“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity.”
Ezekiel 14:3a
A lot of us have probably heard of idols in the Bible, maybe in a sermon or elsewhere. But do we still have idols today? I mean, sure, some religions worship statues, but I don’t. But in a sense, do I? In the Bible, idols were most often depicted as statues. Take the golden calf in Exodus 32:2-4. It says, “Aaron answered them, 'Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.' So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'" So… it’s a statue, right? Is that what all idols are?
“Anything that separates our affections from God, and lessens our interest in eternal things, is an idol.”1
So, wait, can my phone become my idol? Yes, it definitely can! And without God to guide us, it probably will!
Ethan’s Realization
Ethan always began the day with a quick prayer before school. On the bus, he read from a devotional app or listened to a faith podcast. On weekends, he helped with his youth group or volunteered in the community. His faith was steady and integral to his life.
Then a big opportunity came—he made the varsity basketball team. At first, he thanked God for the chance, but over time, basketball became his main focus. He stayed late at practice, skipped meals to train, and obsessed over every move on the court. Morning prayers grew rushed. Devotional time shrank to a few minutes here and there. Youth group and volunteering became “I’ll do it next week” because basketball was too important.
When the family asked why he was always so busy, he said, “You don’t understand. This matters.”
Finally, he secured the starting spot and earned recognition. The excitement lasted a day. Soon after, new pressures arrived—games, expectations, training—and the peace he expected never came. Sitting alone, he realized something uncomfortable: basketball hadn’t just been hard work—it had slowly become the thing he trusted most, thought about most, and measured himself against. Basketball had quietly replaced God in his heart.
Basketball itself wasn’t bad. Working hard wasn’t wrong. But he had let it become the most important thing—an idol—without even realizing it.
Just as it would be silly to expect a statue to bring anything positive into our lives, why do we rely on our phones, our education, or other idols for joy and satisfaction? These things can be great, but they absolutely cannot take first place in our lives, or we will have a fruitless life.
Call to Action
Idols are very real. They’re not just from the past. As long as there is sin, idols will always exist. Do you have an idol in your life? Whether it's education, money, a pet, or anything else that takes first place in your life. While you still have the chance, surrender your idols to God, ask Him for help and forgiveness, and pray for someone else who may not yet know God.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33
All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1. Ellen G. White, The Youth’s Instructor, December 31, 1896, par. 3
