“Let nothing be done through
selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteems others
better than himself.”—Philippians 2:3
Selfish
ambition means to be self-seeking and always looking out for one’s own
interests above the interests of anyone else.
Selfishly ambitious people
are those who will do anything to win votes for a public office and court popular
applause by deceit. They are always putting
themselves forward without reference to truth.
In today’s world selfishly ambitious behavior is greatly
applauded. The worldly ambitious people
express approval for those who look out for themselves. However, our heavenly Father considers selfish ambition as evil. It is one of the works of the flesh, “Now the works of the flesh are evident,
which are; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, jealousies, outbursts
of wrath, selfish ambitions,
dissensions, heresies” (Galatians 5:19-20 emphasis added), and in Romans 2:8,
we see that God’s wrath awaits those who
are selfishly ambitious, “But for those who are
self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and
anger.” The Apostle James
writes that the wisdom of a selfishly
ambitious person comes from the devil, “But
if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast
about it or deny the truth.
Such
“wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, and
demonic. For where you
have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice”
(James 3:14-16). Paul even warns that ministers of the gospel can be self-seeking and vainglorious, “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy
and strife, and some also from goodwill; the former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my chains” (Philippians 1:15-16 emphasis added). Finally, we receive a very stern warning
from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:3-5,
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own
interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ
Jesus” (emphasis added).
An individual
characterized by selfish ambition
lives to glorify herself or himself, but there is a problem in doing that. In the process of seeking her or his own
interests first and seeking to glorify her or him rather than others, a selfishly ambitious person will destroy
herself or himself. Selfish ambition yields
bitter fruit.
Absalom, King David’s
son, is an example of an individual who can be characterized as having selfish ambition. Absalom wanted to be king, and rejected the
needs of others and what God had chosen for his nation. He promoted himself personally and politically
to be king. He valued his physical good
looks and in the end that is what was used to entrap him so that others would
kill him, “Now Absalom happened to meet
David’s men. He was riding his mule, and
as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head got caught
in the tree. He was left hanging in
midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going” (2 Samuel 18:9). His selfish
ambition yielded bitter fruit (2 Samuel 13 -18). A selfishly ambitious person is one who
wants what God does not want for her or him and refuses to function in the
calling of God for her or his life. Such
a person is always reaching for and working for something greater, but in the
process of doing so, she or he destroys herself or himself.
The Apostle Peter instructs
us that there is a due time for God’s people who are not self-seeking and who
trust God’s unfailing promises, “Humble
yourselves, therefore, under the God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in
due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Jesus was
such a man who humbled Himself, and in Philippians 2:9 we read, “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 would bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God the
Father.”
Paul wrote in 1
Corinthians 12:14 - 26 that the body of Christ is not to be filled with selfish ambition, but we are to
understand that God arranged all of the parts in the body of Christ just as He
wants them to be and one member is not more important than another, but each
has it’s place. In fact, we are to honor
each part so much that, “if one part
suffers, every part suffers with it. If
one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”
Let us purpose in
our hearts to give up all areas of selfish
ambition and live our lives in humility and love.
Prayer—Father I pray that I will be always
satisfied with Your gifts and callings in my life. I ask You to help me to be fully satisfied in
whatever position in the body of Christ that You have placed me in. Father, I repent of selfish ambition and I
ask you to clothe me in humility and love, and I trust that You will exalt me
in due season. I thank You that no power
in the universe shall be able to frustrate You eternal plans for me, in Jesus
Name. Amen.
