Week 7: WISDOM AND AMBITION

If you would like to print this study, or have trouble viewing it on your screen, you can download the Microsoft Word document below.

DOWNLOAD WORD DOCUMENT

On Sunday at church Kieran preached on “What does Wisdom Say to Our Ambition?”. Please make sure you have watched Sunday’s sermon before Community Group.

Read this overview

Before you start, take some time reflecting on the teaching. What did you learn? What was helpful? What did you struggle with?

Ambition can be defined as a desire and determination to achieve success.

Harvard business review recently published an article about ambition. The intro had some great insight.

“In excess, ambition damages reputations, relationships, and can lead to catastrophic failure. On the other hand, too little ambition can make the person in question look lazy and unmotivated. Further, it can result in mediocre performance, boredom, and a bleak sense of futility. Fostering a healthy level of ambition is not easy, and amidst so much uncertainty, it may seem like a low priority. But well-balanced, ambition leads to creativity and innovation, greater levels of performance, and deeper levels of joy and satisfaction at work, wherever “work” may be.”

This quote highlights the importance of well harnessed ambition. As Christians, we believe that God’s word can guide us in all matters of life and faith. In this study we will see what Biblical wisdom literature can teach us about ambition.

Begin with silence and prayer

[5 minutes]

Sit down, get comfortable and ask someone to pray aloud for the study.

Then spend a few minutes in silence. Ask God to help us remove distractions from our minds, listen to what He is saying to and through each of us and change our lives accordingly.

DEBRIEF

Reflect on last week’s study application (smaller groups)

[10 minutes]

Last week Travis had us thinking about how to navigate life’s disappointments with wisdom. Re-read these 4 points and discuss your experience incorporating them in to your life.

Cry out to God. It’s biblical and we are encouraged to bring ALL our feelings to God because He can handle it.
Get perspective. Many times it is difficult to see how God is present while we are disappointed. Yet in so many stories in Scripture, we find a God who draws closer to those who are hurting, not farther away. In fact, God knows disappointment like a dear friend as we see in the life and death of Jesus. If God experiences disappointment and if He is with us in our disappointment, maybe this knowledge will give us comfort and peace even if things don’t change.
Lean harder into God, not less. When we are disappointed or go through a difficult time, we are often tempted to run away from God. But those that cope the best with disappointment, even if their situation never changes, are those that take ALL their sadness, frustration, confusion TO God.
Your disappointment is real and it’s rough, but it’s not the end. Whatever you have gone through, are going through or will go through, the Bible reminds us that the end of the story isn’t disappointment but praise.

DEEP DIVE

Open to the Bible together (whole group)

[15 minutes]

Proverbs has a lot of wisdom regarding ambition. Read the following verses. Discussing the implications for ambition after each one.

Proverbs 10:4
Proverbs 16:3
Proverbs 16:8
Proverbs 16:9
Proverbs 16:18
Proverbs 16:25
Proverbs 16:32
Proverbs 22:16

The book of Proverbs concludes with a personification of wisdom in the form of a woman. Read Proverbs 31:10-31 as a group. As you do, make note of the balance made between ambition and godly responsibility.

List the qualities that would be considered ambitious.
This passage also shows that her ambition is well balanced with her faith and her relationships with others. Where in the passage do we see her faith and relationships with others mentioned.
How would you describe the purpose and direction of her ambition?
How is this woman the embodiment of the verses above from Proverbs?

DISCIPLESHIP

Application for the coming week:

[5 minutes]

This week we want to assess our ambition in light of our discipleship.

Take time to think about where your ambitions lie. Remember, we all have ambitions. It may be career, family, to change the world, or even the ambition just to slow down or improve at a hobby or interest.

Honestly ask yourselves these questions, and share your answers with the group or a trusted friend.

What is my motivation? Is it for me or for God/others?
How is my ambition affecting others? How is it effecting my friends, family, the environment, my colleagues and even people I may not know?
Is it getting in the way of my discipleship? Is it stopping me from seeking God, having fellowship, serving, giving, growing in godliness?

Work through these discussion questions: