Living In A Vacuum
Vacuums suck! Litterally. 🙂
When I talk about a vacuum, we all think of our Hoover, Eureaka, or Dyson. We call them a vacuum because they remove or suck up the dust and dirt in our carpets. Essentially the Vacuum Cleaner is removing stuff from our space. In everyday scientific usage, a vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure.
In my earlier days I had a great fondness for science. Physics was on of my favorite subjects. I loved knowing the how and why of life’s compositions. Often when we discussed experiments, the trend of thought was to perform a test in a vacuum, would give the best and truest results. The vacuum represents the purest place, one without external influence or force.
You have often heard the term he/she is “living in a vacuum”, it’s similar to the expression “living in a bubble”. It means you’re caught up in your own little world and you’re unaware of the bigger picture. People are “living in a vacuum” when they have a very limited range of experience and are oblivious to other people’s perspectives.
I think that was me! We all live in some sort of vacuum. I got married prior to finishing college and have spent most of my life as a married person. The bulk of my friends and relationships have been with couples. I have been a believer since I was 14 and most of my relationships have been with others who are like minded. I had created a vacuum in my life that constituted believers and more particular couples.
Over the past few years, I had been challenged spiritually on my closed relationships primarily focused on believers and had come to a deep belief that I had been wrong in focusing my relationships on primarily believers. Don’t get me wrong, I had acquaintences that did not believe as I did, but they were limited in the depth I would go. I came to realize that I was wrong. You see all of us are created in God’s image, and as such we all bear resemblance to our creator and posses images of Him. As I have broadened my thinking, I have come to comprehend God in a deeper way. I see Him more clearly today, as I broaden my view of His creation.
As you look at your life today, consider what vacuums you have created. Where do you really live? Who do you really interact with? Where are your relationships?
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 3:16
It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved –Mother Teresa of Calcutta
