Published in Signet Ring, January, 2014
Idolatry is not a popular topic among Christians. It’s one of those subjects that has the power to convict like none other. Life would be so much easier if we didn’t think about it. We have accepted Christ into our hearts and we have eternal life locked down, what else is there? Well, more than we could ever imagine. Idolatry isn’t limited to a golden calf, a forbidden fruit or a pagan god.
Adam and Eve knew all too well about idolatry and the immediate consequences it has. They could tangibly see the difference in an instant. Immediately they went from being perfectly whole to broken-hearted. I think today we downplay the consequences and effects of idolatry when in fact it is of no less consequence than in the Garden of Eden. Is the first sin more sinful than the second, third or fourth? Or is God more tolerant of sin and idolatry because there is so much more of it now? I think not. Idolatry is idolatry. Sin is sin. The first sin was no more sinful than the sin that just happened or will happen.
If you think about Adam and Eve’s initial sin at its most basic level, it was their desire to make a decision apart from God. Think about how many decisions you make each and everyday with no thought or regard of asking God. You don’t have to look far as our brokenness is on display each day with no idea or regard for the consequences of our idolatry. We have become so blind we don’t even recognize idols in our lives or, even more tragic, the desire to even want to see them.
The basic definition of worship is “to show reverence or adoration” or simply “place value in.” If you want to know what people worship just look at their decisions. The decisions we make are always based upon perceived value and what we value is what we worship. If we worship anything or anyone other than God, it is an idol.
Idols are everywhere. The question is not if you have idols, but have you recognized them? While it is impossible to be free of idols in this world, we have some serious house cleaning to do.
Earlier this year I was thinking about all of the idols in my life and the Lord blind-sided me. He revealed to me that even our knowledge of Him can become an idol. I know this sounds crazy but let me explain. To make the decision to ask Him into your heart and know Him is the most important decision anyone can make. There isn’t a decision that will be more life changing. However, we are called to more than just knowing Him. We are called to know Jesus and walk with Him. Knowing Him doesn’t always translate into walking with Him and there is a big difference between the two. For example, I “know” a lot of people, but “walk” with very few. I see people at church, co-workers or friends during a typical week, but I have no clue what’s really going on in their lives. Knowing someone is simply recognition or counting them present. However, walking with someone is to come alongside their journey and hold their hand through the good, the bad and the ugly.
The best analogy of walking with a person occurred in the ancient world. A disciple who accepted the call to follow a rabbi entered into the inner circle of that master and they shared life together. A disciple would follow his rabbi everywhere. One of these rabbis, Yose ben Yoezer, used to say, “Cover yourself with the dust of [your rabbi’s] feet, and drink in [his] words with gusto.”
This idea of being covered in the dust of your rabbi was commonplace in first-century Palestine. By the end of the day, the disciples would literally be covered in dust and dirt. If these disciples had settled on simply knowing the Rabbi they may learn a lesson here and there but they would live their life apart from him and as time passed those lessons would be forgotten. But by walking with him they had the opportunity to live in communion with him and to see the Scriptures come to life and thus be transformed forever. You see the difference?
Think about your relationship with God. When we choose not to walk with God because we know Him, the value of knowing Him is chosen over application. This was the Pharisees’ problem. They knew all about Jesus from the Scriptures but didn’t recognize Him as the savior because they valued their knowledge of Him over walking with Him. You cannot expect to truly know Jesus unless you walk with Him. Walking requires movement and going where He goes, just like the Israelites following the cloud. Walking with someone means taking risks and going places you might not want to go. Stopping at knowledge allows you to avoid all the inconveniences and keeps you at a safe distance.
Many know God but few walk with Him. They don’t want to get dirty, they want to go in the direction and stay in the places they want. Some might think or say that the comforts and conveniences of this world are just too hard to pass up. It is easy to become a flabby lazy Christian resting on ones laurels of being heaven bound. Clearly there are seasons in our lives where comfort is a reality, but what if our desire to be comfortable is something we choose over God? Comfort in itself isn’t necessarily bad until it is chosen in place of God.
In my own experience, when I’m uncomfortable I feel like the Lord is unhappy with me so my natural reaction is to chase after comfort. In doing so I am affirming God’s love for me through comfort. Does comfort equate to blessing from the Lord? This is a dangerous ideology. We cannot judge others’ reality through the lens of comfort and riches and immediately relate it to the blessings of God. What if the perceived blessings of God are what is keeping us from breakthrough in our relationship with Christ? Is the Christian life about receiving so much from God that we don’t even need Him anymore?
What we value is what we worship and what we worship is what we become. Anytime we choose someone or something over God it becomes an idol. What if God is calling you to walk with Him but you are resting on solely knowing Him? Don’t let knowing Him become an idol. He wants to walk with you. Knowing Him gives you the ticket to heaven, but walking with Him cashes it in and brings heaven to earth. May you get dirty from the dust of the Lord with your heart ablaze and your eyes fixed on Him.
