Apparent and real importance

Apparent and real importance « Of First Importance: “Real importance is one thing, apparent importance another. The events which move the world are not always those which men think most noteworthy. The men who most deeply influence their fellows are not those of whom everybody is talking. The currents of thought and feeling which will shape the future are not those which are welcomed by the organs and interpreters of current opinion.

When Christ appeared, the palace of the Caesar seemed to be more likely to govern the destinies of mankind than the manger of Bethlehem. No, brethren, depend on it, the apparent is not always, or even generally, the real.”

—H. P. Liddon, Christmastide at St. Paul’s (London, 1889), 101-102.”

(Via Of First Importance.)

Watching the headlines the past few days has certainly proven this. I’m going to post five of the leading headlines over at Yahoo! News and you tell me which is of real importance and which might only be apparent:

1. First Lady Gets a New “Do”

2. What Clothes to Keep

3. Conan & Leno’s Late Night Wars Heat Up

4. Credit Card Companies Taking Big Cut Through Haiti Donations

5. Haiti Earthquake Woes

Yahoo, if you’re not familiar with it, gives a list of some of the top stories in the news in an encapsulated form. These are five of the top 23.

Yesterday, I was directed over to The Big Picture once again for the second day’s photos from Haiti. Even with the pictures, it is difficult to get the mind to grasp the nearly complete devastation of such a vast area. There is much that can be done. There are many very worthy agencies to which you can use to send donations (Samaritan’s Purse, the EFCA, Sovereign Grace Ministries, the list goes on and on). The EFCA had a church plant near Port-au-Prince, but no word has been received from Absolan Joseph, the church planter there.

May God have mercy.