Personal Gain

Read a short column on Adelaide Now about criticism given to one of the "so you think you can dance" judges about favouring a friend choreographer for his own personal gain.
It seems, as I move through life, that this is sometimes a bit of a theme of people around. People who blatantly do things for their own personal gain. I'm not saying that this is what that judge is doing and quite frankly I'm not sure that I care too much either but it has raised a strong feeling in my heart about how people around me have done this sort of thing.
I have experienced people trying to raise others up so that they may gain something from it. I have experienced the burning of others so that they themselves look good or don't look bad. I have experienced others gloating, boasting, criticising etc so that they will get further in life or in their profession. Sometimes it's so sneaky and undermining that it's even hard to recognise, but that is just how some people have to function so that they feel good about themselves.
So I ask the question, is there anything wrong with that? Trying to climb the corporate ladder or get a better position or put people down to be built up or show off how good something is so that you or friends will somehow benefit?
Well I think I've come to the point of not saying it's wrong but it certainly isn't the path I'm going to follow.
In the bible, I think in the book of James somewhere, it says, humble yourself before the Lord and HE will build you up. What this means to me is, I don't have to try and build me up at all but I'm not sure I need to built up anyway. A lot of this has to do with being content with life and content with the fact that I am a child of God and that is enough, actually way more than enough! Anything else that God gives me along the journey would be a bonus.
So, do I need to show people what I can do, gloat over my great business techniques, my gifts, put people down, raise others up for my gain. No, coz at the right time, if it's even necessary, God will do that as I humble myself before Him, make Him the area of my primary concern. There's another factor here that also comes into play. Love. If I truly Love others as God loves me then the me factor comes second to loving God and other people first. In other words, if I really love other people as Jesus instructs, then putting them down so that others look good, or so that I look good isn't really loving them is it? Or if my words cause others to think badly of anyone, is that love?
Again, this is a journey for me and a lesson that everyday needs to change my heart and life. If that means I get walked on and left behind, then I'd rather have that, than compromise my belief in what God has laid down as a great plan to follow. I'd rather aim to be humble, loving and wise in God's eyes, than be shrewd, have a 'high position' or be wealthy in the worlds'.