All is Vanity

Charles Allen Gilbert’s drawing “All is Vanity” is an eerie optical illusion of a woman sitting in front of a mirror which also looks like a human skull, seen here.  The title of this work is taken from the beginning of the Hebrew Scripture book Koheleth (sometimes spelled Qoheleth), or in most Christian Bibles, the book of Ecclesiastes.  This book is part of the Wisdom literature, such as Proverbs and Job, but it rather unique in its dreary outlook on the human experience. Whereas Job eventually receives restoration of his life and faith in God, Ecclesiastes offers no final redemption, only understanding that God is present in the journey and focusing on an ultimate goal denies the importance of seeking God in the first place.

Gilbert’s drawing captures the fleeting pursuit of beauty while summarizing one of Ecclesiastes’ conclusions. Death is inevitable.  No amount of toil trying to avoid it or deny it will make it disappear.  And yet the point is not death, but life and how we go about living it.  Are we stuck in front of a mirror seeking perfection or do we choose to seek God in the mundane and ordinary parts of our lives?  While the answer seems obvious, humans still spend close to $100 billion on beauty products each year – more if you count the cost of the advertising for said products.  That is a lot of toil.

Death is inevitable, and while we do need to be prepared for it, it should also not be our focus.  Indeed, Jesus’s death and resurrection changed death into the start of eternal life.  Meanwhile, this life, the time we have on earth, is precious and important to offer ourselves to God and do God’s will as we can.

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He is only 50 years old.  It came as quite a shock to him and his family as he has been healthy his entire life.  The life expectancy of those with ALS is 2-5 years, with the latter potion of that time in a body that cannot move.  It comes as no surprise that he is re-evaluating everything in his life – what is important and what it is vanity. He reached out to me to find some spiritual support in the midst of this tragedy.  My heart aches for him because he has so much to live for, and yet the realities of our mortal body are interrupting his life.

I do not believe that God wanted his man to have ALS, or for someone else to have cancer or heart disease or be the victim of violence.  I do believe God is good, yet our concept of “good” is limited by our human experience.  “Good” does not mean we are guaranteed an easy life, only that God will always be with us in the midst of our trials.  “Good” does not mean fair, that we will receive what we think we are due, especially if we are “good.” Yet we are promised that we are loved and loved deeply – it is up to us to trust that love and feel it in the most challenging times.

And for those of us not in the midst of such challenges, we need to be present and supportive, especially when it is difficult.  These are the moments in our journey where God works through us, inviting us to focus on the other rather than our own vanity.  It is a time to offer love as we are loved – fully and unconditionally. 

In Christ,

Rev. Valerie+

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