Text: Exodus 32:1-14

I’m sure some of you saw the movie Inside Out – the original, not the new one that came out this past year; I haven’t seen that one yet. Much of the story takes place within the brain, or maybe more accurately the imagined emotional center, of an 11 year old girl. The main characters – other than Riley herself – are Disgust, Anger, Fear, Sadness and Joy.

Events collide to make Joy and Sadness – the characters – go missing from the command center of Riley’s consciousness. Until now, Joy had been the leader. She exuberantly and confidently ran the show. She governs the other emotions. In her absence, we see those other emotions- Disgust, Anger, Fear – fumbling to help Riley figure out how to live in this new, unknown place. They cause her to lash out, to isolate herself, to stop playing hockey – which she has always loved and been good at – and ultimately to run away. 

None of these emotion characters are called Anxiety but it’s what the Riley character is experiencing. Changes in routine, in expectation, in our usual systems provoke anxiety. None of the characters is called Anxiety but it is what each of them is experiencing. Joy is not there to manage them, to offer direction and be the one to whom and through whom their energy was directed and mediated, the energy is directed elsewhere.

As weird as it might sound, this Pixar movie for children was what I thought of as I dwelled with the story of the Israelite people spiraling into wild idol worship. I also thought about what I’ve learned – and begun to observe – in group and family systems. In a family – or any group – we have routines and roles and we develop patterns of behavior and expectation.

What can happen when one person is no longer a part of a particular system or no longer engages with it in the way that they typically have, is that the remaining people are compelled to shift their own functioning. And the anxiety starts bouncing all over the place – sometimes leading to everyone increasing their own ability to function well. Sometimes – at least initially, and especially when the person who is no longer there has been a leader or manager or very responsible – there is a big shift of energy and anxiety toward other people or activities.

Say a parent starts working who’s been a primary care-giver in a household. Or an older sibling goes to college. An aunt who always coordinated the family get-togethers declares that she’s hanging up her apron. That can heighten anxiety within the system. And it might not even look like anxiety – it might even look like creative energy or decisiveness. It might look like anger or outrage. It might look like addiction or a change in character.

My hot take is that I think this is what’s going on in the story of the golden calf. The Israelite people are a big family system – in many ways literally, descended as they are from the 12 sons of Israel. They have a covenant with God after escaping Egypt led by the sibling team of Moses and Aaron and Miriam. But Moses has been the dynamic and confident leader. 

And then Moses removes himself from the family. He’s up on the mountain. Who knows when he’s going to come back. He’s always been the one to mediate between the people and God. Like mom being the mediator between dad and the kids. What do the kids do when mom’s not there any more? The people need a place to direct their anxiety and worship and energy.

They think: Other nations use golden idols. Let’s try that!  Aaron isn’t used to being in this position. He’s not Mom. He’s also anxious! So he says, Okay. Let’s try it. Let’s melt all your jewelry. But folks, even though we’re making a calf, we’re still worshiping the real God okay. 

You can see this is the wording of his response, he’s using The Lord/YHWH, while the people are saying Elohim/gods. (Which is admittedly confusing because sometimes God is called YHWH Elohim: the God of god or the Lord of hosts)

The people of Israel are still getting used the idea that YHWH, The Lord their God, is a God who is with them always. Moses has been a mediator, but God is present with them and their worship does not need to be directed to an object or person. They can simply praise the God of their liberation. 

There is plenty to be anxious about in today’s world. There is plenty in our experience of everyday life and loss – nevermind the injustices of the world – to make joy go missing. The other other emotions are ready to take over. God wants us to direct that emotional energy and action toward the God of covenant rather than into golden calves and idols. 

There are also plenty of things we idolize out of the need to send our thoughts and energy and anxiety somewhere – anywhere – when our world or our systems are feeling unstable. Things that are shiny and beautiful but offer no consolation or relationship. Media, over-use of alcohol or drugs in excess, spending and consumption. I know someone who took years to get out of debt after a 

For me – and I know I’m not alone – it’s the endless scroll. It’s so easy and accessible to quiet any turmoil in heart or mind. I’ve been trying to be more intentional about channeling anxiety into the creative – since I know that’s what truly connects me both with my own gifts and with God’s still small voice within me. Or to do something active like taking the dog for a walk while listening to a book or pruning my rosemary. It grows like a weed so it always needs pruning.

God doesn’t just long us to make that connection, to put away our idols. God is angry! Moses intercedes for the people – but we have direct access to God and through Jesus we have been brought close. God is faithful. God is present. God will walk with us in the wilderness just as the people knew God present in all things for the many years that they wandered. May we bring all of our selves before God and put away the Idols make for our anxiety. Amen.

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