The lofty looks of man will be brought low, the haughtiness of men will be bowed down, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?
–Isaiah 2:11, 22
When my children were preteens they loved watching movies featuring their favorite stars.
But more often than not, those stars ended up making some seriously bad choices which led them down many dark and miserable paths in life.
Learning about the mistakes and shortcomings of actors they had admired was difficult for my kids; disillusioning, you might say. It was hard for them to realize that the people whose antics and escapades they’d enjoyed weren’t genuine. It was disappointing to see people who were outwardly successful fall so hard and so low.
My children would sometimes say things like, “Why would they do that?” “They just threw everything they had away like it was nothing.” “They’re wasting their life.”
But heartache and misery are what happen when you live life on your terms instead of on God’s. Anyone who puts their faith in themselves, in money, fame, or power is wasting their life. They may spend a lot of years living the “good life,” but without God, sooner or later they will fall.
Of course, no one can fall so far that God can’t rescue them. But it is gratifying to know that the person who puts their faith in God and lives for Him from the beginning will never fall and never be disappointed.
Prayer
Dear God, Please guard my heart against being prideful and selfish. Help me never forget who You are. I want to make You number one in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Reflection
Who do I look up to and why?