A Waterfall Behind A Receptionist's Desk Is Of The Devil

Good discussion! No, I haven't heard the term "greed of ambition" anywhere, so I guess I coined it.

I would argue that "ambition" is the self side of "work." I think that it is your work ethic that motivates you to slog through hours of work, and a work ethic, developed by good parents, etc. is the nature in us that reflects our Creator, a God who never takes the easy route to accomplish his plans.

I started thinking about this concept awhile ago because the more I pursue an enterprise outside of the home, the more I imagine greater plans, exciting prospects and endless opportunities. But then a gluttonous, sick feeling creeps in to turn my stomache a bit. It wasn't the bright feeling of doing the work God equipped me to do, it was a greedy, "Mine, All Mine!" feeling: pursuing something for the wrong reason. So then I started a spiritual struggle as I tried to define this balance of opportunity v.greed and stay on the Godly side of it.

In the Bible, God repeatedly (maybe exclusively) called the humble for his greatest roles: foreigners, stutterers, shepherds, harlots, bald-heads (2 Kings 2:23 - that's a shout-out to you, Josh :), and a poor Jewish baby born in a barn. If God consistently employs the humble, then why would I selfishly strive for my own station; isn't God's plan the perfect one?

I finally found a biblical response to my struggle as I was doing a Bible study awhile back. I was reading James 3 and landed on a tidy passage that addresses works and demarcates the holy from the unholy therein. 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

So, I guess what I'm really saying is that: Jon, you're doing good work, wrought in humility, but a waterfall behind a receptionist's desk is of the devil.

Love to everyone,

Annie