What is an Idol?

I’ve been studying a course with the Irish Baptist College and a recent topic we have been looking at is idols in our lives. I automatically assumed we’d be talking about the stone statues and beautiful paintings found in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, or Old Testament stories of Moses declaring that no longer was it good to worship anyone other than God, however I got a rude awakening! When we really took time to think about it we discovered that there are so many things in our lives that become an idol. I did that thing where you sit up in your chair and actually listen!  Being the person I am I had to check the dictionary to make sure I knew exactly what the lecturer was talking about (and that they were right; I can be quite the control freak when I want to be.) Anyway (digression is also a problem I face) the dictionary told me that an idol is ‘an image of a divine being other than God’ that receives our worship or praise. I realised that the use of the word ‘image’ in this definition means that this does not necessarily have to be an object like the stone statues I mentioned earlier but anything that we put in place of God. So again being the person I am I begun to list all of the things that I give copious amounts of thought and time to other than God.  There was a list the length of my clichéd arm!  I won’t get into all of them; lets face it an introduction to the depths of my mind and the way I spend my time isn’t very exciting, but this made me think what am I missing out on by using my time unwisely?

I can only speak on behalf of a 20 something year old woman living in N.Ireland, but I believe that some of this applies to everyone! We live under the misconception in today’s society that we deserve the best in life, that we deserve everything to go our way and we should get everything we want! Don’t get me wrong my Dad and pretty much anyone who knows me will tell you that when I want a new top or book or song or pretty much new anything I think I have every right to just go out and get it! I’m working on it! I suppose what I am really trying to say is that because we become consumed with being the consumer it can be easy to miss out on the blessings that God has for us especially if we make our decisions without consulting Him. This can relate to choices about relationships, money or pretty much anything! God is there willing to listen and guide us in His way.

One idol women often struggle with is appearance. We can be very hard on one another! I heard someone at work saying that women dress for other women! This is so true and at times it’s just so they can win the unspoken competition of ‘who looks best?’  Exuberant amounts of time and money is spent on how we look so we can seek approval from other people. Taking care in your appearance is not a bad thing; in fact as part of the Bride of Christ we should take on the role of royalty that God has called us to. We should appear like the jewels that God sees is us when our hearts are right before Him. However appearance like so many other things can become an idol, an obsession rather than something you do for God’s glory! Women believe the lie that if they look good, they will be content, they will be filled with self worth and will feel satisfied however, that’s only for a short space of time. When one outfit works then you have to get a new one and it has to look as good as the last! Seriously who has time for all of that pressure? This is a very subtle lie that Satan tells women so they will lose their identity in Christ. Our self worth can not be found in how others see us; it must be found in God. ‘You are fearfully and wonderfully made’ As PSALM 139 tells us God made us in His image, how then can we honestly sit and complain about the way he chose to make us. I don’t know about you, but most of the time I am more worried about how I appear on the outside than how I appear on the inside. This is something I need to change if I am to be the woman God has called me to be!

To finish. I recently read a book by a woman named Priscilla Shirer called ‘A Jewel in His Crown.’ Now I know what you’re thinking ‘what sort of self help rubbish is that?’ I said the exact same thing! A friend told me to give it a chance knowing that I was struggling with some things. Here is what Priscilla writes ‘When we don’t value ourselves, our sense of worthlessness filters down to our children. It affects our friends. It makes an impact on the men in our life. It damages our relationships with all kinds of people. It influences those around us because they learn from us. Too many women are imitation jewels who will, unfortunately, raise their children to be the same unless some significant changes take place. And Satan loves it; he has successfully influenced a generation of women to believe that are not valuable. So they act like cubic zirconium. Remember you are the real thing.’ 

Again I sat up in my seat. The fact that I could influence so many people around me by complaining because I don’t have the nicest teeth, or drive the fanciest car. Or to question and judge God because He wouldn’t let me have the boy I fancied! I soon realised that I wasn’t acting like the ‘jewel’ I should be!

You are precious in His sight. Train your mind to remember that! Don’t let idols, whatever they may be, take your eyes off Him. Maybe you are worried about school and the pressures it brings, or your job situation in the current economic climate? Perhaps you are obsessing over how you look or the interior design of your home? Whatever idol is stopping you from seeing your value and worth in Christ pray for Him to take it away. Pray that He will keep your eyes on Him and that your worship and all of the areas of your life will be for His glory. God loves you. You are a jewel in His crown. If you are saved you have been given a privileged position in His royal court. Never forget what the Lord has done and will do in your life if you trust Him.

Written by Kathryn