People seem ever more hateful these days. There are so many more public venues available for us to spend our time spreading horrible things about one another.
I don’t think that people are worse now than they were in the past, it’s just that society now accepts us being awful to one another. They may rail against bullying in some cases but, at the same time, they will willingly verbally crucify anyone who believes or does other than what they believe or do.
I know that I have had evil and mean thoughts about other people my whole life long. For the most part, I kept it inside and, I suspect, everyone else did the same. Because of our sin nature, we are inclined to be unhappy with other people. Even those whom we love, especially when they don’t measure up to the bars of behavior that we have set for them.
It’s even worse when it is someone who is different than we are. Perhaps because of where they are from or perhaps because of their lifestyle, it doesn’t seem to matter. In any case, they will never be what we want them to be because they are their own person and not a cookie cutter version of what we think others should be.
Truth is, as unhappy as we are about others, we are even more unhappy with ourselves. It’s strange that we vilify others but generally keep quiet about our own sins and weaknesses. It’s much easier to point out the errors of others than to admit, out loud, where we fail to measure up.
So, we have it in us, and always have, to take issue with our brothers and sisters on this planet. It’s just that in today’s world, we have access to places where we can quickly put our thoughts to words and to spread them across the whole planet in the blink of an eye or, more importantly, having second thoughts about what we are doing.
I learned early on that, in this new technological age, putting unkind thoughts into writing can cause those words to live on forever. At the end of a work email, I wrote something unkind (but actually true) about a co-worker to another co-worker. He didn’t read the full message and, of course, he forwarded the email to others, including the individual I wrote about.
I was never able to live that down. It was somehow fitting that for a brief period of a year, that individual became someone who had input into my annual review and potential raises. She made sure that I knew that she had never forgiven me. I knew what was going on and realized that I deserved it. Not the poor review, but her retaliation for what I had done.
I certainly never put anything like that in writing again. I also realized, at that time, not to even talk about co-workers again. It was a good lesson at a fairly young age.
I don’t express my thoughts in writing too often, other than specific opinions about a product or a book when I am writing a review. That is, other than what I write about on this blog. I write here what God puts on my heart and that is to love one another.
We are to love each other no matter how different we are from one another. We are to love those who don’t love us. I try to follow that as best as I can. Still, we’re all people and we all still have those hateful thoughts about others from time to time.
In many ways, I wish that we were back in a time when our behavior was more modulated and that, on the surface at least, we were more accepting and less hateful about one another.
As Christians, the world shows a lot of hate our way. They talk about how hateful and unaccepting we are and how we are all a bunch of hypocrites. Our pastor has talked about this in the past. He told us that we need to work to change the perception that the world has of the church and of Christians in general. That while they still hate us, we love them. It is the right thing to do.
What he hasn’t mentioned is that no matter what we do, the world will always hate us. The Bible tells us that this is what will happen. That hate will continue to grow to the point at which the rest of the world will come together to rid themselves of Christians and, in so doing, rid themselves of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As we are saying something the world does not want to hear, that they are sinners who need a savior (just like us), they will always hate us. Perhaps a few will learn to accept us. Fewer still will join us.
When we are no longer a thorn in their side, the world will turn on each other. They will try to kill anyone who is different. If God himself doesn’t step in to stop it, they will destroy the entire world.
That is what hate breeds. It breeds destruction. Love breeds acceptance and peaceful life with one another. As Christians, we are called to ignore our sin nature and, instead, to do what Jesus told us to do. We are to love everyone, no matter if they love us or hate us. We are to do good to others whether they do good or evil to us in return.
It isn’t easy for us to ignore what comes natural to humans but it is the right way to live. In a world filled with hate, we are called to be the one spark of true love for all people. If Jesus could love us so much he gave up his life to save us, his call for us to love one another is easy in comparison.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.