Why are some people so cold?

You know?  That person you wave to every morning on your way to your desk…

who never waves back.

The teenager who will never say more than “I’m fine” when you ask about their day.

The person in your Sunday School class who never shares about their own life, and hardly seems to care about yours.

What’s up with them?  Why do they act like the Walking Dead?

Is there life inside those distant eyes?

Here are some thoughts I’ve had on the subject:

Maybe Cold People…

are insulating themselves from being burned again.

Maybe Cold People…

are playing dead and hoping no one notices them.

Maybe Cold People…

are frozen stuck from terror, disuse, or some other form of paralysis.

Maybe Cold People…

have a head cold and thoughts aren’t connecting with their heart or mouth.

Maybe Cold People…

aren’t warmed up because they haven’t had enough practice socializing.

Maybe Cold People…

Aren’t really cold.  Maybe they’re just very introverted, or not very emotional, and that’s okay.

And yes, maybe sometimes Cold People…

are icy because they have an (ice) chip on their shoulder.

– – – – –

When I find myself in the presence of a cold person, my first instinct is to think that I’m the reason they’re acting that way.

That’s probably not the case.

And my second, kneejerk reaction is to become defensive over their perceived defensiveness.

That’s probably not helpful.

The truth is, God made people of all shapes, sizes, and temperatures.

So, if folks aren’t as outgoing as you, it’s certainly not a crime.

And honestly, you can’t change someone’s temperature anyway.

Maybe Cold People will change, and maybe they won’t.

They have to make that change themselves.

All you can do is lift high the Light of Christ

and invite others…

to be warmed by it.

Have a great week,

Mitch