This is the book that has been a steady best-seller since the fifteenth century, when it was composed. For some time, it was outsold only by the Holy Bible itself. I must have read it once, long ago, before I went to seminary. I think it's time to flip through it again. Let's begin with the wonderful condemnation of vanity, in chapter one of book one, and the reminder of the Gospel statement that we must seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, all else following naturally behind it.
"This is the greatest wisdom - to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. It is vanity, therefore, to seek and trust in riches that perish. It is vanity also to court honour and to be puffed up with pride. It is vanity to follow the lusts of the body and to desire things for which severe punishment later must come. It is vanity to wish for long life and to care little about a well-spent life. It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come. It is vanity to love what passes quickly and not to look ahead where eternal joy abides.
Often recall the proverb: 'The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing.' Try, moreover, to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God." (text source)
As is usual in my posts, the highlights and emphases are my own, the text is from the mentioned source. The author proceeds to condemn even the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge's sake; what is to be preferred even to that is nearness to God.
All posts related to the Imitation of Christ will have this wonderful, kingly portrait of Him.
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