People get cross ways with one another. Church division is among the ugliest forms as it is assumed the be the very place love would dominate. Yet, at times, such isn't the case. Friends, neighbors, and families get revved up over what to them is a most important issue. Words are tossed. Tempers flare. Blood pressure rises. Attitudes boil.
Occasionally parting of the ways is the only way to bring relief to either side. Separation sometimes is the best move. The unnecessary hatred developed from these strange incubators is both vicious and foolish . Hate grinds teeth and makes inward vows to never ever ever acknowledge anything good about the other....EVER!
By the grace of God and over time it seems hate loses its strength. Really it caves to the true nature of humanity: kindness and compassion and love. Those who choose to live in bitterness forevermore are simply wasting good energy. To fail to forgive anyone and to live in resentment toward them is like drinking poison and hoping the other guy dies. Hate is a momentary facade which will hopefully be replaced by our good senses.
Our country is fed a steady diet of assumed reasons to part ways: politically, theologically, and monetarily. Therefore, we must guard against this darkness which prowls around tempting each to live vindictive and silly lives of disliking others. Such childishness may be understood when arising in the terrain of grade school, but not in the lives of grown up, well-educated, intelligent adults.
Hate is a liar. It cannot hold up under the scrutiny of good hearts which choose to bless instead of curse. One thing we can all count on is we have a choice to see the good in others....and intend to keep doing so.
2 comments:
Terry
Thanks. I needed that. I have been tied up in just sucha painful experience. My blood pressure has been high... I've been ready to write folks off... right after giving them a piece of my mind. I had forgotten that the way of Jesus is to bless those who persecute.
Grace and Peace
Hate is so powerful...but I firmly believe that love is so much stronger.
Does seperation really solve the problem? I don't think so. But I understand what you are saying.
I think constant prayer in a situation like this is what God calls us to do. Love our neighbors as we love ourselves. My neighbor may hate me, but my job is to love them anyway. Move or don't move, grass in never greener in their yard...it's just different grass.
I've seen this over and over and I pray for chruches that endure such hardships in relationships.
I wonder what our father would say to us when we act like this.
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