Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
I was on my two-mile walk the other morning when I witnessed something that caused a double-take. A pickup truck sped past me when a dog literally rolled out of the back of the vehicle and landed on the road! Fortunately the driver saw it too and immediately stopped the truck. A young boy rushed out of the passenger side to retrieve the dog. After a brief examination, the dog appeared to be unharmed and the boy led him into the safety of the cab. I couldn’t tell how it happened, but my guess is that the dog was enjoying the breeze and got too close to the edge.
The edge…
Whether in art, music, clothing, or just lifestyle, it’s quite in vogue these days to be on the edge. It connotes excitement, danger, thrills. It’s seeing how close you come to the match before getting burnt. How near to the boundaries without actually stepping over the line. How far the rules can be bent without breaking them. Those who deem coolness the measure of all things especially gravitate to the edge, because whatever else the edge might be, it’s regarded as cool.
The draw to adventure resides in every human heart. None of us desire to live in a bland black and white world. Pop culture promises a kind of glory from living on the edge but it’s a promise it can’t keep. Don’t fall for a cheap substitute when you have access to the real thing.
Life certainly exists beyond the boundaries of the church. We all know we’re called to be “in the world” but not “of it.” At the same time we are cautioned not to test the Lord. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). History is strewn with those who thought they were standing firm but ventured too close to edge and were swept away. Don’t be one of them.
Don’t end up like that dog in the pickup truck.