“Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 NRSV
Series: Curbing Selfish Ambition
Devotional: 1 of 4
At a very early age, I experienced both the thrill and responsibility of having my very own paper route. Early each morning, I would walk up a steep hill a mile or so from our home to where the papers were dropped off, untie my stack of newspapers, and deliver them one by one to each house on my route. Then once a month, I would go from house to house to personally collect the cost of the newspaper (which sounds a little scary looking back on it now).
As a young boy, I had an unusual amount of ambition deep inside me. I was eager to earn money, feel a sense of accomplishment, and have the means to buy things on my own, even if it was just a handful of penny candy at the corner store.
Ambition is the inner drive or determination that propels a person toward a specific goal or aim. But is it ok for Christians to be ambitious? If so, how do we discern whether we are living from selfish ambition or godly ambition?
In his letter to the church at Philippi, the Apostle Paul strongly warns us, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3 NRSV). Paul instructs us that nothing in our everyday lives - our relationships, our hopes and dreams, our goals and work - should be done from a posture of selfish ambition. Instead, we are to act from humility and selflessness, modeling Christ, who taught his disciples that greatness is found in serving others.
Ambition itself isn't what Paul is condemning here. Selfish ambition is. Instead, as Jesus' apprentices, we are called to be ambitious for the kingdom of God. Colossians 3:23 NIV tells us that "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." And Proverbs 16:3 NRSV says, "Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established."
In this series, we will consider three questions that shape our ambition:
What is fueling our ambition?
Whose kingdom are we building?
Whose glory are we working for?
As you go, take a few moments in prayer to reflect on the role ambition has played in your life so far. What messages, both inside and outside the church, have shaped your thinking on ambition?
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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