Barrier: Selfish Ambition
Breakthrough: Considerate
(Philippians 2:1-11)
It has happened again. I was recently told that a devotional book has been published with some of my writings as the basis of the work. You might think, great. No, not great because my name is not on the script anywhere. Someone else has taken my words and acted as though they are his. I can’t do a thing about it. He has copyrighted it. He has published it. I guess I could go to court and take the computer documents that will show the writings originated on an earlier date than his publication or anything he would have. But the Bible says not to take a brother to court. So, I have to just accept it.
A few years ago I was reading a bestseller by one of America’s foremost authors. In the middle of one of the chapters a familiar “short story” pops up. “Hey, I wrote that.” Unlike the previous person discussed, this author did give credit to the one he believed to be the author. Go figure! Someone else had the gall to give another author permission to write my story. Yes, yes, I would have gladly given him permission to publish the story. I mean it would have been a great honor. And, yes, I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that my pride was hurt by the fact that someone else got credit for my work. Okay, I was upset. Well, maybe I was a little angry. Alright, alright I was downright livid. Yes, I even developed a case of bitterness.
The first time it happened I was devastated. I had been writing away and my book was ready. I sent it to publishers and it was rejected. I inferred from their “rejection letter” that they hadn’t even read it. Not long after, I read the central story of my book in the famous writer’s book. It has been almost 20 years since that experience.
Honestly, I don’t think I had the maturity to deal with being a successful writer twenty years ago. My desire to write was fueled by all the wrong reasons. Success… Money… Fame… Speaking opportunities… Selfish Ambition…
This time around I am writing for the love of it. I’m writing because God has placed so many ideas in me that I’ve got to get them out somehow. Others have encouraged me and have assured me these writings would be of benefit to other Christians and those examining the Christian faith. Now, just a few weeks into writing again I find out someone has already published a work centered-around my writings.
Now maybe your thinking, if you are doing this so others will benefit why not rejoice? After all, it is already published. Well, I guess it must be the principle. I’m not Stephen King and this is not a “secular” work. This is a “Christian” work. A “Christian” work. Does something not sound fishy? This act is unethical. It is shameless. It is cheating. It is plagiarism. It is stealing. It is sin. It troubles me immensely. It troubles me that “secular” writers have a better code of ethics than “Christian” writers. It concerns me that someone would, without shame, “thug” another brother’s writings and publish it as his own. It is appalling. It is inconceivable. It is, and can only be defined as, Selfish Ambition.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”“Selfish Ambition.” The KJV translates the word as “strife.” The actual Greek defines the word as “electioneering or intriguing for office; a desire to put oneself forward.”
You’ve heard of it and seen it before. The person who will do whatever it takes to get to the top. Sleep with the boss. Become a brainless “yes” person. Compromise personal beliefs and values. Lie. Gossip. Cheat. Steal. Forsake family. Forsake church. Forsake God. All for personal advancement. When confronted they simply say, “I’m doing it for the family. It’s for you, baby.” To quote Don McLean in his song “The Cats and the Cradle:” “When you coming home Dad, I don’t know when but we’ll get together then, son, you know we’ll have a good time then.”
Selfish Ambition has blinded many people. It has murdered friendships and marriages. It has dashed hopes and dreams. It has stolen the innocence of children. It has forsaken common sense and good judgment. It has kissed wisdom goodbye.
Isn’t the literal definition interesting? “Electioneering for office?” Apparently the political arena was the “poster child” for selfish ambition in Bible days like it is today.
When I was in college I loved politics. I started out as a Political Science major. I got a job as a “gopher” at a prestigious law firm in Nashville. The State Chairman of the Republican Party and the State Chairman of the Democratic Party were both partners in the firm. What an opportunity for a young man like me to learn the ropes. Boy, did I ever learn the ropes. It just happened to be an election year. The Governor’s race was the big one for that year. As you can imagine our office was interesting, shall we say, a soap opera, with the two Chairmen being there. On the television and in the newspapers daily the people of our great state were witnessing the most heated, ugly election in the history of the state. Meanwhile, back at “the firm” something very different was playing out. Daily, I saw what no newspaper covered. I saw both candidates come in almost daily, hug, shake hands and go into a conference room with both party chairmen. An hour or so later all four would come out smoking stogies and laughing. Something was amiss. On the television nightly the state could envision one of the candidates killing the other, their hate was so great. Not quite. There was a little deal making going on between the four most powerful men in the state. A little “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” Four men were electioneering. Four men were putting themselves forward. Four men with selfish ambition. It was what they call a “win-win” situation. The losers? Everyone else! I saw the handwriting on the wall and like Joseph started running. My idealistic goals of changing the world were shattered by reality. So I fled from the world of “politics” into the world of “religion.” Whew! Thank goodness. No politics in that world! (Okay, well that is what I thought)
Selfish ambition. It is Haman kissing up to King Ahasuerus so that he can have the Jewish nation destroyed. It is the Pharisees taking the “most important seats in the synagogue and praying on the street corners to be seen by men.” It is Pilate bowing to the will of the people instead of using his authority to do what he knew was right. It is Ananias and Sapphira lying about the money so they could look holy. It is King Herod basking in the praises of his people: “You are a god!”
And what was the result of this selfish ambition? While we don’t know the exact end for the Pharisees and Pilate, we do know this. Haman died on the same gallows he built for Mordecai the Jew. Ananias and Sapphira died on the spot when confronted by Peter. King Herod was eaten by worms on the very stage, in front of the very people, who declared him a “god.”
Selfish ambition always ends the same. It’s not good. It’s not worth it. If you are on that track, change trains now! It is vain, empty. No good result will come from this pursuit.
So stop your lying, your cheating, your deception, whatever you are doing to advance yourself. Whatever you are doing to make yourself look better, look more qualified, look more experienced, or become more popular. Whatever you are doing, stop! Stop now before it is too late.
Greatness doesn’t come through cutting throats and cutting corners. It is doesn’t come through electioneering and “making things happen.” Greatness doesn’t come through beating the competition or winning at all costs.
This is where greatness comes from: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” There is that “humility” word again. It is not the breakthrough today but it holds the key to it. Remember the definition of humility from two days ago? “Never rising far from the ground.” “…In humility consider others better than yourselves.”
How can this result in advancement? How can this result in greatness? How can this result in achievement? Well, don’t take my word for it. Listen to Jesus:
“For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest." (Luke 9:48)“The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11)
"So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:35)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
Now look at His example and the charge Paul gives us in the reading today:“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
There is greatness. Selfish ambition will promise you the Kingdom and give you a noose instead. Climbing the ladder of success will only lead you to the realization that you were climbing the wrong building. Stepping on others to get to the top will only lead to eternal judgment and a very lonely, empty life on this earth. This world tells us that “up” is the way to go. “You can do it yourself.” “Ascend into greatness.”
Jesus on the other hand teaches us real greatness. The road to greatness is down. “Never rising far from the ground” you descend into greatness. “Your attitude should be the same as Christ.”
DESCEND INTO GREATNESS“DOWNWARD MOBILITY”
Imagine below are steps. These are the steps to greatness. He did not “consider equality with God something to be grasped.” In other words he didn’t cling to His rights as God. Instead He emptied Himself and became a man. Even as a man or a God-man we might say He could have made Himself King or wealthy, but He didn’t. He made Himself nothing. He made Himself a servant. He lowered Himself below all men. “He considered all others above Himself.” He was still a God-man. As we know God is eternal. He is not flesh and blood. He does not die. Now comes a dilemma. Instead of going back to His “Godness,” Jesus became obedient unto death. In other words He went the way of all men. For that moment in His life He completely released His eternal self and was completely a man. As such, therefore, He endured the pain and suffering of the scourging with the pain of a man. He felt every blow of the whip. Every pound of the hammer into His wrists. You see, He didn’t just become obedient to death, He endured the worst death possible. He descended to the deepest depths. So that He could take on the full experience. He did this because of His love. He did this because He considered you better than Himself. The Greatest willingly became the Least. The First willingly became the Last. The Result? Greatness! Where did the greatness come from? God! That’s where all greatness comes from.
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
GOD
EMPTIED
MAN
NOTHING
SERVANT
HUMBLED
DEATH
CROSS
Greatness comes from God. You can’t get it anywhere else. It is His and His alone to give and will share His greatness with no one. So you descend. And then He lifts you up! So breakthrough into greatness! The descent starts now!
Does anyone know where I can get a copyright? I’m out of here.
Prayer:Lord, I long to descend into greatness. It’s not because I want to be great, it is because I want to be with you. Help me through your power to empty myself. To humbly consider others better than myself. Forgive me for my selfish ambition, my vain conceit. Remove those barriers so I might breakthrough and learn to be considerate. Fill me with your Spirit. Make me like your Son. IN HIS NAME I PRAY. AMEN…
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