I D O L S

I am back and have truly missed this time spent writing and reading other's blogs! This post may be a little different from the rest so bear with me.


I commented on a fellow blogger's site about this blog taking over so much time. I found I was spending hours on the computer reading others and writing. Computer time is a much sought after commodity in our household, especially since our wireless router got fried by a lightening strike. We are back to one computer for 3 of us! Reading that last statement cracks me up now! Can you imagine having to share a computer with your family? There was a time when having a computer was a luxury - now we consider it a necessity. In some areas that might be true - for homework now especially. If someone works from home, the computer provides access to the outside world and allows one to be at home at the same time. However - for general family use - is it really necessary or is it just a desire?


The Bible tells us to be wary of turning something into an idol. In our world - it is very easy to say there are no idols today. However, if you will allow me to expand, I think there are many things and desires that become idols. Just realize - if I have one finger pointing at you - I have 3 pointing right back at me!!!

Ladies - this one is for you - dress size. Have you ever thought about this issue becoming an idol in your life? "If I were only a size ___, then everything would be just right." Except it never is! I began exercising about 20 years ago - walk/jog 2-3 miles every morning before getting ready for work. Then I quit for a while but a problem with high cholesterol sent me back again. I found a step aerobics tape that I really enjoyed and did it almost religiously for almost 8 or 9 years. About a year ago, my job began taking up a lot more hours and I was getting home later and later. The one thing I let go was my exercise regime. I rationalized that I was doing this for my health (that was part of it) but it was also about losing some additional weight so I looked better, younger, etc. Did it help? Yes - I did feel better physically and it even helped some emotionally. I can even say it helped spiritually as it is a Christian workout with Bible verses set to music! But even something good can be turned into something bad.

Cell Phones - Have you ever thought about your cell phone as an idol? You cannot bear to let it just ring without answering it and Heaven Forbid that you should ever turn it off! You turn around and go back to the house if you accidentally leave it behind. I think it qualifies as an idol for a lot of people.

TV/Computer - Both of these can be huge wastes of time. Surfing the Internet can take up hours of your time and you do not even realize it! TV is much the same way. It is mindless junk most of the time and certainly does not help to feed the brain or the body. Both can also be very difficult habits to break.

Power/Prestige - These 2 are somewhat related. If you have power, you tend to have some semblance of prestige that goes along with the power! These 2 can be very addicting. I don't seem to have an issue with either of these as there is very little power or prestige in my life. We're pretty plain folk around here!

Job/Vocation - when you allow these to take over your life - this becomes your idol. There is a new song out by Point of Grace called "How You Live". One of the lines in the chorus goes like this - "It's not who you knew; It's not what you did - It's how you lived!" How true!

Money - Yes - you knew I would eventually get there! Money is one of those things that there is never enough. If you ask someone what amount would satisfy them - they might have something in mind. However, if you were to follow them and find they eventually reached that goal, I think you would see that the person was not satisfied with the previous goal. Now they need just a little more. It's always - "Just a little more"!

I have idols in my life that have to be torn down often - as it seems I allow them to be rebuilt after tearing them down. The issue is not "Do you have idols?" It's "What are your idols?" If you have set anything ahead of your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you have built an idol.