Growing up in the church I’ve had countless times where something got called (by me or by someone else) an idol in my life.
But I’ve been wondering, was it really an idol? Are the things in my life right now that are hindering my full obedience and love to God idols…or are they distractions?
idol |??dl| noun an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship. - a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered : movie idol Robert Redford.
distraction |dis?trak sh ?n| noun 1 a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else : the company found passenger travel a distraction from the main business of moving freight. - a diversion or recreation : there are plenty of distractions such as sailing. 2 extreme agitation of the mind or emotions : he knew she was nervous by her uncharacteristic air of distraction.
An idol is a thing of worship.
A distraction is a thing of prevention.
An idol is sin.
A distraction is something less than God.
Do you have distractions in your life that you’ve been labeling as idols?
Josh Motlong said:
That’s a really good word, Shawn. I think so many times these distractions are passions that become unbalanced, and therefore they’re labeled as “idols”. Unbalance isn’t good, but realizing that moderation will result in liberty will keep us from the removal of passion, which we are desperately in need of.
Understanding the difference can truly be like breathing air again. Isn’t that part of why the church-going male seems so emasculated? Why so many men are passionless? Because they’ve been told their passions were idols?
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 4:06 pm
the other sarah said:
Hmmmm…I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about this distinction before. Sometimes I get distracted so easily, I think “Am I even saved? If my mind gets caught up in all this meaninglessness (life in the world) more easily than it gets caught up in contemplating the Holy One, what does that say about where my treasure truly is?”
And yet, in the deepest places of my heart, I yearn for God. Even when I am distracted, I am longing for Him.
I don’t think that I’ve consciously labeled something in my life as an idol for quite a long time. But defining what is “worshipping” something is perhaps not as easy as it might seem. I suppose defining what an “idol” is depends on how you define what it means to “worship” something.
Ultimately, I want to eliminate idols and zealously weed out distractions from my life. Anything that hinders love is not worth keeping, idol or otherwise.
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Anna said:
Interesting thoughts. I’d like to hear more on how the church has emasculated men, called passions bad, etc. It intuitively seems to ring true, I’d just like to understand it better. Any thoughts males?
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 9:12 pm
Shawn said:
@ Josh - Thanks for filling in the blanks on my post. You clarified a lot of things that I didn’t. I love “moderation will result in liberty”. You are a wise bearded man.
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Abby said:
this was a cool post.
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Tien said:
You know, I’m not a man, but I wanted to comment on the church and emasculating men. I think it’s more of the idea of being a strong man, but not too strong or the damsel in distress, but not too distressed. We tend to want people to have feelings, but not zeal, to have thoughts yet not be radical. Because we are so concerned on being perceived the “right” way. To love yet not be tough on love.
It’s almost like we want to emulate Jesus, but only the easy parts, and in the cutting and in the rationalizing of what he would do “now-a-days”, we cut out his zeal, his passion, his fierceness, his fire, his essence as a God Man.
I don’t know if that’s too dramatic an answer, but as the revelation was unfolding, that was what I was thinking. Thanks for making me think Anna. I don’t do it enough!
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 9:59 pm
Jenny Powell said:
Shawn,
since i came to your blog a couple of months ago (or so?) this has been my favorite post of yours. i think this is something you should explore more… on your blog or wherever. i think this is going to be a big part of your message.
Posted on November 16, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Josh Motlong said:
Tien, I think you’ve nailed a really good point.
It seems like that last 25% of abandon gets caged somewhere in the mix of trying to “do what’s right”, and the result is strong men women becoming tame.
Posted on November 17, 2006 at 11:50 am
Shawn said:
@ Tien -
You’re right about the issue of wanting people to have feelings but not zeal and to have thoughts but not be radical.
Something I heard Gary Wiens say one time was that we give allowance and special treatment to those in mediocrity and luke-warm living while slandering and watching out for those who are ‘too radical’.
Like David Hogan. He is loud, and intense. But he’s raising the dead. Who here has raised anyone from the dead? Not me. I don’t want to make fun of the lady in the back who’s dancing because she looks funny. She is really trying to express something beautiful to God. If her heart is in the wrong place then that is between her and God. Not me and my friends.
We need more people that will encourage one another in going hard and ‘extreme’.
I’ll hit this later on a post I just wrote about honesty.
@ Jenny - Thanks.
Posted on November 17, 2006 at 5:44 pm
Ronalfy said:
Wow, tough question. I think people can have idols, but not be sinning. A lot of the verses in the Bible that talk about idols are of people actually worshiping the idols and putting the idols above God. The act of worshiping these idols and placing them above God is a sin.
My wife could be an idol (I wouldn’t dare tell my wife she were a distraction), but not in the worshiping context. I could greatly admire (and love) my wife. According to the above definition, that would make her an idol. Is that sinful?
Posted on November 19, 2006 at 10:41 pm
Idol Or Distraction? | Open Switch said:
[...] Shawn of The Fight Spot has a good post that relates to something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: what’s the difference between an idol and a distraction? [...]
Posted on November 22, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Linking | The Fight Spot said:
[...] out to be much way better than I had expected. Check out some of the best of the conversations here and [...]
Posted on April 18, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Johnson Adebisi said:
anything that distracts can easily become one’s idol i.e. when distraction become permanent in one’s life, such a person will eventually pay much attention to such distractions thereby placing the love for God under such distractions. For instance, in most churches Sunday morning is used to Worship Services, so watching a christian movies every sunday morning is nothing but something that distracts one from joining other worshipers every sunday morning. Such distractions have eventually become an habbit and thus an idol that prevents one from worshiping the true God.
Posted on May 31, 2007 at 5:50 am