Perceptions #200025

"The High Price of Hating"

by Douglas F. Parsons

A news report recently reported the results of a study in the nation's capital in which it found that hate violence occurred at least once a day upon some target. The report chronicled hate crimes committed during this time, citing racism, anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry as motivating harassment, vandalism, arson, assault and murder throughout the nation.

The bottom line of the report was that hate is on the rise, but what the report failed to tell is the story of countless times hate rules in many situations. The ruling of hate over love is found in all kinds of places -- business, politics, job, home, and yes, the church.

Quotes on hate have no end. Included would be: "It is far better to forgive and forget than to hate and remember"; "Hate is a luxury no one can afford"; "If you want to be miserable, hate somebody"; "Hate does a great deal more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than the object on which it is poured." The Bible is plain, "Who ever hates his brother is a murderer" (1 John 3:15).

People of God need to get out of the business of hating others and being mean to others. "I will tell you what to hate," wrote F.W. Robertson, "hate hypocrisy, hate intolerance, oppression, injustice; hate Pharisaism; hate them as Christ hated them, with a deep, living, godlike hate."

A minister was on a plane and seated beside him was a woman who told of how she had suffered through two divorces and asked for the meaning of love. Then she offered her own definition. "Love is a sickly sentiment that puts a romantic wrapping on a shoddy counterfeit and remains only for a brief time." Then she said, "If only someone would invent or discover a pill that people could take at night and in the morning that would take out all the nasty temper, the venom of envy, the unkindness, selfishness, resentment and hatred so there could be love and life would be worth living."

Addressing the preacher she said, "If they have discovered medicine that can reduce fever and kill germs, why doesn't someone discover something to make real love possible?"

The preacher's reply was probing, "Someone has, and His name is Jesus Christ and through Christ a person can come to love and not to hate." There is a high price in hating, and the only answer to hating others is to come to love others through the power of Jesus Christ.

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