Running Hot and Cold
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How much passion do you have?
'I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16
In today's reading, we get a strange message. We would expect that those who are hot, filled with passion, would be favored, but we see that even those who are cold are more favored than those who are lukewarm.
Being lukewarm is worse, therefore, than being cold.
Does that mean God would rather we have no feelings for Him whatsoever than to be middle of the road?
It kind of makes sense in a way, doesn't it? After all, how do we feel about people who are neither committed or opposed to a particular issue or goal?
Throughout all my years as a manager, I learned that one of the hardest things to deal with was indifference.
The ones who are passionate about their work may need to be reigned in a bit at times, but I can work with them. And the ones who have strong objections may seem like they would be a problem, but one can reason with them and possibly convince them to try it this way, just for now.
But the indifferent are another issue.
They hear, but don't really listen. They are like the seeds cast on rocky soil, seeming to take root, but withering away in no time.
How many of us find ourselves indifferent to our faith?
How many times do we just show up and go through the motions, rather than fully commit? Perhaps it would be better if we didn't bother at all. Or better yet, if we came ready to argue, eager to win our case, wanting to get our opinions on the table.
Who doesn't love a good discussion?
So, I believe the message in this passage is one that resonates with many of us. Agree or disagree with conviction and we can talk, but come with no opinion or interest and there is nothing we have to say to each other.
I guess that means we had better get on one side of the fence or the other, or we may find ourselves facing our maker as indifferent to us as we are to Him.
More to come...