When is ambition good?

Psalm 119:1-2Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those . . . who search for him with all their hearts.

The purest ambition is to know God and to do what he asks.

1 Thessalonians 4:11Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you.

2 Peter 1:5-8In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of God and his Son. Ambition is good when it is directed toward growing the quality of our character, not toward the self-promotion of our accomplishments.

Psalm 1:1-3They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.

Isaiah 5:1-7“What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done?”

Luke 6:43-45“A tree is identified by its fruit . . . A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart.”

A good ambition is to be productive in serving God. Just as a vibrant fruit tree produces good fruit, so we should produce “fruit” as we do the work God has given us. God’s people are to live in ways that bear the fruit of righteousness, justice, and obedience.

Romans 15:20My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard.

Like Paul, a great ambition is to tell others about Jesus wherever we go.

1 Corinthians 12:31So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

1 Timothy 3:1This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position.”

Desiring to serve God in the church is a good ambition.