Vanity

Jeremiah 48:29-30
29 "We have heard of Moab's pride— her overweening pride and conceit, her pride and arrogance and the haughtiness of her heart. 30 I know her insolence but it is futile," declares the LORD, "and her boasts accomplish nothing.”


It has been said that vanity is the devil’s favorite sin. I would have to agree. Vanity, and pride typically go hand in hand. More people have been brought down from great heights due to vanity than any other means. From Nimrod, to your current favorite celebrity, man putting himself first has always turned out badly.

It is common today for people to want to put themselves first, hair products tell you it is because you are worth it, car companies sell you on the luxury, and exclusivity of their product, today’s world is all about one thing, how to make you better than the next guy. The ad agencies rely on our vanity to sell the product.

Now don’t get me wrong here, there is nothing wrong with wanting things, it is natural and normal, it is when we take it to the extreme, it is when we start to drink our own kool-aid that we have problems. It is when we start to believe that others opinion of what we have might actually make a difference, that it might be time to do a little soul searching. We all have to make it a point to remember that nothing we gain here really amounts to much. The car, the clothes, the house….sure everyone wants nice things, however all of the window dressings in the world cannot be allowed to change what is inside of you.

Our lives are defined by what we do, not what we have. We are given plenty, so that we can give freely. When we find that we are more concerned about what others will think of our purchase, than we are about the need of that purchase; that is when it is time to stop and look at where we are placing our priorities.


We have to be careful not just for ourselves, but for our children as well. We can have a wonderful Christian heart, but if our actions do not allow that heart to be seen our children, while they might hear the word, will most likely follow the action. This is another reason that you will always hear me say that faith takes action. We cannot teach our children good moral beliefs, if we are running out to buy the next that we are so sure will complete us.

In the end all we are left with is the life we have led. Our time will expire, and we will stand before the Lord. I do not think that he is going to care if we won life’s version of monopoly. However we will have to answer for how we lived, and what we taught.

Peace,
Rev. Thetford