Allegory of the Cave

How many philosophy classes we sat through? Been told that nothing is real? That there is no truth? IBut there is truth! God is truth! Through him we see the truth in everything else.

In today's reading these last two verses really stood out to me

[16] For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. [17] And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

(1 John 2:16-17 ESV)

This is not the life, not the reality we are working towards. A woman at my church in Santa Cruz said something super meaningful to me, "This life is just a shadow the real one is coming." This life is a shadow of the things to come. Much like in the allegory of the cave (if you haven't read the allegory of the cave... think about the Matrix) we are tricked into thinking that this is life, that this world is full and bright and fulfilling. We don't even realize that the real world is right behind us, filled with true light and life. God releases us from the chains that bind our reality to this world and frees us to see life in true color, true vibrancy! When all I see is this world, and this world is nothing more than a shadow on the wall of a cave, I am not seeing life with the knowledge that this isn't reality. I pray that I will break free daily, and experience the true life of Christ.