Have you ever heard the announcer for Mexico’s national soccer team when his players score a goal? The multi-syllabic droning can go on longer than the play that scored the goal! As unique (and irritating) as he can be, wouldn’t it be revealing if our own achieved goals were that easy to recognize? Certainly, the goals of most people are centered upon things. We want more things! Bigger homes, bigger cars, bigger vacations and bigger bank accounts seem to grab the focus of our waking and sleeping hours. Those desires can apply to our children just as easily as they apply to us. We remind ourselves that it is all about additional security. Even Eve was not satisfied with the abundance of fruit God allowed her to eat, but desired more. Additionally, others in the Bible stumbled in a similar way, just as we do.
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to Him, “We are able.”
23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
Matthew 20:20-23
Instead of the wife of Zebedee asking Jesus for the elevation of her sons, the author of Mark 10 describes the “sons of thunder” asking Jesus directly. Regardless of who asked the question, the ambitious desires remained the same in all concerned. Desiring to be elevated to the left and right of Jesus gave all three a different picture soon after this event, as those elevated to His left and right were the thieves on the crosses beside Jesus! Would the wife of Zebedee have asked Jesus for her sons to be crucified along with the Lord?
Our ambitions often get in the way of how we serve God. Rather than asking the Lord for more power or money, wouldn’t we benefit by asking Him for more humility or love? King Solomon could have asked God for anything, but asked for wisdom, as he desired to represent the people of Israel in a more godly way. Certainly, as Christians, our ambitions should be to serve the Lord more fully. Because we do not always see the big picture, as God does, we never understand the purposes that He is fulfilling in each of our lives. Some of the people that the Lord has used to impact us the most deeply remain unaware of God using them in the lives of others. Sometimes, our ministries can be seemingly silent and powerful through the Lord’s hands.
What do you desire? The best answer to that question is for us to desire exactly what the Lord desires in our lives! When our will coincides with His will, miracles will occur. The biggest step that each of us must take to get to that place is contentment with whatever the Lord has in store for us, as difficult as it may seem! Our Father knows best!
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4
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