Beware of Idols

I John 5
v. 21: Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Exodus 20
v. 2: I am the Lord your God...
v. 3: Do not have other gods before me.

When we read these scriptures, it's easy to imagine an idol or gods as something obvious like those of the Ancient Near East or some cultic religion. But, what about the not so obvious idols and gods?

Our country thrives on entertainment...movies, music, sports...you name it, we love it. We will often pay outrageous prices for just a few hours of watching the performances or games. We see the stars of the show or game, often as something beyond human. Remember the stories of girls who would faint when they saw Elvis or the Beatles?? There are even stories of fans going into cardiac arrest or even being stampeded by a crowd of fans who just wanted to get closer. Is it just an expression or an accurate assessment when we have a show that is seeking the next "American IDOL"?? How about the singers who are on tour and make ridiculous demands on the host city for things in their dressing rooms or hotel rooms including but not limited to changing the color and decor of the room they will be staying in for just one night. I'm not even going to get into to the salaries entertainers and sports figures receive that exceed the lesser important professions like teachers, police, fire fighters or our military.

Then there are the even less obvious idols and gods in our lives...money, our kids, our bodies, our status, our cars, our homes, any addictions we may hold onto...you get the idea.

It's like this...anything we spend more time, energy, resources, thought or heart on than God is our god or idol. It needs to be demoted or it needs to go. If you think I'm pointing a finger, believe me, there are three more fingers pointing right back at me.