Hey everyone, this week we have a guest blogger -- Chloe Womble! She's doing a post on how to be a fangirl...but do it responsibly. This post is going to be kicking off a series of Girl Talk posts where we'll be talking about all kinds of girly things including boys, fitting in, friend problems, beauty, fashion, and much more!
Be sure to go and check out Chloe's blog at this link: afangirlsfantasy.blogspot.com
HELLO THERE
I’m Chloё! The guest poster! This is the first time I’ve ever done a guest post for anything, so bear with me if it’s rough. :)
The subject I’ve chosen to focus on is idolatry.
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking. “Idolatry? Me? No way! I don’t have a golden statue of a cow in my house that I frequently burn sacrifices to!”
Well, sorry to shock you, but you probably are breaking the first commandment.
As people, and especially girls, we have this innate desire to just love something. (shocker, right?) Whether it’s boys, books, movies, music, TV shows, or hot British actors, most of us do love something more than God. And that’s not right.
You probably all know the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Our God is a jealous God. He wants all of our love--all of our devotion--and we often don’t give Him all of it, to our shame.
We might think, “I’m not like those people over in other countries where they sacrifice children to their gods,” while at the same time obsessing over the latest scoop on our favorite celebs. That’s right, I said obsessing. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines obsess as “to be the only thing a person thinks or talks about, to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of.” That’s scary. Ultimately, God should be the only thing we obsess about, but we often replace the space of our mind that should be dedicated to Him with the hot guy we saw at church last week. There’s a lot in the Bible about idolatry--for instance, 1 Corinthians 10:14, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” Seriously, if you need more proof, use handy dandy Google.
Now, don’t get me wrong on this point. I’m not saying that we should completely cut ourselves off from bands, books, and pop culture in general. I believe God gave us these things as gifts! I can sit down and read a book and enjoy it with all of my heart with no guilt. I can watch a movie and marvel over the cinematography and the soundtrack with no guilt. I can enjoy those things because they’re gifts! However, if I read the book and it’s the only thing I talk about for months afterwards, and then look up all the fanfiction and fanart and concept ideas for the book, and dream about the book, etc, that’s obsession.
God gave us things to enjoy. He gave us books. He gave us movies. He gave us music. And when we read those books, watch those movies, listen to that music, we can glorify Him through our enjoyment of them. He made those things, for us! Which, when you think about it, is kind of a big deal.
So don’t go lusting after those celebrities. Don’t go obsessing over those books. Don’t let those bands be everything you think about. Don’t let those things consume you.
Don’t be an idol worshiper! You were made for more--you were made to worship the Maker of the stars! So give Him the praise and devotion He deserves! :)
Be sure to leave a comment letting us know what your current fandom is!