Skin Deep

I John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

The Greek word for world is kosmos, from which we get our word cosmetic. Funny that the word for a skin-deep beauty actually has its root in the word “worldly.” The world’s ways, the world’s wisdom may look good on the surface. But it doesn’t go very deep.

Here, John refers to the world as our society without God. With God left out of the picture, our world is superficial, meaningless. Why, then, do so many of us dedicate so much of our lives to that which has no lasting meaning?

What we love is clearly evident in where we invest our time and money. We give a minimal amount to the church, but we spend thousands on make-up, clothes, hairstyles, fancy cars, bigger houses. We give God an hour on Sunday mornings, but we spend the bulk of our lives trying to get ahead in our work so we can spend more money on make-up, clothes, hairstyles, fancy cars . . . you get the picture. But as Christians, we are called to invest our time, our money, our lives, in that which is eternal. When we invest ourselves in the things of God, we end up with a beauty that goes all the way through, and never fades.

Dear Father, Thank You for filling my life with meaning, with that which is lasting. Please help me not to lose sight of what is truly important. Help me to invest myself in those things which will please You.

Amen