Rooting For Rivals: Pursuing A Higher MissionSample

Gluttony vs. temperance

We typically associate gluttony with what we eat and drink. But in the context of rooting for our rivals, let’s identify gluttony as an insatiable appetite that obsesses over growth and expansion rather than quality and impact. 

There’s nothing wrong with a feast, but a glutton is never filled. A glutton says, “If there is food on the table, I’ll consume it now. If there’s a bottle in the cabinet, I’ll open it now.” Gluttons refuse to deny themselves any good thing. What began as a legitimate pursuit—food, drink, growth, influence—becomes an unhealthy obsession. A gluttonous leader will seize every opportunity for growth, even at great cost to quality, impact, and, ultimately, the Kingdom. 

The gluttonous leader doesn’t trust God’s timing. They cannot stop to honor God through celebration because they never feel they’ve had or done enough. They cannot be open-handed because they can’t imagine leaving any opportunity on the proverbial table. 

God invites us to practice temperance. At the foundation of temperance lies an awareness of our limits and an understanding of our calling within the broader Kingdom. An understanding that we can’t, and shouldn’t, try to do everything on our own. This awareness opens up possibilities for collaboration, allowing us to explore bigger dreams than would be possible alone. 

Temperance requires that we deny potentially good things now, not as an austerity measure but in preparation for better things later. Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of some of the most acclaimed parks in North America, wrote, “I have all my life been considering distant effects and always sacrificing immediate success and applause to that of the future.”

As people working toward an eternal Kingdom, we, too, are invited to consider “distant effects.” While our gluttonous pursuits may lead to short-term growth or impact, are they contributing to the long-term health of the Kingdom of God?   

In Scripture, God lays out regular, healthy rhythms of fasting and feasting. When done right, feasting celebrates how God has faithfully provided. Amid our passionate pursuits, let’s make space to celebrate the ways God is at work in our homes and organizations—and in those of our rivals. 

To fight the vice of gluttony:

1. Before starting something new, explore partnerships with those already doing good work. 
2. Celebrate progress, even if you haven’t fully “arrived.” Give God the glory when you see Him at work. 
3. Define your limits. No person or organization can do all things well. Prioritize impact over expansion.