INSIGNIFICANT VANITY

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better?

Ecclesiastes 6:11 (NKJV)

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Vanity. It’s a word we don’t hear used all that often but we definitely see the results of it displayed in the life of many people.

By definition, the word “vanity” means excessive pride in or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements. One who displays vanity will exhibit conceit, narcissism, self-love, self-admiration, self-absorption, self-regard, and egotism.

Sound like anyone you know?

Well as we look at our scripture verse for today from the 6th Chapter of Ecclesiastes, we are told that there are many things in the world that serve to increase vanity.

Think about it for a minute.

Gyms offer us ample opportunities to build muscle and sculpt our bodies with the hope that we will be seen as more attractive by others. Salons, spas, and tanning booths offer opportunities to further enhance our outer beauty.

We go to college to earn degrees that serve to define us when it comes to our level of education. There are any number of special honors people can strive for to try and set them apart from their peers, honors that distinguish one student over another.

The hope of gaining that education is that we will be able to use it to get a really good job to not only provide for our needs but also offer us some form of status within the organization.

Any or all of these things and so many more can lead us to become entangled in our own desires and our own gains. We tend to continue to strive for higher heights and greater gains. Our achievements seem to only satisfy us for a moment and then we are looking for the next higher level to attain. After all, we can’t allow ourselves to just be ordinary, not when there is so much offered that promises to be extraordinary.

In the end translation, the word of God contradicts the attitudes and beliefs of the world. For although there are plenty of offerings that the world places before us to elevate our status and stature before others, the scriptures would ask us, “How is man the better?” from these vanities.

The truth of the matter is that our worth does not come from vanity. Our worth comes from the Lord and the Lord alone.

In the Lord’s eyes, vanity is worthless and ironically, this is also a part of vanity’s definition. For another look at the meaning of the word “vanity” and you will find the following:

The quality of being worthless or futile.

In other words, vanity is futility, uselessness, pointlessness, worthlessness, and fruitlessness all rolled up into one. It is simply insignificant.

So what are we to take away from this scripture verse today?

God’s message is clear. Any attempt for us to elevate to a place where we are pridefully seeking the honor, glory, and praise for ourselves is nothing short of sinful because we are stealing away from God the prestige that is rightfully His. He is to receive all the credit. He is to receive all the fame. And He is to receive all the tribute.

God provides us the abilities to improve and enhance ourselves but only to be used to His service. Any attempt to steal away the acclaim He deserves is nothing but vanity which is insignificant when compared to the Maker and Master of all things.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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