The Stranger

The other day I got a forwarded email titled The Stranger.  For those who have not seen it, the author recounts the tale of a stranger that his dad became enamored with and took into their home some 50 years ago.  The story went on to explain how the stranger became more and more influential in the family’s lives as they spent an increasing amount of time with the stranger.  Even though the dad didn’t allow drinking or fowl language and such, he overlooked this behavior, and more, from this stranger.  The end gave the name of this stranger: TV.

 A definition of ‘idol’, according to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, is “Any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment.”  I think in the story accounted in this email the television definitely became an idol to this family.  And as Bro, Paul pointed out in our Sunday school lesson, there are scores of other things that the collective ‘we’ make idols out of. Anything, a hobby, a vehicle, even a career can become an unhealthy obsession, and thus an idol, if we aren’t careful.

 The Israelites suffered great consequences for setting up idols in their hearts (Ezekiel 20:15-17).  And the Bible warns us against setting up idols in our hearts (Ezekiel 14:3-7).   But it seems that we do just that anyway, oftentimes unaware of what it is we are actually doing. 

 
1Jn 5:21  Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Lord,

Keep me mindful of anything that I might put before You.

Greg Wolford

© 2009

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