I attended a beautiful sunrise service in the Colorado Rockies recently. What was timely and interesting for me personally was the perspective he shared about our human default to create idols.

These idols can take on many forms and are largely born from our self-absorbed search for happiness, stature, affirmation, affection, identity, etc… John Calvin was quoted “that the human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols.” In other words, we humans are virtual “idol factories.” Whether it was Aaron who helped his fellow Israelites construct a golden calf to worship or me when I bought a 40 foot diesel-pusher RV, we all create idols. It’s part of our DNA.

I was convicted as he spoke about our desire for significance or striving for approval or works-based vocational pursuits. So often I find myself striving to achieve “earthly increments” versus true satisfaction knowing God loves me regardless of any earthly outcomes. These increments are idols and they consume my heart, my time, my emotion, my relationships. Idols rarely start out as idols but they can quickly assume that role.

Do you have someone in your life who can and is willing to call the idol-card in your life?