Ambition vs. Blind Ambition

When you think about what you’d like to be someday, what do you think of? What type of career would you like to have? How will the world be a better place because you were in it?

Whether or not these dreams for the future become reality has a great deal to do with our level of ambition. Ambition is the strong desire to achieve a certain goal. It is what often drives people to achieve great things.

True, there is a dark side to ambition. Sometimes people choose lofty goals, but do wrong things to achieve them. They lie, cheat, neglect their families, and more, all in the name of getting what they want. This is often called “blind ambition,” because the person is willfully blind to the damage they’re doing to others as they pursue their goals. They believe the “end justifies the means,” and in their pursuit of success, they neglect what’s truly important.

The good news is that when we commit it to God, our ambition can be a powerful force for good. God calls His people today just as He did in the time of Joseph, who ruled Egypt (Gen. 41-47); of Deborah, who led her nation (Judg. 4-5). God calls people to courts and parliaments, music and media, science and literature. Aim high, and don’t settle for average goals, but dare to set a new standard.

Take your ambition and commit it to Jesus. As King David wrote, “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and, He shall bring it to pass” (Ps. 37:5).