Sunday Reflection (September 19, 2021)
Desire and ambition are positive in the sense that they propel us to fulfill our potential,
but we can become so consumed with desire and ambition that we destroy trust,
community, and friendship to do better than others (James 3:13-4:8). We do this on
personal and social levels, and it creates a vicious environment for us and our world,
and especially for those vulnerable and beaten down.
The book of James warns us and presents an alternative to recalcitrance to be humble, fair, and just: James calls it “willing to yield.”
Willing to yield does not mean we have no convictions, or that we agree with everyone; rather, it means that we listen carefully
to someone else instead of attacking him/her. To be a disciple of Jesus is to abandon
the seeking of position, prestige, and wealth. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to serve
Willing to yield does not mean we have no convictions, or that we agree with everyone; rather, it means that we listen carefully
to someone else instead of attacking him/her. To be a disciple of Jesus is to abandon
the seeking of position, prestige, and wealth. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to serve
(Mark 9:35-36).
