All is Vanity and a Troubled Spirit

“Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness”…..”Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit”.  Isaiah 55:2; Ecclesiastes 2:17

A few years ago, there was some news about a particular Holly wood actor who has starred in several big flicks.  He was married to a beautiful and talented woman, had three children, and all the luxuries that a movie star can afford.  Some might say that he was living the “American dream”.  He seemed to “have it all”.  However, he loved himself and his alcohol more than his family and ended up losing his family in divorce.  He has since remarried another actress in a fancy wedding.  I suppose there may be folks taking bets on how long that will last.  That is rather pessimistic, but it happens quite often among celebrities.

Checking online a few years ago, I found that, at that time, there were 683 deaths of celebrities from drug overdoses and accidents and diseases brought on by addiction.  These included actors, singers, musicians, wrestlers, sports figures, writers, directors, and other entertainment industry- related people.  It was reported that Elvis Pressley had twelve different drugs in his system when he died.  Michael Jackson was addicted to propofol that he used to relax.  This is the same drug that is used to knock folks out when they are getting a colonoscopy.  Having had a couple of those procedures, I can attest to the fact that when you come out of the effects of that anesthesia, you do feel very relaxed.  I also found another website which listed over 40 actors who had committed suicide by either hanging, poison, or firearms.  These are grim statistics, and they do not include the multiple thousands of non-celebrities who are addicted, have died as a result of addiction, or have committed suicide.  The number of our veterans who have returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and have committed suicide is difficult to believe.

There is another group of celebrities, who, upon losing popularity and their spot in the limelight, began to act out in forms of behavior that can be vulgar and certainly not as any role model that a parent would desire for his or her child.  The term “celebrity” comes from the same root word for “celebrate”, thus, by calling highly talented people celebrities or stars, it implies that they are somehow to be placed on a higher level than the average person.  We can appreciate one’s talent, but too much praise can cause them to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think (Romans 12:3).  I have wondered how many of these stars who have built their lives around their career wish that they had chosen a normal life with family and trustworthy friends rather than the emptiness of fleeting fame.

It is not just movie stars and other entertainment figures who get a little full of themselves, but some politicians are notorious at seeking attention.  One, in particular, posts videos of herself putting on makeup.  I speculate that this politician may have not received much attention as a child and is trying to make up for it by posting videos of herself often.  Another one posted a video of herself in her kitchen drinking a beer.  Others stand before crowds and make threats against those of the opposite party.  The actions of these folks do not give me a warm, fuzzy feeling that they are really concerned about making lives better for their constituents.  I mean, isn’t their job to serve the people?

There are talented people and political leaders who remain humble and down to earth, but there are those whose ego is so big that it has to be fed constantly.  What is up with all of these folks who can’t seem to handle fame in an appropriate manner?  The answer is basically very simple:  God did not design men or women to become objects of worship.  Those who seek notoriety, fame, wealth, and/or prestige, upon “having it all”, find that these superficial and worldly desires can never fill that “God shaped void” that is in the heart of each individual, as the French theologian and philosopher Blaise Pascale wrote in the 17th century.  Anything, whether it be fame, money, career or even another human being that stands between a man or woman and his or her Creator will never bring the joy and happiness that most people seek.  Humans were created to worship God and anything short of that can never truly satisfy the human heart.