How Cool Are You?
Get the discussion questions for How Cool Are You?
If I could write you a song to make you fall in love,
I would already have you up under my arm.
I used up all of my tricks, I hope that you like this,
But you probably won't, you think you're cooler than me.
Shh, see I got you all figured out,
You need every one's eyes just to feel seen.
Behind your make up nobody knows who you even are,
Who do you think that you are?
How about you? Ever thought that you were cooler than someone else?
At some point in life I think we all have classified groups of people
into the “way cool” crowd all the way down to the “LOOOOOSER!” people at
the bottom of humanity’s scrap heap - right? And isn’t it funny how we
always compare up the cool chain, not down? We’re always focused on
the group that we want to move up to in order to further our popularity
agenda, instead of down at the groups who apparently aren’t worthy of
our time and attention.
And that’s about the time that God looks down at us and wants to puke…
Why? Because He made everyone the same, and when we endorse and even
further the popularity social structure that is on every school campus
in America, we become part of the evil that comes out of the “How cool
am I? And how can I move up the chain?” mentality?
Did you know that the “who’s cool and who’s not” mentality started
way long before America was even a nation? Over 2000 years ago in
Jesus’ day, the coolest crowd in his world was actually the religious
teachers. They were given these great positions to help people, but
instead they let it go their heads and they changed into spiritual
bullies – and that earned them a seriously strong rebuke from Jesus:
"You're familiar with the old written
law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your
enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let
them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a
hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working
out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God
does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to
everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you
do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If
you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any
run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow
up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created
identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God
lives toward you" (Matthew 5:43-47).
Put simply, Jesus is saying that if you follow Him, you do not play
favorites. You do not have an agenda to climb the popularity ladder,
and you have permanently dropped out of the “I think I’m cooler than
you” way of thinking.
God is singing an unconditional love song to everyone on the planet,
and the lyrics tell us that His affections have no exceptions, no
exemptions, and no requirements.
And if we claim to follow Jesus, the soundtrack of our lives should
play the same song so loud that it can’t be missed by those in our
lives.
In other words, Christians aren’t cooler than anyone…
But oftentimes we think we are, don’t we? The world needs to see
Jesus in us, but instead we give them cheesy movies, confusing bumper
stickers, televangelists, and judgmental attitudes.
Meanwhile God is asking - “Who do you think that you are???”
Let’s all take a lesson from Mike Posner in terms of it not being
cool to think that we’re cooler than others, but more importantly, let’s
remember Jesus’ teaching to the cool crowd in His day to love everyone
and treat everyone the same. Otherwise, the beautiful and life-changing
message of the gospel could get lost in the impression that we are
playing the same silly drama game as all the other teens on campus.
And when you truly show that kind of love, God’s love for everyone
comes shining through, and that makes people want to run to Him.
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the
approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I
would not be Christ’s servant.” – The Apostle Paul
What’s it going to be for you?
The topic of “coolness” is definitely a popular subject among teens,
so take this opportunity to share your beliefs about the immaturity of
the social structure and how you want to show everyone that your
acceptance of people isn’t based on how “cool” they are. Pray for this
conversation to open a door to share the gospel.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you
judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will
be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your
brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3).
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him
stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change
and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven (Matthew 18:1-3).
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism (James 2:1).