Ambition vs. Position 1

This past winter I started to type an old reprint called "Of Domestical Duties" onto our web page. There are two charts in this book, one which lists the duties of the wives, and another chart which shows the aberrations or what causes a woman to deviate from her duties. I was intrigued that the first aberration was AMBITION. I had always only associated ambition with career women, but now my curiosity was piqued as I began to wonder if ambition may also be a temptation to those of us who are keepers at home.

The Bible is full of examples of holy and unholy ambition. "Gideon had the holy ambition of wanting to save Israel, Joshua of conquering the land, Nehemiah of restoring the kingdom and Paul of planting a self- propagating church in every major center of the Roman Empire."(1) On the other hand, Jezebel, Absalom, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, and Simon the former magician are some examples that come to mind when I think of unholy ambition. They sought to exalt self and fulfill their lusts and desires instead of bringing glory to God through obedience.

Ambition becomes a sin when it's aim is fulfilling personal lusts instead of fulfilling the Word of God. One dear friend helped me look for a biblical term that might be synonymous with the ungodly form of ambition. We decided on the term: LUST.

(1 Jn 2:16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Matthew Henry's Commentary says about 1 John 2:a
"(1) There is the lust of the flesh. The flesh here, being distinguished from the eyes and the life, imports the body. The lust of the flesh is, subjectively, the humour and appetite of indulging fleshly pleasures; and, objectively, all those things that excite and inflame the pleasures of the flesh. This lust is usually called luxury.
(2) There is the lust of the eyes. The eyes are delighted with treasures; riches and rich possessions are craved by an extravagant eye; this is the lust of covetousness.
(3) There is the pride of life. A vain mind craves all the grandeur, equipage, and pomp of a vain-glorious life; this is ambition, and thirst after honour and applause. This is, in part, the disease of the ear; it must be flattered with admiration and praise."

Lust is defined as the following:
Lust - (Strong's 1939) epithumia (ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah); a longing (especially for what is forbidden)
Lust - (Vine's Expository) a phrase which describes the emotions of the soul, the natural tendency towards things evil. Such "lusts" are not necessarily base and immoral, they may be refined in character, but are evil if inconsistent with the will of God.

So, can we now say that a biblical definition of ungodly ambition is 'a longing for that which is forbidden?'

*ungodly ambition / lust = a longing for that which is forbidden*

How do ungodly ambitions seek to draw and entice us away from our biblical role? Although all the situations below may not be considered sin, they have the potential to entice us away from our God ordained role as a keeper at home. Have you ever been taken captive by any of these thoughts or actions?

1. You would like to have *a little extra spending money.*

2. You feel that your husband controls the budget too tightly and you're tired of having to *ask his permission* to spend even a penny.

3. You're *embarrassed* by the way your furniture looks, or your car, or the clothes you wear.

4. You're *bored* with the daily care of children. The thought of something NEW and EXCITING is appealing and 'drawing'.

5. You want *more & more things to do* and yet become tired of them easily, and so you quickly jump from one project, or ministry, to another.

6. You *volunteer* at church to the point that you become behind in your duties at home.

7. You feel *guilty* for just being at home taking care of your husband and children, and allow family and friend's innuendo's (that you're lazy or not reaching your full potential because you're MERELY a homemaker) influence you. This leads you to begin desiring and pursuing other things.

8. You think that a career would satisfy and fulfill you more than being a homemaker.

9. You think that once the children become school aged that you should help your husband earn a living. Or that you will need to go back to school to finish your education. The only reason you are staying home now is because the children are not in school all day.

10. You want your children to achieve academically. You want them to be a success in this world. You decide the only way to achieve this is by putting them in a Christian school which means that you will need to get a job in order to pay for it.

"USA Today" wrote an article in 1989 called "Busy Women Let Housework Slide But Not Jobs." The article surveyed women who were stressed-out and under pressure to find out what they were letting go of to make their lives more manageable. The article summarized, " When strapped for time, busy women push friends, housework, husbands, and sex to life's back burner." The poll found that the only two things women would not let go of was a job outside the home and their children. (Which is not really true! They may have actively been forsaking their children, too!)

The fantasy of the "Super Woman" scenario is just that, a fantasy. We are not Super Woman! There is only so much of us to go around. If we give the majority of our time and thoughts to things other than our home and family then that is where our hearts and focus will be. If our focus is on business or even "ministry" then what is left of us for our dear husbands & family?

The temptations of 'ambition' can surface in not so blatant ways such as the desire to fulfill the image of a 'successful' home schooling family. This perfect home schooling family wants the *smartest* kids, the *most stylishly dressed* children, their children involved in all the *finer* activities (that will invariably draw those children into a terrific self-focus!), only the *best curricula*, and one day the *most prestigious* colleges and universities will do.

The temptations of 'ambition' can surface in even more subtle ways. We may feel that we've 'not arrived' if our home life does not reflect what WE *think* an ideal family should be, so we strive and push our families to fit into the mold we've chosen, disregarding what GOD would have us do & become.


GODLY AMBITION

1 Thess.4:11 "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you."

What is 'your own business?' Have you ever gone to the Scriptures and studied what God says about how you should be spending your days or have you merely taken on the philosophy of other women or followed those you admire? It is difficult to stand against the temptation of ungodly ambition if you do not know what God's word says you should be doing.

Our every thought needs to be taken captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5)

Are we making it our ambition to be obedient to what God has commanded in His Word and the principles He has given us to follow? Do you know what God has to say about how you spend your days?

A Godly Woman...
~ will look well to the ways of her household (Pr 31:27)
~ will not eat the bread of idleness (Pr 31:27)
~ is wise if she builds her house & foolish if she tears it down with her own hands (Pr 14:1)
~ is not to be so busy with "busy-ness" and be *distracted* & irritated by it, that she neglects to sit at Jesus' feet & listen to Him, which He said is the better part (as per Martha & Mary's example in Luke 10:38-39)
~ is to do all her work heartily as unto the Lord (Col 3:23)
~ is to be a keeper at home (Titus 2:5)
~ is to submit to her own husband (Titus 2:5)
~ is to fear the Lord (Pr 31:30)
~ is to support her husband and help him, as he sees to it that their children come to a personal faith in Christ (Titus 1:6)

End of Part 1. Continue to Part 2.

(Many more scriptures regarding a Godly Woman's role may be found at this page: Scriptures to Encourage a Godly Woman)

Copyright 1998. Georgene Girouard
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