Hatred Is Not An Option

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
                                                                                        I John 4:8 (NIV)

"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
"Anyone who loves their brother or sister is in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.
"But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.  They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them."
                                                                                           I John 2:9-11 (NIV)


Anymore, lately, it seems to be open season for hatred, and open season on those you hate.  I think that there's a couple of things that need to be said first and foremost.

One, hatred is a luxury you cannot afford.

Two, hatred is not a family value.

Hatred is very much an expensive luxury.  Since God is love, it separates you from God, and why any believer would want to be separated from God is beyond me.

What should you do when you have to deal with someone who makes your blood boil?  Or, what if you don't deal with them personally, but you still become infuriated just thinking of them?

Pray for them.  And by that, I don't mean that you should pray for their suffering and death.   I mean that you should pray for their profit, blessing and good health.

I'm serious.

On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a guide on what we should do.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR,  AND HATE THINE ENEMY.

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."

                                                                                             Matthew 5:43-44 (KJV)

Much like the Ten Commandments, this is NOT a suggestion, and it is not easy.  But, as the Lord pointed out later in the chapter, what profit is it if you love and pray for someone who already loves you?  While seeking a profit should never be your motivation, we do indeed profit from loving and praying for our enemies.

It is so easy to hate one's enemies, and when you succumb to the hatred, you do no good for them, nor do you even pray for them.  You do no good for yourself, either.  When you're in the public eye and you refuse to pray for your enemies, that can have nasty implications.  It can "legitimize" hatred, and it can cause other people to stumble.

Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount,  Jesus mentioned that committing adultery in your mind is the same thing as actually doing the deed itself.   It applies to hatred itself, as well.  One wish of people who hates an enemy (or enemies) is that they die.  In my opinion, when you hate someone and wish them dead in your mind, you have murdered them in your mind.

That casts the "Pray for Obama/Psalm 109:8" bumper stickers and T-shirts in a totally negative light, doesn't it?  FYI, those bumper stickers and T-shirts are evil.  You should think about the message you promote even unconsciously.  Even if you don't mean to, when you're a believer and you promote a message that requests that God judges and kills President Obama, you are playing with a very dangerous fire.

For the record, President Obama, his wife Michelle, and Hillary Clinton are Christians.  When you pray for the president's divine judgment/death, not only are you coasting a violation of U.S. federal law, you are begging God to strike down a brother in Christ.

Why, in God's name, would you do that?  Why are you not convicted?  Why would you risk having God give it back to you?  After all, a curse can and will backfire.  Why even take that risk?

Do not waste your time - or mine - telling me that people who vote for Democratic Party candidates, or are members of the party itself are not Christians.  You do not get to make that decision.

Can you show me where in the Bible it says that Democrats are not Christians?

I won't hold my breath.

Now, you probably know that I did not vote for Donald Trump in the November general elections.   I am not happy about his victory over Hillary Clinton.

But I do NOT hate him.  I cannot hate him.  I cannot afford to hate him.  I like to think of it the way John Wayne did concerning John F. Kennedy's election to the presidency in 1960.

"I didn't vote for him, but he's my president, and I hope he does a good job."

Donald Trump is my president, and I want him to do a good job, and I will pray for him.

Note this, however.  I resolve to never wear a "Pray for Trump/Psalm 109:8" T-shirt, nor will I have a bumper sticker declaring the same.

An interesting question to close the post with, however.  If Hillary Clinton had won the presidency in November, how long would it take for a Psalm 109:8 T-shirt or bumper stickers focused on her to come out?

How many so-called Bible-believing Christians would be sporting such a slogan on their chests and vehicles?

If you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ and sport such a T-shirt or bumper sticker, your witness says more about you than you should be comfortable with.

Peace be unto you.