Are You Complete?

As I was trying, and not succeeding, to write something for Valentine's Day, I came across something I wrote about two years ago. I know, at first, valence electrons may not seem to have a whole lot of connection with this celebration of love, but if you dig beneath the surface, I believe you can find timely applications. As humans made in the image of God, we were created to desire romance (see my post I Am Romanced). But we were created with this desire because it can actually point us to Christ. Although we need relationships with other people, if we are not complete in Christ, other people alone will never satisfy us. Ask yourself where you are seeking satisfaction. Unless you let Jesus fill you, you will be empty forever.  

Valence Electrons and the Desire to be Complete: 

Atoms are the building blocks of what we are made of; the basis of our physical being, but when one looks deeper, it becomes clear that they also reflect the need of our spiritual being.

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outer shell of an atom. A complete outer shell holds eight valence electrons. Not all atoms have a complete outer shell, but they have a desire to be complete, and they will do whatever it takes to fulfill that yearning. Atoms might give up their own electrons, or they may take from others. These actions are driven by the goal of completion. However, the atoms with eight valence electrons in their outer shell are complete. And they are content. They don’t need to look to other atoms to be complete; they don’t give themselves away, or take from others.

Do these characteristics sound familiar? We too have a desire to be complete. Made with a God-shaped hole, we constantly seek for completion. Some of us look to others for satisfaction. Sometimes we take advantage of others and mistreat them. However, there is only one way for us to be complete, and once our hearts are filled with Jesus, we can be content. We don’t have to keep looking because He has filled us! He’ll keep working on us--forming us and shaping us into the beautiful creation we were made to be, but we are full.

The basis of our physical being reflects the need of our spiritual being. Are you complete?