Idols

Acts 17:16 says, “Now while Paul was waiting for [Timothy and Silas] at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.”  The idolatry at Athens was so abundant that it was said that it was easier to find a god than a man.  This wrenched Paul’s heart.

What should be our response when we see idolatry in the world?  Our spirits, too, should be provoked.  Shouldn’t our hearts grieve when we see others bow down to their idols?  Now, the idolatry that we see today might not be as pronounced as it was in Athens, but it’s just as abundant.  These days, gods take on the forms of money, of job and success, of family, of romance, of sports teams.  These things, in and of themselves, are not wrong to enjoy.  They are gifts from God.  But if we enjoy these things apart from Him, then they are our idols.  Christ is to be supreme in every facet of our lives, even in how we enjoy a football game.  May our spirits be provoked within us when we see our cities full of idols.