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Ecclesiastes
2:11 (King James)
Then
I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I
had labored to do: and, behold, all was
vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
If ever there was a time when vanity is a
sin now is that season. The manger
moment is such an outstanding example of humility. Not that vanity is something
new to the 21st century. Way
back in the ancient Garden of Eden where the first woman, Eve, was tempted,
Vanity only whispered in her ear. It
didn’t have to shout to get her attention, nor even speak up to be heard – we
human beings are like that. Being King
on the Hill or Queen of the Realm sits all too easily in the our psyches. So Eve, easily tempted, reached up, helped
herself to the forbidden fruit and relished the idea of being as wise as
God.
Almost 2,000 years ago in Cesarea
Philipi, the 12 Disciples who sat at the feet of the Master lived under the
same bondage. Me better – me best. After
all, they had given up so much to follow Him - wealth, position, time,
community and family ties. They had really given up so much by
earthly standards. And so now vanity
made them pompous in their sacrifices.
Thinking that at
the very least they deserved some reward, they asked, “Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven?” And then they
waited. Each one hopeful that Jesus
would give him the praise and recognition he felt he truly deserved. They all had delusions of grandeur. It is still an overwhelming fault of most of
humanity.
I can see the disciples now: Peter fidgeting and hanging on to every word out of the mouth of the Lord - being sure
that any minute Jesus would exclaim, “Peter,
you know what I like about you? It is
your fire and enthusiasm. You stand head
and shoulder above all the others.”
Well, maybe not say it so blatantly but certainly implying it. And Peter thinking, How could He do
otherwise?
Matthew? He was no less in need of assurance. Come on, Jesus, he possibly considered, Make
sure all these other disciples know how lucky they are to have me as one of
them. What would they do without my
logical thinking that so clearly makes me superior to other muddled minds? I’m so thankful I’m not as dumb as most
people.
Nor was the disciple Thomas any different. Looking around the room, it is quite likely
he reflected, You clods never ask any penetrating questions, as do I. What’s wrong with you? Were you born without any curiosity at
all? Don’t you have any blanks you’d
like to have filled in? Oh, ye of too
much faith.
Oh, I have no
doubt that each of the 12 suffered from various stages and degrees of
vanity. I have no doubt at all. And neither did Jesus. His faithful followers who were willing to be
fishers of men had just shown they were also fishers for compliments. “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?” And then each one salivating in hopes it would be he.
Jesus?
Perhaps He sighed a little before He made His point in His own
inimitable way. Hit at the core of the
thing, as only He could do. A little child was standing nearby and the
Lord simply called him over. Called over
this comely, dark-eyed youngster still with a heart pure and clear, not yet old
enough to be permanently scarred by petty jealousies, hurts and imagined
wrongs. And cradling this little one in
His arms, He looked at His disciples and said, “Verily I say unto you, except
you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of God.
Therefore, whosoever humbles himself like this little child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says in
so many words, “If you work only for your reward on earth, don’t look for it
the second time around in heaven.”
Too much vanity makes fools of men. It puts a chip on their shoulders, holes in
their heads, and becomes a thorn in their sides. They want praise, and will not accept
criticism. There are those so vain in
their faith that even when they pray, they probably remind God of their
credentials. “Just remember, Lord, I’ve done Thy will, read Thy book, been a
Christian not to be easily overlooked.
Indeed, if You will take the time to look closely You’ll find that my
name must be written in gold on Your pages of heaven.”
“No,” you say. “No one would
actually pray like that.” Probably not,
but many when they pray have that kind of attitude, and the tragedy is that
sometimes they don’t even know it.
And we in church leadership have to be
especially careful not to become flagrant fools, for the church is full of
titles and degrees; preachers with their BD’s, PhD’s, ThD’S and DD’s; Bishops,
laymen elected Elders, Chairman's of the Board, Clerks of the Session,
Moderators of Presbytery, Deacons, the list goes on and one and on. What again was it Jesus said? “If you work
only for your reward on earth, don’t look for it the second time around in
heaven.”
I tell you
this. The devil makes Vanity for
everyone but he keeps the largest doses for the hardest workers. In church he takes those who give the most
time, share the best talent, sacrifice the greatest dollar, and he tries to
make them vain. He constantly reminds
them of what they have done. He builds
vanity on the foundation of their accomplishments, whispering in their ear,
“You are the greatest in this church.
This church could not survive without you.”
You know, and of course this is pure
supposition, there are going to be a lot of people in the church, all churches
of all denominations, who on that appointed day when they walk through the
pearly gates are going to be terribly disappointed. They will have spent years in the church
working – not for God – but for praise.
And at that golden moment Gabriel isn’t going to step forward to blow
his horn in a special salute. No one of
official heavenly status, even perhaps from the lower ranks, is going to
enthusiastically shake their hands, or offer them a key to special places in
the heavenly city.
They will have
done a host of good deeds, performed a multitude of kindly acts, given energy
and sacrifice in copious amounts….all for the praise of men and women. And since that is what they only worked for,
they got it and kept it and embraced it and were burdened by it, and therefore
swept the gates free of any welcoming committee because time and time again
they asked, “Who is the greatest…”
All of us like praise. There is nothing wrong in the liking of it –
but there is everything wrong if we cannot be satisfied or happy without
it. To demand praise, to quit if we
don’t get it, to give up on a task if we feel unappreciated, is to one day find
out that “pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
(to be continued)
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