I love tea—preferably a hot cup of elderberry tea with honey or a refreshing glass of cold lemon iced tea. What I don’t enjoy is lukewarm tea. I want it either hot or cold, not somewhere in between. I’m sure coffee lovers can relate. There’s something about the in-between that just doesn’t sit right.
That’s why this verse always hits me:
“But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
—Revelation 3:16 (NLT)
Honestly, I like to go with the flow. I avoid arguments and don’t enjoy going back and forth with people. If a conversation starts to feel tense, I’d rather just walk away. Peace is my default setting. But I’ve come to realize that serving God doesn’t always allow me to stay in that comfort zone. Sometimes, peace means speaking up. Sometimes love requires boldness.
“Let all that you do be done in love.”
—1 Corinthians 16:14 (ESV)
It’s easy to write that. Living it out? That’s another story. A life that truly reflects Jesus won’t always be agreeable to everyone. And that’s okay. Following Him means I won’t always get to blend in or keep quiet. There are moments when silence can actually reflect a lukewarm heart—especially when truth is on the line.
Being agreeable for the sake of comfort can look a lot like being lukewarm. And that’s not who I want to be. There will be times when we’re called to speak up—to lovingly correct what isn’t aligned with God’s word. That doesn’t mean being harsh or judgmental, but it does mean being clear and courageous.
My prayer for you—and for myself—is this:
That God would make us bold in love.
That He would give us the words to speak His truth with grace.
That we would be light in dark places, never lukewarm, but fully alive in Him.