Hey everyone.
I would like to share a concept with you that I saw while studying Colossians. It is a concept that disciples are going to already understand, but I want to make sure that I teach it to my children or to someone that I am reaching out to and studying the Bible with. The concept is pretty simple. It is that "full is better than empty."
Here is what it says in Col. 2:8-10: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness."
Paul tells us that the thinking or philosophy of the world is hollow. In other words, it is empty. He compares these empty philosophies with the fullness that is in Christ. If you think about good things, we will always choose full over empty. Would you rather your wallet be full or empty? Would you rather your gas tank be full or empty? Would you rather your refrigerator be full or empty? Generally I choose full. Full is better than empty. So we are trying to get people to choose full lives in Christ over empty lives in the world.
The problem is that Paul also says that these worldly philosophies are deceptive. How are they deceptive? They are empty things posing as full things. The world is constantly reaching out with its emptiness trying to convince people that it is full. It's like the chocolate Easter Bunny that you think is solid, but when you bite into turns out to be hollow. The chocolate still tastes good, but the hollowness is somewhat disappointing. For example, that party lifestyle that seems to promise so much fun and happiness, really delivers very little. Yet we are bombarded with it constantly, and so are our children. Perhaps you and I see through it, but most people do not.
I pray for own children that they will have that kind of perception, to see the lures of the world for what they really are: hollow. Much better that we can all find real joy and full lives in Christ. Because we all understand that full is better than empty.
Tom
