A changing snapshot by Gary Rose

Cute photo; obviously staged, but very cute!! For a moment (just a moment), lets pretend that it isn't staged. The squirrels are doing a very human activity of picture taking and can really appreciate their actions. I wonder, why do it in the first place?  Accomplishment, historical documentation, family album, or perhaps the most prevalent of all human motivations- PRIDE!!! And what is another name for PRIDE- vanity!!! Vanity, that most fleeting of human foibles, is the most foolish, for its focus is self and for those of us who are adults, the most short lived. We grow up only to grow old far too soon. We watch as our accomplishments wane and our health fail. In the sunset years, we wonder at the reasons for everything.

Solomon, the son of David, was a man who pondered such things, he said...

Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1 (World English Bible)

  ¹ The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:   ² “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”  ³ What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?  ⁴ One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.  ⁵ The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.  ⁶ The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.  ⁷ All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.  ⁸ All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.  ⁹ That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Solomon was perhaps the wisest of all men and in the last chapter of Ecclesiastes finishes the book with these comments:

Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12 (World English Bible)

 ⁹ Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.  ¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.  ¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. ¹² Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 

  ¹³ This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.  ¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil. (emp. added for vss. 13f. GDR)

Words have meaning, knowledge is worthwhile and worth pursuing, but the contemplation of such things is difficult and eventually ends in the consideration of God and our obedience to HIS WILL. Only by considering God's will for our life can we truly understand our true self and be what we were intended to be; a being made in the image and likeness of the creator of the universe.

When we come to grips with that mental image, I doubt if we will ever have the desire to take another picture of our self and will probably look up at the evening sky a whole lot more! We may even think of ourselves a whole lot less and think of eternity (with God) more as time goes by!!

Get the picture?