The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
Acknowledging the insidious influence of subtle idols—Phones, Money, and Sex—is essential for fostering a vibrant Relationship with God and Aligning with His Divine Will.
Author: David Oletu (DCM)
Phones, if not well used controllably, can make people lose focus on growing well in other salient aspects of their lives,
such as academics, careers, relationships, and spiritual life.
When our focus shifts from using Money as a tool to loving it as an end, we risk neglecting God’s will, grace, and presence.
Carelessness regarding Sex can lead to devastating consequences. Uncontrolled sex can jeopardize our destinies and accomplishments.
The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
Idols are anything that receives priority over God, captures excessive attention, affection, or devotion, and controls or dominates thoughts, emotions, or actions.
We often deceive ourselves into thinking we’re free from idolatry, but are we truly?
In today’s world, idolatry extends far beyond bowing down to graven images.
We serve idols when we prioritise anything over God’s will, grace, and presence in our lives.
Moreover, our enlightened era has given rise to new, subtle forms of idolatry.
We boast of freedom, yet many of us are unknowingly enslaved to modern idols.
To recognize these subtle modern idols, we must first understand what idols are.
Idols are anything that receives priority over God, captures excessive attention, affection, or devotion, and controls or dominates thoughts, emotions, or actions.
Idols can be tangible objects, intangible concepts such as wealth, status, power, or personal desires and addictions like money and sex.
With this understanding, let’s examine three subtle idols in our lives: Phones, Money, and Sex.
While these things are vital in our daily lives, we often lose control, allowing them to dominate our thoughts,
capture our affections, and dictate our actions, ultimately to our detriment.
The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
As we delve into these areas,
let’s explore how these subtle idols grip us and discover ways to regain our focus, ensuring they serve us the way they ought to, not the other way around.
However, before digging deeper, it’s crucial to recognise that the enemy won’t approach us with an aggressive or coercive attitude, forcing us to rebel against God’s will.
Such a tactic would be self-defeating, as people may only serve him out of fear and not willingly.
Instead, the enemy cleverly exploits our natural desires and pleasures to control our minds.
He uses seemingly natural things we love, such as phones, money, and sex, to distract us from God’s presence, will, and grace.
As we indulge in these pleasures uncontrollably, we risk losing sight of what truly matters.
Now, let’s delve into a detailed examination of these three idols, exploring how they can subtly lead us astray if not used controllably.
The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
Phones: A Double-edged Sword
Phones are modern-day devices that we can also use to store and receive vital information.
Over the years, they have proven themselves very useful in human interactions.
With phones, we can easily connect with people and reach out from any part of the world without travelling far.
This unparalleled accessibility has positively transformed the way we communicate, conduct business, and access information.
The benefits of phones are multifaceted, as they enhance connectivity and social interaction, give us unrestricted access to good information and knowledge,
streamline communication and productivity, and give us endless entertainment and educational opportunities.
Phones are undoubtedly one of God’s gifts embedded in mankind to create like God.
For years, new models have been produced by great innovators, showcasing human creativity.
This is very impressive! It is proof of how we progress in our world and take ownership.
However, it is sad how humans abuse phones.
Some get overly addicted to them, and, as a result, phones have kept them too busy from doing what truly matters.
Should we therefore say the innovation has caused more harm?
No, it hasn’t.
It is we, the users, that caused the harm by ourselves because we failed to control our minds.
Innovators are solution-driven builders, but we make their technological solutions appear like a threat to humanity.
Phone addiction has severe consequences:
Phones, if not well used controllably, can make people lose focus on growing well in other salient aspects of their lives,
such as academics, careers, relationships, and spiritual life.
For instance, during my service as a youth corp member in Nigeria,
I taught in a senior secondary school filled with numerous students.
Due to the large number, it was challenging to remember names, except for those who stood out academically.
One student caught my attention; she was among my top performers in English language and literature.
Recognising her potential, I closely monitored her academic and career progress, regularly keeping myself updated on her results.
Shockingly, despite her exceptional abilities, she repeated the class due to failing two core subjects in her department.
Failing or repeating the class didn’t diminish her intelligence; she remained one of my top picks.
However, there was an underlying problem.
The student confessed that her phone was the primary distraction.
Whenever she should have been studying, she spent time on social media, chatting, or browsing trends.
This illustrates how phones can hinder progress when addiction takes hold.
If not controlled, phone usage can distract us from priorities, causing stagnation in vital areas.
The student vowed to avoid phone distractions and focus on her goals.
I hope she remains committed to this promise and achieves her academic goals.
I could also recall countless days ministering in songs and the word to fellow young people on some church altars.
However, sometimes when I minister, I notice a disturbing trend: some of the young congregants (teens and youths) are engrossed in their phones during services.
This pervasive attitude concerns me.
How can one expect to receive blessings or edification while distracted by phones during worship?
Isn’t this idol worship, serving two masters at once, as scripture warns (Matthew 6:24)?
By prioritising phones over fellowship with God, we compromise our intimacy with Him.
Can we let go of our phones for a few hours during church service on Sundays?
If not, what does this say about our priorities?
Will we forget the Sunday experience, awaiting another reminder of God’s presence?
Scripture reminds us:
– “No one can serve two masters…” (Matthew 6:24)
– “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Let’s examine our hearts:
– What occupies our thoughts and attention?
– Is it truly God, or have idols taken His place?
Matthew 6:24 KJV
[24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.24.KJV
The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
Money: A necessary tool or a catalyst for destruction?
Money, a creation of God through human innovations, can become an idol when pursued with an uncontrolled and impure mind.
While using money, it’s essential to acknowledge money’s dual nature: a necessary tool for survival and a potential catalyst for destruction.
The things surrounding money are quite paradoxical.
On one hand, money provides basic necessities and comforts. Its absence creates unhealthy pressure, stress, and anxiety.
As the Bible acknowledges, “money answers all things” (Ecclesiastes 10:19).
Yet, on the other hand, the love of money is “the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Moreover, the allure of money is universal. Everyone needs it, and many desire it intensely.
However, when our focus shifts from using money as a tool to loving it as an end, we risk neglecting God’s will, grace, and presence.
The pursuit of wealth can consume our thoughts, compromise our values, and damage our relationships,
hence we should be careful not to lose our guard in our pursuit.
Idolizing Money could also have severe consequences:
Idolizing money can lead to a perilous compromise of our moral values and spiritual growth, as we become increasingly enthralled by material possessions.
Have you ever faced a situation where a lucrative offer tempted you to sacrifice your values, causing harm to others?
This “money dilemma” ensnares countless desperate individuals today,
driving some to prioritize financial gain over moral principles, regardless of the consequences.
I recall the story of a young man raised in a morally upright and religious household.
However, upon gaining admission to my alma mater,
his focus shifted to rapid wealth accumulation, driven by dissatisfaction with his monthly allowance.
He openly espoused the ideology that money superseded all else, including his academic pursuits.
He even contemplated dropping out of school to pursue lucrative opportunities.
Despite regular attendance at Christian fellowship, his desperation led him to associate with online fraudsters.
As his ill-gotten gains increased, his interest in academics and spirituality waned.
Likewise, I also encountered a young lady trapped in prostitution.
When she shared her story online, I was deeply moved, especially in the part she says:
“My mother raised me well; do not blame her for the person I’ve become. It was my decision.”
She was an individual, raised by a single mother struggling to make ends meet, hence, succumbed to hardship’s crushing pressure.
These examples illustrate that the complexities surrounding money are fraught with peril.
While financial struggles can be overwhelming, compromising our values is never justified.
If we allow our circumstances to dictate our actions, the world will become a bleaker place.
The enemy exploits our vulnerabilities, clouding our judgment and leading us to rationalize harmful choices.
We must recognize this emotional manipulation and resist the devil’s influence.
Let us exercise caution, ensuring our love for money does not dictate our decisions.
God desires our prosperity, but acquired through righteous means.
We must also utilize our wealth to promote good.
When money distracts us from God’s will, grace, and presence, we have idolized it.
The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
Sex: A Divine Gift or Abused Pleasure?
Sex, a beautiful creation of God, serves a specific purpose: reproduction and intimacy within the sacred institution of marriage between one man and one woman.
This divine gift allows couples to deepen their emotional and physical connection, fostering a lifelong bond.
However, without self-control and discipline, its purpose can be severely abused.
For instance, some unmarried individuals struggle with intense sexual desires and could have a life of fornication if their sexual urge is not controlled.
Likewise, some married individuals, lacking contentment and self-control, may seek fulfilment outside their partnership, even with the same sex.
Moreover, pervasive explicit online content may also affect our much younger people,
as it fosters premature sexual curiosity, distracting them from God and core values.
Also, as a result, the sexualization of relationships and conversations becomes commonplace,
leading to masturbation or unsafe real sexual practices that could thus affect their mental, emotional and social health.
This premature exposure can shape their worldview negatively, making them prioritise fleeting pleasure over lasting intimacy.
Carelessness regarding sex can lead to devastating consequences.
Firstly, it can lead to fornication and adultery, defiling our body, which is God’s temple (1 Cor 6:19-20).
This can result in spiritual decay and separation from God, damaging our relationship with Him.
Moreover, uncontrolled sexual urges can damage our reputation and lead to disastrous outcomes.
Numerous examples illustrate this:
lecturers, uncles, and religious leaders who succumbed to uncontrolled desires, sexually harassing others, and ultimately losing their dignity, reputation, and positions.
Uncontrolled sex can jeopardize our destinies and accomplishments.
That’s why Paul advises getting married if we cannot control our sexual urges (1 Cor 7:9).
Why not experience sex within the peaceful institution of marriage, rather than objectifying others to satiate our desires?
When we surrender to uncontrolled sexual desires, we risk losing sight of God’s will, grace, and presence in our lives.
This reveals the subtle danger of idolatry, where we prioritize fleeting pleasures over eternal values.
Hence, we must exercise caution and self-control over our sexual life so as not to fall into the trap of the enemy.
In conclusion,
acknowledging the insidious influence of subtle idols—phones, money, and sex—is essential for fostering a vibrant relationship with God and aligning with His divine will.
Vigilance is crucial, as the enemy exploits these everyday tools to subtly lead us astray, severing our connection with God’s presence.
To overcome these challenges, we must deliberately guard our hearts, minds, and actions, ensuring those tools serve us the way they ought to, without controlling us.
And we can only guard our hearts, minds and actions by constantly feeding ourselves with God’s word and not neglecting the place of prayers.
By doing so, we will discover the beauty of purpose-driven living, prioritizing God’s will, and cultivating profound intimacy with Him.
Let us embrace this call to self-reflection, seeking divine guidance to recognize and overcome subtle idols in our lives.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” ~Colossians 3:2
Also Read: The Destiny Killers – Diademng (thediademng.org)
The Subtle Idols Of Modern Life
