Restless Wonderer

In yesterday's post we considered Paul's challenge in Philippians 2 to live in humility and inter-dependence with one another, following the pattern of the trinity and especially of Christ's incarnation.  We concluded that a key part in dealing with our ambition is to serve others, not yourself.  Paul was not the only New Testament writer to warn against the dangers of selfish ambition.  James, in his characteristically provocative style, wrote: "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice" (James 3:16).  The context in which this statement is set is a discussion of two kinds of 'wisdom'.  James is really a wisdom writer - I tell my students when I teach them about biblical interpretation that this little book should be classified along with Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (and, incidentally, much of Jesus' teaching) as 'wisdom literature'.  James says that wisdom is something that will show...

In yesterday's post I drew out a first principle for dealing with our ambition: s eek God's glory, not your own .  Abraham was our example as we contrasted him with the builders of the tower of Babel.  The New Testament also warns about the relationship of selfish ambition to jealousy and its perils within the Church.  Paul challenges us with the following words: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,    not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" (Philippians 2:3-4).  These words come just before a passage I referred to in the first post in this series, where the apostle proceeds to describe, in the most beautiful language, Christ's sacrificial humbling of Himself and taking on the form of a servant.  Christ is our example in his abandonment of self for the sake of others.  Although Paul doesn't give us any juicy details, i...

"One day I'm going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember".  Those are the words Andreas Lubitz, who set the plane he was flying last week on a downward trajectory on a collision course in the French Alps, reportedly spoke to a former girlfriend last year.  The statement is chilling when interpreted as the statement of a narcissistic individual who would commit mass murder in protest against his working conditions and to ensure his name would enter the history books.  Yet the same words could also be said by a person who intends to make a positive difference in the world and be remembered for it - something that most people would regard as a noble ambition.  Ambition is complex. Without it we might make no progress and attain no goals, but with it we seem to tread on dangerous ground.  Failure to achieve our perceived potential, along with feelings that others (perhaps even those less ab...