Wed. Aug. 20th :: Acts 19 :: The Idol Biz

The Riot in Ephesus:
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis,
brought in no little business for the skilled workers there. He called
them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said:
"You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this
business.

(Acts 19.23-25)

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Here in Acts 19 we have the story of a man in Ephesus whose profession it was to make idols.

This may sound strange to some of us in the 21st century, but I’m wondering if it should...

Acts 19 tells how this man, Demetrius, took great issue with Paul—not so much out of devotion to Artemis (his idol-god)—but more out of devotion to the MONEY that his idol-god brought in. Sound familiar? Money is perhaps the oldest and most worshipped of the idols, and I'm as guilty as the next guy.

But beyond that obvious takeaway, I'm thinking of another question after reading this story.

That is:
What industries today might we say EXIST for the sole purpose of constructing idols?

And beyond that: How do I contribute to the idol-biz by valuing my own possessions above and beyond the gospel?

I don’t have any cut-and-dried answers today, just questions I’m thinking about for myself.

How about you?