I recently visited a church and the pastor said something that gave me pause. What caught my attention wasn’t the whole of his message, but a small part. He said we are made to worship someone. Think about that. Made to worship someone.

He did expound for a short time on how we worship people and that set off my own thoughts. Thoughts of the way our society starts worshipping others from an early age. We are encouraged to do this in various aspects of our society.

We worship celebrities. We watch them on various medias, follow their lives in social media and print. News about a celebrity’s marriage or divorce or a misstep they’ve taken are gossiped about constantly.

We worship sports figures, going far beyond simply enjoying a game they may be playing. We learn about them, seek out sightings of them. Hound them with our attention. Try to get photos or name drop if we actually get to meet them.

Since I heard that message, I’ve come to realize one of the most dangerous people to worship is self. That’s right. Worshipping oneself is huge and encouraged. We are constantly reminded of what we should indulge in and how it’s our right to do so. We lift ourselves onto a pedestal and feel important for being there.

Our worship should be reserved for God and only God. The Israelites were cautioned about worshipping any other gods. “…(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)…” Exodus 34:14. (ESV)

We must be careful to keep our worship focused on God and not self or those around us. While we can enjoy a television show or a baseball game, we should not put those involved in those professions on a pedestal. They are simply people, just as we are only human and are called to be humble, not lifted up.

How do we do this in a society so consumed with the worship of self and others? By keeping our eyes on God. By making a concerted effort to remember the One who is worthy of our praise.

Yes, we are made to worship. We are created in His image and have the need deep within us to praise Him and worship Him. Let’s keep that in the forefront of our minds so that we aren’t tempted to lift up any others.

“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” Psalm 29:1,2 (ESV)