False Idols

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

We all know the commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). For the Israelites, this carried a specific meaning, as the Old Testament is replete with examples of their regression into Canaanite paganism. However, for us in the present day, the admonition against false idol worship carries a deeper meaning, for false idol worship is the act of self-identifying with anything that can or will be taken from you. It is the inappropriate application of one’s identity to worldly things, which are material and temporary. As a believer, you overcome this temptation by grounding your identity in the eternal, the Creator. In doing so, you know that you have been created in God’s image, granted unique gifts to serve Him and that His plan includes you, individually.

We are all subject to the temptation to self-identify with things; when we confuse something we have with something we are. In doing so, we carry core identity statements, such as: “I am my status,” “I am my reputation,” “I am my relationship,” “I am my money,” “I am my intelligence,” “I am my attractiveness,” etc. When your identity is linked to such things, you perceive a threat against these things as a threat against you. A good test of self-identification with things is to ask yourself this question: If all that I have were taken away and I looked at myself in the mirror, who would I see? This is more than a hypothetical exercise for, in fact, all these things will, eventually, either be taken from us or belong to someone else. Yet, as believers, we know that, even without these things, we remain. Idols do not stand.

We overcome this temptation by remembering that our identity, our sense of self, exists with the eternal Father, outside of the worldly, material and ephemeral. As believers, our identity is rooted in the core understanding that we are created in the imago Dei—the image of God (Genesis 1:27). God grants inherent dignity and worth to every person, regardless of abilities, social status, or background. This dignity is not earned by human achievements but is a fundamental aspect of being human. We reflect something of God's nature simply by virtue of being created by Him. Being made in God's image means that we are called to reflect certain attributes of God, albeit in a finite and imperfect way. We reflect God’s moral nature through our capacity to love; to know and pursue what is good, true, and just. This includes the ability to make moral choices, pursue righteousness, and act in ways that mirror God’s love, holiness and justice. Though this image has been marred by sin, we choose love and, in doing so, possess the ability to reflect God’s moral character in restoration through Christ.

We have each been granted unique gifts to love others and serve Him. For each of us, God has a plan, not just for this world, but for us, individually. In this regard, the Gospel is clear: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:6). As part of God’s covenantal people, His word teaches, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Using our gifts and knowing God has a plan for us, our growth and maturation is marked by our increasing choice to offer ourselves in love and service and, in doing so, rendering us agents of His will. Your measure as a person is not what you have, but what you give; your choice to serve through love and, in doing so, to take part in God’s great unfolding plan to restore His Kingdom on this earth. Who we are is truly what we love for, as Christ taught, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). 

False idol worship is a house built upon sand. It only leaves you weak and vulnerable, dependent on things that will not last, exposed with an ego as fragile as eggshells. Following God’s path offers a form of indestructibility, for identifying with the Creator means that nothing can threaten you; no worldly power can hold leverage over you as your only master is the Father, who loves you. Knowing that you were created in God’s image, serving Him through the unique gifts He has granted you, and choosing to love as a means to restore His Kingdom, defines who you are, and grounds your self-image as one with the Creator. 

In Christ,

Mort Taylor