Genesis 11: Students

Purposeful Ambition: For God's Glory, Not Ours

Genesis 11:4 (New Living Translation) "Then they said, 'Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.'"

Think about this: You've worked hard and have achieved something significant. Maybe you've made the basketball team, earned a high GPA, or created a popular vlog. It's easy to let this success go to your head. Genesis 11 gives us a perspective on this.

The people of Babel built a towering city to make themselves famous. Their goal was self-glorification, not to honor God. This self-centered pride led to their downfall and scattering.

We can learn from their mistake. When we achieve success, let's remember to do so with humility and thankfulness, giving glory to God instead of ourselves. It's not wrong to strive for excellence, but the ultimate goal should be to honor God, not to make ourselves famous. Our achievements are gifts from God and should be used to reflect His glory, not our own.

Pause & Pray:

1. Thank God for the talents and abilities He has given you and the opportunities to use them.
2. Ask God for the humility to remember that all success comes from Him.
3. Pray for the wisdom to use your achievements to glorify God, not yourself.