作者：盧國禮 翻譯：蕭凌
如果你想坐遊輪去阿拉斯加渡假，自然就要買票。有了票，你不僅可以順利成行，還可以盡情享用船上的各種設施。當然事情並不總是如此，例如船長是你的好朋友，他讓你先上船後補票。身為你的朋友，他這麼做無可厚非。可是，他的行為實際是旁門左道，而正路只有一條 -- 憑票上船。
在生活中，我們常常因為各種情有可原但於理不合的情況而身陷兩難。難題當前，人們又是如何做出最佳決定的呢？通常，自己對已知事物的認識和對過往經驗的記憶，是人們作判斷時的主要依據。通過理性分析，決策者將所有重要信息組織起來，對所有可能出現的結果進行仔細評估，然後所作出一個決定。而這樣的決定，通常也比較容易得到眾人的認可。並且，這個經過深思熟慮後，所作的決定，必然會對各種突發事件的緊急應對作好充足的準備。
凱普納和崔果博士在《經理人 KT 式理性思考法》一書中，分析了上到政府機構、下到私營企業的大量案例。在這些案例中羅列的決策過程，有些有待商榷，有些則成為了各種危機的導火線。作者闡述了他們研究的 KT 式理性分析決策方法是如何用於訓練經理人，從而使得他們做出更有效正確的決策的。在該書中提到：
理性思考法目的是為了能最大程度地利用人們的思考分析能力解決企業中的問題和隱患。
其目的是為了人們在工作中的實際運作提供一個理論基礎，使人們可以利用這套方法和技能，去收集整理信息、解決問題、制定決策、預測潛在隱患，將錯綜複雜的問題轉變為可操控管理的步驟。企業應當為他的員工提供這樣一種知識架構，使得他們能夠靈活運用這些方法來使團隊得到更多的發展。
理性思考法並不是一種魔術，而是更好的利用原本被忽略、廢棄或低估的資源。當員工面對工作中的一般情況或特殊問題時，通過給予他們一個共同的思路和語言，來建立彼此溝通的橋樑。 （《經理人 KT 式理性思考法》，凱普納，崔果，220頁）
毋庸置疑，理性思考有助於我們在職場和生活中做出明智的抉擇。但無論我們多麼擅長作決定，我們也不可能真正無所不知。這是因為只有神才知道祂對我們的計劃是什麼。所以，作為一個基督徒，我們被賦予了禱告的特權；通過禱告，我們便可以與萬有萬能的天父聯結在一起。
你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自己的聰明，在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，他必指引你的路。(箴3:5-6)
你們要將一切的憂慮卸給神，因為他顧念你們。(彼前5:7)
那倚靠耶和華、不理會狂傲和偏向虛假之輩的，這人便為有福！(詩40:4)
倚靠耶和華的人好像錫安山,永不動搖。(詩125:1)
當你做決定時，你的原則是什麼？如何才能做出得神喜悅的決定？作出符合《聖經》教導的選擇是一個人人都需要好好預備的功課。當我們在依靠神的過程當中不斷地得到神的幫助，我們也就會越來越心甘情願地去順服神的旨意。
要知道，無論身為基督徒的我們如何謹小慎微，我們始終還是需要尋求神的旨意和帶領，需要禱告。我們可以自由地做出自己的決定，但卻需要因著自己的每個決定對神負責。我們需要通過禱告把所要做的事情完全交託給神，我們也需要將自己的決定放在神的面前，並且願意完全順服神大能的旨意。沒有禱告，就好像不買船票，你就無法堂堂正正地登上去阿拉斯加的遊輪一樣。
天父，當我們面對人生的十字路口時，我們往往很難看清前路，做出一個正確的選擇。但我們知道你一直對我們不離不棄，並且指引我們前面的道路。讓我們記得在行動之前，先來到你的面前禱告，好行在你的正路之中。
禱告奉主耶穌基督的名，阿門!
Doing the Right Things——How to make a godly decision?
By Francis Loo Translated by Evie Xiao
If you wish to go Alaska, you can only board the ship with the ticket that you have bought. The ticket enables you to board and also the right to enjoy all the ship's facilities.
However, let's say that you know the captain of the ship and were allowed to board the ship without buying the necessary ticket. The captain assumed that during the course of the trip, you would subsequently buy the ticket. No doubt, in this latter case, the captain had not done the right thing. He might be doing right for allowing you to board the ship first as a friendly gesture. Nevertheless no one should be allowed to go on board without the tickets required.
In our lives, we come across situations in which we need to make decisions between choosing right or wrong. How does a person solve problems and make their decisions? One must base on one's decision on previous knowledge of the subject and past experience. Also, one needs to have a rational mind to analyze underlying factors and important pieces of information to considerate all options before arriving at a desirable decision. A prudent decision-making process also allows for a "contingency plan" in the event of the unexpected.
Charles H. Kepner and Benjamin B. Tregoe in their book The New Rational Manager describe in their research, witnessing a number of decisions in government agencies and in private industry that range from being questionable to catastrophic. Based on these findings, they studied the literature on decision making and have developed the Kepner-Tregoe techniques (more appropriately known as rational management) for training managers to be effective in decision-making. The book concludes:
The goal of Rational Management is to make full use of the thinking ability of the people of the organization and to direct that ability toward meeting the organization's problems and concerns.
This goal is achieved by giving people the conceptual tools they need to do the job, a set of methods and techniques they can share as they gather and handle information to resolve problems, make choices, anticipate future concerns, and break complex situations into manageable components. In addition, the organization must provide its people with a supportive framework within which coordinated use of these ideas by the team can flourish....
Rational Management presides over no miracles. It releases intellectual resources that have been hidden, unused, or under used. It opens channels of communication among people by giving them common approaches and a common language for dealing with the ordinary and extraordinary situations they face in their jobs. Installation of Rational Process ideas makes it possible for the organization to be more nearly what every manager always believed it could be but too seldom was: an effective, efficient, and dynamic entity.(The New Rational Manager, Charles H. Kepner, Benjamin B. Tregoe, P.220)
Undoubtedly, the Rational Process helps us make good decisions in our work environment or personal lives. However, no matter how good we are in the process of our decision-making, we can never see the full picture. Only God knows what His plan is for us. Therefore, being Christians, we are privileged to tap the unlimited resources of our universe through prayer.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverb 3:5 – 6, NIV.)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. (Psalm 40:4 NIV)
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." (Psalm 125:1 NIV)
The question now is what spiritual guidance can inform us in our decision-making? More importantly, how can we make decisions that are according to the will of God? One thing is for sure, when we pray, we will experience God's presence through having the godly wisdom in actual decision-making processes. When we encounter such wisdom, we will know God's will better, and we will be more honestly following his will.
However, even by being prudent with knowledge of the issue Christians need to pray for guidance and seek God's moral will and sovereign will. We are free to make our decisions, but we are never free from God. We have to learn to make our decisions in submission to the sovereign will of God. The way to submit is through prayer–total surrender to His guidance. Any decisions made in such a way will always be the right decisions. In this way, we will make sure that we would not board a ship to Alaska without first procuring the necessary boarding pass.
Heavenly Father,
There are many crossroads in life. We can hardly see ahead to make intelligent decisions. But we know that you are always with us and would guide our ways. Please let us remember to pray first before we act. May we so walk in your path?
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.