Recently, I’ve committed myself to memorizing Psalm 116. Ok, I admit – I’ve done really horribly. It’s a 19-verse psalm and I’m on week three of memorization with exactly 16 of them memorized. I’m not very good at this whole memorizing thing. Anyway, I was attempting to memorize a little bit more today while in my 1st morning class, when I got bored and started scanning the page. My eyes fell to psalm 115, specifically verses 4-8
Their idols are silver and gold
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel’
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
Obviously, these verses are trying to illustrate a point about the people who worship idols. When the psalm was written, the writer was obviously thinking about physical idols – statues of golden cows or something of the sort. By now you’re probably thinking “idol worship, blah, blah, blah. I got it.” (I know Christians have beaten this point to death) but I promise – this is going somewhere! I’ve heard all this before, I realize that idols are wrong, but what really got me was verse 8 – “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” WHOA! Hold on there. What does that even mean? According my good old online version of the ESV Study Bible, it means, when taken in the literal context of the verse itself, it implies that those who make and worship idols will ultimately become as the described idols – unable to see, hear, feel, speak, etc. Lifeless and useless!
In 2009 however, we’re far less inclined to worship golden calves. More likely, modern people worship idols that are a little less ostentatious in the way that the usurp God. Money, power, fame, success, sex, beauty… the list goes on and on. And as I was seeking more ways to avoid paying attention in class, I started thinking. If people back in the good old days would become like their idols made of metal and stone, what would we become if we trusted in our modern idols?
Take money, for example. What are the basic characteristics of money (beyond the physical)? It’s fleeting, it can be destroyed just as quickly as it is made. It is most often used by others to for personal gain, and it has absolutely no value other than what people assign to it. On it’s own, it’s nothing more than pieces of paper. Logically (I was doing this in Logic 120), it can be concluded then, that a person who worships money will ultimately become like his money. Easily destroyed, used by other people, and of little value other than what people assign to him. Does this sound familiar? (Think Enron).
What are the basic characteristics of fame? It, too, is fleeting and fickle. Just as fast as someone can become “something”, they can be made into “nothing”. It is exhausting, never ending in its search for what is new and hot. It depends completely on the opinions of others. It is self-serving, always searching for validation, and always has a vague air of desperation surrounding it. Likewise, the person who worships fame can be made or destroyed in no time. He becomes exhausted, always searching but never satisfied. He becomes completely dependent on what everyone else says about him – if it is good, he is elated, if it is bad, he is crushed and is filled with despair and anger. He becomes selfish, insecure, and constantly desperate.
What are the basic characteristics of beauty? It is subjective, defined by the opinions of others and the fashions of the time. It is never satisfied – no one can ever be beautiful enough. There is always something to be done that can increase beauty. It is vain and is sold as a commodity. Maybe most importantly, it fades and eventually disappears, with time. Likewise, the woman (or man) who worships beauty will become so. She will be defined by opinions and fads, things that change so quickly she will never quite know who she is. She will never be satisfied, always working for more beauty. She will learn to sell herself out as a commodity, valued only for her physical beauty. And once all of these things will established, when her beauty fades – so does she. This woman who worshipped beauty will become an empty, faded shell of a person, not a trace left of the beauty that defined them.
To a non-believer, this situation looks pretty bleak. No matter what we choose to worship (and it is just a matter of what. People will always worship something), we will eventually come to some form of ruin or unhappiness. But what about if we choose to worship the one, true God? What are the basic characteristics of God? He is kind, loving, wise, gentle, merciful, joyful, gracious, generous, well-loved, and everlasting (among many other things)! You could even venture so far to say that he embodies many of the things that we choose to worship alone (in a distorted form, though) – Beautiful, powerful, famous.
In choosing to worship God, and his son Jesus, we will obtain these things for ourselves. Everything that the world seems to so desperately long for (things that I used to long for, and still do sometimes) can be found when we turn to God and decide to worship Him. This is what I wish the world could understand.
That’s about all for today. I have an interview in about 15 minutes to see if I can get into the visual communications program here for a double major in Photojournalism. Prayers would be appreciated! I’m sure I’ll have more material for to write about after this weekend ‘s famous Ohio University Halloween party. In the mean time, God bless!
6 comments
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October 30, 2009 at 11:27 AM
mavinator
Great insights!
January 29, 2010 at 6:24 PM
Sam
Hi there! I am preparing a sermon on this verse and topic, and was glad to come across your thoughts! I like the detailed descriptions on becoming like what you worship. I might use it, if you don’t mind!
I actually found a great quote by a non-christian on all of this, really worth reading, if you’d like to check it out. His name is David Foster Wallace, and it comes from a commencement address he once gave, which has been converted into a book called ‘this is water.’ In it, he says,
“here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship — be it JC or Allah, bet it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles — is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.”
have a good one!
March 12, 2010 at 10:02 PM
Sara
Hi Emily!
I am also getting ready to teach on idolotry and found your comments interesting, too! lol… Maybe you should consider writing curriculum! Anyway, I’d like to use part of your work, too, if that’s okay. I’ll be sure and cite you as the author. Excellent observation!
Thanks for being true to how God has gifted you!
March 13, 2010 at 2:50 AM
emilymueller143
No problem! Hope it helps 🙂
March 28, 2010 at 5:04 PM
Ariana
Very well written, beautiful thoughts 🙂
Ever thought of incorporating what is being encouraged to do by media, i.e., AMERICAN IDOL?
March 28, 2010 at 9:47 PM
emilymueller143
I’m not sure what you mean, I’m sorry. Can you explain?