Several years ago, a guidance counselor at the school where I taught stopped by my classroom. Janice spent most of the afternoon counseling a student, whom I’ll call Kara.

Kara was in my fifth-period English class. She never talked to other kids, and she never smiled. Her long, dark hair hung in her eyes, as if giving her a safe place to hide. Kara was insecure and lonely.

She stopped by Janice’s office to discuss dropping out of school. After much prodding, Kara admitted why: Her cat died.

According to Janice, Kara’s best friend was her cat. For the past 13 years, she loved her cat, and her cat loved her in return. Kara’s need for encouragement was filled by her cat since no one noticed her at school. She didn’t know where else to find her purpose.

Unlike school, every time she walked through the door at home, her cat ran to greet her. The cat’s purring and rubbing against her leg were comforting. Once she lost that, Kara had no way of coping with school. She was quitting.

The more I’ve thought about Kara, the more I see Kara in the rest of us.

Animals may not symbolize our security and significance, but we have “pet” idols that are just as powerful. Relationships, careers and bank accounts are natural and respectable idols. We consider these idols to be valuable and reliable. God has a different opinion.

Because idols will never meet our deepest need, God forbids idolatry in his first commandment: “You must not have any other god but me.” (Exodus 20:3 NLT)

It’s easy to feel blameless with God’s commandment since there are no little statues in our homes. Yet idolatry is demonstrated by more than worshipping a statue. It’s revealed by worshipping anything other than God.

In “Counterfeit Gods,” Timothy Keller defines idolatry as “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” Keller’s definition reveals the deceptive nature of idolatry.

Idols are deceptive because they usually begin as blessings, and they progressively gain their power over time. Family, health and material possessions are blessings that should remind us of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Over time, however, we begin to depend on them.

Our health may fail, our relationships may end, or our job may be terminated. Ultimately we will realize the limitations of our idols. Thankfully, God promises to meet our needs for security and significance if we look to him: “For (God) has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ ” (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV)