“I’m not interested in being perfect when I’m older.
I’m interested in having a narrative that’s really the most beautiful thing about women.” Jodie Foster
It is beautiful and inspiring to read many online narratives and trends attributing to professional women empowering women. We hold a great measure of ambition towards vision, motivation, and creativity in various seasons of life. We see an abundance of healthy female leaders who thrive at home and in the marketplace with business, education, nonprofits, creative arts, and the rising professions in technology.
Stephanie, our niece, is a catalyst of significant and gentle support with women involved in modern-day slavery, an evil bondage of commercial sexual exploitation in sex trafficking. Stephanie’s conviction and influence with women in challenging and complex situations, provides an opportunity for her spiritual gifts of mercy and wise counsel to offer strength, direction, and hope for a better life. As a young mom, she encouraged colleagues and friends to open their homes to sell jewelry created by rescued women as they pursue a sustaining career and healthy lifestyle. Stephanie beautifully illustrates Mary D. Poole’s quote, “Leadership should be more participative than directive, more enabling than performing.”
Lets consider the implications of ambition. For ambition is described as an eager or strong desire to achieve or succeed. Yet, as a biblical believer following Christ, we are called to look out not only for our own interests, but also for the interests of others. We all wrestle with the temptation to an allegiance of self-seeking ends. Selfishness in principle holds a desire for self in reputation, prestige or wealth by usury. In our fallen humanity, the natural bent is to go our own way outside the counsel of God, giving weight to a rugged individualism, narcissistic entitlement, and a “just do it” mentality for a successful life. This is a strong but old spell of worldliness from the Garden of Eden.
Ambition can be positive as we work out our faith. Although we rely on God’s strength and direction, faith without works is dead. It does take a certain level of ambition to proactively do what God calls us to do. It’s simply good to acknowledge where we wrestle with desire, especially if it aligns within a distorted principle of ambition to gain the world and lose our soul. A valuable question to ponder, are we seeking love, value, acceptance, and approval from the results of our ambition? By grace, we aim as diverse and godly women to walk worthy of the kingdom of God in our callings, practice of spiritual gifts, and life careers in community.
For our ordinary lives, ministry and careers must pour out of our identity in Christ.
Women are ambitious communicators entrusted with God-given spiritual gifts and competent skills in the workforce at home, local communities, and ministry endeavors each according to the measure of faith that God assigns. With distinctive stories and callings, women influence as writers, mommy bloggers, in financial giving, mercy, hospitality and teaching gifts, all gifted to lead and fulfill the Great Commission. The depth of beauty and fulfillment in our ambitious callings are endless in skills, talents, and education, however, to pursue fruitfulness at the cost of faithfulness is neither wise nor biblical.
Within biblical community, we learn to care, to listen, and to serve one another according to the Word of God. We know the Word of God is vital and active, trustworthy, sufficient, and able to anchor a soul in the promises of God. We glorify God in the limitless study His Word and accept it’s powerful affect in and through us, to empower steps of faith, to mature in our spiritual gifts, and discern open doors of substantial needs, which reside in life. Faithfulness leads into a sense of fulfillment and fruitfulness as we grow up into Christ.
As women, we know first hand how the gift of encouragement or mercy can influence our soul with a genuine smile, hug, or word of praise. So valued when we encounter circumstances that hold a season of trials or suffering in our own families, or with friends and neighbors. The needs are weighty, may God give us the grace to be bold in our prayers and humble to fan into flame the gift of God entrusted to us. Offer your gift on the waters, knowing He will multiply beyond all that we ask or imagine. When we love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we cannot help but to impact others for the gospel of Christ.
Phoebe is not only cited but also commended by Paul in the book of Romans. Paul considers Phoebe as a sister in Christ and as an honorable female serving the church, in addition to her astute business and estate. She was faithful and fruitful in hospitality, charity, and a willing servant in welcoming strangers into biblical community. Her life speaks a generosity and balance of work and ministry, worthy of respect. Phoebe looked not only to her own interests, but also to the interests of others. Paul engaged many to assist Phoebe in her humble and influential work of ministry. Her humility and encouragement in Christ, the comfort from His love, and her participation in the Spirit, offers the affection and sympathy Paul urges from Philippians 2. This encourages us all to complete joy being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Throughout the years, I’m thankful for the many rich memories serving side by side with other women in community to influence, comfort, and to be ambassadors with the love of God made more visible. May God in His mercy help us for such a time as this, to be women of pure heart, sincere faith, and a clear conscience as we hope for impact within our local communities, and globally for His glory.