Vanity of Life in the Flesh

When you sit down and ponder life in this fleshly body you really realize how vain much of what we do is.  We spend so much time to make our bodies attractive.  Women put on jewelry, apply makeup, spray on perfume and carefully dress to look good.  Men will work out, shave, and try to regrow hair all to keep up their appearance.  Cosmetic surgery is more widely used than ever.  We all just try to look attractive and maintain youthful appearances.

Much of our time is also spent in satisfying and nurturing our flesh.  Our bodies need sleep to rebuild and reset every day.  We need to eat and drink to keep our bodies in motion and functioning. Sleeping and eating take up a lot of time every day.  We also do other things that feed or satisfy our flesh, like sex, drugs, and alcohol, but are not necessary for sustaining our life.

If you add all these activities up and then think about how we have to work to provide these things that focus around these bodies of ours, it all seems in vain.  We have an expiration date the day we are born.  If we center our lives on these fleshly bodies of ours, doesn’t it seem a waste of time?  We primp, workout, eat, shelter and gratify these bodies only to put them into a grave to rot!  If we live our lives centered on our own flesh our lives are wasted!

These fleshly bodies transport a spirit that will live on!   What we do in our flesh determines how we will spend eternity in our spirit.  With all this in mind, do we continue to live for today or for eternity?  Do we continue to center our lives on the body – the maintenance, dress, and satisfying of it?  No!  How vain that is!

We should live with eternity in mind.  The rewards and consequences that come in eternity are decided here and now.  Instead of being so self-centered, we should look to please God.  Do things for others.  Focus our mind and sight on Jesus.  Live the life that is led by the Spirit.

These bodies are only jars of clay.  In other words, we are fragile and made of dirt.  Our body is temporary.  The jar is not what is valuable, what is inside is.  What is inside will live on forever.  The jar can be shattered and crumble.

The next time you turn to pornography and masturbation think:  What impact will this have on my body and spirit?  Is this activity building up my body or spirit?  What will be the consequences to my body and spirit if I do this?  What about if I don’t do this?  Could this time be invested in something of value?