Concerning Idols

I asked the Lord, “What is an idol in my life? Show me what is in my right hand, the thing I worship more than you.” Then I looked, and in my hand was a trophy. I was standing on a stage in front of an applauding audience, holding an award for a book I’d written. I was horrified, and also sad – was the award an idol? Oh, how I loved that award! It wasn’t easy to throw away, but I love God more. I turned my hand over and let the award drop away, and I left the stage.

Then I raised my empty hand to God. “What will you give me to replace it? Fill me with Your good gift, Lord.”

I was at the foot of God’s throne, and He placed a book in my hand. It was my book, the one for which I’d received the award. But it wasn’t really mine – it came from the Lord. I knelt and opened the book. Suddenly I was surrounded by yellow, fluffy, adorable little chicks. They ran to the book in my hands, and they began to eat. They pecked at the print on the pages, devouring the words. They were so hungry, and the words were so good to them. When one page emptied, I turned to another, until all the words were gone, and the chicks loved the feast. But there were many chicks, and they were all hungry. So I reached up to my Father, and he put another book in my hand, more food for the precious chicks. Oh, the joy of feeding those chicks! How much better than any award!

As a child I went to a petting zoo once, and there were baby goats. My mom bought food to feed the goats, little paper boats filled with chunks that looked like dog food. She poured some into my cupped hands, and some into my sister’s cupped hands. I turned and held them out to the baby goats. Oh, the joy when they crowded around to eat the food I held! They gobbled it up, their soft lips nibbling at my palms. Eagerly, I held up my empty hands to my mother, “Mama, they’re still hungry! Can I feed them more?” Feeding the chicks was even more satisfying than feeding those baby goats, because the food I offered came from the Creator of all.

Is there a better treasure than feeding God’s children with the good food He gives?