A Time to Hate

Ginter Botanical Gardens, RVA

A Time to Hate

For everything there is a season,

and a time for every purpose under heaven.

A time to love and a time to hate;

a time of war and a time of peace

Ecclesiastes 3:1,8

Hate vt.  hated, hating

1.       To have strong dislike or ill will for; despise, loathe

2.      To dislike or wish to avoid; shrink from

I was taught from childhood that it is wrong to hate someone.  Jesus spoke quite pointedly about hatred of people as an extension of the desire to murder.  So I view “a time to hate” from the perspective of hating things or circumstances.

Things I Hate:

The sight of a horrific automobile accident

Filthy language in the presence of children

Dentist appointments

The sight of a homeless person with no where to go

The sound of a child being screamed at

Needles at the doctor’s office

Spiteful criticism

Any language calculated to tear down rather than build up

To lose a friend

To watch someone’s health deteriorate

Prejudice

Cruelty to animals

Selfish arrogance

I realize that much of what I hate is perpetrated by people.  That brings up the old “Hate the sin, love the sinner” conundrum:  the very thin line between hating what people do vs. hating the people themselves.  The ability to love unconditionally is a gift only God can give us.  His love reaches out to us regardless of what we have done.  He does not excuse our sin – He forgives us.

When it comes to our dealings with those around us, perhaps forgiveness is the intersection between love and hate.

*

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in  hand.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand.

And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

The Faith We Sing No. 2223