I wish you were cold - Rev. 3:15

I Wish You Were Cold!

     This is what Jesus said in part to the church of Laodicea in the 3rd chapter of the book of Revelation. He is not speaking of a physical temperature, but a spiritual one. On the surface it seems a little bizarre at first glance. Surely, the Lord wants us all to be spiritually hot, doesn't He? Yes, He does. But in the passage Jesus is identifying 3 groups of people, 1 hot, 1 cold, 1 lukewarm. It seems He prefers cold to lukewarm, which seems odd when you think about it. I mean, wouldn't a little warmth be better than cold?

     I want to give a  reason why I think Jesus prefers cold to lukewarm. If you think about it, a cold man/woman are more open and likely to change. Take for example the idea of navigating through life. Some people will not accept any kind of guidance, until they come to the place where they realize they really need help.

     We all joke about it, but it seems to be a somewhat universal truth that men won't listen to advice for directions until they realize they are really lost. As long as there is the possibility that he might be going in the right direction, he plows on. It is only when he comes to the realization that every move he makes, makes things worse that he reaches out for help. The prodigal son didn't think about going home till he hit rock bottom. Cold people are more than likely to ask for help.
     Lukewarm people think they are ok the way they are, so they go on their merry way and get to a place where God can no longer speak into their life because they think everything is all right. Lukewarm is the place of dulled conscience, of coasting, of one foot in the church and one foot in the world. God prefers someone spiritually cold with whom He has a possibility of bringing change, to those whom He cannot while they are deaf in their ease with living in/for the world.
     The lesson and warning is, its best to be spiritually on fire, but if you aren't God may send an arctic blast your way to get you to the place where change is possible.