Colossians 2:1-23
2:1 Although Paul is speaking to the Colossians, underlying these next few verses is a message from God sent directly to us, individually and collectively: I cannot be physically with you right now but I see you, I love you, be strong, we are in this together.
2:2-3 Be encouraged, filled with hope and motivation in faith as a crucial member of spiritual kinship and universal wisdom. Trusting, understanding and living in accordance with God's omnipresent, omnipotent will.
2:4-5 While we are here, there are ideas, people, institutions and desires which might attempt to derail our faith, our focus and our beliefs. We may not see a physical God but we can connect with divinity spirituality and thereby solidify our faith and protect our spirit and purpose. Live with order and persistence rather than chaos and surrender.
2:6 Live as you are taught by your faith. An example in nature thrives around you. You have standards of justice, wisdom and compassion to uphold in every moment of your life.
2:7 Create, develop and foster a strong foundation of faith. Live purposefully, confidently, aware of Spirit, rooted in justice and compassion, tall in wisdom, gratitude and humility.
2:8 Be vigilant. Never let anyone or institution suffocate your individual wisdom. Observe, explore and investigate the world and people around you with objectivity and compassion in order to create your own values and truths. Watch out for hypocrites and deceitful institutions. Do a person's words match their actions? Is there humility within the church which preaches humility? Look. Listen.
2:9-10 Keep this philosophy within yourself and your life because its objective is compassion, justice and wisdom. It constantly, wisely, selflessly works to edify you and improve the quality of your life.
2:11-12 We have been figuratively circumcised. As we develop our faith we shed our less admirable qualities and boost our positive ones.
2:13-14 Through living this philosophy we awaken to life and enlightenment. We are no longer entrapped by mistakes, misunderstandings, poor choices, or the manipulation and control of others. We arise out of darkness and into life.
2:15 Nothing, no person, institution or force in the world has power over our spiritual life, which has been made durable, invulnerable, eternal by God. A strong spirit has all of God's power in its arsenal and is therefore able to persist through any tribulation, even earthly death.
12:16-17 Paul does not want us to become distracted by religious customs. What is essential is that we live and breathe this philosophy. What matters is what we think, say, do, believe... what we contribute to this world is called our works and good works earn us spiritual life (regardless of religious customs). This verse challenges the idea of there being only one correct religion... Paul expresses here that the only organization God recognizes is work done in the name of compassion.
12:18 Do not allow yourself to be derailed by arrogance, deception or hypocrisy. Never feel inferior to anyone, God has gifted you wisdom... reach out and grab it with an observant mind. No one has power over you, a child of God, if you do not let them.
12:19 Be aware of people who pretend to be faithful but actually have no love or awe for creation, from which all life has come and been given to.
12:20-23 Forget about meaningless details. It does not matter what kind of building a person worships in, or even if they worship at all. What matters is what we DO. What we SAY. What we PRODUCE in the world. Humans create rules, customs, and regulations which create exclusive clubs, arrogant institutions, superiority complexes... but God does not. Be able to discern truth from decorated lie.
