There are some things in this life that are absolutely beautiful.  Some are alluring, some are natural while others are man-made.  They might catch our eye or arouse our senses.  They may seem entirely harmless… and they might be good in and of themselves…

…but they can be deadly.

Take this gorgeous creature for instance, God outdid Himself in the design, it’s simply beautiful, but I don’t think I’d want to walk up and pat her on the head.

Kitty, kitty, kitty!

That beautiful beast just happens to be a killing machine!!!

More often, we become entranced by things of beauty and make them more important than they are in our lives.  I really enjoy old Victorian architecture; it is beautiful.  Every little detail can be a work of art, and nobody can say it’s immoral.  The question is how important will I allow it to become in my life?

I know people who define life by discovering Victorian treasures in unusual places, who live for the day that they can buy their very own Victorian… Not good!

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I can enjoy things, I can appreciate their beauty, but when a “thing” or a pleasure becomes the object of life, I will die spiritually just as certainly as I would die physically if I walked up to a sleeping lion and patted him on the head!

Grant us, O Lord, the discernment to see that which is truly important, and to maintain the perspective we need to give everything the level of priority that enables us to walk more closely with you.