Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Safe to Hate?

Now, I was actually thinking about this before I found out that today is national coming out day, or some such thing like that. And what I write here may very well tick off many of my friends, either conservative Christians or my liberal friends. Timing may exacerbate this - oh well.

If you want to know how Satan tempts you, what avenues he takes, ask yourself this question. Who do you think it is safe to hate? Who do you think it is perfectly fine to look at and simply despise for whatever reason?

This is how Satan will tempt you. You will see what someone does, and X is wrong. You will see that one isn't as open minded as you, and you will despise them.

This tempts folks from all across the Spectrum - Conservative and Liberal alike. We can see people doing things that we know (on the basis of whatever moral or ethical system we hold to) are wrong, and just hate them.

There is no one whom it is safe to hate.

Now, I'm not trying to say that there isn't right or wrong. We can discuss that -- perhaps even vehemently. But it is not safe to hate, to have anger.

My anger is not righteous. I am a sinful man, and I will quickly turn my hatred and anger into self-justification. My disgust with another will elevate myself. Pride will kick in - and I will even feel good, I will feel like a better person because I'm not like... them... whoever them is.

Hate is dangerous -- to yourself. It destroys your humility, it destroys empathy which allows you to care for others, even others you disagree with.

Think about those who annoy, anger, or even hurt and harm you. It is not safe to hate them, for that will twist you and weaken you. Rather - strive to show the same care and compassion that Christ has shown you - for though He had what we could call great reasons to "hate" you on account of your sin, He sought only to forgive and restore you.

To hate makes you less than the person you were created to be.

2 comments:

medievalgower said...

I agree, and thank you for talking about this. I was wondering about this myslef a few days ago. I think we need to have more discusstion about this ver topic, thanks again.

Kathy said...

Very good post. Thanks for the reminders!