The Curse of Cool

Yesterday, we took 15 young people down to Exmouth for a day's fun and games on the beach. Thankfully the weather forecasters got it wrong (again) and despite a few small drops, we enjoyed a pretty dry day. Originally, we'd planned to spend the morning on the beach and then go into town for a look around in the afternoon as I thought they might have had enough sandfun for one day. I was wrong. All they wanted to do was stay on the beach and play!

We went in the sea, played rounders, did some catching practice (some nice catches there Mr. Hooper), ate, drank, dug holes (really deep ones), read, listened to music and more. It was such a relaxing time and we had loads of fun. On a couple of occasions I just sat in my chair listening to my ipod and watching the young people play. It was clear that they had been released from the 'curse of cool' and because everyone else was in the same boat (pardon the nautical pun), they forgot about trying to dress cool, speak cool, be cool, fit in with the cool kids and so on. They relaxed and enjoyed themselves into the bargain.

Our culture puts a high premium on being 'cool'; on being in the right places with the right people wearing the right things, listening to the right music, doing the right activities with the right gadgets. Sadly, no-one has ever asked if the 'right' thing is actually the 'righteous thing' in the first place? I understand that we can all be vulnerable to this problem and young people are especially susceptible to it but it is an issue we must nail in our souls or it will consume our lives; we spend our whole lives accumulating cool 'stuff' which has a finite shelf-life, living in transient, meaningless relationships, competing with each other for a place that God does not care about.

I believe that what is at the heart of this issue is acceptance; when we know God accepts us we don't care whether others do or not. This is not a mandate for rudeness or the dangers of turning into an exclusive 'we don't mix with them' cult. We are IN the world but not OF the world (James 4:4, 1 Peter 2:11, 1 John 2:15). Clearly, God wants ALL levels of society to encounter the advancing power of His Kingdom rule but not when it means compromising who we are IN CHRIST for the sake of being accepted and liked.

It was so good to be with ENERGY yesterday and to see them free to relax, be 'uncool' and build sandcastles.