他的主人波提乏也看到并认同这件事！神的同在是成功的最关键之处。我们的神是大而可畏的。我们每天都要与祂同在，好让祂在我们做的每一件事上都与我们同在。如果你的老板像波提乏描述约瑟那样描述你，岂不是很奇妙吗——波提乏看到神与约瑟同在。

How do we live in such a way that God is with us in everything we do? The first step is to consider the areas of our lives separating us from God. Are there any barriers in your life preventing you from having God be with you in everything you do?

我们要如何生活，神才会在我们所作的一切事上都与我们同在呢？首先要考虑我们生活中哪些方面正在将我们与神分离开。你生命中是否有什么障碍在拦阻神在每一件事上与你的同在？

Sin Separates Us From God
罪使我们与神隔绝

When we walk away from God and go our own way, we are separated from Him and we are no longer living in His presence, we leave His side and choose a path leading to sin. When King David sinned by committing adultery, he felt the awful separation from God and he wrote this psalm:

当我们离弃神，偏行己路时，罪使我们与神分离，我们不再活在祂的同在里。我们离开祂，选择了一条通向罪恶的道路。当大卫王犯奸淫罪时，他感受到了与神分离的痛苦，写下了这首诗篇：

“Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”
Psalm 51:9-11 NIV

 

“求你掩面不看我的罪，涂抹我一切的罪孽。 神啊，求你为我造清洁的心，使我里面重新有正直的灵。不要丢弃我，使我离开你的面；不要从我收回你的圣灵。”
诗篇51:9-11

It is our sin which will make a separation between us and God.

我们的罪使我们与神隔绝。

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way … ” “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
Isaiah 53:6a, 59:2 NIV

 

53:6a, 59:2 “我们都如羊走迷，各人偏行己路。耶和华使我们众人的罪孽都归在他身上。但你们的罪孽使你们与神隔绝。你们的罪恶使他掩面不听你们。”
以赛亚书53:6a,59:2

Even when Jesus was hanging on the cross about to die, He was separated from His Father because of sin. Not because of Jesus’ sin, but at that moment on the cross He took the sins of the world onto Himself and God turned His face away from Jesus. Jesus lamented, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”

甚至当耶稣被钉死在十字架上的时候，他也因罪与父分离。不是因为耶稣自己的罪，而是在十字架上的那一刻，他把世人的罪归到自己身上，神就把脸转离耶稣。耶稣哀叹地说：“我的神，我的神，为什么离弃我？”

Maybe you know you are walking in the path of sin right now, this sin is keeping you from God’s presence. This is keeping you from the key to success Joseph experienced. The Lord was with him. Is the Lord with you?

也许你知道此刻你正走在罪的道路上，这罪正使你远离神的同在。这正使你远离约瑟成功的秘诀：耶和华与他同在。主与你同在吗？

Time With God
与神共处的时间

Another distraction keeping us way from God’s presence is being too busy. Focusing on our own life, work, friends, social media, sleep, fun. Give God your time. Be with Him in worship, prayer, Bible reading, service. Think of Him when you are working, ask Him to help you as you sit at your desk in the day. Don’t ignore Him. Can you pray continuously like Paul encourages us?

另一个使我们远离神的干扰就是过于忙碌。专注于我们自己的生活、工作、朋友、社交媒体、睡眠和娱乐… 把你的时间给神。在敬拜、祷告、读经、事奉这些事上与神同在——在工作的时候想到神，当白天坐在办公桌前时求衪帮助你。别忽略神！你能像保罗鼓励我们的那样去恒切祷告吗？

Joseph’s Got It
约瑟得着了

Because God was with Joseph, Joseph was successful and what was the result? He was given everything.

因为神与约瑟同在，约瑟非常顺利，结果是什么呢？一切所有的都交在了他手里。

In Genesis 39:1-6 we see that the words everything or anything are used five times. Joseph’s boss gave him more and more responsibility. Joseph was trusted and had authority over all things. Everything was in Joseph’s hand. He was the second most important man in the house.

在创世记39:1-6中可见“尽都，一切”这些词出现了五次之多。约瑟的老板给了他越来越多的责任——他被信任还被赋予掌管诸事的大权。一切事都在约瑟的掌管之中。他在主人家里位居第二。

With everything in his hands, Joseph was tested.

因着掌管一切，约瑟受到了试探。

And after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Genesis 39:7 NIV

 

这事以后，约瑟主人的妻，以目送情给约瑟，说：“你与我同寝吧！”
创世记39:7

What Would You Do?
你会怎么做？

What would you do in this situation? How would you respond? Would you be shocked? Embarrassed? Polite? How would you handle this dangerous situation? “No thank you. You are very nice, but … ” “You are a lovely lady, someone I respect, I am very flattered, but no, not today…” Is that what you would say? The Bible gives a clear picture of the dangers of these kinds of situations.

在这种情况下你会怎么做？你会如何回应？会感到震惊吗？尴尬？彬彬有礼？你会如何处理这个危险的局面？“不，谢谢，你很好，但是……”，“您很可爱，我很尊敬你，我感到非常荣幸，但，今天不行……”，你会这样说吗？《圣经》清楚地说明了这种情形的危险性。

At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. (She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home. So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love! My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.” With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 7:6-27 NIV

 

我曾在我房屋的窗户内，从我窗棂之间往外观看，见愚蒙人内，少年人中，分明一个无知的少年人，从街上经过，走近淫妇的巷口，直往通她家的路去。在黄昏，或晚上，或半夜，或黑暗之中。看哪，有一个妇人来迎接他，是妓女的打扮，有诡诈的心思。这妇人喧嚷，不守约束，在家里停不住脚，有时在街市上，有时在宽阔处，或在各巷口蹲伏，拉住那少年人，与他亲嘴，脸无羞耻对他说：“平安祭在我这里，今日才还了我所许的愿。因此，我出来迎接你，恳切求见你的面，恰巧遇见了你。我已经用绣花毯子和埃及线织的花纹布铺了我的床。我又用没药、沉香、桂皮薰了我的榻。你来，我们可以饱享爱情，直到早晨，我们可以彼此亲爱欢乐。因为我丈夫不在家，出门行远路，他手拿银囊，必到月望才回家。”淫妇用许多巧言诱他随从，用谄媚的嘴逼他同行。少年人立刻跟随他，好像牛往宰杀之地，又像愚昧人带锁链去受刑罚，直等箭穿他的肝，如同雀鸟急入网罗，却不知是自丧己命。众子啊，现在要听从我，留心听我口中的话！你的心不可偏向淫妇的道，不要入她的迷途。因为被她伤害仆倒的不少，被她杀戮的而且甚多。她的家是在阴间之路，下到死亡之宫。
箴言7:6-27

Avoid Sexual Temptation
避开性诱惑

Men and women, do not be enticed by the sensuality of this world. God is very clear sexual relationships were created by Him and they have boundaries. The boundaries are not hard to understand. The place for sexual relationship is only inside a marriage. This is not complicated to figure out with your brain, but it can be very hard to figure out with your emotions, physical reactions and desires. We all must decide now, before faced with this type of circumstance, what we would do. Men, women, married, single – all of us. When faced with sexual temptation what will you do? Do not decide in the moment. You may hesitate and you could make a decision you would deeply regret.

男人和女人都不要被这个世界的淫乱所诱惑。神很清楚的表明，性关系是衪创造的，有其明确的界限。界限并不难理解。性关系只应存在于婚姻之中。用脑子想清楚并不复杂，但是要用你的情绪、身体反应和欲望来理解却很难。我们现在必须做出决定，今后如果面对这种情况时要做何反应。男人、女人、已婚的、单身的，是指我们所有人。面对性诱惑，你会怎么做？不要即刻做决定，你可能会犹豫不决，然后就会做出一个令你后悔不已的决定。

Joseph’s Response
约瑟的回应

What did Joseph do? Here is Joseph’s response to Potiphar’s wife.

约瑟做了什么？以下是约瑟对波提乏妻子的回应。

But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
Genesis 39:8-10 NIV

 

约瑟不从，对他主人的妻说：“看哪，一切家务，我主人都不知道，他把所有的都交在我手里。在这家里没有比我大的，并且他没有留下一样不交给我，只留下了你，因为你是他的妻子。我怎能作这大恶，得罪神呢？”后来她天天和约瑟说，约瑟却不听从她，不与她同寝，也不和她在一处。
创世记39:8-10

His response was focused on two thoughts:
他的回应集中在两件事上：

1. His master Potiphar
2. God

1. 他的主人波提乏

2. 神

He did not reply, “Oh, I’m not interested.” or “I don’t think I’m the right guy for you.” He did not talk about himself – he took the focus off of him and her and put the focus on Potiphar and God. Joseph’s loyalty to Potiphar and holy fear of God was Joseph’s main thinking. He made no personal excuses. He pointed to the truth: It is wrong to do this to my master. It is wrong to sin against God. This is why he answered, “No.” This is a sin against another (the husband) and a sin against God. But Potiphar’s wife did not stop her persistent requests. Joseph did his best to avoid her which is a good tip for us all.

他并没有说，“哦，我不感兴趣。”或者“我觉得我不适合你。”他没有谈论他自己，他把注意力从他们两人身上转移到波提乏和神那里。约瑟重点考虑的是对波提乏的忠诚和对神的圣洁敬畏。他没有提出任何个人借口——他指出了事实：对我的主人这样做是不对的。得罪神是不对的。这就是他拒绝的理由。这是得罪别人(丈夫)的罪，也是得罪神的罪。但波提乏妻子继续反复纠缠，约瑟尽了最大的努力避开她，这对我们大家而言是个好建议。

One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39:11-23 NIV

 

有一天，约瑟进屋里去办事，家中人没有一个在那屋里，妇人就拉住他的衣裳，说：“你与我同寝吧！”约瑟把衣裳丢在妇人手里，跑到外边去了。妇人看见约瑟把衣裳丢在她手里跑出去了，就叫了家里的人来，对他们说：“你们看！他带了一个希伯来人进入我们家里，要戏弄我们。他到我这里来，要与我同寝，我就大声喊叫。他听见我放声喊起来，就把衣裳丢在我这里，跑到外边去了。”妇人把约瑟的衣裳放在自己那里，等着他主人回家，就对他如此如此说：“你所带到我们这里的那希伯来仆人进来要戏弄我，我放声喊起来，他就把衣裳丢在我这里跑出去了。”约瑟的主人听见他妻子对他所说的话，说：“你的仆人如此如此待我”，他就生气，把约瑟下在监里，就是王的囚犯被囚的地方。于是约瑟在那里坐监。但耶和华与约瑟同在，向他施恩，使他在司狱的眼前蒙恩。司狱就把监里所有的囚犯都交在约瑟的手下，他们在那里所办的事都是经他的手。凡在约瑟手下的事，司狱一概不察，因为耶和华与约瑟同在，耶和华使他所做的尽都顺利。
创世记39:11-23

The Second Worst Day in Joseph’s Life
约瑟一生中第二倒霉的日子

Joseph is sent to prison. This was not his fault. How did he react? Did he defend himself? Did he feel sorry for himself? Did he get mad? Once again he lost everything. But God gave him a dream. Joseph was supposed to rule over his brothers and even his parents. This was not what Joseph was planning. First a slave, now worse. A prisoner.

约瑟被送进了监狱。这不是他的错！他有什么反应？他为自己辩护了吗？他为自己感到难过吗？他恼怒了吗？又一次，他失去了一切！但神给过他异梦！他应该会统治他的哥哥们甚至他的父母。这不是约瑟预料中的事！之前变成奴隶，现在情况更糟了！变成一个囚犯！

Joseph could have complained. He could have fought back. He could have felt sorry for himself. But he did none of those things. He got to work. God created Joseph to do something special. He was born with special gifting to work and be a good administrator. Joseph did not let his circumstances stop him from doing what God created him to do. He didn’t give up and say, “Well, I’ll never be an important sheave of wheat or star from my dreams so I give up.” No. With his actions he demonstrated, “I’ll do my work even if I am in prison. Nothing will stop me from doing what I was created to do.”

约瑟本可以抱怨的，他本可以还击的，他本可以为自己感到难过的。但他并没这么做。他去工作了。神造约瑟是要去做特别的事。他天生就有工作的才能，是一名优秀的管理人员。约瑟没有让环境阻止自己去做神造他要做的事。他没有放弃，说：“好吧，我永远不会成为像我梦中那样重要的禾稼或者星星。我放弃了。”不！他用行动证明：“即使在监狱里，我也要做我的工作！没有什么能阻止我去做我被造要做的事情。”

How does complaining, defending our self or self-pity stop us from moving forward with what we have been called to do?

抱怨、为自己辩护或自怜是如何阻碍我们继续去做我们被召要做的事呢？

The Result
结果

What was the result? We see the exact same words as the beginning of the chapter. Even in the prison Joseph is described in the same way as when he was in charge of Potiphar’s home: “The Lord was with him.” We see the words “success” and “favor.” The prison warden put Joseph in charge of everything. All. Exactly the same as Potiphar did.

结果如何？我们看到了与本章开头完全相同的词！甚至在监狱里，约瑟被描述成和在主人波提乏家时一样：“耶和华与他同在。”我们看到“成功”与“蒙恩”这两个词。司狱让他负责一切事务！全部事务！跟波提乏的做法完全一样。

Joseph was being the man God created him to be – even as a slave, even as a prisoner. He was utilizing his awesome talents wherever God put him. He did not wait for the right moment to be awesome. Whatever God put in his hand to do, he did it 100% and the Lord was with him. And people noticed. And he was promoted.

约瑟一直就是神造他时想让他成为的人，即便为奴，抑或为囚。无论神把他安置在何处，他都能施展出色的才能。他没有等合适的时机来表现自己。耶和华也与他同在，凡神交付他办的事，他都一一成就。人们也都注意到了。然后他被提升了。

God Created You For Something
神造你是有目的

What has God created you to do? Has God given you any dreams?

神造你是为了什么？神给了你梦想吗？

I had dreams when I was a child. To tell people about Jesus. To travel to different nations. I remember when I was living at home, I was longing to move to another country to tell people about Jesus. I remember one day talking with the kids in my neighborhood about Jesus and I thought: someday I will do this same thing in other countries; for now I am here, so I will do it in my own neighborhood. I did not wait until I was in China to do the thing God created me to do, I did it wherever I was.

我小时候有很多梦想。告诉人们关于耶稣的事。去不同的国家旅行。我记得我住在家的时候，就渴望搬到另一个国家去告诉人们关于耶稣的事。记得有一天，我和邻里的孩子们谈论耶稣，我就想：总有一天，我会在其他国家做同样的事情。如今我在这里，所以我会在自己的社区里做这件事。我没有等到了中国才去做神造我要去做的事，无论我在哪里都去做。

Don’t Wait
无需等待

You do not have to wait to have more money to do what God created you to do.
You do not have to wait to have a house to do what God created you to do.
You do not have to wait to have a better education to do what God created you to do.
You do not have to wait until you are married to do what God created you to do.
You do not have to wait until you are older to do what God created you to do.

你不必等到有更多钱了才去做神造你去做的事。
你不必等到有了房子才去做神造你去做的事。
你不必等到接受了更好的教育才去做神造你去做的事。
你不必等到结了婚才去做神造你去做的事。
你不必等到年纪大了才去做神造你去做的事。

Do it now. Even if you are a slave, even if you are a prisoner. You can do what God made you to be. Just look around. What can you do? Sometimes we think it is only the big things that matter. Actually, the small things are the most important. If we are not faithful in the small things in life, God will not give us bigger things to do.

现在就去做吧。即便你是奴隶，抑或你是囚犯。你可以做神造你去做的事。环顾四周，你能做什么？有时我们认为只有大事才重要。事实上，小事才是最重要的。如果我们在生活中的小事上不忠心，神也不会让我们去做更大的事。

What are some things you can do now to accomplish what God has called you to do? Are you waiting or are you getting to work like Joseph?

你现在可以做些什么来成就神呼召你去做的事呢？你是在等，还是像约瑟那样去做工？

Joseph was showing God he was faithful in the small things – even as a slave and a prisoner. As he served he learned and grew and God was getting him ready for even greater assignments.

即便是作奴为囚之时，约瑟都向神显明他在小事上是忠心的。当他服侍的时候，他在学习成长，神在让他准备好去做更伟大的事情。