As a child you were encouraged to do your best in whatever you did. In sports, you wanted so bad to win every game you played. In school, you wanted to succeed by getting the best grade possible; you envied the person who always got the highest grade. If you were the one who received the highest marks in school, you excelled to get that high grade in everything you did.
Some in the Christian camp tell you that it is not biblical to want to rise to the top. That when you seek to succeed in business, in school, in your finances, in marriage, and in whatever area of life, is not what the Bible teaches. It is strange, because I just do not see that philosophy as I study the Scriptures. To put all of this into a proper perspective, let the wise words of a seasoned pastor and Christian writer, J. Oswald Chambers, resonate into your thinking and daily actions: “Nothing is wrong in seeking great things. But it is wrong to seek great things for yourself.” Now, that is biblical. It all has to do with the motive behind the seeking of great things.
Jesus encourages you to work for the glory of God, and to seek it with all your heart. Thus, He challenges you to do the best you can in doing many, many things related to kingdom work. Luke in his gospel records Jesus’ words, as he records Jesus encouraging His followers to seek great things for the kingdom of God: “Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven…” (6:23). Jesus wants you and me to have big rewards. The condition is just as J. Oswald Chambers said: “it is wrong to seek great things for yourself.”
So, aim high! Seek great things to do in your life. Do not press toward mighty deeds to satisfy your desires, but aim high and do great things for God’s glory. Yes, aim high!
