Ambition

I remember the older pastor asking me, when I was just starting out in ministry, "Where do you hope to be in twenty years?"

I was shocked by his question. Me? Oh I just hope to be servant-hearted enough to go wherever the bishop sends me. I just hope to be a good pastor who loves his people.

"Be careful son," the wise old man advised. "When you won't admit your ambition, you are setting yourself up for future disappointment when your unacknowledged, unsought ambitions are unrealized or when this sort of lying becomes routine." Ouch.

.......

From what I've seen, it's not necessarily a sin to be ambitious for a large salary, or lifelong job security, or a 40-hour work week. These aspirations are worthy goals. What's stupid is to be ambitious for these goals as a Christian pastor.

I write all this as a simple, Bible-believing country pastor who never intended to be a bishop, someone who just wanted to be used by Jesus for the good of other people.

Yeah, right.

Will Willimon, Leadership