Elementary Principles

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority" Colossians 2:8-10.

I love the small point inside of the larger point that Paul makes here. He's talking about not letting our academic lives affect our intimacy with God. I've found often that I can let lots of things take me captive, whether intentionally or not, that lead me astray. I resonate deeply with that song on Christian radio that says, "It's a slow fade when you give yourself away. It's a slow fade when black and white they turn to gray." I've been attempting to refocus my life recently as I've seen the gray prevailing in most instances instead of the black and white that God calls us to live in. I'm being taken captive by media, social norms and overall culture.

Have you ever realized that our society is a very me-centered place? (Our maybe I'm just giving you a glimpse of my world, welcome.) I walk into rooms where my self-preservation meter goes off instinctively and I'm prone to wonder why people aren't accomodating me better, loving me more, seeing me as important as I am. We value others, sure, but mainly when they value us. I read this quote a few days ago in this great book called The Way We're Working Isn't Working and I think it sums my plight up nicely:

"When we try to build our value at the expense of otherse, through greed or envy, they typically respond as if their own survival is at stake. It's akin to two drowing people trying to save themselves by pushing the other one down. Nobody wins. Likewise, the attempt to prove our superiority over others ends up separating us from the intimate connections we so crave. Our well-being depends not just on building our own value, but also on actively valuing others."

I love this idea, and if we've been filled in Him like Paul says then it's so incredibly true. It's true regardless I guess, but it's a capacity we're able to reach to genuinely value others if we're first rooted in Jesus. There's so much empty deceit and human tradition out there commending our self-preservation and self-centeredness. But then we catch a glimpse in this passage of Paul putting the ways of the world in their correct place- he says the elementray principles of the world. The rules and regulations that govern society (not the laws we're taught to obey but the social norms are what we're talking about) are elementary- beneath the living standard Christ calls us to as a follower. We've got to strip them off and learn to live, through his power, outside of them and apart from their grip. And in reality, that power they so easily exhert over us isn't real because Christ is the head of all rule and authority. Don't underestimate the difficulty you will have to do this, I haven't figured it out myself. But then again, as believers we're supposed to struggle with all of HIS energy, not ours, so I think we'll be able to do it if we continually turns ourselves back to God and believe that He can and He will give us the courage and strength to live out these lives He's blessed us with. And we can start being rooted in His authority and seeking out and applauding the value we see in others.