“The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’ But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the LORD their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, ‘Do not do as they do.’” (II Kings 17:13-15 NIV)
Traveling to another country, experiencing a different culture, and seeing the Lord at work in fresh, new ways tends to put life into a clearer perspective. I know it did for me during my first cross-cultural experience just after graduating from college. Time spent in communist-controlled Eastern Europe among suffering followers of Jesus brought to light a life unfocused and lacking a serious view of what is of value.
While traveling in South Africa during the past month, I read Brother Yun’s book, Living Water. Yun was persecuted mercilessly in China for his faith. Again I was reminded of how easy it is to focus one’s life on mostly worthless things. Yun is quite critical of the western church getting caught up in a materialistic and self-centered faith that strays far from the teachings of Jesus and the example of the 1st Century church. His experiences in China brought him the realization of what is of true value in life.
The Lord gets to the heart of the matter when He warns that in following worthless idols, we in turn become worthless. Now our idols look different than those the Israelites and their neighbors constructed. Most of us don’t place high value in statues, but, like the Israelites, we do tend to worship man-made things. Sports, technology, music, movies and TV shows, and social networking all seek to grab for our undivided attention. And if Facebook and Twitter are accurate in revealing what people truly value, then there are definitely idols in our lives.
The question is, do we recognize those idols and what they are doing to our lives? Perhaps a change of perspective is needed. How about traveling to a different culture on a mission trip? Or if you can’t do that, how about a weekend disconnected from your normal life—no computer, no TV, no smartphone—and spending time alone with God or serving in a ministry that helps those in need. Sometimes, we just need to gain a fresh perspective on our lives to avoid having them become worthless. And it is much better that happen sooner than later.
© Jim Musser 2012
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