Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair is a common magazine in newspaper stands, so common we might miss its very worldly title. But just look what that title means! A fair is an event to sell things (e.g. a book fair) or a place of attractions (a country fair). Vanity is a form of pride. It literally means to be empty or futile; vainglorious foolish pride! Parading oneself in self-conceit is void of truth because it is not humble, it detracts attention from the One who is the truth. A vanity fair is to make a foolish spectacle of the self.

In Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) Christian and his companion stumbled across vanity fair where all the empty goods of this world were traded and sold and where there were vain spectacles of every sort. Christians so stood out against this that he was imprisoned. It is an enlightening part of their journey to read about.

Our world is obsessed with itself (yet “God opposes the proud,” Ja 4:6). Think of how vain we can be when we shamelessly draw attention to ourselves[1]:

• Look at what I’m wearing
• Look at what I’ve done
• Look at how I helped so and so
• Look at what I have
• Look at what they gave ME
• Look at what they did for ME
• And so on…

We love to make a spectacle of ourselves but this is detestable in God’s sight, it does not see ourselves truly in relation to God or to others. We must repent of this. It is only when we humble ourselves that God will exalt us in forgiveness and favour (Ja 4:6). This is why Jesus had so much to say about His followers pursuing self-modesty. We’re to be like Jesus who gave up the glory of heaven to serve others (Phil 2). Jesus was humble.
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Think of how Jesus commanded his followers to pray in secret (Mt 6:5–6), fast without flaunting it (Mt 6:16–18), give in secret (Lk 21:1) and take the less prestigious seats at gatherings (Lk 14:10). Listen to how Jesus described vanity in His own words on the subject of giving to the needy and how seriously he condemns it (Mt 6:1–4):

6 “Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

There is no place for vanity amongst Christ’s followers. We do not make a spectacle of self but live to give all glory to Christ. Let us not live empty lives but full lives that centre upon Him.


[1] It is not wrong to speak of oneself discretely, but what is our motive? That is always the most important question. We can appropriately share in natural conversation with others about our lives when we’re mutually interested in others and when what we share is in the pursuit of sharing wholesome truths (e.g. come see the birds at my feeder, I think you’ll really be interested vs. I’ve got a new feeder, come see how nice it is). 

Why do people pursue vanity? For some it is sheer pride, the desire to be God. For others it comes for competition's sake. Still others do it to meet some unmet need in their life (relational affirmation). On the latter, they ought to find affirmation through knowing the love of Christ through faith in Him, which of course is what all three ultimately need.