The Images that Make Us

In athletics, it’s easy to be drawn to professional players and see them as mini-gods. Those of us who work hard at our game see the success of the pro players and want that same success for ourselves.

But what is the line that makes us cross from admiration to idols? The crossing of that line centers around who and what you identify with. Your identity is what you believe you are, and there are usually many aspects of yourself that make up your identity.

We all know that the people we make into idols are, in fact, just humans, and our identity typically isn’t found in being just like them but in the images that make that person great. For example, the image of strength, speed, agility, success, leadership, charisma, beauty, etc., can quickly turn into idols themselves. Idols are not just people; they can also be the images associated with those people.

Psalms warns us against worshiping idols and images. Most of us understand that LeBron James and God are not the same and, thus, should not be put on the same pedestal. We need help with the internal idols of the images we want to be known for. We elevate the images of strength and speed, intelligence and charisma, beauty and popularity until they have surpassed God in what you are pursuing as your own identity. We want to be known by these characteristics and pursue perfection in these areas instead of those that matter to God.

Examples of what God wants us to pursue as images of our identity can be found in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These are the images that, when we pursue them, make our identity rooted in Christ and not worthless idols of this world.