Wrinkles

I won’t tell you how old I am, but I am old enough to have a grandbaby, a few wrinkles, and get a little nervous when I sneeze. If you know, you know. 

So when I see a well-done advertisement that contains a dramatic before and after picture of a lady who used a little bit of cream under $20 and looks 15 years younger, I click on it. 

Judge me if you need to make yourself feel better. 

The aforementioned link will take me to a page warning me I’m leaving the addictive platform and usually lands me on a third-party website telling me that if I give them my email address, I can receive 20% off my next purchase. 

That is typically as far as I go. I will close the phone and think, hmm, I wonder if that would actually work. 

Every now and then I will go as far as asking my adult daughters, “Do you think this would work to eliminate my wrinkles? Do you think this hair cream will make my hair curly?” To which they respond, “Mom, that is AI.” 

Oops. Well, it sounded good. 

And it got me thinking. 

In Colossians 2:4, Paul says, “I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.” 

What was the this that Paul told them? 

“My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3).

Could we all agree that there are some fine-sounding arguments out there in the world? 

There are creams that will guarantee to take your wrinkles away. 

Vitamins that promise to change the makeup of entire organ systems.

Jobs that have the potential to fulfill every longing you’ve ever had.

Perfect homes in perfect neighborhoods that will make all your troubles disappear.

And coupled with the influence of AI and social media which reinforce every promise and guarantee, we dummies are often convinced of the false claims.

Paul is pointing us back to the only truth. 

One that is not being filtered through AI. 

Promises that are actually kept. 

Fulfilled longings; deep down in the soul.

Paul recognizes our need to be encouraged in our hearts (v.2a). He has lived in this world.

He understands worldly discouragement over a variety of things which can wiggle their way into our minds. He is giving us the answer to overcome that discouragement. Jesus is our source of encouragement and let no fine-sounding argument convince you otherwise (v. 4).

Paul also had experienced conflict and knows the pleasure of unity, so he tells us that we can be united in love and have the full riches of complete understanding. He gets it. I mean, who likes conflict? I would rather eat gravel than engage in full on conflict with someone. But we live in a fallen world where conflict is inevitable. Paul wasn’t even married and he knows this. 

Paul points out to us that there is a way, lined out in the Bible, where we can have conflict with others that lead to the riches of complete understanding (each other), that will then lead to understanding the mystery of God, namely, Christ (v.2b). God doesn’t waste anything. He works all things for good for those called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). 

Whatever IT is that you are walking through; the marriage problem, the wayward child, the financial situation, unprocessed trauma that keeps popping its head into your day to day… if you are in Christ, it is not wasted. 

In Christ, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (v.3). 

Let’s stop looking to outside things or people or situations to meet our needs. 

Let’s stop being deceived by fine-sounding arguments that the world is throwing at us!

We may still be walking around with wrinkles, but we do not have to walk around with heavy hearts, believing lies and feeling lonely. 

Lean into the arms of Jesus. Focus on your relationship with Him. There is nothing altered or changed in his Truth. He is who He says, and He is a promise keeper.

² My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. Colossians 2:2-4 (NIV).