Keep Yourself from Idols

      By Fern Horst

"And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." (I John 4:19-21)

Sometimes it seems that evil is all around us. I think of it especially when I hear or read the news. Whether it is political leaders who oppress, so-called mothers who kill their own children, or those who go on shooting rampages in schools, I often say to myself in amazement, "What is wrong with people?"

The answer, of course, is wickedness. When people do not know the Lord they latch onto all kinds of things to fill the emptiness inside. So often those things let them down and they allow themselves to become filled with bitterness, anger and rage. When that bitterness reaches a boiling point they lose control and they do things that are brutal and evil.

It is no wonder then that John warns those he is writing to, to "keep yourselves from idols." It is when we make anything other than the Lord our focal point in life that we become susceptible to evil. If we depend on our jobs to make us happy, we can become enraged when our co-workers don't treat us the way we want them to. If we depend on a boyfriend or girlfriend to make us happy and they decide to go out with someone else, we can end up with outrageous anger over their betrayal. Anything other than the Lord that we depend on for our sense of happiness and well-being is an idol and when taken away from us, can cause emotional and spiritual fallout that is detrimental to ourselves and those around us.

We may not get to the point of killing someone in our bitterness, but our anger over blocked earthly goals can still be destructive and evil in many big and little ways. There is proper and healthy grieving over any loss or disappointment in life we may experience. But when God is not our all in all, that grief can easily consume and control us in ways that are not of the Lord.

Since it is often good things that can become idols, we must constantly be on guard that nothing comes between us and the Lord. We can guard our hearts by submitting ourselves to the Lordship of Christ, by spending time in God's Word and in prayer, and by seeking ways to further His Kingdom by ministering to others. Even then we must be careful that our ministry to others does not become an idol in that it gives us more purpose and meaning than God Himself.

Surrendering ourselves to the Lordship of Christ must be a daily, moment-by-moment decision to follow Him in every area of our lives. It is then that the Holy Spirit has control of our lives and our actions, and wickedness is dispelled from our hearts.

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (I John 44)

© 2006 Fern Horst

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