The question comes to mind when I think of some of the trends our churches go through. I also realize that we never really get away from trying to be cool no matter how old we get. Now maybe sixty or seventy years olds don't care anymore, I don't know I am not there yet.
But roughly from pre-teen age and on up we struggle with wanting to be cool. Maybe it has something to do with wanting to be popular, it probably starts out that way. I don't think I want to be popular now. Everyone wants to be liked of course, but I know I don't want to look stupid. Is there a difference between not wanting to look like an idiot, and wanting to be cool? I hope so. Unless, of course looking like an idiot helps embarrass your children, ha ha. Just kidding!
So anyway, back to my question: would Jesus have been considered cool? He was rebellious, putting down the Man! Everywhere he went he caused a stir. he had followers galore! But when I picture cool people, at least from my experience, I always see cool followers. The Jocks have the cheerleaders. The preppies have wannabes, and so on. What did Jesus' followers look like? Well, some of them were fisherman. They worked on the lake catching fish. It's hard, dirty work. Another was a tax collector, who was considered a scab on society. He stole from the poor to give to the rich. They didn't seem cool.
And then there was the people he helped, the lame, the sick, the poor. He touched people with leprosy. He healed the blind. He restored the lame so they could walk. These people were considered sinners, because of their injuries and ailments. They or their parents must have sinned for these injuries to occur.
And then of course, would a cool person be killed for his attitude? Probably not, maybe get detention or something. But Jesus was such a revolutionary that the religious establishment felt they needed to get rid of him permanently.
Well, when you look at the evidence, it appears Jesus isn't that cool after all. And he didn't have cool followers. I don't think Jesus would have been with the cool people. I think he would been with the geeks, the nerds, the loners, maybe the head bangers, the stoners. I think he would have told us to not chase after the cool life, that there is a better life ahead of us if we followed his way. I think he is still saying that, stop chasing cool and take up your cross and follow him.
Two things here...I try to look as "cool" as possible but only in front of my son, nieces or nephews and then only to completely embarass them :)
ReplyDeleteI am wondering, in a society where the community needs supercede the needs of the individual, does the message of Christ, His compassion and love, make Him cool there?