So is it bad to be ambitious?

Having moved into an academic environment relatively late in life, it is fun to watch the faculty politics with an outsider’s eye. Most people perceive life as a professor as protected from the real world. The truth is very different. The treadmill is just the same as any career in industry – first you have to get your PhD, then a job as a professor, then tenure, then to set up your own “center”, then turn it into an institute….and so it goes until you reach your level of incompetence. Everyone outside this cycle is treated with disdain. Those inside bicker and fight for recognition. Sound familiar? Yes, I know this is a glorious generalization and that there are exceptions.

I always thought I was humble and retiring; but recently was forced to admit to myself that I am incredibly ambitious. I enjoy teaching a crowd of my peers and being considered an expert. I can’t deny that I seem to be pretty good at what I do. How can I make this consistent with scriptural principles?

The trick questions are “Who gets the glory?” and “Are you being loving?”

I thank God that I am not on the academic treadmill and that I have boss I can trust, respect and like. I am well aware that I would not have got here without some extraordinary blessings from Him. So who gets the glory? He does. What about the loving part? You will have to ask my colleagues, family and friends.

“Big whoop. Yippee for you,” you say. “My life is a disaster and success is a foreign concept.” Some wisdom I was given very early on was from my boss at the time. I irritated him by being too forward and was told “Be patient – it will all come in time.” This is true to the Bible pattern. Paul spent 14 years between conversion and starting his ministry. Abraham waited a hundred years for the son he had been promised. God does not often hurry.

Not good enough? Another piece of wisdom learned the hard way. My career is looking OK but there or other parts of my life that are a train wreck. It is likely God keeps it that way to make sure that I remember that without Him, all is vanity. I have a friend who I wish I could be like. He spent a year looking for a job, yet the stuff I struggle with he had down. It was good for us to be able to share and support each other – where he was strong, I was struggling, and vice versa. The point? We all have problems. They are different for different people. Enjoy.

Finally. 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” When is the proper time? When He decides. What sort of exalt? That’s up to Him. Jeremiah 29:11 says (addressing Israel as they are sent into exile) “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The conditional behind this is that if your desire is for God – you get want you want.

Whining on a Plane

Another airplane delay day. Once again it is fun to watch the people around me deal with it.

The guy next to me is stoic. He is sitting staring at the wall, and has done so for 2 hours. By contrast the fellow behind has had a merry time on the phone bouncing from one complaining call to another. His bank, stock broker & cell phone service provider have all had the pleasure of his attention. As have the rest of the flight within earshot.

I am going to be late for my presentation, so the guy meeting me must be starting to get anxious. He organized the dinner meeting I am supposed to regale with my unrivalled skills and expertise. Mmmmm. Hopefully they will still figure it was worth the cost.

The guy in front has been lambasting airline management with his opinion of the quality of "the piece of junk" we are sitting in. The cause of the delay is a puncture, followed by a ground crew too busy to back us out.

Also nearby is the fellow who is making sure we all know he is a medical doctor, whose patients are suffering because of his absence.

Let's revisit how we react to these problems.

So I mock the doctor for being self important. This is precisely the trap I have fallen into by telling you about why it is important I am not late. Ooops

Maybe I am jealous of the whiners because I don't have a stock broker or access to airline management. Ooops

But I don't whine! Right? Oh dear, I just did. Ooops

Pride. Covetousness. Jealousy. Complaining.

Just goes to show how easy it is to get fall into un-loving behavior.

Thankfully we are gracefully reminded of how we sin, and we are offered a means to forgiveness. Jesus was perfect and he wants us to be perfect too. If I remember it is all about Him, not me, it will be much less tempting to be proud or angry when I don't get my way. He always gets His way, so if I am tuned into His plans, life and flying become a whole lot less stressful.