"He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
"But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."
I John 2:9-11
And now, for another post on hatred. Why do I keep writing about hatred here? Well, it's because hatred is so prevalent in the world today, and what's even worse, so many people who call themselves "Christian" are bound in its grip.
What's even worse than that is the fact that there are pastors and church leaders are also bound in hatred's grip. When one thinks of the influence a pastor or church leader holds over the members of a church, that presents the potential of a terrifying nightmare.
Why the fear over hatred? What can it do? It demeans people, it defiles them, it dismisses them as if they have no importance whatsoever, it breaks their spirit, it hurts their lives, it destroys their potential.
It can murder their spirit, their testimony, and especially their potential as a child of Christ.
Hatred doesn't just do all of that stuff to the people you hate, I should point out. It does all of that to you, as well.
Think about this - think hard about this. The people you meet and come across in life have something to offer you, even if it's just a simple object lesson. You could very well be the person who makes - or breaks - their connection with Jesus Christ.
But if you only view the person as someone to use, or even hate them on sight, you're missing something very important.
That people could've been sent your way to be a blessing, or to be someone who leads you to a blessing. You could be throwing away so much when you dismiss someone out of hand - or simply and selfishly try to use them for your personal benefit.
What could you lose? The tangible rewards themselves are not only unknown, they are uncertain. They're also unimportant. You shouldn't be acting good for a reward.
There are plenty of intangible rewards out there, though, and these should be a decent motivation. Serenity, peace of mind, the warm feeling you get when you do something nice for someone are all examples of intangible rewards. The sense of order - no matter how slight - being restored is a very powerful reward you can reap.
I should point out that if you dismiss the intangible rewards of life as stupid and meaningless, and you call yourself a Christian, then there is a dark spot on you that needs to be resolved.
Life is not just about what you can get for yourself, you know.
If helping someone - or even being nice to a stranger - feels like an effort, a struggle, or even a waste of time, then there is a real and profound sadness to you. You need to pray for yourself, and also pray for the person you felt this way towards.
Think about this. How often do you prejudge someone based on what they look like? How often do you prejudge someone based on negative stories you've heard from other people?
Take ALL negative stories you hear about others with a grain of salt. While there are many negative stories that are actually (and painfully) true, some of the stories are little more than sad gossip. That's childish nonsense and here's something the Apostle Paul said about this:
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
I Corinthians 13:11 (KJV)
As Christians, we are commanded to love one another. We are not to judge, nor are we to dismiss and hate.
If every person who called himself - or herself - a Christian were to love unconditionally, then this world would be in a lot better shape than it currently is.
It doesn't hurt to mention that just because we are to love one another unconditionally doesn't mean that we are to be a doormat. I'm well aware that some people see Christians (or any non-believer) who seeks to do good as easy touches who exist to be used.
The old saying, "Once burned, twice shy" fits in here.
Pay attention not only to your motives for giving help, but also to the results of it. If a person you help shows no improvement, or continues to exhibit destructive behavior, then you are no longer a helper. You're an enabler.
Now, if the person you help demands more and more from you, while maintaining a self-centered and self-important attitude, then you are being used, plain and simple.
You still have to love these people, but eventually you have to stop being a doormat. When is that? Well, you have to determine that for yourself, but remember that some users, if they could, would toss your naked and dessicated body in the ditch if by so doing they would get everything you have.
Reduce your contact with such a person - you may even have to cut off all contact. Continue to pray for them, however, with an attitude of love.
I keep re-emphasizing love. I have to do that, trust me. It is so easy to get ticked off at people when they're being jerks. It takes a concerted and continued effort to avoid giving in to the temptation to dismiss them, to dislike them, to think negatively about them.
To hate them.
Now, I shouldn't have to mention that if a person you know votes for the "wrong" person in an election, they are not necessarily being a jerk. If you truly have an attitude of love within you, then you will easily realize this.
A political difference is not a reason to hate.
Nor is a racial or national difference.
It's sad that I have to write that - or even say it to people.
If someone tells you that Mexicans are rapists, and that Muslims are killers, then you need to pray for that person, because they may not even realize - or care - that they're in the grip of hatred.
Yes, we all should know who I just referred to here. Just because the hard right news and radio sites (not to mention the TV and radio shows) make those claims does not make it true.
Take care that you don't make generalizations like that. You might not intend anything bad to happen, but remember what the road to hell is paved with. By spreading a vicious rumor, generalization - a lie - you can cause someone else to stumble into hatred - or worse, a hateful action.
Let me give you an example. In 2016, North Carolina native Edgar M. Welch believed online claims that a Washington, D.C. pizzeria was a front for trafficking child sex slaves and that the sex ring was led by Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta.
He went into the restaurant and shot up the place in an attempt to free and protect the children.
The only problem with that is that those claims were lies. Welch found no children, and was pretty quickly arrested for his actions.
In March 2017, conservative radio host and Inforwars website operator Alex Jones apologized fro promoting that conspiracy. Jones even went so far to encourage others who were spreading the lies and rumors to stop and apologize.
That's all well and good, but Welch faces time in prison because he acted on lies told by other people. He should've investigated the lie before acting on it, that's for certain. The fact that his friends wouldn't join in on his quest should have given him pause. I'd say that he knows all of this quite well now, but henceforth, he'll be infamous because of his actions. That's what's sad.
That's all for now.
Peace be unto you.
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