Happy the Ambitious

Can someone look at ambition in a positive sense? The word evokes behavior that displays pride, vanity, and disunity. Where it is mentioned in the Bible, it comes across in reference to sin.

But in Luke 14: 10, Jesus in one parable tells his followers, Friend, go up higher. The author shows how God desires and encourages a positive ambition which counteracts the negative earthly influence and concerns. These can crowd out a much greater and glorious life of service to others and to God.

Fr. Thomas Joachim frames the issue in three ways. First, striving for what is great characterizes the true childlike-like spirit found in the Gospel. Second, he describes how each one can cooperate with divine ambition through desire, confidence in God, and a spirit of struggle. Finally comes the seven ambitions found in the Our Father, where believers pray for the accomplishment of God s desires within them.

The author summarizes in this way: We must reverse the usual perspective of our life. We can no longer seek to fulfill our ambitions; we must seek to welcome God s ambitions for us. Fulfilling our own dreams is not of primary importance, but rather that God s dreams for us are made real in our lives.