American Idol

I saw a car advertisement on Craigslist the other day that read like this. “Good car. Didn’t even run hot but it idols strange, and jumps a lot while idoling. Driving it does fine, but the idol has some serious issues, sometimes it’s too high.” The “idol” has some serious issues. I laughed, because there’s alot of truth there- not the idle in the car, but the idols in our lives. That same day,  I heard a pastor preach from the text, “I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” Fear, placed before God, can be an idol. When I write or when I sing, there is always a chance that the person(s) on the receiving end may reject what I’m trying to share. But, if I allow the possibilty of their discomfort to control my choice to do something I believe God’s asking me to do, well that’s sin too. It has become an idol. My worth is more related to Christ than to myself. “Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry.  Fear never saved a marriage or a business.  Courage did that.  Faith (in God) did that. Fear herds us into a prison and slams the doors.  “Fear at it’s center is perceived loss of control. When life spins wildly we grab for a component of life we can manage: our diet, the tidiness of the house, the armrest of a plane, or, in many cases, people.  “Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness.” “When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes our god.  When safety becomes our god, we worship the risk free life.  Can the safety lover do anything great? The worship of safety emasculates greatness. The fear-filled cannot love deeply.  Love is risky.  No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear.” “Feed your fears and your faith will starve.  Feed your faith and your fears will.”  (All quotes from “Fearless” by Max Lucado) Now listen to these powerful JESUS Quotes: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. (Matthew 10:28-21) Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life…So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ … But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:25-34) Don’t let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, and trust also in me. (John 14:1) “Why are you frightened? Why are your hearts filled with doubt?” (Luke 24:38) Everyone who looks to the son and believes him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40) Perfect love expels all fear. (1 John 4:18) My friend, don’t be caught sitting idle with an idol. Let God crush fear under your feet. Oh, and I didn’t buy that car.