Suggested Reading

During his sermon today Pastor Scott Jones quoted from a text by Brian McLaren. What was shared with the congregation really interested me, so I thought I'd share McLaren's website and the name of the book Pastor Jones mentioned.

Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope (2007)

Please view his website for more information on his books and theological work: http://www.brianmclaren.net/

Happy Reading!

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Ambition is Over-rated

Excerpt from James 3:13-18
"But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish."

Reflection by Lillian Daniel
Back when I was in college, I would periodically get out a yellow legal pad and write the years ahead of me on each line, and then write next to each age exactly what I thought I would be doing. My future graduation was duly noted, as were plans for grad school, and even the years when I would be having children. I had decided that I would wait to have them, well into middle age, so that I could focus on my career as a lawyer in international business first. And naturally I would adopt, because, well, to be honest, it seemed more efficient, less painful and easier to schedule. As for a life partner, that never made it onto the pad.

Just a few years later, I was married, pregnant and about to be ordained a pastor at the age of 26. What had happened to that yellow legal plan version of my life? Well, it turns out that life, love and the holy spirit can’t be planned.

A recent article in the Economist revealed that happiness and age relate to one another like a giant U curve. We are happy young adults, but then get decidedly unhappier until our low point at age 46. After that, we start creeping up the curve toward more happiness as we age. But why?
One theory is that as we get older, we let go of some of those "selfish ambitions" that James was writing to the early church about. We let go of our legal pad life plans, probably written to impress someone else, and we come to appreciate who we are.

Godly ambition is not about impressing other people, but living into a purpose that is both good for you and good for the world. That’s the kind of ambition worth carrying forward. Let your old ambitions pass that test before you carry them with you into the future.

And remember, at least if you are over 46, it gets better.

Prayer
Dear God, search my ambitions within me, to see which of them are Godly and worth taking into the future, and which of them are worth leaving behind.

UCC Daily Devotional from February 4, 2011
Source: http://www.ucc.org/feed-your-spirit/daily-devotional/ambition-is-over-rated.html
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