Why Choose To Hate?

So God created human beings in His own image

In the image of God He created them

male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:27

Question: Given that we have been made in the image of God, why do we insist on hating someone else?  What is it about others that generates so much hatred and anger?  I have heard a number of answers (because they are crooks, because their ancestors may or may not have harmed my ancestors, because of their job, because they won't let me do whatever I want whenever I want even if it's illegal, etc.), yet the real underlying cause for pretty much all of us....because they are different from us.  That's the bottom line!  We hate because of our differences while ignoring our commonalities!

The Apostle Paul jumped right into this scrape by reminding the Galatians, "There is NO LONGER Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.  FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS!"(Galatians 3:28).  That pretty much takes the wind out of our hatred sails, doesn't it?  We are more alike than we are different!

As a matter of fact, just how alike are we?  Take a look at Isaiah 53:6 - "We ALL like sheep have gone astray; WE ALL have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him [Christ] the iniquity of US ALL."  You see, the thing we have in common is far greater than the differences in our complexion or hair color or ancestry or any other physical attribute!  Our commonality is that we are ALL equally guilty of sin!  As such, we are ALL equally going to die.  And guess what?  The grave holds saint and sinner alike until Jesus' return!

Imagine a world where we focused on such things as loving others as we love ourselves and treating others like we want to be treated.  Sound impossible?  It starts with one person....YOU! 

I Just Couldn't Help Myself

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. 
And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

 

How many times have we said, "I just couldn't help myself"?  I know I'm don't need to snack, but the pie was RIGHT THERE and (say it with me) "I just couldn't help myself."  Let's face it, if we didn't like sin then temptation would not be a problem.  However, sin feels good temporarily and it's fun temporarily, therefore we give in again and again.

 

Think about it this way, if every time you gave into temptation broke your pinky toe...it wouldn't take long to learn not to give in to temptation. But we are a stubborn species, are we not?  We are willing to endure consequence after consequence in order to have a few fleeting moments of pleasure.  Let me be blunt, how many marriages have failed because one spouse gave into temptation and for a few brief moments of pleasure destroyed the bonds of marriage?

 

But look at today's passage, there is NO temptation that is brand new!  There is NO temptation that has never been experienced before!  As the writer of Ecclesiastes points out, "there is nothing new under the sun."  AND God always has an exit strategy available to us!  So we lost any excuse we could offer! Sometimes that exit strategy is as simple as following the example of Joseph in Genesis 39 when he literally ran away from the temptation.

 

God helps us by taking away our excuses because He provides a way for us to resist.  Therefore, focus on Him and let the temptations of this world fade away!

Start Small

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

2 Peter 1:3 

How would you like to be able to live a life of excellence? One of our flaws is called impatience.  You see, we want all the good stuff NOW!  Not yesterday, not tomorrow, not an hour from now......we want it NOW!

Let me ask you a question: if you want to build muscles...does this happen with a single trip to the gym?  If you want to lose weight, does that happen after your first bite of vegetables?  If you wish to become proficient with firearms, does that happen the first time you pull the trigger?

You see, in order to live a life of excellence, we my use all that God has given us!  We have to begin our life of excellence by working on the small things.  The life of excellence is a culmination of excellence in all the smaller aspects of life!  Start with telling the truth; being courteous; forgiving; do what you know is the right thing to do....in so doing, you will begin to build the life of excellence.  

But it starts by showing excellence in the small things. 

KWITCHA GRYPIN

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.

Philippians 2:14-16 NLT

 

We all know someone (or sometimes a group of them, as they tend to flock together) who cannot say anything positive.  They spend their days complaining about everything.  Nothing seems to be able to meet their standard.  I have even asked a few of these complainers how they were able to find a spouse that met their standard of perfection, to which the response was given "they were the closest so I settled."  

 

Did you know that if you hear something enough times, you will begin to believe it too?  So be careful when dealing with chronic complainers or you may find yourself among their number.  Chronic complainers are like ticks in that they will suck the joy right out of you.

 

Why do we like to complain so much?  Could it be that we are simply naturally negative critters who find no joy in anything?  That can't be true....I find joy in lots of things and complaining isn't one of them.  Could it be that we feel superior when we point out the perceived deficiencies in the world around us?  Quite probably!  We do like to feel superior and if we can point out someone else's deficiencies then we have struck gold!

 

But what does GOD tell us to do?  Do EVERYTHING without arguing or complaining!  WOW!  Some folks are likely to explode from not being able to argue and complain.  So let me put it this way, WE example life for others (especially our children).  How do you think they will grow up if we give them the example of complaining and arguing all the time?

 

Just planting that seed for thought right there.  

OH (expletive)!

The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
Genesis 4:9

Have you ever had one of those moments where you thought "OH (expletive)!"?  Yeah, me too.  It's rather like looking out of the airplane window and seeing a skydiver with a sign reminding you that he used to be the pilot.  It's that moment of panic where your stomach churns and threatens to create other issues.

I believe Cain had one of those moments when, after he had killed his brother, God came to him and asked "Where is your brother?  Where is Abel?".  You can almost feel Cain's pucker get tighter!  Almost as puckered as Adam and Eve were when God came to visit with them and asked Adam why he was covering himself.  

I remember taking some cookies off the plate at my Gramma's house.  Grampa asked me if I had taken any of his cookies.  In my young mind, I was astounded that he could have any indication that I had done such a thing, so in all my quick-witted thoughts I told him, "No SIR!"  That's when I got the "Run for your life" look from my Grampa!  It wasn't until I became a parent that I understand how he knew it was me.  Something about the crumbs on my face and the chocolate chips stuck to my teeth, and a few more clues (he had seen me while pretending to nap in his recliner).  You see, Grampa really didn't HAVE to ask the question because he already knew the answer.

God is the same way, when He asks us a question, He already knows the answer.  So what are we to do with those moments when our stomachs drop?  Tell God the truth!  He already knows anyway.  It's better to tell the truth.....ALWAYS!

OUTSTANDING!!!

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 

 

Remember when you were the "new kid in class"?  You didn't know anyone and the LAST thing you wanted to do was be that one kid who was "different."  We like fitting in.  We like feeling as though we belong.  But sometimes we are tempted to change who we are just so we can "fit in."  And those changes are draining, fake, and will eventually crumble.

Think about this: if we, as Christians, were meant to "fit in" why would God instill within us a need, drive, desire to be different?  Why would the actions of the world bother us?  Why would we care about anyone else?

On the other hand, I have been part of (and worked for) churches who were far from welcoming to visitors or anyone new who joined the church.  As a matter of fact, Christians can be the most arrogant, self-centered, judgemental people ever!  Why?  Because we want to belong to the exclusive cliques and the only way to be exclusive is to exclude those who don't measure up to our standards.

What is God's standard for us?  To love each other in the same way He loves us!  THAT makes us different!  We love because God first loves us!  Ponder that for a moment.

I'm Supposed To Do WHAT?

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 

Is there ANYONE among us who has not done or said something so boneheaded that we wished we could disappear?  How many of us have blurted out something in a moment of anger that we wish we could take back?  How many of us have done something we wish we could undo?  If you have never made a blunder, then I'd truly like to shake your hand.

How many of us would you think are carrying some sort of grudge because of something that was said or done?  Here's a nugget of information: More people that will admit are carrying around a grudge because of something someone has done or said, and we have carried it for so long that we don't realize the way it slowly changes us into cynics.  That cynicism will seep into every aspect of life and can ruin relationships once held dear.

We sometimes choose to hang on to the anger and hurt rather than risk forgiving, because we want the person who caused our pain and anger to suffer!  WE want THEM to suffer!  Why?  Who made us their judge, jury and executioner?  And, if we are wanting them to suffer for what they did to us, doesn't that make us....just.....like....them?  You see, revenge is NOT forgiveness.  Revenge is not a prerequisite to forgiveness!  Revenge has no part in the forgiveness process.

I've said it before and I will say it again, "Forgiveness isn't true forgiveness unless it costs YOU something!  It will cost you the perceived right of revenge.  It will cost you the bruises of the pain caused to you.  It will cost you!"  Having said that, forgiveness does not mean we forget what has happened.  Forgiveness quite literally means: "To send away."  In truth, when we forgive, we are sending away the pain and anger.  When we forgive, we no longer hold their words or deeds against them (even if they never apologize), because we are sending the situation to God to deal with.

As a matter of fact, next time you are tempted to be unforgiving, as this question: "If that were me, how would I want to be treated?"  Let's be honest, we are ALL guilty and we ALL want to be forgiven, so if God forgives us because of Christ Jesus who are we to do any less?