How Cool Are You?

If I could write you a song to make you fall in love, I would already have you up under my arm. I used up all of my tricks, I hope that you like this, But you probably won't, you think you're cooler than me. Shh, see I got you all figured out, You need every one's eyes just to feel seen. Behind your make up nobody knows who you even are, Who do you think that you are? --Mike Posner "Cooler Than Me" How about you? Ever thought that you were cooler than someone else? At some point in life I think we all have classified groups of people into the "way cool" crowd all the way down to the "LOOOOOSER!" who are just "Hideous freaks of nature" supposedly - right? And isn't it funny how we always compare up the cool chain, not down? We're always focused on the group that we want to move up to in order to further our popularity agenda, instead of down at the groups who apparently aren't worthy of our time and attention. And that's about the time that God looks down at us and is disgusted... Why? Because He made everyone the same, and when we are so obsessed with our popularity and fame, we become part of the evil that comes out of the "How cool am I? And how can I move up the chain?" mentality. Did you know that the "who's cool and who's not" mentality started way long before Canada was even a nation? Over 2000 years ago in Jesus' day, the coolest crowd in his world was actually the religious teachers. They were given these great positions to help people, but instead they let it go their heads and they changed into spiritual bullies – and that earned them a seriously strong rebuke from Jesus: "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best-the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you" (Matthew 5:43-47). Put simply, Jesus is saying that if you follow Him, you do not play favorites. You do not have an agenda to climb the popularity ladder, and you have permanently dropped out of the "I think I'm cooler than you" way of thinking. God is singing an unconditional love song to everyone on the planet, and the lyrics tell us that His affections have no exceptions, no exemptions, and no requirements. And if we claim to follow Jesus, the soundtrack of our lives should play the same song so loud that it can't be missed by those in our lives. In other words, Christians aren't cooler than anyone... But oftentimes we think we are, don't we? The world needs to see Jesus in us, but instead we give them cheesy movies, confusing bumper stickers, televangelists, and judgmental attitudes. Meanwhile God is asking - "Who do you think that you are???" Let's all take a lesson from Mike Posner in terms of it not being cool to think that we're cooler than others, but more importantly, let's remember Jesus' teaching to the cool crowd in His day to love everyone and treat everyone the same. Otherwise, the beautiful and life-changing message of the gospel could get lost in the impression that we are playing the same silly drama game as all the other people on earth. And when you truly show that kind of love, God's love for everyone comes shining through, and that makes people want to run to Him. "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." – The Apostle Paul What's it going to be for you?

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"(Matthew 7:1-3). At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-3). My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism (James 2:1). (resources from Dare2Share and Soulfuel)