Personal achievement ∙∙

Personal achievement ∙∙

In humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2:3-4

James 4:1-10

 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?

 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong– you want only what will give you pleasure.

 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

According to Dr. Ruth Gotian in Forbes, recent studies indicate that high achievers in modern organizations exhibit remarkable productivity, surpassing average employees by an astounding 400%. These exceptional individuals consistently outperform established benchmarks.

However, despite their exceptional performance, high achievers often require additional mentorship and a well-defined path for career progression. Consequently, many organizations still need formal programs to acknowledge and nurture high achievers to become future leaders. The result? The high achievers get frustrated by the lack of advancement and innovation and leave the organization.

Research by Daniel Pink demonstrates that for high achievers, intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic remuneration, such as bonuses or salary increases, is far more influential and satisfying (Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us).

High achievers who strive for excellence strongly desire to witness their company actively fostering creative innovation, curiosity, and passion. They seek assurance that the organization consistently sets higher standards to deliver value. Moreover, they value knowing that the company invests in their professional growth and offers opportunities for advancement within the organization.

In our fallen world, there is often a tendency to applaud and reward individuals who relentlessly pursue personal gain and success. Especially during our formative years, many of us prioritize our own accomplishments and progress for various reasons. Aspiring for excellence is commendable and worthwhile. However, it should not be done at the expense of sidetracking our relationship with the Father and neglecting the importance of valuing others.

Paul cautions us against being driven by selfishness or empty conceit. “‘Selfish ambition’ stands at the heart of human fallenness, where self-interest and self-aggrandizement at the expense of others primarily dictate values and behavior” (Fee).

The Greek term translated as selfish ambition is eritheia. Eritheiahas a sense of self-seeking pursuit or selfishness. It characterizes someone with a strong drive for personal success without moral restraints.

The Greek word translated conceit is kenodoxia. Kenodoxia is comprised of two Greek words kenos – vain, empty, and doxa – glory. It could be translated as vainglory, self-exultation, or empty pride. The primary idea behind this word is “empty opinion, error.” “Thus, it could depict a person who, though conceited, had no reason for it”(Ashy).

Paul exhorts us to raise the bar and do far better. He admonishes us to live with “humility of mind.” Humility is not a fawning self-depreciation. “The ‘submissive mind’ does not mean that the believer is at the beck and call of everybody else or that he is a “religious doormat’ for everybody to use” (Wiersbe)! Instead, humility entails recognizing and embracing one’s own limitations and abilities with a realistic perspective. Then we place ourselves at the disposal of the Father. We are to serve “at His pleasure.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Most of us are goal-driven. We have our own agendas and spend our time fulfilling them. If the truth be known, and it is in heaven, self-interest, self-aggrandizement, and empty opinion are the primary drivers that dictate our values and behavior.

Father God sadly, I recognize my propensity to advance my own schedule rather than discover Yours and seek to carry it out. Please help me to rearrange my priorities and focus.

INSIGHT

When driven by a competitive mindset, we frequently encounter the temptation to advance our own agendas. How can we rectify this situation? The solution is straightforward: we must prioritize the well-being of others above our own. The crucial aspect lies in extending the same level of care and commitment we have for ourselves toward the interests of others. This approach may seem radical and unusual. But it is a core value of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:5-8

 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,

 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

“‘Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 2:5, NIV). After all, outlook determines outcome. If the outlook is selfish, the actions will be divisive and destructive” (Wiersbe).

James 4:1-10

 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?

 2 You want what you do not have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it.

 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong– you want only what will give you pleasure.

 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”

 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty, is divided between God and the world.

 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

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© Dr. H 2023