Be Still - February 2, 2023

Colossians 2: 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. (NIV)

Christ freed us from worrying about whether we are “doing enough” to please God.*

I have heard people say something like, “You’re alright. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.” As if we could stop someone from telling us we’re not alright. I think the same about Paul’s admonition here. How can I stop others from judging me? To help answer the question, I consulted some other sources. Other translations/interpretations for this phrase include: 

· Do not let anyone take you to task. Again, how can I stop them? 

· Don’t let anyone impose his laws on you. Sounds a little more empowered! 

· Allow no one the right to judge and condemn you. You can’t stop them but you can control how you let it affect you. 

· Don’t pay attention to those who would judge you. Human nature is gonna judge. Ignore the haters! 

It’s a strange paradox: people like to make rules, but they also believe that rules are made to be broken. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that people like to impose rules. In this chapter, Paul discusses the defunct Jewish law (Christ “canceled the written code,” verse 14), and the host of man-made addendums that the church at Colosse was trying to compel its members to comply with. Paul doesn’t condemn the observation of feasts or dietary restrictions, but he makes it clear: we are under no obligation to observe the old ways – or any of the newly-devised feasts and holidays. They can’t save us. 

There’s a difference between the legalism that Paul describes in this passage and the obedience required of Christians. When asked which was the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus said that all the laws could be summed up in just two of them: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself. When your lifestyle is in step with these two mandates, you can ignore those haters who want to judge you for not meeting their expectations.

If you maintain these two top priorities – love God and love others – they will guide you in setting all the other priorities in your life.*