“Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke…” Ecclesiasties 2:11
A number of years ago, a major television network aired a program that infuriated magicians everywhere. The show unveiled how illusions were accomplished through the use of various methods, specialty tools and suggestive trickery. As an anonymous performer unmasked one of the illusions, he effectively made use of props to cause the audience to believe in an event that was not really happening. The truth became undeniable; the onlookers were literally being psychologically manipulated through the use of smoke and mirrors.
The evil one has successfully used a spiritual type of smoke and mirrors on untold scores of people throughout the centuries of time. This temporary “prop” that de-rails so many is none other than the mirage and subtle whisper in the human heart that a “good life” can only be attained through success, wealth, and the material possessions that one acquires during life’s short span.
One of history’s richest and wisest men fell for this same illusion, and after he had seen it all, bought it all, and experienced everything the world had to offer he proclaimed, “It’s all vanity… it’s nothing but smoke.” King Solomon knew what he was talking about! He had the most beautiful women at his beck and call, and he was so rich that the Bible says that silver became as common as stones in his city. He did whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to, wherever he wanted to do it. Nothing was left to his imagination. But in the final analysis, it was all just an illusion. Real peace, he said, was found in following, and becoming spiritually intimate with an eternal God.
His story is a great illustration to those in our world today who still believe that happiness will some day, some how, some way come to them, if only they have a little bit more. But only God can bring total heart satisfaction and peace. Anything else is a mirage, an illusion, “smoke and mirrors!”
