“Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves…” Genesis 11

Ambition might be defined as ‘an eager desire for some type of achievement’.

Often when I think of this word, I think about the ambition that a student has to achieve high marks; or the desire of a football team to win the premiership; or the ambition of a person to build a career or business for themselves. While many of these things may be morally neutral, ambition within the heart of sinful humans is normally centred on the desire for self-promotion. Genesis 11:1-4 describes the ambition of humanity to build for themselves ‘…a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves…’ If we are honest with ourselves, it is similar ambition which drives too much of our daily living.

Philippians chapter 2 describes Jesus Christ who already had a name for himself – who was ‘in the very nature God’! The ambition of Christ is revealed in the fact that He made himself nothing and became obedient to death – ambition that was characterised by obedience and faith towards the Father.

It is for this reason that God commands us to ‘do nothing out of selfish ambition’ (Phil 2:3). Rather our ambition is to be Christ-like and Christ-promoting! We are to consider others better than ourselves; we are to celebrate the success of others; we are to bear the burdens of others; we are to warn others about disobedience to God; we are to encourage others in faithful service of Christ; we are to live for the glory of God in any and everything we do! Such ambition transforms the seemingly ordinary circumstances of life into opportunities of enormous potential to promote the cause of Christ.

Are you an ambitious person?

Scott Goode,
Assistant Pastor