Idols

by Sindhu George

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do." 1 Peter 1:14,15

The Bible is very strict when it comes to idols. The first two commandments say that that we better not worship any other gods or make an idol in the form of anything in heaven or on the earth. God is a jealous God and He will not tolerate His people bowing down to other gods or to idols. I'm pretty sure I'm good with keeping those commandments. I look around my house and I find no alters holding ceramic, wooden or metallic idols. I don't know anyone who has an idol in their home.

The prophet Isaiah ridiculed the craftsmen as they used their tools - tapping with a hammer, molding and smoothing and polishing idols made of wood or metals. They made idols hoping to be saved by them. Those idols were manmade objects with no power to help the worshiper. That was 700 BC. Even though they had been told, they didn't know any better. We know the God of the Bible. No idols in our house.

However, I wonder if there are idols in life that are not so obvious? If a person gives all of their attention to something, works at improving their connection to it and trusts that something to make their life worthwhile; is that an act of worship?

If I were to depend on physical beauty to provide for me in this life; if I spent all my time and a lot of money enhancing that beauty in an effort to make it last; expensive cosmetics, surgeries, tanning. Tapping, molding and smoothing and polishing. Would physical beauty be my idol?

If a person depended on money to feel successful. If that person worked long hours, scheming even possibly neglecting their family in pursuit of more money; if making money took first place in their thoughts - tapping, molding, and smoothing and polishing. Is money their idol?

What about children or a spouse? If a person spends all their time thinking of their beloved child or husband, giving in to every whim, finding ways to make them happy because to fail at this would mean that they were a failure - tapping, molding, smoothing, polishing - are they creating an idol?

I know that God does not want us to neglect our physical appearance. He does want us do our best to work to support ourselves and our families. He does want us to love others but none of these things should take precedence over seeking Him. He wants our full devotion and our full attention. No one and no thing can give us our worth. He wants us to rely on Him for guidance and direction. He wants us to remember that every good thing is His gift to us.

It is so easy to unknowingly polish an idol. We are encouraged to do so everyday, by friends, media and our own desires. How are we to avoid it? Begin each day with God. Communicate with Him in prayer and read His word. He is our encourager, healer, counselor, guide and our worth. We are in need of no one and no thing other that Him.

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