Talk about a thought that is germinating. These thoughts are completely open for discussion. I could be completely off base. But I think there is a measure of truth here. I hope you find it :P Please comment!!
- We often idolize the Ideal.
- An Idol is something we fashion, create, or buy. We might be creating an image that we think will comfort, direct, or empower us.
- A Metaphysical Idol (Coined Term) is an idealized image we create in our mind.
- There are all sorts of things we apply our imaging too: Ourselves, Other People (parents/kids, friends, leaders.........), The Future, Our Possessions (There must be more!)
- We often expect these idols to remain unblemished and have God-like knowledge of our motivations, goals, intentions, and/or silent prayers.
- When the Image (or Idol) that we have does not perform as we as imagined, we are left angry, upset, disappointed and hurt.
When that image is attached to a person, that person will inevitably let us down. We then often say, though with different words, “You have not measured up to your Image that I have fashioned. You have violated my trust in your image. Now I am justified as question your character because you have failed my image.” This image fashioning can easily be employed to tear a person down. You can set up an impossible-to-achieve image of a person, then compare them to it, and then discredit them based on that comparison. It is easily swallowed because the ideal is what everyone would want.
Both of these are so destructive. When we look upon people as imperfect-but-loved, there is such a higher chance for healing and growth. This is the attitude that God has with us. It gives us the freedom to screw up royally (when compared to the ideal), yet it never costs us the privilege to re-connect. No, we cannot expect other people to have this Agape-level love for us. So why do we allow them to be the source/cause of the weather we carry around with us. We can never find abiding peace when you are looking to another person.
So, I propose that I/you lay down the Metaphysical Idols I/you have created. Whether you believe in the big-g God or not, these Idols can do nothing for you - except defile (vs 15) your life with expectations that can never be met. There are far better things to worship than these!
Let’s DE-Idol-ize our lives
1 comment:
We all wish we had the "ideal" life, the "ideal" family, the "ideal" friends, the "ideal" companion. But who determines what is ideal?? Something that is "ideal" to you, may not be to someone else. "Ideal" is in the eye of the beholder. Even God doesnt expect us to be "ideal".
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