The girl knelt in the confessional and said, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”

“What is it, child?” the priest replied.

“Father, I have commited the sin of vanity. Twice a day I gaze at myself in the mirror and tell myself how beautiful I am.”

The priest turned, took a good look at the girl, and said, “My dear, I have good news. That isn’t a sin – it’s only a mistake.”

Vanity certainly is a sin. We have very little to do with our outward appearance. If we’re well endowed, we ought to be grateful to God for this blessing. But if I take responsibility for the good in my life, I also must take responsibility for the bad in my life. Its better to just ourselves as a vessel God has chosen to use and not be concerned, positive or negative, with the outward shell. Paul said, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Tags: confession, humility, mistake, sin, vanity