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. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Colossians 2:16-17 NIV
The Lord created each of us unique in so many ways. Educators see this every day in their classrooms with the different learning styles. Even Jesus taught through parables to ensure those who heard His message could truly connect with it; He knew that a story has a unique way of bypassing our intellectual walls and hitting our hearts.
Analogies, much like parables, are incredible tools that drive home a profound point. This concept came to mind recently as I was reflecting on Colossians 2:16-23, particularly verses 16 and 17.
In this passage, Paul is writing to the church in Colossae out of deep concern. False teachings had slowly crept into the community, causing believers to get off track. They were being persuaded to adopt Old Covenant mentalities, believing it was necessary to follow strict rituals and human regulations to be saved.
To understand what Paul is correcting, let’s look at the analogy of an egg.
The Shell: The Shadow of External Control-Our first encounter with an egg is its outer surface: the shell. Scientifically, the shell is designed as a protective shield to keep harmful bacteria out. It protects what is inside while still allowing essential communication with the outside world through thousands of microscopic pores.
In our spiritual lives, this shell represents external control. The false teachers in Colossae believed that righteousness was achieved from the outside in. They insisted that humans should try harder to be better through rituals, strict behaviors, and rigid sacrifices. Eat this, don’t eat that; drink this, don’t drink that; participate in these festivals and strictly observe those holidays. Paul explains to the church that this is Old Covenant living. Before the arrival of Christ, these outward acts were a temporary shield—a mere shadow of things to come. But under the New Covenant, Christ fulfilled the law and became the ultimate sacrifice for all.
The shell has been broken!
Through Jesus Christ, the external barriers between God and us have been shattered forever. We no longer have to live under the crushing weight of legalism, self-empowerment, or a worldly “YOU got this!” mentality. Christ is all-sufficient. God wants us to live under the authority and achievement of Jesus, not reliant on our own fragile power.
The Incubation Period: The Season of Hidden Growth-With the rigid shell of legalism removed, we are brought to the contents. But before we look at the interior, we have to ask: How do those contents actually change? They change during the incubation period.
An egg cannot develop in the cold; it requires the constant, steady warmth of the parent bird. From the outside, an incubating egg looks completely still and unchanged. Yet, in the quiet darkness, a miracle is unfolding.
This is the process of sanctification. Once we are freed from the shell of legalism, God places us in a season of spiritual incubation. He invites us to rest under the warmth of His presence. You might pray, seek Him, and feel like nothing is changing on the outside. But do not mistake the quiet for absence. God uses the incubation periods of our lives to form our character, develop our faith, and shape our calling from the inside out.
The Albumen: Absorbing His Grace-This brings us directly to the internal design of the egg, which is divided into distinct parts meant to nourish and protect. Let’s start with the albumen, the white of the egg.
This clear fluid makes up about two-thirds of the egg’s internal weight. Its biological purpose is to cushion the center from physical damage, provide hydration, and destroy invading bacteria.
But here is the miraculous part: when the chick cracks through the shell, the albumen is completely gone. It doesn’t leak out, and it isn’t left behind as sticky waste. Instead, during the incubation period, it is entirely swallowed, absorbed, and transformed into the chick itself. The cushion becomes the chick’s actual muscles, bones, and feathers.
What a beautiful picture of the New Covenant! Christ removed the barrier of the law and invited us into His grace. We don’t just float in His love; we are meant to internalize it. Through His Holy Spirit, our sins are consumed, His love is absorbed, and our very lives are transformed. The heavy ritual cushions of the world are no longer required because His grace has become the very structure of who we are.
The Yolk: Embracing Your Core Sufficiency-Finally, we are left with the yolk—the center where the nutrient powerhouse is found. You can think of this as the spark of potential. This is the core place where the Lord gives us the free-will choice to surrender to Him.
When we choose the Lord as our Savior, we accept the truth that Christ is our sole sufficiency. Growth will only happen in Him and through Him. Paul was incredibly clear about this in his letter to the Colossians: Christ is all you need! Any outward acts the world sees from us now should not be rules we are trying to keep, but rather a natural reflection of the inward work Christ has done at our very core.
The Choice is Yours– Paul warns us not to get legalistic about what we think we “MUST” do daily to earn God’s favor. God doesn’t want your rigid rule-following; He wants your heart. He wants you to sit under His authority, follow His will, draw closer to Him, and embrace your sanctification during the quiet incubation seasons of life.
The choice is ours. Will you stay trapped in a shell of legalism, trying to survive by your own power? Or will you accept the fact that the shell is broken, Jesus has made a way, and He wants to grow your faith from the inside out?
Stop trying to rebuild the shell.
Embrace the yolk!
