But the original, hard-core concept of coolness is not such a positive thing. We think of coolness as an expression of the modern personality. We learned it in school if we are about age 50 or younger. Our society is saturated with this concept by the entertainment industry.

Warmth (the expression of God's love, grace and concern) instead of coolness, is what God desires in His children.

What is this coolness really? Hard-core coolness is an expression of feeling self-confident and superior to others. It's hallmark is a mildly expressed disdain for others who do not share one's "superior" traits. This disdain is expressed by withholding attention, friendliness or warmth, hence to be "cool."

This attitude is based on a feeling that a person is superior because he or she has more money, is sexier or in some way physically superior in appearance, has the "right" clothes, listens to the "right" music or rubs shoulders with the "right" people.

Spiritually, this type of coolness is an expression of human pride or, as 1 John 2:16 calls it, "the pride of life." The Bible has much to say about pride. Jesus Christ calls it an evil that defiles a man (Mark 7:22-23). Proverbs says God hates a proud look (Proverbs 6:17) and that God will "destroy the house of the proud" (Proverbs 15:25)

It is interesting that God can be cool—cool toward the proud. "Though the L ord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar" (Psalm 138:6). He sees their attitude as an abomination (Proverbs 16:5). God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Obviously coolness that comes from pride is not something for Christians to adopt in attitude or in manner. We must recognize that the physical advantages that we may have in this life are only a gift from God. As the Scripture says: "It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves" (Psalm 100:3). Disdain for the weak, the poor, the unattractive or the disenfranchised is simply wrong.

Warmth (the expression of God's love, grace and concern) instead of coolness, is what God desires in His children. Opening our hearts to others means having humility instead of pride.