We all strive for something. Yet do we have selfless or selfish ambition? Let me state that in a different way. Does our ambition reflect what God desires in our life or does it glorify ourselves? It comes down to who are you serving – God or self.
Is your selfish ambition rooted in jealousy?
I have been there many times. I saw a guy get promoted that I knew didn’t follow up with his employees, didn’t actually care for them, or spend time listening to them. Did I rejoice in his success? No. I was mad and jealous that he was promoted. He was selfish and ran over his employees in the process.
Similarly, Paul was in prison when he wrote the book of Philippians. There were others who spoke about Christ.
[They] proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
Philippians 1:17 ESV
Did he get mad and jealous because they were succeeding in their speaking or having a lot of followers? No. He rejoiced that Christ was proclaimed.
How do we celebrate others’ achievements when they appear totally wrong? We leave them up to God. He will deal with their actions justly. We have to deal with our attitudes about the situation.
We need to celebrate them if it is appropriate to do so. In my case, when I ran into this man I knew, I told him congratulations. He didn’t need to know my thoughts about how he got there or what I knew about his treatment of his employees.
In Paul’s case, he could have been angry about these other teachers trying to hurt him while he was in prison. We don’t know if he was. But we do know was that he was happy with the content in proclaiming Christ.
Is there any good in selfish ambition?
What comes from selfish ambition? Really nothing good comes of it.
In James, he says:
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
James 3:16 ESV
Think about all that is going on in the world today. Where there is extreme prosperity and ambition, there is deceit, boasting, false claims, lust, luxurious living, drugs, and even murders that are covered up.
And nothing has changed since the beginning of time. It all started in the garden when Satan deceived Eve and Adam. Satan told them lies and they believed him. And after eating the apple, they knew the difference between good and evil (Genesis 3).
Deceit and blaming were a part of man’s beginning and it has continued through the centuries.
But God has a better plan. God wants us to be wise and be a person with an understanding of how we conduct ourselves. A person exemplifying meekness and the fruits of the Spirit will be considered wise. And they will have peace in the process.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
James 3:17-18 ESV
Selfless Ambition
God wants us to be selfless and count others more significant than ourselves. And we are to do that with humility.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count other more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others.
Philippians 2:3-4 ESV
Prior to my senior year in college, I worked at a Christian camp in Iowa. Philippians 2:3-4 were my memory verses and my focus for serving the kids and adults that summer. I prayed often that God would help me love those around me with humility and that nothing I would do would be out of selfish ambition. Looking back now, I wish I had carried what I learned about selfless ambition that summer into my work life into the future.
Paul’s Example
Preaching the gospel was Paul’s ambition. And he was careful to preach what he had learned from God. Not what others had said about God.
And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build o someone else’s foundation.
Romans 15:20 ESV
Is your work identity built on the foundation of others and their achievements and serving self? Or is your foundation based on how God sees you and are you serving Him? If you don’t see yourself as God does, here are some other posts about true identity in Christ: adopted, blessed, loved, chosen, and redeemed.
Avoid copying the actions of others. Be uniquely you and live on the path that God has called you to do. There are people out there who need your unique skill set in your work or life and that is who God has called you to minister to.
And remember, be wise and be selfless in your ambition, not selfish.
Reflection Thoughts: Selfless or Selfish Ambition
- Do you rejoice when others have success, get a promotion, a new car, or go on an exotic vacation, like Hawaii? Why or why not?
- What is one thing you can do today to show selflessness to others?
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Resource Library
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