Twenty-First-Century Idol Worship

In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of the cult of personality—that is, the temptation to place people on pedestals and give them too much influence or power over us.

To frame the discussion properly, we need to go back to Moses’ encounter with God on Mount Sinai. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments for His people to obey. Those commandments still play a large role in the lives of God’s people, although some may seem to play a larger role than others.

At first glance, the Second Commandment might seem like the least necessary of the ten today. You’ll find the second Commandment in Exodus 20:4–5: “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me” (NLT).

Some people might argue that golden calves and other graven images aren’t twenty-first-century problems. And while it’s true that most believers today aren’t tempted to smelt gold to create pagan tchotchkes, the second Commandment is still extremely relevant.

The reality is that idols come in all shapes and sizes because people come in all shapes and sizes. Many well-meaning believers fall into the trap of making idols out of people they admire.

Have you ever heard of a sports hero? How about American Idol? We use the phrases somewhat jokingly: “That person is a sports god” or “I idolize that person. He’s a guitar god.” But the way some people look at certain individuals, it could be that they have made a person their god.

We can make idols out of people in the church, too. We can make an idol out of a man or woman of God, someone whom the Lord has used to bless us. We can start to admire them too much. But here’s what we need to remind ourselves: Those people are human just like us. They will be wrong. They will fail us. They will disappoint us. They will give in to temptation. They will struggle in certain areas of their lives.

The problem is that people become like the gods they worship. Psalm 115 warns, “Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. . . . And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them” (verses 4, 8 NLT).

The only person who deserves that position in our lives is the Lord. He alone is deserving of our worship.

Reflection question: How can you keep from elevating people too much in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

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