I find that it’s easy for me to obsess about things. If I’m in love, I’m obsessed with love. If I’m writing, I’m obsessed with writing. If I’m making new friends I’m obsessed. If I’m starting a new job, I’m obsessed. The problem is that to some extent it seems as if I’m making the new thing my god.
I was struck the other day by 1 John 5:21:
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (KJV)
The whole chapter tells us about who we are in Christ, our new spirit, our new life, our new privileges, our new blessings, but instead of stopping with the good news it goes on to tell us to keep ourselves from idols.
It’s almost as if we can lose everything when we turn to idols.
The fact that we are instructed to stay from idols means that we have control over it. We have control over whether or not we turn things or people in our lives into idols.
We are called little children, because only a little child, who does not realize how awesome God truly is, would actually elevate anything or anyone above God.
“Little Osayi, keep yourself from idols,” I hear the Lord saying. “You have let too many unimportant things creep in.”
What will my response be? What will yours be?