Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, April 20, 2024
A little over a week ago, in (I think it was) a Goodwill store, I paused beside these shelves of figurines. As you can see, the middle shelf contains an eclectic group, ranging from former Seattle Sonics player and coach Nate McMillan on the left, to an unidentified gray-haired man wearing earphones, to an unidentified woman carrying what looks like a bundle of wood, to Uncle Sam, to Jesus Christ, to Dwight from the TV series “The Office.” (And notice the boots and cape of Superman on the shelf above?)
I often wonder what Jesus, the originator of the “Thou shalt make no graven images” commandment, thinks about portraits and sculptures of Himself. And I wonder what He thinks of being positioned right next to Uncle Sam, knowing how brashly and often unthinkingly some conservatives would like to join the two at the hip.
The truth is that any image, whether bobbleheads like Nate McMillan, the gray-haired guy, or Dwight, can all become idols, and could even be worshipped. That’s if you define worship as what you devote your time and talent and treasure to.
Chillingly, idolatry is still very close to the hearts of even Christians these days, which is why it’s important to keep in mind God’s ruthless opposition to it. Check out the link below: