False Heroes and Fake Idols
By Rev. Kyle Norman
“Why by spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy.” (Isaiah 55:2)
The other day I was shopping in our local discount store, the kind that specializes in trinkets not exceeding a few dollars. I found myself in the toy aisle looking at the various figurines and figures on display. As I spanned the selections, my eyes rested upon an action figure, a superhero. This muscle-bound superhero was dressed in a blue suit, with red boots and a red cape; a bright yellow “S” was displayed upon his chest. The packaging around this hero proudly heralded “Up, Up, and Away!”
You may think you have guessed the name of this superhero, but you would be wrong. The name given to this toy was “Super-Heroic Man!” Super-Heroic Man is distinctly not the beloved hero of comic-book fame – but he looks the part. He is the spitting image of the well-known superhero, but at the end of the day, Super-Heroic Man is nothing more than a cheap knockoff, a figure wrapped in fakery and façade.
There is a big difference between what is real and what is fake. That which is real has intrinsic value for us. For example, we readily accept the difference between the value of gold and that of iron-pyrite, known aptly as “fools gold”. Similarly, salt water, while looking identical to the water of freshwater springs, will never quench our thirst. In fact, mistaking salt water for fresh water could be detrimental to our health. Whether it be in the realm of action figures, precious metals, or natural thirst-quenchers, the difference between that which is authentic and true, and that which is a lie, is significant.
Why is it that we look for our spiritual comfort or healing in vain efforts or in human-bound work rather than the grace of God? Why do we find it so easy to turn to cheap knockoffs when it comes to our spiritual lives? Can false idols really satisfy? Do they ever free us from our sins or liberate us from the spiritual weights that we carry upon our shoulders?
This is the question that God asked the people of Israel as they struggled through the exile. Despite the many invitations given to them to turn to the Lord, to receive blessing and life, the people frequently chose to follow their own wishes. Instead of redemption given by the Lord, the people chose a façade of salvation brought about by false idols and fake gods. And time after time, God asks the most important of questions: “Why?” Why choose that which is insufficient? Why chase after that which offers no life and no freedom?
Intersecting Faith and Life.
When it comes to why people may turn to Fools Gold or Super-heroic Man, the answer appears relatively simple. People turn to these cheap imitations because they feel they cannot afford the real thing. The cheapness of the objects becomes part of their attractiveness. Why spend your money on an overpriced action figure when you can purchase one that looks the same at a reduced cost?
And while this makes sense when it comes to commercial products, it breaks down when we think about our spiritual lives. This is because the true life that God offers us costs us nothing. Our spiritual satisfaction is given to us out of the bestowal of grace. We need not earn it, merit it, or purchase it. And because it is free, no matter where we are or what we may be struggling with in life, we can be assured that the grace of God is offered to us; here, now.
When we invest our spiritual health in that which is fake, we ultimately pay a higher dividend. The inauthentic will never truly satisfy or nurture. Saltwater will never quench, and the not-bread will never satisfy. And while we may, at times, feel that we are moving into freedom and life, in the end, we will always find ourselves suffering from weights that we do not know how to handle. Liberation is never achieved, and all the baggage that we thought we were moving away from still lingers upon our weary souls. In the end, false idols and fake heroes offer no life, no healing, no redemption.
But God’s invitation to us is to enter true satisfaction, a satisfaction that comes from a life rooted in grace. God’s love is constant and unceasing, freely offered to us in Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “I have come that you might have life and life to the full” (John 10:10).
True life, and authentic soul-deep satisfaction, await you. And while this invitation is free, without money or cost, it does demand a response. “Come”, the Lord says. Come all who are thirsty. Come all who feel empty and lost. Come all who feel completely raw before God. Come and receive. In fact, this grace-filled invitation closes the entire scriptures. Sitting on the throne of heaven, Jesus beckons us to come to him. In words echoing the prophet Isaiah, the Lord calls out: “Come all of you who are thirsty; let them come; and whoever wishes let them take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).
The invitation is made. True satisfaction awaits. All we need to do is accept it.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Bulat Silvia
The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others. He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca. He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.
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