Hatred

“Hatred stirs up strife, but loves covers all offenses.” Proverbs 10:12

That’s the Old Testament passage from the Daily Texts for today, and I’m tempted to just leave it here and walk away. It speaks for itself.

Still, a few words:

We live in a time when hatred is on the rise. Old hatreds resurface and new ones quickly calcify. Hate is used to stoke fear, and fear to stoke hate, all in the service of acquiring and retaining power.

Hate is the cheap language used by those with nothing else to say. And no, to say this is not hateful language. It is the naming of sin. Hatred is sin. It has no purpose but to devour. It is an offense, to which God responds with love. We see and receive this in the self-sacrificing love of Jesus. He gives himself over to the hands of haters, to give life and love to them. To turn them from hatred to love.

Our problems are too big to be solved by hatred. For the literal love of God, let’s try love instead. With love, and its siblings faith and hope, God can work new things through us.

Be well, friends. You are loved.

God of love, you have responded to our sin and brokenness with love. Drive the hatred from our hearts that love may abide more deeply. In these days, lift up your church to witness to the power of self-giving love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Image: A Kumbaya moment around the campfire.