Monday, September 10, 2018

I’m 81 years old.  In those years I have never seen as much hate manifested as is found in this country today.  Hatred has an awesome penalty.  It destroys the one who is infected.  Hitler and the Nazi Party had a passionate hate for Jews.  They were successful in murdering six million.  Despite Hitler’s efforts, Jews continued to thrive, even reestablishing themselves in Palestine in 1948.  Where is Hitler and his Party today?

Hatred is an ugly weapon created to destroy another.  It attracts added companions to hurt those who are hated.   One may be so riddled with hate that he vomits volumes of lies labeled as truth.  Blindness is married to both allowing the initiator to justify his ownership of all three.

If hatred, lying, and blindness isn’t enough, the person allows himself to be infected with a false sense of righteousness.  He justifies the riots, violence, and lawbreaking because the government is oppressing the downtrodden.  Some will quote Peter’s words in Acts 5:29, “We ought to obey God rather than men” as their marching banner.  Peter wasn’t questioning the oppression brought on by the occupation of Roman troops.  He wasn’t preaching that the high priests were little more than puppets of Rome.  The court wanted Peter to stop teaching about Jesus.  The church did not mobilize Christians to protest against Rome with riots, violence, ransacking stores, or burning peoples’ property.  The church didn’t pray for courage to get in the face of others and dirty their faces with profanity.  Such actions would not be the spirit of Christ!

Hate causes neighbors to be intolerant of one another.  It drives believers to avoid other saints, erasing their brotherhood fellowship.  It eats away at the spiritual heart, replacing it with a cold and uncompromising one.  Smiles turn into misery that cannot heal nor comfort.  Friendships are strained to the breaking point.  Some snap.  Valid communication is lost.  Neither the hater nor the hated profit from such actions.  When such takes place, look around.  Search diligently.  Satan is somewhere close!  His heart surgery has been successful!