In the ancient world, idols were everywhere. People bowed down before images that represented gods who weren’t Yahweh. Even today in some countries people have an idol shelf where they can gaze adoringly from one image to the next.

Where are the idols in our context? Where can we find people with their heads down looking at images of things they adore, one after another, for hours every day? Is it possible that we are scrolling through an idol shelf?

Did you know:

• celebrity is from the Latin celebritās – one who is the object/center of repeated public ritual observance
• fan is from Latin fānāticus – of or belonging to a temple, inspired by a god, frenzied
• icon is from the Greek eikōn – religious image, object that’s revered
• star has ancient associations with gods, angels and divine beings

Paul recommends people not eat food sacrificed to idols. Not because the food is bad, or because it will harm them to eat it. But because it could hurt the conscience of their weaker brothers and sisters.

I wonder how much we should consume social feeds from people and organizations that aren’t from God. Not that we maybe can’t handle it. But what message are we sending to others?

Paul wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 10. Read it now as if it’s about your feed instead of your food:

¹⁹ Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. ²² Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

²⁵ Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, ²⁶ for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. ²⁹ I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.