“At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.”
― Salvador Dali
Nothing stirs my inner moxie machine like some good ol’ New York City focused drama. Apple TV+ new offering The Morning Show is the perfect prescription to get us all jazzed up to conquer the world. It features great actors reciting crisp dialogue, as they portray how to navigate the crushing pace of a national morning news show. Think Good Morning America and the eruption after Matt Lauer was fired for allegations of sexual misconduct. The show pulls no punches, with stellar performances by all, including Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Steve Carell and Jennifer Aniston. This is a high watermark of writing and acting, and shows how messy our lives are behind the veneer of TV and social media.
What makes The Morning Show compelling is the multi-faceted personal points of view of the characters. Steve Carell in particular, captures a fascinating portrayal of someone who may have crossed a line, maybe? Or were the participants naive, complicit, or calculating a career move, with sex as the currency? The question of “Were his actions egregious?” must be evaluated, and woo-doggie is it messy and thought-provoking to watch.
Of the many layers of broadcast fame, corporate politics, sexism and personal loyalty, there’s an underlying question of that wonderful attribute, ambition. Or, is it a vice? Hmmm. Our culture seems to place ambition high on the pedestal as a positive, driving force. When focused the right direction, yes. However, often our super powers end up being used for evil instead of good. Personally, it takes maybe a half-second for my ambition to be laser-focused on creating my goals, what’s best for my life, and how I can best achieve my plans… Oh, and maybe God approves. In fact, He for damn sure better be helping MY plans! Doesn’t He know His damn role in MY world!?
It’s a fine line we walk. Yes, use your God-given gifts. Yes, work hard to provide a good product and service for your customers. Yes, play nice and help your co-workers and the company that pays you. However, don’t let ambition become an ego on steroids. In fact, the word “ambition” is used eight times in the Bible, and only twice is it positive, see the Romans and Thessalonians verses below.
Romans 15:20
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.”
1 Thessalonians 4:10-11
“Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,”
2 Corinthians 12:20
“For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.”
Galatians 5:19-20
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions…”Philippians 1:17
“The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.”
Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”
James 3:14
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.”
James 3:16
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Easy cowboy, before you point out that scripture says “selfish ambition,” keep in mind that the entirety of the Bible paints an image of people as the Mount Rushmore of narcissism. In other words, our nature is to naturally look out for number one before looking outward for others. Think I’m off? Try this. Ask yourself and friends whether they want a life of service or comfort. In other words, when not working, do you or they want entertainment, vacations, more money, more clothes, bigger houses, more wine and more food? Or do you want to volunteer, serve others and give your stuff away? How are the scales weighing out? As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Black Friday and Giving Tuesday seem to answer the question of where our hearts are regarding consumerism and altruism. It’s $87 billion versus $380 million, and ambition fuels the hunger. Here’s a clarifying verse regarding my ability to steer ambition. It puts me on my heels every time, particularly since I’m someone who likes to say, “I go with my gut.”
Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is more deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it?”
Stunning how a book that’s 3,400 yrs old give or take, can speak to every facet of our lives. Jealousy, fits of rage, dissension, gossip, arrogance, sexual immorality, bitter envy and vain conceit? Naw, all that ancient literature ain’t relevant in our picturesque times, he says dripping with sarcasm. Therefore, I better keep tight reins on my ambition. I better douse it with a big bucket of heavenly grace before I let it run rampant. For me, that means daily surrender to the tune of, “Lord, this day is yours. You allowed me to wake up, use me as you see fit, not as I think best. Make my efforts focused on others, and not self.”
In “Christianese,” you often hear the phrase “It’s a heart issue.” Meaning, am I acting in a way that’s ultimately glorifying God, or moi? Even the idea of “glorifying God” is an ambiguous endeavor on plenty of days. What’s that look like ― with ambition in the mix ― when the boss is pushing hard for Q4 sales quotas to meet the earnings forecast? That’s the brass tacks. Maybe it means we give credit to others when we were responsible for more value. Maybe we allow a co-worker to move ahead on the vaunted career ladder, and we take a backseat for them to accelerate. Yikes, that doesn’t sell well in our me-me-go-go culture. As always, we have to decide whether we’re running the show and our lives, or is there a higher authority who governs how I strive, and for what outcome.
Lord, eliminate my ambition. Make any ambition a life-long endeavor of plansand goals that help others shine. Help me strive to make your grace known. If I lose in the process, teach me to smile while you win.
See ya next time. ML