The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - Don’t Be a Mean Christian

Episode Date: July 4, 2025

What kind of Christian are you? Jeff challenges us to break free from the trap of being a “mean” Christian — not cruel, but merely average. Drawing from Scripture and Church tradition, Jeff unpacks the call to move beyond lukewarm faith and become extraordinary disciples who truly impact the world. Snippet from the Show Don’t settle for mediocrity — let God transform you into a bold, dynamic witness of the Gospel! Email us with comments or questions at [e-mail]. Text “jeffcavins” to 33-777 to subscribe and get Jeff’s shownotes delivered straight to your email! Or visit https://media.ascensionpress.com/?s=&page=2&category%5B0%5D=Ascension%20Podcasts&category%5B1%5D=The%20Jeff%20Cavins%20Show for full shownotes!

Welcome to the Jeff Kaven show, where we talk about the Bible, discipleship, and evangelization, putting it all together and living as activated disciples. This is show 437. Don't be a mean Christian. Hello, my friend, Jeff Kaven's with you once again this week. Wow, we've got so much to talk about. It's the summer. when you're listening to this show and whatever year. Right now, it's summer. And it's right on 4th of July. That's the 4th of July weekend, actually. And so it's a big deal in America.

A lot of celebrations, lots of barbecues, and a lot of parades and things like that. Lots going on. But I would like to talk to you about a topic that affects all of us and really something that we need to examine ourselves regarding, and that is this, are you a mean Christian? Are you a mean Christian? We'll talk about that today, all right? Well, I do hope you're having a wonderful summer, a fruitful summer, particularly in your growth with the Lord, your walk with Jesus, coming to understand him better in his word, and coming to experiencing him more deeply in the sacraments. But I also hope you have the time. to build those memories with your family, those traditions in your family. When you look back,

you know, after your kids grow up and they look back and you look back about your own life, you have these memories that are warm and meaningful. And now's the time to create those. And so this is a weekend where a lot of memories will be created. Be good. Don't be a mean Christian. Okay. We're going to talk about that. Hey, if you want the show notes for today and all the future shows and you're not currently getting them. All you have to do is text my name. Jeff Kaven's one word and text it to the number 3-3-777. That's 3377.

We'll get you all the show notes. So have you ever been told that you're mean by somebody? Oh, you're mean. You're saying mean thing. That was mean what you did. And a lot of people have heard that, especially growing up. Mommy, it was mean to me. And that could be true.

But that's not what we're talking about today. When I talk about don't be mean, don't be a mean Christian, I'm not talking about being mean towards people, but I'm, I want to talk about the meaning of mean. Don't be a mean Christian. You know the word mean. It can mean a lot of things, can't it? It can mean something that you intend to say or to do something you mean. It can also be to be a mean person.

and we can use the word that way. But what I'm referring to today is something different, totally different. And that is when the word is used mean, referring to the mathematical average, originating from the old French word, meaning middle or intermediary. And so we're talking here about really an average. An average can be defined as the sum of all numbers divided by the total. number of values. So a mean can be defined as an average of a set of values. So for example, if you added up all of the Catholics in the United States, and then you could give some

kind of study or provide some kind of study that showed what the average was among all of the Christians in any category. It could be going to Mass. It could be raising your family. It could be reading the word of God, it could be witnessing, it could be involved at your parish, all these different areas. If you average up all in these categories, each category, you come up with a mean, and that is the average. So if 10 people, 10 Catholics were to go to church 50% of the time, well, then 50% would be the, that would be the mean right there in the middle, right? So I want to talk about that. I want to talk about don't be a mean Christian. Don't be an average Christian. Now, the reason I was thinking about this is that I like you, catch wind of all the news

going on in the world and what's happening in New York right now and what's happening around the world for sure. And I have to ask myself, maybe you've asked yourself this as well. where is the Christian influence? I know there can be this quiet under the, under the, you know, radar influence that we have in the and that granted, that's true. That's really, really true. But I'm thinking bigger than that. I'm thinking, where is the average Catholic at when it comes to social issues or it comes

to voting or it comes to raising their family or standing up for justice? Where are we? And the reason I'm asking that is this, and I mean this very sincerely, average doesn't cut it. Average doesn't move the needle in our country. And so if we want to have an influence on our country, not I'm not talking just politically here. I'm talking about spiritually. I'm talking about conversions. I'm talking about healed marriages.

I'm talking about children growing up with a strong sense. of who they are in the kingdom of God, with kids understanding what baptism is about, what is confirmation about, what is the Eucharist all about. How does confirmation in the Eucharist change your life? The average out there doesn't move the needle a lot. And frankly, I'm interested in moving the needle. I'm interested in an impact for Jesus. And that's the way that the early Church grew is that they didn't stay mean Christians. They didn't stay average in their walk with Jesus. They were above average. They were super average. They were supernatural, but they were super average too. They were different than other people. And so that's what I want to talk to you

about today. So I'm going to ask you again, are you a mean Christian? Not in terms of being upset with people or blaming people, but are you a mean Christian in terms of, are you a mean Christian in terms of, are you you the average in our country? Because if you are, I want to challenge you in love and respect to get off of that place called mean, the average, the middle, and to become an extraordinary Christian. That's what I want to do. Now, looking into the Bible, we could say, well, first of all, does the Bible talk about this, about average? And if it does, what does it say? Well, it certainly does, and you probably know where I'm going, and that's the Book of Revelation. In looking at the Bible, we could say that lukewarm might be the mean, the average, lukewarm. It's not hot, not cold,

but right in the middle. You know, I've taught the Book of Revelation quite a bit, and by the way, if you're interested in the study of the Book of Revelation, I did a 10-part series for Ascension Press, and we'll put it in the show notes. It is, it's an extraordinary study, not because me, but because the book is extraordinary. And in chapter three, we talk about this issue of being lukewarm or what I'm calling today a mean Christian. And when John addresses the church in Laodicea, there's seven churches in Asia Minor, that's modern day Turkey, when John addresses these seven churches, he is going to compliment them regarding things that they are doing well, and he's going to point out things that they're not doing well. And then,

And he's going to tell them what they need to do. And if they do it, then there's a reward. And it's usually related to the Eucharist. So in chapter three of the book of Revelation, we have the message to the church at Laodicea. Now listen to this as I go through it. And you can see what I mean when I'm talking about a mean Christian. Because mean Christians don't change the world. Mean meaning average.

I got to say that a few times just so we get that straight. Well, Revelation chapter three, let's read it together verse. 14 and on says, and to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write the words of the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Wow. Huh. Now, what's a mouth for? Well, mouth is where you proclaim something. It's where you witness. Say you say something, right? Well, verse 17 of chapter three goes on to say, for you say, I am rich. Now, he's saying this in response to, you guys are lukewarm. You're neither hot or cold. I'm going to spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I'm rich. I have prospered. And I need nothing, not knowing that you are actually wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore, I counsel you to buy from me, gold refined by fire, that you may be rich and white garments to clothe you

and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen and salve to anoint your eyes that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten. So be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him and he with me. He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne as I myself conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. All right. So we're dealing with this whole issue of being lukewarm or what I'm calling today, being a mean

Christian. Now let's look at this. Laodicea. Now, Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities in Phrygia during Roman times. It was, that's an area of Anatola, Turkey. It's an area of Western Asia during the Bible times where the seven churches were. Today, it's modern day Turkey. But the wealthiest city in Phrygia during Roman times, it was widely known for several things.

One, it's banking establishments. That was number one, banking establishments. Number two, medical school. Medical school. They created an ISAF made of Phrygian powder that was, out of this world. It was known around the world, this ISAV. And third, textile industry. Its major weakness, though, its major weakness in Laodicea, even though it was a banking empire, an ISAv manufacturer in a textile industry's major city, its weakness was a lack of adequate

water supply. So follow me here now. This will be very rewarding. you stay with me here. Each of these characteristics is reflected in the letter. And so it's like the church in Philadelphia that he mentions earlier. Laodicea was hit hard by an earthquake, but refused empirical funds and rebuilt itself. They were known for the manufacturing of Healing Ivesav and their banks and their making of clothing. So the overview, John's overview, about Laodicea was virtue? You don't have any. Vice, greedy, cultural Christians.

That was his conclusion. Greedy, cultural Christians who are self-reliant. Ooh, does that sound like? Anyway. And then the reward is that if you will change, then you will dine with Jesus,

reference to the Eucharist. Now, these people were basically cafeteria, Believers. Selective believers. They believed what they liked and what they didn't like, they didn't believe. You've been to a smorgasbord before. I'll take a little bit of that, some of that. Nah, I don't want to eat that. I'll take some of the bread, right? That's a cafeteria Catholic. That's a Laodicean. What they chose was right. Have you ever heard someone say it's not right for me? Right. I'm going to take a break. When I come back, I'm going to show you,

what lukewarm means when john says you're lukewarm he calls him lukewarm and i want to talk to you about that because i think this is literally an eye-opener into our own life to find out are we mean christians or are we hot or are we cold we don't want to be mean though okay so you're listening to the jeff kaven show hi my name is father mike schmits i'm jeff kavans my name is jacky angel My name is Father Gregory Pine. My name is Sister Orienne, Pietra René. My name is Father Patrick Rivier. I'm a priest of the Diocese of Homoitibito down in South Louisiana.

And I'm excited to partner with Ascension Press and dozens of other Catholic creators to share an all-new series of reflections based on the titles of Jesus that come from the litany of the Sacred Heart. And if we personally often struggle with praying litany, I just feel like I'm kind of saying a bunch of words. It was a real gift to have the opportunity to go deep and to sit with particular titles to kind of unpack what Jesus was trying to say to me through those words. So it's been a blessing for me to pray with, and I hope that it'll be a blessing for you. We invite you to download the Ascension app. Go to Ascensionpress.com slash app and subscribe

so you can participate and pray along with these litanyes. I know it's been a gift for me and hope it'll be a gift for you as well. God bless you. Welcome back. We're talking today about being a mean Christian, and of course that means an average, an average Christian in various categories. While I know that God can certainly use an average Christian, I'm not saying that that's a bad thing. You say, I'm an average Christian. But what I am saying is that I don't think that we can change culture by just being average.

I think we can change culture by being super average, going beyond what the average is. Because typically the average doesn't grab the attention of anything. And we don't want to be like that. And I know you don't. And I know you don't want your children to be like, that are your grandchildren, but you want them to be on fire for the Lord and dynamic and fruitful in their life. So let's look at this issue of lukewarm in Laodicea. You're lukewarm. You're

neither hot nor you're cold. You are lukewarm. I will spit you out of my mouth. What does that mean? Well, in Laodicea, Laodicea was situated between two other very important cities, Colossi, where Paul wrote to the Colossians, and a city called Hieropolis. Okay. Now, Colossé was wedged into a very narrow valley in the shadow of towering mountains and was watered by icy streams that tumbled down from the heights. Imagine that in your mind. Just if it helps, kind of imagine Swiss helps or something, you know, where you have this icy water tumbling down from the heights. Okay. And that's what is in Colossi. In contrast, however, and you can look this up and do a Google search on it and get some pictures of this. You'll see it. Hyropolis was famous for its hot mineral springs that flowed out of the city and across a high plain until it cascaded down the face of a cliff, you know, by Laodicea. By the time, here's the deal, by the time the water reached the valley floor, that hot

spring water was lukewarm, putrid, and nauseating. At Colosse, and Leodosia is kind of in the middle here now, right? And at Colossay, therefore, one could be refreshed with clear, cold drinking water, very good. And at Hyropolis, one could be healed by bathing in its hot mineral pools. The accusation against Laodicea is that it is ineffectual and good for nothing because it's in the middle here and it's not good for anything. He is not saying that he would rather you be apostate or on fire. He is saying that he wants you to have an influence on society. He wants you to have an influence on society. And by the way, the ISAV, the ISAV, the ISAV, an interesting story about this, okay? Well, here, I'll go, I'll go through with you. I just make this

simple. In Revelation 318, it refers to three items in which Laodicea took great pride. I mentioned to these prior to the break, financial wealth, extensive textile industry, and famous ISAv. But what God says is that he wants them to receive something from him related to these three things because they're self-reliant. We got the textile industry. We got banking industry. We're self-sufficient. And we have the ISAV and the medical headquarters for the whole region. But did you know that, number one, he said, gold refined by fire. You need gold refined by fire. That's what you really need. Not your famous banking system. You need gold refined by fire, which alludes to purification through suffering.

I'll put this in the show notes for you. That's 1 Peter 1, 6 through 9. True faith and genuine works of obedience are spoken of in scripture in terms of jewelry and especially gold. And I'll put that in the notes for you. So number one, they're self-sufficient with all their banking industry and Jesus says, you know what? You need gold refined by fire.

In other words, you need purification in your life. Number two, white garments. Now, Revelation 198 says that the righteous deed of the saints are the white garments. Nakedness is symbolic of disobedience back in Genesis 3, 7. And he calls them naked. Jesus comes right out and he says this. He says in verse 17 of chapter 3, for you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, naked.

and they're known for those three things. Poor, banking industry, blind, ISAP, naked, textile industry. He's saying, you're actually poor, blind, and naked. And you need gold refined by fire instead of your silly banking system that you think is all that in a bag of chips. And you need white garments.

You need the righteous deeds of the saints. That's the transformation that needs to take place in your life. You're mean right now. You're average right now. Banking industry. three is is i sav and in john's gospel same writer blindness is used to describe those who refuse to acknowledge guilt and repent that's john 939 through 41 i'll put that in the notes for you too there's one thing for sure you get a lot of notes on this podcast we give them all to you that my friend

is because we do not want you writing while you're driving now the leodicians were known for their eyes, sab, as I said, made out of this Phrygian powder, and blindness is a symbol of man's fallenness. So if they make the change, if they stop being lukewarm and are hot on fire for the Lord, well, he says in verse 20, I will come into you and eat with you and you with me. That's Eucharistic reference there. We are feasting on the resurrected Christ as Christians, and we have dinner with him and feasting on him, John chapter six. So now all seven letters in the book of Revelation are calling on the seven churches to return to Jesus in the spirit on the Lord's day, in the Eucharist, at the table of the Lord. That's the place where we can turn this around.

Next time you go to Mass, you can say as you go into church on Sunday, I am not going to be a mean Christian. I'm not going to be just average, Lord, let's turn up the temperature. I want to be hot. I want to be productive for you. I want to make a change in the world for you. I don't just want to blend and say, I lived 80 years and died and that was it. No, I don't want to be lukewarm. And I know you don't. Listen, if you're listening to this, I know you don't want to be lukewarm. You didn't sit around today and say, you know, I just need to maintain my lukewarmness. I think I'll listen to one of Jeff's cute talks. That's, I doubt anybody's thinking that. You're probably thinking, maybe I can grow. And I'm with you. I'm with you. You and I are a lot alike.

You know, I want to be on fire. That requires me to be a student of his word, a participant in the sacraments, and to be active in giving my will over to the spirit to do the work that I'm called to do. So these seven letters are all calling us to what? Repent. That's conversion. And let me just read this to you because, I mean, you're probably got another two miles to run or so. So you can listen to this or drive. The conversion of the baptized, the catechism talks about this. And it says in paragraph 1427 to 29, listen to this.

Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at. hand. Repent and believe the gospel. In the church's preaching, this call is addressed first to those who do not yet know Christ in his gospel. Also, baptism is the principal place for the first and fundamental conversion. It is by faith in the gospel and by baptism that one renounces evil and gain salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life. Christ's call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians.

The second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole church, who clasping sinners to her bosom is at once holy and always in need of purification, and follows constantly the path of penance and renewal. this endeavor of conversion is not just a human work. It is the work of a contrite heart, drawn and moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first. And then it says, St. Peter's conversion, which occurred after he had denied his master three times, bears witness to this. Jesus' look of infinite mercy. That look of infinite mercy drew tears of repentance from Peter and after the Lord's resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for

him. The second conversion also has a communitarian dimension, as is clear in the Lord's call to a whole church repent. And St. Ambrose says of the two conversions, that initial one, and then the one that's like after Peter denied the Lord three times, he says of the two conversions that in the church there are water and tears, the water of baptism and the tears of repentance. It's a beautiful thing. So let me ask you this. And let me challenge you this week. Just let me challenge you this week.

I'm challenging myself too. I'm never sitting, standing, walking behind this microphone, just judging people and saying something you know about you need to get your act together. I'm saying, we need to get our act together. We need to really examine our heart. Am I mean Christian today? Are you a mean Christian in your marriage? Now, I know what's going to happen here.

I know. I've been around. That's a double meaning. You ask yourself, are you mean like an, terrible, you know, mean, just hard on people. In your marriage? Well, you have to ask that question. You have to bring that to the Lord. Are you a mean Christian in your marriage?

And then average, are you mean? Are you mean in parenting? Number one, mean in parenting like ugly. Or average? How about Bible knowledge? Are you mean in terms of your Bible knowledge? Just, I don't know, probably average, whatever. How about your prayer life?

Are you mean? Are you a mean Christian when it comes to prayer? Average, middle. As long as I have people around me that are kind of like me, I must be doing okay. How about your involvement at the parish? Are you mean? Are you a mean Christian at St. Edwards or St. Mary's or St. Matthews, parish? Are you mean?

St. Mark's Parish? Are you a mean Christian? Hmm, good question. How about witnessing to other people? Are you mean, you average? Tending to the poor. Speaking up for justice. How about preparing for mass on Sunday morning? Are you just the average person in this country preparing for mass this Sunday? In the past Sundays? We don't want to be average. We want to be lukewarm. No, we want to be hot on fire. And so we turn it up. Turn it up this week. when on the way to church, talk to your kids. If there's kids in the car, read the readings, ask them to think about it.

Remind them to listen to Father in the homily. Because on the way home, we're going to talk about it. I want to know one thing you learned out of that homily. Turn it up a little bit, right? Preparing for Mass. Or what about the fall festival? Have you ever volunteered for the dunking booth? Just kidding about that one, of course.

Okay, so let's wrap this up now. And this is a challenge for me. I hope it's a challenge for you. Are you a mean Christian? Are you average? Are you in the middle? Are you lukewarm? Are you productive?

Or using the message of Laodicea, are you just content on the money you have in this world and think we're doing pretty well? And that's what life's about or the ISAv and the textile industry and the clothes and so forth. If you are lukewarm in those areas, please today take seriously that God, wants to give you gold refined by fire, and that's purification through suffering. He wants you to have white garments, the righteous deeds of the saints, and he wants you to have the eyes have and that is that your guilt, your sin is dealt with in true repentance, going to confession. Going to confessions greater than Phrygian powder for the eyes. I'll tell you that right now.

All right. Let's pray, shall we? In the name of the father's son and the Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus, we love you so much. And Lord, we want to follow you. And Lord, we don't want to be lukewarm. We don't want to be mean. We don't want to be in the middle. We want to be dynamic and on fire for you. Stir us up this week, Lord. Stir us up. And Lord, as we pray about these various areas of our life, marriage and parenting and Bible knowledge, prayer with you, an involvement at our wonderful parish, witnessing and tending to the poor and widows. Speaking, speaking up for injustice, preparing to meet you in the sacraments. Lord, oh, Lord, help us to turn up the heat in our lives, that we would be on fire by the fire of the Holy Spirit. We repent of lukewarmness.

We repent of being mean Christians. And we ask you to set ablaze under us that we would now live differently. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I love you, and I'm not being mean. I'm being truthful. and next week I look forward to talking to you again, and I know by then I'll be less mean and you'll be less mean. God bless.