Love & Hate
Love & Hate.
They are as old as Cain & Abel.
Just after sin came into the world in Genesis 3, in the very next chapter - chapter four, Cain rises up and murders his own brother. Why? Hatred.
Throughout the course of human history, hatred has started many a war and has taken the life of many a young man fighting in battle. Hatred has destroyed marriages, it's caused neighbors to not speak to one another, it's split churches. Hatred is a STRONG emotion.
On the other hand, there is love. Proverbs 10:12 says "Hatred stirs up strife but love covers all transgressions."
Think about those words; "hatred stirs up STRIFE." Be honest; have you ever known of anything good to come out of strife? I didn't think so. Strife is discord. It makes your stomach tighten up. It leads you to avoid people in a restaurant or a store. It causes people to not get together for holidays. It splits friends up.
Strife ain't worth it, folks.
On the other hand, "love covers all transgressions."
There are lots and lots and lots of songs written about love. Poems have been written about love.
Perhaps one of the most memorable songs written about love I think, came out of the 60's. It goes;
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
"What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
No not just for some but everyone."
That song reminds us of the importance of love.
Ok, so love is definitely the best way to go. We all agree, right? So, how do you handle the person that you just don't seem to "connect" with? Maybe it's an ex-spouse. Or a co-worker or a grumpy, cantankerous neighbor. Or someone that just don't agree with politically or even theologically. You may not go on a picnic with everyone but, you don't have to hate them.
One of the neatest things I've seen in recent years was former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton working TOGETHER. These guys campaigned against one another. Bush is a Republican; Clinton a Democrat. They do not see things the same but, they put all that aside to raise money to help people. I thought that was neat. So, just because you don't agree with someone doesn't mean you have to hate them.
The church could really learn a lesson here. I'm not sure why it is but in our desire "to be like Jesus" we can actually come to a place that we ignore people, or judge people or "withdraw fellowship" from people. This is sad. Because Jesus said "The world will know you are my disciples if you LOVE one another" (John 13).
We are NOT more like Jesus when we hate someone. We are more LIKE Jesus when we love.
One of the best known chapters in the Bible is I Corinthians 13. It's known as "The Love Chapter." In the chapter Paul concludes by saying "But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Today, choose love over hatred.
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