John had a wake-up call for members of the church in Laodicea. Speaking on behalf of God, he wrote:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16
At first glance, this seems odd. Is God really saying that it’s better to be cold than lukewarm? Presumably, He wants us to be hot: committed, enthusiastic, and engaged. “Cold” doesn’t seem like a good place to be. And lukewarm: isn’t that at least kind of hot?
The trouble is that it’s too easy to stay lukewarm. It’s comfortable. It gives us the illusion of heat without the effort. We may not be motivated to become hot, because we think we are already warm enough.
Hot is a decision and a commitment. So is cold. Lukewarm sounds like an abdication of agency. It just happens as we go with the flow, drifting and wandering, without intentions or objectives.
What does lukewarm look like in my life? It looks like attending a meeting but not fully participating. It looks like spending time with people but not really engaging with them. It looks like half-heartedly completing a task instead of doing my best work. It looks like coming along for the ride instead of being willing to drive.
Nephi warned us that one of Satan’s tactics is to “pacify” us, to “lull [us] away” into a sense of “carnal security.” Then, possibly quoting the prophet Amos, he warned, “Wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!” (2 Nephi 28:21, 24; see also Amos 6:1).
There may be some things in my life which need coldness: opportunities to forego, habits to jettison, activities that aren’t worth my energy. There are others which need heat: total commitment and dedication. But I don’t think there’s anything that needs lukewarmness: careless participation or dutiful busywork. I want to be all-in or all-out, on the team or off, hot or cold.
Today, I will heed the Lord’s warning to avoid lukewarmness. I will maintain my full commitment to follow Him and avoid drifting into complacency. I will be intentional: choosing my activities wisely, committing fully, and following through.