Thursday, May 21 — Don't Let Them Steal Your Joy
Paul's writing to a church being browbeaten by religious people who've made a hobby of measuring everyone else. His pastoral counsel is short: don't let them. Christ already paid for your freedom.
Colossians 2:16-23 — KJV 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. 20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Colossians 2:16-23 — WEB 16 Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day, 17 which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's. 18 Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God's growth. 20 If you died with Christ from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, 21 "Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch" 22 (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Explanation
The church at Colossae had a problem. A group of teachers had moved in and started measuring people. They had rules about food and drink. Rules about which days were holy and which were not. Rules about what you could touch and what you couldn't. They wore their austerity like a badge. And they implied — sometimes loudly, sometimes by side-eye — that anyone who wasn't following their rules wasn't quite as spiritual as they were.
Paul's response is sharp. He says: Don't let anyone judge you in eating or drinking or feast days. He says: Don't let anyone rob you of your reward. He calls their teaching "self-imposed worship" and "severity to the body" that has "the appearance of wisdom" but no real power against the actual problem of the human heart.
Translation: stop letting religious bullies steal your joy.
This is enormously relevant to a week on recreation. Because somewhere in our spiritual lives, most of us have absorbed a quiet message that real Christians don't enjoy too much. Real Christians don't laugh too loud. Real Christians don't take vacations that look too fun. Real Christians feel a little guilty about their hobbies. Real Christians are suspicious of the body and its pleasures, and the closer we get to God, the more we should look like we're suffering through life.
Paul says: that's not the gospel. That's a counterfeit. It looks impressive — austerity always does — but it has no power to make the heart holy. You can deprive yourself of every pleasure under the sun and still be petty, jealous, and unkind. The flesh isn't conquered by giving up dessert.
So what does this mean practically? It means the food on your table, the music you love, the friends you laugh with, the hobby you pick up on Saturday morning — these aren't threats to your spiritual life. They're often gifts from the same God who gave you breath. The question isn't whether you enjoy them. The question is whether your heart is anchored in Christ while you do.
Here's a small test. When you enjoy something good — a meal, a movie, a walk, a conversation — does it draw you toward gratitude, toward generosity, toward loving people better? If yes, that's a sign the pleasure is rightly ordered. The fruit of joy in Christ is more love, not less.
Don't let anyone shame you out of the goodness God has set in front of you. The Father who fed five thousand on a hillside knows what he's doing.
Thought for the Day Christ paid for your freedom. Don't hand it back to bullies.
Reflection Question Whose voice in your life keeps shrinking your joy — and is it actually the voice of Christ?
Prayer Father, forgive us for the times we've let other people define what holiness looks like. Forgive us for the joys we've apologized for that you actually gave us. Help us walk in the freedom Christ bought for us — not as an excuse for sin, but as the open posture of grateful children. Anchor our hearts in you, and let our laughter be loud and clean. Amen.
This week we walk toward Sunday's lesson: The Christian View of Recreation.