Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.
VANITY
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL, VANITY IS RISING
VANITY IS RISING
VANITY IS RISING
VANITY WILL FAIL
VANITY WILL FAIL
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"How you have fallen from heaven,
O Morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High,
but you are brought down to the grave
to the depths of the pit.
Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate:
Is this the man who shook the Earth?"
Isaiah 14
Vanity is all around us. It is in the music videos we watch, the video games we play and of course on our jobs even in our conservations so its hard not to feel the vein of vanity in us. We are all human fallen from grace and then saved by grace (Christ) but we still have faults, ulterior motives, a fantasy and drive for fame, recognition and adoration for those that have achieved it.
Self image is all around us. It's in the magazines we read, How to lose ten pounds and look your best ever! How to make that man sweat! Ten sizzling bikinis to heat up the summer. How tos, what nots and body enhancers the list goes on. Then we click on the TV and see our comparison mirrors. Celebrities. They sometimes provide an unhealthy self reflection. "I can look like her if I just had a better wardrobe. If I just lose ten pounds, if I was curvy, if I was slim, if I was taller, if I was tone. I can be famous like him but , I can train like him but...we sit there and compare ourselves as we idolize our culture's interpretation of beauty.
Don't get me wrong everyone likes to feel attractive, there is no harm in receiving compliments taking care of yourself, feeling and looking and doing your best. The sin is when you believe you are better than others. The death sentence is when we start to place value for things and attention above God. When we begin to believe our extraordinary talent , our attractiveness and remarkable abilities derives from us and not the one and true source of life.
That's when we have a problem. No matter how far we ascend in our careers, how many friendships and connections we make... we can feel like we are on top of the world just like the once gorgeous multi talented angel of music named Lucifer.
All who know his story know the ending to the tale of vanity, we know the fall is coming shortly after.. if we don't take our eyes off the mirror and place them on God. Self worship is what this world glorifies but true worshippers know "the ancient of days" can crumble the world with his mighty fist before our next breath, that's if he wanted to..
When you think of Lucifer you don't think of beauty beyond description you think of horns and a long tail, a creature of the night.
Lucifer was the most beautiful angel in heaven. He didn't play music. He was music! God delighted in his creation but his creation became a creature that lusted for his creator's throne so he planned to dethrone God!
And Failed! How can a creation rule over its creator? How can a creation think its value outweighs its creator? How can the creation think they created the creator? Ludicrous right? Well, its happening everyday. The heart of man denies his creator and worships himself. He believes and wants to be the center of attention when he should be centering his attention to the one who sits at the center of the universe.
We are not the centers of the universe that we think we are but only shadows that are passing through this planet. What purpose would we serve if we didn't worship God in this lifetime? We would be glorifying the angel of darkness not the angel of light. Our life would be in vain. So I don't know about you but when I look in the mirror I don't want to see flawed and imperfect Camille with her hangups and issues but the perfect, flawless, humble Christ that lives on the inside making her perfect in HIM.
To God be All the GLORY!
"The Cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives FOREVER..." 1John 2:16 &17
John Milton: Vanity, definitely my favorite sin. (The Devil's Advocate '97)
John Milton: Vanity, definitely my favorite sin. (The Devil's Advocate '97)
John Milton: Vanity, definitely my favorite sin. (The Devil's Advocate '97)