SELF GLORIFICATION

Would you like to attain superstar status? It is obvious that a very large number of people covet this position, judging from the number who are "giving their all" to attain it.

The next question is more important: if you are not happy with your lot in life now, do you really think you would be happy as a superstar?

An affirmative answer implies that there is a point where you can say: enough! That is, there is a point where you can have enough money, fame, influence, power or whatever it is that you are looking for, so that you can settle down and just be happy.

In reality, very few ever find such a point. They must have more and more! Total control over everything turns out to be totally boring. So they resort to drugs, adventurism, sex (i.e., a new husband/wife), something else -- anything else -- or just accumulating more and more and more!

Such a one was the Herod that we read about in Acts 12. It must have given him quite a rush to behead the beloved apostle James. Total power to kill his enemies with impunity, he could have anything that he wanted. What was that? He was not satisfied unless he was worshiped as God? And so he arrayed himself in royal apparel and made an oration to those who he knew wanted to please him (Acts 12: 20-23). He got what he wanted ... and more -- a horribly painful and humiliating death.

Does this remind you of anyone today? If not, open your eyes! See the worship poured out on our superstars. See their solicitation and acceptance of it. How few of them give any credit at all to God.

But many rock stars, movie stars, athletes and political leaders are being brought down with AIDS, drugs, suicide, homosexuality, child molestation, corruption, and other forms of gross immorality. While not miraculous, God is bringing them down just as certainly as he brought down Herod (Gal. 6: 7). Spiritual principles cannot be broken.

Being successful is not sinful; but compromising God's law for the sake of worldly success most certainly is! Since very few superstars have much respect for God's truth, their quest for happiness on their own terms is destined to fail. The warning applies in the physical as well as the spiritual realm (1 Cor. 10: 12).

Success generates the seeds of failure. If you cannot be satisfied with your current station in life, there is little likelihood that you will be happy with another. Contrast this with the example of the Apostle Paul who had learned to be content regardless of his situation (Phil. 4: 11-13).

So the next time you get dissatisfied with your lot in life, be careful what you ask for, you might just get it!