Shupe Shire: Ambition

I have never noticed this before. It has never hit me before like it did earlier this week. We have moved on to James as one of the books we are reading around the table these days as our living food.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? m By his good conduct let him show his works n in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter o jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not p the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, q demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But r the wisdom from above is first pure, then s peaceable, gentle, open to reason, t full of mercy and good fruits, u impartial and v sincere. 18 And w a harvest of righteousness x is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:13-18

What in my life is in disarray because of my own selfish ambition? Or selfish ambition around me? People say that brothers are going to bicker. That's boys. They are right. That is just what brothers do. Unless they have the mustard seed. The mustard seed frees us from the "just dos". The ragged old wood, the spring, the blood, the Son of God. We are free. The new heart is no longer slave. But we like the mud? Why would we prefer a cesspool,

to a sunset in the mountains?

Why prefer death to communing with the Almighty God. The one whom has chosen us to be his own?

I think on the havoc selfish ambition has worked in my life... the problems I now have because of it...

But this brings to mind what Paul the apostle says about himself and ambition.

...and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written,

“Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.”