But
when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get
behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns
of God, but merely human concerns.” (Mark 8:33 NIV).
When
the devil tests Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11), he uses very human concerns
in his appeal to Him. Satan would tempt with food; pride—holier
than thou "above it all" conceit; power including the
powers of hierarchal status, wealth, and political power (all
appealing to the human desire to be situated in rarefied control).
I
thought of these Scriptures today when a friend of mine at work was
made aware that a significant promotion may be opening for her. She
evaluated her strengths and weaknesses and realized that the job
would provide significant opportunity and challenges. But in the end
she said that she did not want her will to be done in this matter,
but God’s will to be done.
I
find such an approach and attitude very attractive in a person. What
it means is that – bottom-line – personal ambition will not
overrule all else in her life. She will be flexible and will remain
open to the possibility that what looks tempting may or may not be
best. She will rely on the will and workings of God to sort out the
preferable course. Contrast this with a person dead-set on achieving
his sternly compelling ambitions to the nth degree—displaying an
attitude that he knows better than everyone else what is best, including God.
There are no unknown’s or unknowable’s. His best interest and
that of others is patently obvious and carries before it a broad
swath of foregone certitude.
A
moment’s reflection makes clear where love lives and were hatred
lurks. No doubt there are organizational cultures that fight to fill
their ranks with the lean and hungry, each member thoroughly consumed
by rapacious ambition. It should surprise no one when such
organizations run afoul of the law (by hurting others) and suffer all
the tawdry consequences of ethical bankruptcy. It is dependable and
true that where there is a good measure of reality there is also a
good measure holy tentativeness allowing latitude for the will and
workings of God.
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