Word for Wednesday
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:21
Joel was having some struggles at work with a new process that his company had implemented, and he knew his supervisors were not happy with his performance. He expected the worst when Mr. Stuart, the senior vice-president, entered his work cubicle. But Mr. Stuart gave Joel a warm smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder, and pulled up a chair beside him. ‘You don’t quite have the hang of this new process, Joel’, he said. ‘How about letting me work with you for a bit until you get it figured out?’ Suddenly, Joel’s apprehensions vanished in the knowledge that Mr. Stuart cared about him and was more than willing to help him. Having someone who truly cares makes a big difference with us, too, in our Christian experience. We willingly take advice from somebody when we know that advice comes from a caring heart. Somebody like the apostle John.
If we have any doubt about whether John cared about the Christians to whom he was writing, we have only to count the number of times that he uses the expression ‘little children’. Seven times he uses this term of tender endearment to let his readers know how much he cares for them. At the time of writing this epistle, John is the only surviving member of the eleven disciples who had spent those wonderful years accompanying Jesus during His earthly ministry. He recalls the loving heart of his Lord, and gladly passes on to the new Christians as much as he can of that love. He has advice and encouragement to give, as the Holy Spirit guides him, and he gives it in such a way that none can take offense. Even when it came to a warning about idols.
We might well wonder where this little four-word challenge comes from. Keep yourselves from idols – it seems to come out of nowhere. John’s epistle has been dealing primarily with the topic of love, with not a mention of idols to this point. And then he says it, like a punchline, or a final clarion call that continues to ring out after the memory of the rest of the epistle has faded. What is important about avoiding idols at this point? And what idols is John speaking about? He doesn’t elaborate. So we have to read between the lines. An idol is anything that directs our minds and hearts away from an appreciation of our Lord. So in telling his readers to keep themselves from idols, John is also telling them to keep their focus on the Lord. If they do that, they won’t have any problem with idols. And neither will we. – Jim MacIntosh