And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them.  Deuteronomy 29:17

I often preach on the lure of the earthly idol. Idols disguise themselves in our everyday lives, taking the form of whatever draws our attention and directs us away from the work of being the hands and feet of Jesus. Sometimes it’s money, when we pursue and protect it; other times it is the addictions that monopolize our lives and lead us to keep our families and friends at arm’s length.  I have come to realize that, for me, I was WAY dependent on my laptop computer.

I always regarded my computer as a device of convenience- after all computers as an everyday device didn’t occur in my lifetime until I was in my mid to late 20’s. The ability to surf while on the couch was a bonus- and don’t even get me started on wireless printers. Oh the joy! What I underestimated was how I would feel if that device of convenience suddenly disappeared.

A little over two weeks ago, a can of soda leaked all over my work bag, which included my 4 year old laptop. In the tech world, I was 2 operating systems and one version of Office behind; in my world I had a reliable device with a worn spot on my mouse. In the end, I said a prayer over my fried friend and prayed the hard drive (brain) wasn’t a goner. It wasn’t- a gifted soul extracted its golden information, another hard lesson in backing up your work. I ordered another device, which was painful and felt more complicated than it should have been. My haste to replace created another set of problems that we’ll leave for another blog on another day.

Essentially, in the 15 days that I waited (and yes, I counted them each and every day) I lived in a state of limbo. I felt uneasy using the computer at church or my old, tiny back-up. I put off any task I could that required intensive data work. I am embarrassed to say that I was  seriously impaired by my loss. And, yes, it felt like a loss even with the files intact. That, my friends, is when I knew I had some serious idol issues. Of course, admitting it might be the first step, but what is the next one? For that we consult the sages, the Savior and Sophia (Wisdom, as she is known in Hebrew) may we love nothing more than God, her children, and the one who unites us all. Amen.