Tag Archives: ambition

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Does Wealth Equal Success?

How would you define success? Many of us equate wealth with success, and it IS often a barometer of success. However, lack of wealth does not necessarily mean you aren’t successful AND wealth isn’t always what you think it should be.

“People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.” Ecclesiastes 5:12

Success can look like many different things to different people. Maybe it’s early retirement, more time with your kids while they’re young, the ability to work from home, the freedom to say “no,” being able to give to charities. If you focus only on your net worth as a measure of success you might be missing a lot of blessings or, even worse, you could completely miss how your life is intended to bless others.

Lack of wealth does not equal lack of success or favor. We often think “If only I had more money, a bigger house, a nicer car…” wealth can actually be a source of anxiety. More stuff equals more to maintain, insure, protect…and more to lose. If you are discouraged because you don’t have more money or more stuff maybe you should be thankful instead. Maybe, just maybe, God is giving you just what you need when you need it and saving you from worry you don’t need or can’t handle right now.

Maya Angelou said “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.” If I could say those three things every day I would consider my life a success. How would YOU define success?

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Ambition – Friend or Foe?

It’s a new year! For so many of us this means evaluating what we accomplished last year and setting new goals for this year. In contrast, I do know some people who staunchly refuse to make any resolutions because “No one ever sticks with them anyway.” I believe that, new year or not, goals are very important. Goals allow us to be intentional about growth and, if we’re not growing, we’re dying.

God has given us the skills and desires to be ambitious and to achieve. He gave Adam a job even before he gave him a mate. (Genesis 2:15)  Jesus celebrated the servants who invested and multiplied their bags of gold. (Matthew 25:14-30) All through the bible, God uses those who are good workers. Healthy ambition allows us to improve and achieve for ourselves, our families, our church and our communities.  In contrast, lack of ambition/laziness does not honor God, fulfill our familial obligations or help advance our communities.

Any talk of achievement begs the question: Where does healthy ambition end and unhealthy ambition/selfishness begin? Ecclesiastes chapter 7 warns against extremes. Jamie Allen, senior pastor of Central Christian Church in Mt. Vernon, IL gives two “guardrails” against uncontrolled ambition.

  • Ambition must be controlled by love for your family. This guardrail has to do with time. Family must always take priority over money, career, status and material things. Most of us who work outside the home spend more waking hours at work than at home most days. If you can’t have quantity, make sure you have quality. Maximize the time you have with your family. Make sure the people at home know they are more important than the people at work. If your family relationships are suffering because of your goals you are probably slipping into unhealthy ambition.
  • Ambition must be controlled by your love for God. This guardrail has to do with integrity. A Christian’s ambition has to be controlled by integrity. Others aren’t always aware of your motives but your motives will be brought out into the light eventually. Nothing is important enough to violate what God commands. If you find yourself willing to tell “a little white lie,” change the date on that document or take advantage of someone (even if it’s legal) to achieve your goals you are traveling down the road of selfish ambition.

Don’t be afraid to be ambitious, set some goals and work to achieve them. There is honor in that success. You can bless others with that kind of success. Just make sure you don’t let selfishness overtake healthy ambition.

**I highly recommend watching the lesson that inspired this post. Go to http://www.thenewcentral.com/ondemand and choose “First-2.”