At one time, a person was defined by such things as how large their family was, how many acres of land they owned, their social status, etc. And while we may feel grateful that some of these measurements aren’t as common as they used to be, there are parallels to today.

Today, it might seem reasonable to define ourselves and others by our wealth, credit score, personal history, and similar elements of our lives. However, if we use these measures, then we may be afraid that whatever we have is not enough, that we can never measure up, or that our worth or identity can be usurped and damaged. It’s an issue that needs to be challenged. 

Recently, a related question came to me regarding the Second Commandment, which says in part, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image: . . . Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4, 5). Could a view of man as material be a type of graven image?