If you are unaware of these medical terms, let me speak a bit about both placebos and panacea.
A placebo is an inactive substance used in medical research that has no therapeutic effect at all on a patient’s care and recovery.
All patients in such medical studies should be advised that one-half the test group is being treated with a placebo. Double-blind studies are continually being run with this protocol.
Now, here’s a brief explanation of panacea: It’s a solution or cure for all ailments or difficulties we may encounter in this world!
That surely sounds like a product that, if bottled, would sell like hotcakes.
There was a time early last century where many traveling salesmen would sell their concoction of snake oil that they claimed would cure just about everything!
These shysters were usually run out of town fairly quickly once the authorities got wind of their shenanigans.
Let me use my literary license to present the idea that much of what we experience in this world is one form of placebo or another.
We hope for the best possible results from self-administering our chosen placebo while knowing it will never fulfill our desired results. We’re not simply talking about medical ailments.
In essence, placebos are designed to deceive patients.
In double-blind studies, all patients are informed that they may not be receiving the drug or treatment being tested.
In a similar fashion, much what we experience in life could be considered a form of placebo since our expectations are for results that will somehow improve our life here on this planet.
In my personal opinion folks, we are being deceived.
In Colossians 2:9-10, the Apostle Paul shared these poignant words with the Christian church in Colossae: “For in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”
What we just read is a Christian explanation of the Panacea to all our woes in this world. Instead of looking for worldly solutions for all our dilemmas, we simply need to look to Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and our Lord.
Don’t get me wrong. Through the years I’ve faithfully allowed trusted physicians to prescribe medication and have gone through numerous procedures to keep me plugging along. And I will continue to do so.
But we must all come to the realization that Jesus Christ, who died for us, is the Panacea!