What we are worshiping, we are becoming

On the New York Post's list of top viral videos of 2013, this ridiculous video of "How Animals Eat Their Food" came in at 11:

I am not sure what it says about our culture when this video gets 97 million views, but I do think there is a lesson we can take away (that's the youth minister in me speaking).

There is an old saying, "you are what you eat". In this case it is, you are how you eat. The message however, is the same. The things we regularly consume have an effect on who we are.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (if I am allowed to quote Emerson in the same post where I post this viral video) puts it this way...

“A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will come out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshiping, we are becoming.”

Have you ever thought about what you consume being the same as what you worship? Maybe not in those terms, but if you have been in enough bible classes you have heard that idea somewhere along the way. We are charged not to let our possessions become our idols.

I am going to ask you to look at this in a different way. Are the things you claim to worship really that important to you that they begin to change who you are?

I believe that is the expectation if you worship Jesus Christ. Check out Romans 6:1-4...

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 

We are called to walk in newness of life. If we worship Christ, He will begin to dominate our imaginations. Our thoughts of Him will determine our lives, and our character.

The race is all about keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and allowing His life to determine ours.