Hot and Cold
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.” [Revelation 3:15]
Our earth is filled with environmental extremes – high mountains, deep valleys, dripping wet jungles, burning dry deserts, and frozen tundra. People roam the world looking for the perfect climate that is ideal for vacation or retirement, where it not too hot or too cold. Since everyone talks about the weather you might be wondering, “Where are the hottest and coldest places on Earth?”
As for the hottest place, most people guess Death Valley in California. If you did you’re a close second. On July 10, 1913 temperatures in Death Valley got up to 134 degrees F. But the highest temperature ever measured was recorded in Libya on Sept. 13, 1922 in ‘Aziziya. It reached 136 degrees F and that was five feet above the ground in the shade! In fact, there’s a good chance on the day this record-breaking temperature was recorded in 1922 there were other desert places that were even hotter, but most humans don’t inhabit the hottest places on Earth so there are no weather stations or sensors to record the extreme temperatures.
So, where is the coldest place on Earth? If you guessed Antarctica you are right. In fact Antarctica is so cold that the warmest temperature ever recorded was only 58° F in Hope Bay. Strangely enough, Antarctica is also one of the driest places on Earth even though it is surrounded by one third of the world’s fresh water. Of course it’s all frozen water. In case you are still wondering, the coldest temperature ever measured on Earth was on July 21, 1983 at the Vostok Station in Antarctica – they recorded minus 129 degrees F. Burr!
So what did Jesus mean when He said He would prefer we were spiritually hot or cold rather than lukewarm? Christ was so adamant about this that He said, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). That’s pretty strong language.
Nothing seems to be more repulsive to God than lukewarm Christians, people who act and talk like they are followers of Christ, but do not live the life of Jesus. Not only do their lives represent a hypocritical façade, but they present this false life to the world, leading others astray. The Lord can work with a hot or cold Christian. But it is difficult to motivate the lukewarm, apathetic person who feels no need of change. For them, the temperature leading them to destruction is just right.
