The Significance of the FULLNESS Hoodie
By Franny Shih
Society suggests that happiness is generated by our accomplishments or circumstances. We think, “I will be happy when I get accepted by my dream college” or “I will be satisfied at work when I get a raise.” At the same time, it seems like everybody, including successful individuals, is searching for fulfilling contentment. When our mental health, schoolwork, social circles, and careers all took a hit in 2020, we felt an urge to evaluate the “normal” lives we once had. Things that brought us joy were suddenly stripped away and some of us experienced a strong sense of emptiness. It shows that our hearts are constantly hoping to feel fulfilled and satisfied.
The universal desire for true contentment intrigued our Shop Spero team and we decided to create a design to explore this topic. We hope that we can show you the beautiful joy we experience from the fullness we obtain from God and that you may share this overwhelming joy with others. Here is the meaning behind the FULLNESS design:
On the backside, the half-filled jar is inspired by the alabaster jar, a biblical symbol of offering God everything we have to honor him. As christians, we view the jar in light of Psalm 16:11 ESV, which says
“You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Like the path in the jar, God guides us in our journeys amidst the persistent challenges along the way. But we first have to build a relationship with Him.
Before this relationship, we need to acknowledge that we are sinners in the darkness, searching for contentment. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). However, God’s words tell us:
“If you declare with your mouth,
‘Jesus is the Lord,’
And believe in your heart that God raised him from dead,
You will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 NIV
When we confess to believe that Christ died for our sins, we are forgiven and saved from the eternal punishment we deserve. It is not through our works but Jesus Christ’s death on the cross so that He can save us from our sins and can gift us a relationship with Him. How great is He! Now, as saved people, we experience the tender care and love that God has for each and every one of us, which is shown also through His loving plans for us. The contentment we were once chasing after, is now complete in God alone.
On the front, the smiley face represents the things that make us happy, including love, friendship, and belonging. The hand holding the smiley face symbolizes that God is the Giver who gifted us with these things. As christians, we are able to cherish these gifts, such as sweet fellowship with other believers due to our common and unifying faith through Jesus.
Through these designs, we hope to empathize with the uncertainty in our longing for contentment and that the path to contentment is not always smooth. We know what it is like to find contentment in career achievements, grades, relationships — all the temporary things. But now with Christ, we have a new perspective of contentment and our hearts are transformed to desire eternal things. In Christ, we not only have comfort, but also confidence in knowing that God will lead us to exactly when and where we are supposed to go. The overwhelming joy is everlasting as long as we are in his Kingdom. Thus, while there will be stumbling blocks on the way, we can have contentment in remembering God’s continual love and goodness shown through the salvation we receive through Jesus Christ!
If you are still searching for contentment, God says in his word that
“And those who know that
for those who love God
all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 NIV
He does not ask us to change ourselves before committing to Him. He transforms our hearts to love and strive for Him and He simply asks that we come as we are, confess our sins, accept His gift of forgiveness and trust in Him.
We hope that you will now understand the heartfelt meaning behind the Fullness hoodie and be reminded of the fulfilling relationships we have with God whenever you see the design. If you have further questions on the gospel we believe in or anything else, feel free to contact Spero’s email: shopspero@gmail.com. We would love to chat with you!
