If what we ultimately seek is health or comfort or material happiness, then we have to admit that these idols are doing a decent job. From one perspective, it makes sense that we continue to rely on them. Our idols don’t make promises explicitly because they rarely speak. But we attribute promises to them—primarily that they would continue to deliver in the ways they have delivered in the past.

Idols are ridiculous. They are embarrassing. Believing and trusting idols is not just sinful, it’s moronic. For those who acknowledge God as good and sovereign, trusting ourselves to anything or anyone else is utterly foolish.

And yet, we’re all morons and fools in this regard, aren’t we?

In the moment, we don’t usually recognize our idolatrous motivations. And since our idols are less noticeable than statues and figurines, it’s easy to miss when our loyalties are bent in the wrong direction.

Idols Work

The main reason we are tempted to trust in idols, is that they work—at least for a time and in a meager way.[1] Christians may protest that this admission grants idols too much power, but the alternative grants idols far more influence. It’s better to drag the tyrant out into the town square than to let him bully from the shadows.

We see a silly example of this in the realm of sports superstitions. A player who wears a mismatched pair of socks in a standout game is compelled to wear those same socks for weeks. A fan accidentally mutes the television while her favorite team completes a stunning comeback and then won’t think of turning the volume up for the rest of the season. These small actions coincide with success, so we repeat the actions with hope of repeated outcomes.

Something similar likely happened with some ancient idolatries. A rain dance or a sacrifice coincided with healthier crops, so the practices and devotion continued.

This is more evident with our modern idolatries. We trust in modern medicine because it is so often able to make us feel better.

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