We live in a world where love toward our fellow humans is growing so cold and tends to be a foreign language to many. However much hatred can be justified, it can not produce life either in the hater or the hated. The only outcome of hatred is death. Death is the absence of life.
Just as darkness is the absence of light, hatred is the absence of love. Just as darkness can only be chased by the light, hatred can only be chased by love. Just as darkness and light never cohabit, hatred and love cannot. You either have one or the other.
Love gives but hatred only owns. Love shares but hatred only seeks. Love listens but hatred only speaks. Love understands but hatred assumes. Love empathizes but hatred judges. Love cares but hatred ignores. Love bears but hatred gives up. Love forgives but hatred resumes. Love reconciles but hatred revenges. Love revives but hatred kills.
Hatred is like the Dead Sea which can’t make its waters flow to other parts but can only receive. An American brother of mine, Dr. Mark Finley, in his book ‘The Joy of Sharing’ describes the Dead Sea with the following words. “The Dead Sea marks the earth’s lowest elevation. At 1,388 feet below sea level, it ranks as the world’s lowest sea. The river Jordan flows out of the Sea of Galilee and winds its way through the Jordan Valley until it dead-ends in the Dead Sea. The hot, dry climate, with the intense sunlight and desert conditions, causes the water to evaporate quite rapidly. Since the Dead Sea’s salt and mineral content is 33.7 percent, little survives in its waters. There are no fish, no plants, only some microbes and bacteria at the bottom.”
As nothing can survive in the Dead Sea except some microbes and bacteria—Pathogens that may kill—It is the same with hatred. Hatred can’t give life, it can only kill. The wage of hatred is death! Human history records hard-to-explain facts about what hatred has caused to this world. From the death of the first killed human called Abel, The Son of Adam and Eve [First Human Couple], to the genocides that happened in our world, we horribly see the wage of hatred—Death!
Hatred starts inside us and grows outward. Whether it is still inside us or spreading outside, it is still hatred that is enough to kill any time when given an opportunity. Friendships are at stake, engagements are declining, marriages are burning into ashes, opportunities are canceled, and some companies are closing… just because of hatred!
However hatred can be interpreted, it speaks one language—the language of hating our neighbor. Hatred is manifested in different degrees: negative thought, revenge, insult, discrimination, rejection, harassment, racism, violence, murder, genocide…Etc.
Many are still chained by hatred and can’t figure out how they can be delivered from its slavery. In their strength, they try to escape such slavery as much as they can, but still can’t make it. Many regret their past life as it is stained with hatred-filled acts and now live the consequences. Some can’t even forgive themselves as they think of having crossed the forgiveness threshold. Others live the consequences of what they didn’t choose. Others are still captives of revengeful thoughts. In brief, hatred is still alive in their atmosphere.
What’s the ultimate cure for hatred? Love. When love is present, hatred is absent and vice-versa. But where do we get love practically? From its source. Where is the source of love? In Him. Who is that? God Jehovah. Can His Love dwell in us? Yes. But how? Through Jesus-Christ, His Word.
Another term that The Word of God—The Bible—uses for ‘HATRED’ is ‘SIN’. I strongly agree with the Bible when it says: “For the wage of Sin [Hatred] is Death…” But it didn’t stop there, it added, “But the gift of God is Eternal Life in Our Lord Jesus-Christ!” (Romans 6.23) This Eternal life carries LOVE in its train. Where there is love, there is life.
Whether we like it or not, this Divine Love is the ONLY CURE FOR HATRED. Other man-made cures may be short-term, superficial, and placebo-like. Whenever we are still disconnected to this Divine Love, Hatred will rule upon our lives whether in the private or in the public, whether inward or outward. The only way to remain connected to this Divine Love is to daily live by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God Himself—Through His Written Word, The Bible.
Sow love and feed on life!
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