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Good morning. One subject which can be very confusing is ambition. Is it a good thing or something to be shunned? Common sense tells us that, at least among politicians, it is legitimate to be ambitious. After all, each of the candidates lined up for the leadership of the Conservative party has a view on what they want for the country. But they cannot bring that about unless they achieve power, and that means first reaching a position of power, that is, Prime Minister. On the other hand, for Christians, the teaching of Jesus seems quite clear. Some of his closest friends were quarrelling among themselves about who would be top dog in his coming kingdom. Political rulers lord it over others, he said, “It shall not be so with you. Among you whoever would be great must be the servant of all”.(1) It’s a stance well expressed in the title given to popes, “Servant of the servants of God.” So do we have two standards then? Ambition for politicians ok, for clergy, no? This is the time of year when many women and men are being ordained in the Church of England. I would certainly find it very odd if one of them confided in me that they wanted to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Yet I can’t rest content with two standards, and I think the way out of this dilemma is to recognise that ambition for something is probably part of us all. There is a story about a Bishop who knocked on the door of a vicarage to offer the Vicar promotion. He said he would need a few days to think and pray about it. Meanwhile his wife went upstairs to pack. The person who told said story argued that the wife was closer to God than the husband, because she was honest about her feelings. That’s why I loved the answer Rowan Williams gave when he was asked if he wanted to be Archbishop of Canterbury. “I’m afraid a bit of the worst part of me does”. So, honesty with ourselves must be the starting point, whether we are a politician, clergyperson, business woman or whatever. Am I ambitious, and if so for what? The prestige and trappings of power, or the ability to change things for the better? Ambition, in the sense of wanting to achieve something, wanting to do something worthwhile with our lives, is a good thing, and should be part of us all. As for politicians, I turn to Theodore Roosevelt, a great reforming American President who was determined to bust the power of monopolies, and more generally the corrupt influence of business on American politics. It was said of him that he was not interested in power but he did care very much about what power could do. (1) Matthew, 20, 20-28