What is the most common idol of faithful Christians? How can you avoid it?
In this video, I will discuss what I think is the most common idol of faithful Christians and suggest how you can avoid it. I will start by telling you a brief story of a situation that happened in my life, next, I will look at a Bible passage from which we will draw three key points, one of which will help answer our question.
Recently, I had a moment of insight, an epiphany moment. I was speaking to myself: Kenneth, you are so busy doing too many things that are good. You are working more than a full-time job, teaching at a Bible college, running a small orphan care ministry, running a YouTube channel, blogs, etc, all this in addition to being a father and husband. You are so spread thin that you are failing to do the most important things and are focusing on what is not as important. Besides, you get easily stressed and sometimes even blame God.
By the way, I am sharing my story with you because I think you and I are more alike than we are different; in your own way, you may be doing some of the things that I am doing.
As I was speaking to myself, I realized there is a biblical passage that illustrates my struggle. That’s the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42 ESV
In this video, we will observe this passage and note three key points from it that will help us serve God better and avoid the most common idol among faithful Christians.
Here’s why you need to watch the next video
In the next video, I’ll address something that will help you understand this passage even more. In our passage, Jesus seems to say that sitting at his feet and listening to his teaching is more important than serving.
Does that mean that serving God is really less important than reading the Bible or meditating on his word? Is it better, then, for all of us to become monks that spend all our lives in a desert somewhere, meditating on God and listening to his word?
But somewhere else, he said, the greatest among the disciples will be the one who serves even as Jesus himself came to serve and not to be served. Is he putting down serving others?
Luke, the author of this passage, says no by how he has organized his work. I will show you that in the next video! I only recently discovered this key after reading this passage for years.
Observing our Passage
Now, let’s observe this passage and not three key things that will help us serve Jesus better.
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 ESV
Observations
- Martha welcomed Jesus into her house = That’s showing hospitality, a commendable virtue.
- Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching = This was a disciple’s proper place.
- But Martha was distracted with much serving = What was “much serving” distracting Martha from? Martha also wanted to sit at the Lord’s feet and listen to his teaching but was distracted by the desire/need to serve. This was Martha’s home, perhaps he felt the responsibility to be a good host and provide for the guests she invited. Perhaps she didn’t want to look like a bad host who didn’t serve his guests but rather sat at the feet of Jesus to learn when her house was full of the people Jesus drew.
- Perhaps, Martha wanted to spend time with the Lord, but the need to maintain a good reputation as a host was competing with her desire to also learn.
- Perhaps she even thought it was unfair for the Lord to allow her sister to benefit from his teaching without her when she was the one who welcomed him into the house and was trying to serve him.
- Likely irritated, Martha went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” This appears to be a rude accusation of the Lord, which leads to her commanding the Lord to put an end to it.
- The Lord’s response is a diagnosis of Martha’s situation, “you are anxious and troubled about many things” Martha’s worries ultimately choked out the word of God (Luke 8:14).
- But one thing is necessary = There is a need to prioritize what’s important for each moment. Although serving is good, sitting at Jesus’ feet was better for that moment and in general. What feeds the soul is more important than what feeds the body.
Three things
- Serving can distract and keep us from God’s best. Good is the enemy of best.
- Service can become an idol, making you question and order God around.
- Prioritizing is key. Prioritizing discipleship and relationship to Jesus and spending time in his word is key.