I read it years ago, but it made an impression on me; it is one of the creepiest things I have ever read.

The 'sand kings'are a species of social insect from another planet which are highly illegal to keep because they are potentially dangerous, although its not clear exactly how. The protagonist of the story collects exotic pets, and he acquires a bootleg colony of them from a contraband pet dealer. But the kings are somewhat telepathic, and soon learn to recognize their keeper. They worship him like a god, and soon start making elaborate sand sculptures in his likeness. They also begin to grow in size, and become very possessive of him--and jealous. Our protagonist needs to keep them hidden, and moving them to bigger quarters as they not only increase in size, but in number. He can't get rid of them because he could go to jail just for owning them, and when he hires an unlicensed exterminator to poison them the sand kings dispatch him in a particularly grisly way. The story is reminiscent of Alfred Bester's "Fondly Fahrenheit", about the man who owns a killer android he just can't get around to getting rid of.

From what I recall, the sand kings take over the protagonist's house and his life, and although no danger to him, it is soon clear that they have no intention of letting him leave. I don't remember how it ends, but I know the story gave me nightmares for months.

Anyway, that's what that big statue of JC surrounded by little people reminded me of. In His Image. It gave me the creeps.