- Jer.45:5 ” Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.”
It is not wrong to desire a place in the service of God. Paul wrote to Timothy “… If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work” 1Tim.3:1. Nor is it wrong to want to do that work well. Diligence in God’s work is commendable and is encouraged by no less a figure than King Solomon : He said “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Thus it is good to have the drive and the ambition to serve God well .
But to seek great things for oneself, to seek the advancement, enrichment, and greater glory of one’s own name is wrong, foolish and forbidden. When such ambition exists in God’s servants it is a serious problem. God’s word on this matter is clear. Speaking to Baruch we read of God’s mind on this subject : “Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.”
Ambition if wrongly directed is a dangerous thing in the church of Jesus Christ. It will curtail the blessing of God, create rivalry among workers, and ultimately destroy the usefulness of the ambitious ones.It is dangerous because it is wrong and hateful to God.
In the first place it exalts the interests of self above the glory of God. The Shorter Catechism reminds us that it is man’s chief end to glorify God. And the Lord Jesus said to his disciples “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Self-denial and the glory of God are not compatible with sinful ambition. The servant of Christ is always to place the interests of his master before his own wants. He is to study self-indifference and to learn contentment with his lot. His mindset must be whatever I do I will do all to the glory of God.
Secondly, sinful ambition covets the praise of men more than the well done of God. It yearns for the baubles of the world at the expense of the approval of the master. It turns the servant of Christ into a pale shadow of the hypocrites of old who loved ” to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men”. All work is done with an eye to how the onlookers will perceive it. What God may think of it is never considered, for his acceptance is neither sought nor desired.
Finally, sinful ambition measures success by the standard of the world instead of the yard stick of the Word of God. The outward symbols of earthly prosperity are equated with the well done of God. The earthly poverty but spiritual blessing of Lazarus is despised in favour of the worldly wealth but spiritual bankruptcy of Dives.
Such an approach when applied to the work of God is doomed to disaster. The Lord will resist such proud ones and when he withdraws his protection from them they will become easy prey for the devil.
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