Appearances

Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 1-047 Sunday 04 Mar 2001

Reading: PSALM 52 – LIES, DAMNED LIES AND APPEARANCES

(From ‘Encounter with God’ Bible Reading Notes)

There is only one sort of love worth trusting in: God’s unfailing love. ‘I will praise you for ever’ (v 9).

It is possible to be admired without being admirable. It seems that simply because they are famous, we hang on the words of the personalities of the moment, and if these people are misguided, or wicked even, their words are actually harmful because they invite approval. Tolstoy once said: ‘It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness’. He could have added ‘or that fame is wisdom’.

The writer of this psalm knew that this was not true. The ‘mighty man’ of verse 1 is challenged with not only being evil but of boasting about it. No matter how accustomed his public was to hearing this boasting, he remains a disgrace in the eyes of God. So do today’s so-called heroes whose actions reveal their greedy, spiteful, or selfish motivation. So do I if I do not constantly examine myself in the light of God’s judgement.

One of the things God hates is deceit. The lies mentioned in verse 3 will bring about the destruction predicted in verse 5. Liars are evil. The great wealth that many of them accumulate does not give them permission to be different from the rest of us (v 7).

I read a magazine article once about Meryl Streep. Having told me she is a woman of great acting talent, which I knew, it went on to say that she chooses her film roles partly on the basis of whether the film would make a positive or negative contribution to the world. This is a much greater basis for admiration than the great talent, and way greater than the fame which has resulted from her talent. Miss Streep says she wants to use her talent as an influence for good in the world. Could we in all honesty say the same?

How can you use your special talents to benefit the world? Ask God to show you the plan he has for you.

– Ken Edgecombe

Copyright Scripture Union, 2001