sic transit gloria mundi (thus passes the glory of the world).

Tonight in my sermon I read this statement by Kevin DeYoung that reminds me of the famous Latin phrase sic transit gloria mundi (thus passes the glory of the world). Several people have asked me to post it. It is quite thought provoking:

Kevin DeYoung (7/10/09): I’m all for young people dreaming big dreams. Go out and change the world. Make a difference. Discover a cure for cancer. Write a best-selling novel. Become president. But remember, your “glory” will not last. Your great accomplishments will fall away–either in your lifetime, or in a generation, or at the end of all things. No one will care about your GPA and SAT scores in 10 years. If you win a state championship, you’ll be forgotten the next year you don’t. Your beauty will get wrinkles and trim figure plump. Write a great book and it will gather dust in a library some day. Have a big famous church, it won’t last forever. Be an important person in your field, you'll still be unknown to over six billion people in the world. Build an amazing house, it will crumble some day, if it doesn’t go into foreclosure first. All of our achievements and successes are destined to be like dead grass and faded flowers. But...the word of our God stands forever. . . All God’s declarations about himself and his people are true. All his promises will come to pass. Our only confidence is in the word of God.

Indeed, the glory of this world will pass. But let me share another Latin phrase that is just as true: sic durat gloria Dei (thus endures the glory of God). The wise person will believe this, and adjust his/her life accordingly.