What do you do when someone consistently shows you hate? They would not admit it, but you know they must because they can’t ever say anything nice to you. They can’t celebrate your accomplishments in life like retiring early, getting to move back to one’s hometown and buying a house, and not one kind word spoken when you got remarried, finding love again, after years of being divorced.
They find it so difficult to be happy for you. Could it be because they aren’t? Is it jealousy? The weird thing is they seem to find others like them, and it’s as if they start a “HATE YOU” club, or something. They band together, pick you apart as if you were shredded meat being devoured. And the worst part is, if they decide they are right, then even if you were right, you become wrong, because they out number you. Hate, seems to be a sick kind of magnet that attracts others.
Jesus knew this too well. You see the religious rulers of his day hated him, because the people loved him. They were starting to believe in him and his message of love. The Jewish leaders knew they had to act fast and strike a death blow, or lose their status forever. They got a large number of people to believe them, and join their “hate club” against Jesus. Most likely the very people Jesus fed, prayed for, and healed. Yet, on the cross, close to death, Jesus had compassion on them and loved them. In fact he asked his Father to forgive them, for they know not what they do. He showed them love, in the face of hate.
This past weekend, I was sitting in a drive through. I looked in my rear view mirror, and saw one of my haters. My flesh rose up, evil thoughts came to mind. Anger, resentment. Then, love came on the scene and I decided to tell the person at the drive through window I would like to pay for the person’s order who was behind me. I’m not telling you this trying to make you think I am great, but to illustrate one simple way of showing love, in the face of hate, like Jesus did. Although, Jesus didn’t pay for their order, he paid for their life, with his.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 (NASB)
I overcame my flesh by repenting of hate in my heart, because I hate how I am treated. It hurts, doesn’t make any sense, but I cannot control them, or their choice on how to live. The only thing that matters is how Jesus sees me. One thing I try to keep in mind is they are living with hurts of their own they never gave to God, and asked him to heal. If you want to close down the “hate clubs” in your life then pray for them, and show love every chance you get.
Copyright © 2019 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.
If death somehow gave us truths we didn’t have or didn’t believe while living what would we do with it? Most, would probably want to come back to life to tell those they love and others what they now know. One thing is for sure, when a person dies, they know in an instant there is a God, and there is judgement for how they lived and best, or worst of all, that there is indeed a heaven, and a hell.
Perfection, is a difficult thing to achieve, for those who even try, but somehow, Jesus managed to pull it off. His accomplishment has always intrigued me. Many times I have wondered, If Jesus can do it, then why can’t I? I now have my answer.
Recently, a mother shared with me one of her two year old’s newest habit. She said, “Everywhere we go, he announces to anyone, ‘Look, this is my mother!’” I laughed as I pictured her adorable son smiling and making that bold declaration.
God, I worship you, and praise your name, because you are:
e him the news that she was dying of cancer. That year Bob’s neighborhood changed the path of their yearly parade, so every neighbor could wave to her as she watched from her living room window. He later asked her if there was one thing she has never done but always wanted to. She replied, “Toilet paper someone’s yard.” So one day at 4:30pm they did just that. When the police showed up and informed him it was a misdemeanor he told them, “I have diplomatic immunity and she will be dead next week.” Bob’s neighbor had heaven touch her just before she touched heaven.
There is this unbelievable feeling when you are in love with someone. You think about them all the time. You can’t wait to see, talk, or be with them again. There is nothing else that feels the same way. This is how I feel about my wife. Ok, I know some of you, who know us, will say, “Yeah, but you two have only been married 7 months!” This may be true, but you see I have purposed in my heart to never fall “out” of love with her. I have this desire to forever find another way, to make her feel loved.
“That’s just great! What am I going to do now? How am I going to get out of this?” Have you said something along this line in recent days? It seems like I have, a lot, or on several occasions. Some, when faced with problems or challenges don’t sleep much, while others, might get worried sick.
brady, mark a. 