Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“No, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their images are empty wind.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, June 20, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Idol worship dies hard. It’s not like we moved past the days of being surrounded by civilizations who worshipped the Baals and other gods and suddenly there was no longer anything the pull us away from God. One hardly has to pray to a statue to worship idols. At the risk of alienating any sports fans, I have to call out the whole culture of athlete-worship that professional sports engender. I have had people in my life who take a sport so seriously they become genuinely infuriated by any suggestion that “it’s just a game.” In one of my seminary classes, my professor laid out how modern professional sports are essentially a religion (it was fascinating).
I’m not saying it’s wrong to like professional sports. Or movies or music or any other forms of entertainment. But I think it’s good for us to be curious about when appropriate enjoyment of gifted individuals sharing their talents with the world crosses the line into idol worship.
Are there any celebrities, athletes, or activities that tempt me to idol worship?
