A Few days ago, my wife and I had a conversation on the negative effect of the vanities many are pursuing today in Christendom under the disguise of "The blessing of the LORD makes rich." and she requested to know my take on vanity. This is what I told her, I pray it blesses someone.
I said, "vanity is when someone in need of the basic things of life is told he or she can't be assisted and the individual who said so, buys an expensive watch, cloth, Shoes, Car, House, etc, worth several hundred or thousands of dollars within the same period.
Vanity is also when a minister of the gospel demands for an expensive car from the members of his or her congregation when they are still holding meetings in a rented building simply because other ministers in the same city are riding "infinity jeeps."
Vanity is also when people are staved simply because of a mammoth church building project, which only raises the ego of the leader."
Don't misquote me; I'm not against people having the good things of this life, but at what expense? The vanities pursued within Christendom today, even though under the pretext of expanding God's kingdom is just too alarming. It's just unfortunate that in most cases, only those at the top benefits and the ordinary masses that give out of the little they have are the victims.
It is more rewarding for a minister to empower the people with capital to begin small businesses than to leave them wallowing in poverty, while parading in the latest infinity jeep and living in a mansion worth several millions of dollars.
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."
"Vanity is quest for the good things of this life above the value for other humans and God's kingdom interest on earth." Eccl 1:2
I once heard of a church with more members than the building could accommodate and the Pastor called for a meeting of the board of deacons to discuss the expansion of the church building. One of the deacons who was the richest among them, said; if there is no space for more people, they should ask those who can't manage the situation as it is to go to any other church. He said so because he was building a story-building for two of his daughters and he didn't want the church building expansion project to affect the finances for his ambitious project for his two daughters.
The church project was halted because of the strong influence of this rich guy. When he completed the story-building for his two daughters, on the day he took them there to officially hand the keys to them, the daughters went across the road to buy flowers and unfortunately a car crushed them and they died instantly. As the deacon stood on the other side of the road looking at the lifeless bodies of his daughters, he heard a voice," You refused to build me a house, but you built one for your two daughters, see now, they won't even enter it." Don't say God killed her daughters, it was the work of the devil, but his disobedience opened the door.
May God help us!DrBenard Etta
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