Sometimes humility and ambition get murky in Christian conversations.
On one hand, humility is highly valued, implying that our accomplishments and triumphs are better kept quiet, and we should surrender more to God's guidance rather than our own initiative.
On the other hand, Christians are encouraged to DO so much. Scripture, service, community building, church attendance, small groups, prayer meetings, missions, etc.
What does it look like to be ambitious as a Christian? Can humility and ambition co-exist?
On one hand, humility is highly valued, implying that our accomplishments and triumphs are better kept quiet, and we should surrender more to God's guidance rather than our own initiative.
On the other hand, Christians are encouraged to DO so much. Scripture, service, community building, church attendance, small groups, prayer meetings, missions, etc.
What does it look like to be ambitious as a Christian? Can humility and ambition co-exist?
To me, God strikes me as quite ambitious:
- create a whole planet in 6 days
- rescue 2 million people from tyrannical rule, overnight
- conquer a country
- build a temple
- recruit judges, kings and prophets
- save humanity
Ambition n
"A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work."
Well, what if we, as followers of Jesus, turned on ambition? What if ambition became an expression of conviction, passion, and drive? What if ambition was more about saying "yes" to the things that God is up to and inviting us into?
Being ambitious might expose us to failure, scrutiny, misunderstanding, and conflict. But it might also thrust us into excellence, leadership, impact and meaning.
What say you?
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