When the Center Goes Missing

Scripture:
“He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
— Colossians 1:17

Reflection:
A faith can keep many beautiful values for a while even after the center has gone missing. That is part of what makes Jesusless Christianity so persuasive. It still says yes to compassion, justice, mercy, healing, dignity, welcome, and social concern. Those are not small things. They matter deeply. But when Jesus is no longer central, even good values begin to fade.

Take the image of a wheel. If you remove the hub and try to keep the spokes in place, for a moment the structure may still look intact. But before long, the whole thing begins to collapse. That is what happens when Jesus becomes a mascot for our values instead of the Lord of our lives. The values remain for a season, but they become thinner, more fragile, more dependent on our preferences, moods, and cultural winds.

Colossians reminds us that Jesus is not one inspiring figure among many. He is before all things. In him all things hold together. He is not an accessory to the faith. He is the center of it. That means Christian compassion is not simply generic kindness. Christian justice is not merely activism with Bible verses. Christian mercy is not just moral sentiment. All of it is rooted in Christ, held together in Christ, and shaped by Christ.

The question is not whether the spokes matter. They do. The question is whether the hub remains in place. And the answer to that question determines whether what we are building can actually endure.

Application:
Name one value you care deeply about — justice, mercy, compassion, truth, welcome — and ask how Jesus is meant to be the center of that concern.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, keep yourself at the center of my faith. When I am tempted to hold on to values while drifting from you, call me back. Hold my life together in yourself, and let everything good in me remain rooted in your living presence. Amen.

Song:In Christ Alone – Adrienne Liesching