Indifferent: you are not hot or cold, you are just neutral, not particularly concerned, apathetic. We are self-sufficient and therefore confident, satisfied and complacent. You don’t necessarily have a strong point of view, or impetus to make a difference and our heart may be hardened to some of the needs around you, since your feelings are neutral in that respect. You just don’t take a stand on anything.
Wealth, luxury and ease contribute to indifference, and an attitude of “why bother,” “who cares,” “what difference can it make.” There is no passion, on either side of neutral and indifferent.
Indifference is like lukewarm water, it makes you feel nausea’s.
In fact, God describes himself as nausea’s about the people of Laodicea in Rev 3:15-16:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities, but it was located in an area with a lot of seismic activity. One of the major problems in the city was the quality of water. Neighboring towns Hierapolis had hot water, which people bathed in for health purposes. While Colossi had almost freezing water, which refreshed and invigorated travelers. In an attempt to improve the quality of Laodicea’s water, a huge engineering project for that time, brought hot water from Hierapolis.
Unfortunately, when the hot water finally arrived in Laodicea, it was lukewarm and had developed a sickening, nauseating taste. So, when God said he would spit them out of his mouth, the Laodicea n’s, knew exactly what He was talking about.
God was referring to their spiritual temperature.
A spiritually lukewarm person was utterly distasteful to God. A hot believer was spiritually vital and fervent for the Lord, while a cold believer was spiritually stagnant or dead, like an unbeliever. A lukewarm person could bring neither healing that hot water could bring, or spiritual refreshment to others, like cold water. God wants us to be hot for Him.
It describes a believer whose lukewarm spiritual condition is of no use to God. Stuck in the middle, this person has lost their passion and their flavor. Notice that God does not reject this lukewarm person, but instead reveals how distasteful He finds such a believer.
If God took the temperature of your spiritual walk, what would your temperature be?
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” – Ellie Wiesel
In verse 19 God tells that “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” He clearly warns that those who have an uncaring, indifferent spiritual heart will be disciplined.
How much of what is happening in your life right now, is God disciplining a lukewarm spiritual condition?
His purpose is not merely to rebuke, or reject us, but rather to draw us back to Him in relationship. To avoid this discipline, God wants us to draw near to Him again through confession, worship and study of the Word. The Holy Spirit will ignite a fresh passion for the things of God, to take you out of your stagnant position and fill you with a new passion for God.
He wants us to be a fountain of healing and a source of refreshment to others. There is no room for indifference in the life of believers, a middle ground, a place of neutrality.
You are either all in for God, or nauseating!
Don’t be so busy finding satisfaction in the world, that you become indifferent to God. God is constantly knocking at the door of our life, wanting to come in and fellowship with us. (Rev 3:20) Let’s open ourselves up to Him, invite Him into our lives, not keep Him shut out with all His life-changing power on the other side of the door.
Father, I invite You in again. Come into my life, every part of my life. Help me not to relegate You to Sundays or spiritual gatherings, but help me to make You part of every day and moment of my life. Help me to see You more clearly, to understand the truth and remember that all wealth and value lies with You in eternity. Forgive me for being apathetic and neutral. May people describe me as passionately in love with You, bringing healing and refreshment to their lives.
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