Don’t Be an Idol-Maker

The story of Demetrius, the silversmith in Acts 19, is probably not the most well-known story in the scriptures. Acts 19 tells the story about when Paul goes and begins preaching the gospel in Ephesus and that Demetrius, the silversmith, realizes what's going on in the way that most of the other citizens of Ephesus don't. 

Demetrius’ vocation, his work, is that he makes idols. And so he organizes all of the other idol makers in town to riot. This brings up something to always think about: What does it mean to have idol-making as your vocation and what are the idols that we make as part of our own work? And how does the gospel challenge and tear them down? 

On the one hand, it's easy to dismiss Demetrius as, oh, well, he makes idols. But for me, it's like holding up a mirror of sorts where I can catch myself saying, “I think I'm really important because I do this.” 

It's important for us to check that our work is truly serving God and not just an idol that we've made for ourselves.

Lake Lambert

Lake Lambert, Ph.D., began his tenure as the 16th president of Hanover College on July 1, 2015, the sixth in the past 100 years. Before moving to Hanover, he served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, from 2010 to 2015.