Cannot Do Evil

Statue der Göttin Venus (Statue of the Goddess Venus)

For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. (Jeremiah 10:3-5 KJV)

Obviously this statue wasn’t carved from wood, but the concept is the same. There are statues of gods and goddesses from untold ages available for us to gaze upon and wonder why someone thought they were important.

Yet, we do the same. Use to be celluloid, now it’s digital. The figures are images of living, or recently living, people the public has chosen to celebritize. (Nope. That’s not a real word, but it describes what we do to public figures.) Just as the wooden or marble carvings, they do not speak to us. They can move around, go where they please – almost – but are followed by photographers who (they say) make their lives miserable when they are not posing for pictures.

Their public watch newscasts to see them, to the point that specific magazines and televised programs focus on them. Fans “follow” them on social media and pay heed to them daily. Some are sports figures, others entertainers, still others politicians or religious leaders – though it’s often hard to discern where one category ends and another begins. Mankind has been known to idolize.

Today’s celebrities do not know their fans as individuals any more than the wood / marble statues knew the names of their followers. And, there’s at least one more commonality – “for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.”

Oh, they certainly are able to both evil and good for themselves, but not for those in their inner circle and certainly not for us. That’s done on an individual basis, and the choice is ours whether or not we allow any celebrity’s lifestyle to impact ours in any way.

Do we choose to dress as they do? Wear styles and fashions they choose? To we select music and entertainment based on their selections? Why?

Once we realize that we have moved from appreciating an individual to placing them on a pedestal we may also realize they have become first in our lives. My favorite verses tell me that’s wrong, even if it my Beloved Husband:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

God comes first, and He’s not on a pedestal but on a throne in heaven and as His Spirit in my heart. He is able to do good in and through my life, though I do have the ability to quench His Holy Spirit.

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 KJV)

Take inventory regarding where your time is spent. Is most spent with God? Or things that cannot do evil nor good in our lives?