Now that I’ve gotten your attention, let’s talk about idolatry!
Idolatry is a foreign concept to many Christians today who think it is merely the worship of a wooden statue. Idolatry is the worship of anything other than Christ.
In fact, the best way to illustrate it right now is the Brett Favre saga of the past 50 days. Idolatry is an obsession – a continual focus upon an object or person or situation – that takes the majority of the attention and energy of the idolater. Instead of focusing primarily upon Christ, the idolater focuses upon his/her object of affection.
An idolatrous desire might even be a good thing – like an inordinate amount of focus upon a spouse OR a child. That person becomes the center of the universe for the idolater rather than Christ. It’s often a hard thing to identify, especially when it is a “good” thing!
All of the media attention focused on Mr. Favre reminded me of those enslaved to idolatry. I thought of several ladies we’ve counseled who are so focused upon their boyfriends and are committing sin in that relationship, for example. I thought about the men who constantly think of hunting and fishing and sports and will sacrifice the majority of their free time and finances upon sustaining those hobbies RATHER than focusing upon serving Christ in their families and churches.
Unfortunately, idolatry is alive and well in the U.S.A. It’s not just a little wooden object or an abstract concept from the Old Testament.
-Mark (watching my own life and asking for the help from others to protect me from slipping into idolatry)