Glory of the world makes life meaningless. Glory of God fulfills it.

life love truth inspirational knowledge philosophy happiness wisdom fame faith hope pride joy god beauty religion self self-respect adoration spirituality conceit humility recognition motivational meaning-of-life writing ego self-love worship vanity happy-life education honor admiration wonder glory nobility blessing phenomenon modesty selfishness reputation greatness humble elegance grandeur praise popularity arrogance celebrate gentle self-importance self-righteous egocentrism narcissism self-worship joy-of-life tame delight acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable bless boast commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-man glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-of-the-world glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god how-to-fulfill-life hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness joyful-living kudos lamblike life-fulfillment lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meaningful-life meaningless-life meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable ultimate-purpose-of-life unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory

Were you there?”She shook her head. “No. I was here in Nain having achild.”“Then why do you weep as though you had part in hiscrucifixion? You had no part in it.”“I’d like nothing better than to think I would haveremained faithful. But if those closest to him—hisdisciples, his own brothers—turned away, who am I tothink I’m better than they and would have donedifferently? No, Marcus. We all wanted what wewanted, and when the Lord fulfilled his purpose ratherthan ours, we struck out against him. Like you. In anger.Like you. In disappointment. Yet, it is God’s will thatprevails.”He looked away. “I don’t understand any of this.”“I know you don’t. I see it in your face, Marcus. Youdon’t want to see. You’ve hardened your heart againsthim.” She started to walk again.“As should all who value their lives,” he said, thinking ofHadassah’s death.“It is God who has driven you here.”He gave a derisive laugh. “I came here of my ownaccord and for my own purposes.”“Did you?” Marcus’ face became stony.Deborah pressed on. “We were all created incompleteand will find no rest until we satisfy the deepest hungerand thirst within us. You’ve tried to satisfy it in your ownway. I see that in your eyes, too, as I’ve seen it in somany others. And yet, though you deny it with your lastbreath, your soul yearns for God, Marcus LucianusValerian.”Her words angered him. “Gods aside, Rome showsthe world that life is what man makes of it.”“If that’s so, what are you making of yours?”“I own a fleet of ships, as well as emporiums andhouses. I have wealth.” Yet, even as he told her, heknew it all meant nothing. His father had come to thatrealization just before he died. Vanity. It was all vanity.Meaningless. Empty.Old Deborah paused on the pathway. “Rome points theway to wealth and pleasure, power and knowledge. ButRome remains hungry. Just as you are hungry now.Search all you will for retribution or meaning to your life,but until you find God, you live in vain.

Beware ! Discipline goes to two different directions : success and self glory. Self glory is the biggest failure of life.

fame pride beauty self-respect adoration conceit humility discipline success recognition ego self-love worship vanity honor admiration wonder glory nobility blessing phenomenon modesty selfishness reputation greatness success-quotes humble temptation elegance grandeur praise popularity arrogance celebrate gentle self-importance self-righteous egocentrism narcissism self-worship tame delight acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable bless boast commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness kudos lamblike lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory discipline-quotes direction-of-discipline temptation-of-succes temptation-quotes

Yesterday i was clever so i took the glory for me. Today HE makes me wise so i give the glory to HIM.

fame pride god beauty self self-respect adoration conceit humility recognition ego self-love worship vanity honor admiration wonder glory nobility blessing phenomenon modesty selfishness wise reputation greatness today humble yesterday elegance grandeur praise popularity arrogance clever celebrate gentle self-importance self-righteous egocentrism narcissism self-worship tame delight acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable bless boast commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-man glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-of-the-world glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness kudos lamblike lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory

Big things in the glory of the world mean nothing. Small things in glory of God mean everything. Truly..., size doesn't matter in this world or in the world to come.

fame pride god beauty self self-respect adoration conceit humility recognition ego self-love worship vanity honor admiration wonder glory nobility blessing phenomenon modesty selfishness reputation greatness humble nothing elegance grandeur praise popularity arrogance celebrate gentle self-importance self-righteous egocentrism narcissism self-worship tame delight everything acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable bless boast commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-man glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-of-the-world glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness kudos lamblike lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory truly small-things this-world big-things size-doesn-t-matter size-matter world-to-come

Sweet wine makes drunk, sour wine (insult) is "tetelestai". Life is not about what we have done and become, but how God to be fully glorified.

life fame pride god beauty self self-respect adoration conceit humility recognition ego self-love worship vanity drunk honor admiration wonder glory nobility blessing phenomenon modesty selfishness reputation greatness humble elegance grandeur praise insult popularity arrogance celebrate gentle self-importance self-righteous egocentrism narcissism self-worship tame delight acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable bless boast commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-man glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-of-the-world glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness kudos lamblike lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory fully-paid it-is-finished last-words-of-jesus saying-of-jesus-on-cross sour-wine sweet-wine tetelestai

Whatever we have in the glory of man is "away". Those are just not enough before we go "home" to the glory of God.

fame pride home god beauty self self-respect adoration conceit humility recognition lost ego self-love worship vanity honor admiration wonder glory nobility blessing phenomenon modesty selfishness reputation greatness humble away enough elegance grandeur praise popularity arrogance celebrate gentle self-importance found self-righteous egocentrism narcissism self-worship sufficient tame delight acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable bless boast commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-man glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-of-the-world glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness kudos lamblike lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory complete not-enough

If we glorify God (not self) in everything we do then everything on earth will glorify God.

fame pride beauty self-respect adoration conceit humility recognition ego self-love worship vanity honor wonder glory nobility phenomenon modesty selfishness reputation greatness humble elegance grandeur praise popularity arrogance celebrate gentle self-importance self-righteous egocentrism narcissism tame delight acclaim acquiescent applaud biddable commend compliant conceitedness deferential diffident distinction docile egotism eminence eulogize exaltation exaltation-of-god extol extolment glorify-god glorify-god-in-everything glorify-self-vs-glorify-god glorifying-god glorifying-god-quotes glory-of-god glory-of-life glory-of-me glory-of-one glory-of-self glory-of-self-vs-glory-of-god glory-to-god glory-to-self god-s-exaltation god-s-glorification god-s-glory god-s-grandeur god-s-greatness god-s-honor god-s-magnificence god-s-majesty god-s-praise grandeur-of-god greatness-of-god honor-of-god hubris humbleness immodesty imperiousness kudos lamblike lionize magnificence magnificence-of-god magnify majesty majesty-of-god marvel meek mild modest obedient opulence pay-tribute-to pomposity pompousness praise-of-god prestige quotes-that-glorify-god rave renown resplendence self-admiration self-adoration self-centeredness self-conceit self-effacing self-exaltation self-extolment self-glorification self-glorifying self-glory self-glory-vs-god-s-glory self-honor self-magnification self-magnifying self-opinion self-praise self-pride self-regard self-satisfaction smugness splendor submissive superiority tractable unassuming unprotesting unresisting vainglory everything-on-earth-glorify-god

...imagine that you hold in one hand an oddly shaped stone. You keep this hand closed into a fist, but still you can feel the stone’s curvature and the pointed edges, the roughness—of course, you know the relative size and weight and might even have a mental image of the color of this stone, even if you have not yet laid eyes upon it. Imagine that stone in your hand. Imagine what it is like to know everything about the way it feels, but nothing of how it looks. Hold that in mind for a moment.Now, imagine that there is a person standing next to you who tells you that she also holds a stone in her hand. You look down and see the clenched fist and she sees yours and you confess the same. Neither of you, it seems, has yet opened the hand and seen the stone. Still, you can only trust each other’s proclamations. Standing together with your stones in hand, the two of you theorize about whether or not your respective stones are similar to one another. You discuss mundane details about your stones (not the special ones—you hesitate to make mention of the sharp point in the northern hemisphere or the flat area on the bottom). Your neighbor finally notes similarities between her stone and yours and you nod with relief and acknowledge that your stones indeed share reasonable commonalities. Over the course of your discussion, you and your neighbor finally conclude, without bothering to open your hands, that the stones you hold must indeed be quite similar.Are they? It is only suitable to say that they are. At the same time, and in spite of your desire not to offend, there is no doubt in your mind that the stone you hold bespeaks a greater prominence than that of your neighbor. You are not sure how you know this to be true, but it must be so! And I do not mean that this stone simply holds a greater subjective prominence. It has something of the universal, for it is, indeed, an auspicious stone! Silently, you hypothesize in what ways it must be special. It is possibly different in shape, color, weight, size and texture from the other, but you cannot confirm this. Perhaps, it is special by substance? Still, you are unsure. The very fact of your uncertainty begins to bother you and unleashes within you a deep insecurity. What if you are wrong and your stone is actually inferior to the other…or inferior even to some third stone not yet encountered? Meanwhile, your neighbor is silently suffering in the same agony. Both of you tacitly understand that, without comparing the two visually, it is absurd to proclaim the two stones similar. Yet, your fist remains clenched, as does your neighbor’s and so you find yourselves unable to hold out the stones before you and compare them side-by-side. Of course, this is possible, but the mutual curiosity is outstripped by an inveterate pride, and so you both become afraid of showing (and even seeing) what you have, for fear that your respective stones will be different in appearance from the model that you have each conceptualized in mind. Meekly your eyes meet and you smile to one another at your new comradeship, but, all the while, remain paralyzed by a simultaneous shame and vanity.

Vanity is by far my favorite of all sins, and the camera lens is the ultimate vanity mirror. The camera captures all moods and nuances; immortalizes the soft and silky continuum that is humanity. Those still life moments seem so fluid, so representative of continuity. They are a single moment captured, yet an eternity expressed. All your youth; all your ages, captured and expressed in a single click. Of all the indulgences, vanity is certainly my favorite which we should otherwise resist, but are inexplicably captivated by and addicted. What other animal would spend so much time pouting and preening for its reflection? Only humanity would participate in such self-adoration. You would think we have the most colorful feathers or softest of manes. Rather, we are a naked biped that feels incomplete without some decorative element, accessory, or embellishment of the self. We are intoxicated by the image of the body, no different than we are seduced by fine wines, foods, or mind altering elements. We devour the skin, and peel away clothes as if they were the skin of some tropical fruit, covering a colorful and juicy interior. We hunt for bodily pleasures, and collect them as prizes; show them off in social situations as if our companions were some sort of extended adornment to ourselves. We are revealed in our sensuality. To touch beneath the surface; to connect beyond facades, that unattainable discourse between individuals is put tentatively within reach in intimacy. To capture those moments is to capture the essence of what makes us human, and what ultimately sets us above and aside from the rest of nature. Capturing humanity in its most extravagant expressions is intoxicating. Vanity is by far my favorite sin, and it is an endless tale as infinite as humanity. Every person is but a stitch in a giant tapestry.