- 28
- Nov
There are just some people who love to hate. If you are not like them, then don’t expect any favors. Being different triggers the release of their venom. They often operate under the radar. They are subtle, sly and deliberate. They are kind and smile with warm regards in your presence, but the moment your back is turned, they hiss like a snake in the grass.
Hate lovers are masters of innuendo. Implication is their favorite modus operandi. They are clever in pointing out your shortcomings to others. Seeing you succeed or gain recognition boils the juices of bitterness that brew beneath the surface of niceties.
It might be your personality, beliefs or confidence that sets them off. While cordial on the outside, condemnation and resentfulness cannot escape their thought life. Life for them would be better if you would just somehow disappear and go away.
Have you ever felt hated? Have you ever sensed comments were disingenuous? Have you ever felt punished for caring? Rejected for taking a stand? Have you ever felt misunderstood or hunted? You aren’t alone.
Now hear this. Not everyone likes you, and some people even hate you. Truth is, you just rub some people the wrong way. Are their feelings justified? No. Is it going to change the circumstances? I doubt it.
Jesus called it persecution. He learned to live with it. As Christians, we are called to join Him in His suffering. If you take a stand for what is right, then some people are going to think you are wrong. And some will even hate you for it.
There has been a lot of Baptist bashing in the media lately. When you take a stand for family values and call sin what it is, then there is a great possibility things are going to start heating up. The key is to return evil with good. Being hated is not a license to sin. Jesus was hated by many. Yet, He only granted us the right to hate sin, not the sinner.
Sharing the love of Christ, while being hated, is a tall order. I hate to be the one to tell you, but as Christians, our only option is love.
November 30th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
I was so touched by this post. Most people don’t understand that we are being hated like this, or that they(we) are being hateful. For some it is a hard thing to grasp-love- why else would it be so hard to find people willing to give it.
Christ was the ultimate example of love and we as Christians should remember that instead of allowing bitterness settle in and turn to hatered.
Thanks for the great prosepctive!