I remember the good old days when mothers without adequate food seasonings produced delicious meals from their magical hands and firewood pots, I cannot forget some of my teachers, teachers without ‘finesse’ yet when they dissect mathematics and explain difficult subjects for students, it sticks. What about the so called dirty restaurants (Buka) with hands full of healthy taste that enticed those working in corporate firms? If you may ask, I will say, these are all products of good contents with or no packaging. Though we criticized these people for their coarseness, still it is very difficult to erase their impacts because of the content they are built with, thus, content is the kpim of the matter. Due to the recent happenings in the society and in the 21st century at large, I think there is an anomaly that needs urgent attention to be addressed. There is a phenomenon that has become all too common in our world. It is a trend that can be seen in every aspect of our lives, from the products we buy to the relationships we build and the school we attend. What am I talking about? I’m talking about packaging without content.

 

I want to believe that some of us if not all of us must have experienced something like; seeing a beautifully wrapped gift, a sleek new gadget, or a charismatic leader, a beautiful restaurant, and we are immediately drawn in. The packaging is attractive, appealing, and promises us the world. But when we unwrap the gift, turn on the gadget, or get to know the leader, or taste the food from the restaurant, we are often left feeling disappointed, even deceived. The word of Jesus in Matt 23:27 becomes clearer to me when he says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.” Here, Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for their focus on outward appearances rather than inner righteousness. Thus, this write up becomes a warning to all and sundry who is reading this piece at this moment to watch out for packaging without content.

 

What baffles me about many production companies, individuals, corporate entities who pay keen attention on the packaging yet ignore the contents is this, they succeed in winning people to themselves once, but they lose them forever after the discovery of their emptiness.  It is no longer a story that we have fine looking corpers with steeze and composure who cannot express themselves correctly, what about a man with broad shoulders and complete six packs who think like a nincompoop? We have many of them of around us. What about the numerous fancy and elegant restaurants whose meals are tantamount to poison all in the name of packaging, they are interested in glittering appearance of their establishments while the nitty-gritty is neglected. All leads to disappointment and disillusionment. When we discover that the attractive packaging is just a facade, we feel cheated and betrayed. Also, it can lead to a lack of trust. When we have been deceived once, we are less likely to trust others in the future. Finally, it can lead to a focus on superficiality rather than substance. When we prioritize packaging over content, we can miss out on the truly important things in life.

 

Putting this article into perspective, we can say we are proud to tell the world that we are Catholics, because we have fine and reputable names, steeze and composure, well packaged doctrines and liturgies, fantastic institutions and remarkable personalities. Indeed, we have both content and packaging, but don’t you think it will be disastrous for you as a priest if you cannot deliver when it is necessary? I tell you, it is a thing of shame. Or you as a parishioner who is the product and content of the church, yet you are only concern about being a catholic in words but not in deed. As much as we emphasize the content, packaging must not be ditched because both goes hand in hands.

 

Is packaging outrightly wrong? Oh no, that is not the aim here, but packaging ought to accompany content just the way drummers must accompany the singers. So, what do we need to put in place as institutions or individuals? First, we need to prioritize substance over packaging. We need to look and ask ourselves some fundamental questions such as; Am I genuine? Am I trustworthy, do I think people will need more of me or I just need them for once? Second, we need to cultivate discernment. Finally, we need to be able to distinguish between what’s real and what’s just a façade in our life.

 

Let us always remember that packaging without content is a pervasive problem in our world today. It has led to many disappointments, heartaches, broken relationships and marriages. But by prioritizing substance over style, cultivating discernment, and focusing on meaningful relationships and pursuits, we can avoid the trap of empty packaging. As the Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Let us strive to be people who look at the heart, who prioritize content over packaging, and who build our lives on the solid foundation of integrity and authenticity. Shalom