James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Them Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Mark 10:35-45

There is always a chance you will become too ambitious, and willing to do anything to get something. Would you kill for it? Would you lie for it? Maybe you would not use evil to get what you wanted, but we do allow ambition to cloud our thinking about the sovereignty of God. Instead of leaving matters in His hands, we take them into our own hands. In Mark we also learn of having too much ambition from James and John. They were not content to wait and see if Jesus would bestow that honor on them, so they boldly requested it. They were too impatient to leave the whole matter in His hands. When we submit our goals and desires to the LORD, we can be sure that He will give us what is best.

Be ambitious for the LORD, but be cautious about your motives.

Our Daily Bread – March 8, 2004