Chapter Reading: Colossians 2 | Verse of the Day: Colossians 2:8
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RSSSome advice sounds smart until you try it. Like, “Just be yourself”—spoken to a middle schooler who isn’t sure who that is. Or, “Follow your heart”—from a heart that fell for a TikTok pyramid scheme last week.
Not all “wisdom” is worth following.
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” — Colossians 2:8
In The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian listens to a well-dressed stranger named Mr. Worldly Wiseman. He seems wise. He speaks smoothly. And he’s full of advice on how Christian can skip the hard path and take a more “respectable” route to peace.
Spoiler: it nearly leads him off a cliff.
Colossians 2 warns of the same danger. Some ideas are dressed up in academic robes, moral slogans, or spiritual lingo—but they’re empty. They don’t lead you to Christ. They pull you from Him.
Today’s world is noisy. And not all that noise is foolish—some of it is strategically deceptive. The answer isn’t to block it all out, but to know the voice of Jesus so well that anything else rings hollow.
Application
- Who are the “wise” voices in your life right now—online, in class, in your friend group?
- Compare their advice with the Word. Are they pointing you toward Christ—or comfort?
- Spend 10 minutes today in Colossians 2. Look for contrasts between worldly wisdom and true faith.
Bunyan’s warning is clear: clever lies can sound like wisdom. But Jesus offers something better. For more on discerning truth in a world of noise, explore our podcast episodes at ShoeLeatherGospel.com.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, make me wise—not in the eyes of the world, but in the light of Your Word. Tune my ears to Your truth alone.
The world says, “Trust yourself.” Jesus says, “Follow Me.” Only one of those roads leads home.
