I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation. 3:15-16, ESV)
Golfers seek golf instruction because they desire to know the truth about their golf swing. In discovering the truth, they can make the necessary changes to give them more efficient swings and to make them better players. From beginners to elite players, knowing the truth is what drives golfers to be the best they can be.
Over the years as a golf instructor, I have noticed that there are different types of golf students. I will divide them into three types:
The first type is what I will call the ‘cold’ student. These students are refreshing to teach! They come seeking knowledge and truth and drink it down like a glass of cold water on a hot day. They seek simplicity. The joy they have playing golf is apparent, and they are always open to improvement and growth.
The second group of golf students are ‘hot’ in their temperature for the game. These types have a natural hunger for truth about their golf swings. They seek regular instruction and want to know every little detail about their swing. These students are always making subtle tweaks to achieve perfection, and they listen well. They commit daily to improvement.
The third type of golf student is the toughest because they are neither hot nor cold. They are lukewarm. These students don’t care about the truth of their swing. They are perfectly content chasing the little white ball around the course, no matter where it ends up. They have no interest in instruction.
As an instructor, there is absolutely nothing I can do with lukewarm golf students because they have no desire to learn.
This makes me think about what the Lord said to the Laodicean church when they prospered and became content with where they were in their lives. That contentment led to their spiritual temperature becoming lukewarm. Jesus said to them, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth (Rev. 3:15-16).” I get it! Jesus, our Teacher (John 13:13), was frustrated with their lack of zeal and passion for Him.
In this context, Jesus was using the analogy of the temperature of water as a parallel to their spiritual state. The Laodiceans had terrible water. Their water supply had to be provided through pipes from a distant source, and by the time it got to them, it was warm and barely drinkable. In contrast, the neighboring towns of Hierapolis and Colossae had hot medicinal and cold mountain springs.
As Christians, we should be mindful of taking our spiritual temperatures regularly because it is so easy to get lukewarm! As golfers, we should consider the benefit of seeking truth in a golf lesson if we want to improve our game.
Whether you are a ‘cold’ or ‘hot’ type of a student, your goal in golf should be to continually improve and have a zeal for the game. And it should be the same in our Christian walk. If we are not pursing truth with zeal, our water temperature may become stagnate and lukewarm like the Laodiceans.
Prayer: Lord, stir our hearts, increase our zeal, and cause our hearts to burn for truth,