Leaving Vanity Fair
John Bunyan's Christian classic, The Pilgrim's Progress, has been called the first true novel.
Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress in 1678 while in prison for preaching without a license.
Vanity Fair, where Buyan's hero, Christian, gets waylaid, is a place of many enticements.
Christian and Faithful being accosted by the citizens of Vanity for their faith.
Christian was able to escape with his life, but his companion, Faithful, was burned for his faith.
Where are you in your journey? In Vanity Fair?
If life is a journey, as John Bunyan indicates in his Christian classic, The Pilgrim's Progress, and if there is a place along the way called "Vanity Fair," then many of us are probably in that place right now. Many of us may even feel that we are stranded there, much as the guests of Casablanca felt, helplessly waiting for an exit visa that never arrives. We are overwhelmed with an addiction, an illicit relationship, a bad marriage, a career dead-end, an empty retirement account - whatever. Where is the way out of our Vanity Fair?
One Hundred Eighty – 180 Movie
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This is a production of The Way of the Master and Living Waters.
Crying Out to God
We want to keep "Work" and "Vacation" in separate boxes. But sometimes, God breaks down those walls; so that what we thought was going to be work turns out to be the perfect vacation.
What makes the perfect vacation? Is it the place (beach, mountains, cruise), the people (family, friends, church group), the activities (backpacking, snorkeling, gallery hopping, shopping, fishing, golf, etc.)?
I would suggest it is whatever is most different from what you usually do. For me, it was painting the outside of my mom's house. That's right: painting my mom's house. Since I work at a computer all day, the best vacation for me is one that is physically exhausting, outdoors (preferably in a natural setting), that involves low-level problem-solving skills, with some meaningful personal and social interaction interspersed. Painting her house fit that bill.
But that's not why I chose that particular "vacation spot." The truth is, I needed money and she was willing to pay me. But God used that to create for me the perfect vacation. If your reaction is, "You've got to be kidding me," I understand. But after I tell you what happened, I think you will agree that this "vacation" was indeed perfect.
“God, Be Merciful to Me, A Sinner!”
- The Pharisee and the Publican by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld
- The Pharisee and the Publican - unknown artist
Humility - The Eleventh Knightly Virtue
Humility is a difficult quality for men to get their hearts around, because in Western cultures, we're so full of chutzpah. When we think of real men, we think of courage, strength, endurance - the qualities of a good athlete; or for godly men, we think of faith, integrity, purity - the qualities of a good Christian. But we don't think of humility. Yet God requires humility to receive anything from Him. Without humility, we might as well close up shop and go home.
The Bible says that "pride goes before a fall" and "humility comes before honor." (Proverbs 15:33, 16:18 and 18:12) In other words, if you want to fail, be prideful; if you want to succeed, be humble. God also adds (and you'll remember this line from the movie Chariots Of Fire, right before the big race), "Those who honor me, I will honor..." (I Samuel 2:30a) Even in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ promises that "the meek shall inherit the earth."
So here's my question: if humility is so important, why do we let it slip through our fingers? Why don't we pursue it with a vengeance, the way we do everything else we value? I mean, it's guaranteed, like gold! You strike humility and you've hit pay dirt! You're rich!
Hanging Out in the Land of the Sadducees
- Knights in submission to God's will
Knight showing submission
- Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal Son
Obedience - The First Knightly Virtue
I had lunch recently with a young friend of mine, and I asked him to share with me his thoughts on the subject of obedience - what he thinks of when he hears that word, etc. He shared some ideas, and then said, "You know, a lot of people might interpret your articles as being legalistic."
"Really," I said with a wry smile. "But you've never actually read any of my articles, so how would you know?" He said that he had. "How many?" I asked. He finally confessed that he had only read a couple.
Then he clarified his statement: "My generation is so grace-oriented that anything other than grace sounds legalistic." I see. So, if I try to balance grace with, say, discipline, that's legalistic. I would agree with him that his generation is grace-crazy; but I would call it something else - LICENTIOUSNESS.
Before anyone gets the wrong idea, let me explain the difference between grace and licentiousness... and, for that matter, legalism and obedience.