Love Not Hate

The word love is often casually tossed around and used in everything from describing our relationships with people, pets, food, things, places, money and situations. While there is nothing wrong with loving these things, God is concerned most about our brotherly love for others.

As we look around our world today, we observe from some, so much darkness and hatred towards our fellow man. Our fellow man in this case refers to those humans other than our family, our friends, our race, our ethnicity, our national origin, our class, our economic status, our political party, our lifestyle or our religion. Did I leave out any group?

Love is a Christian virtue that God commands us all to do. Love is from God and God is light. Hate is from darkness and darkness comes from Satan. Loving others is important to God. God’s first and greatest command is that we love Him with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind, Luke 10:27. God’s second most important command is to love your neighbor as you love yourself, Mark 12:31.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.” “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Scripture says, those who hate must open their eyes and turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, Acts 26:18. It also clearly points out that “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar.” “For whoever does not love their brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen,” 1 John 4:20.

Christ is the answer for all with hate in their hearts towards their fellow man. As Christians we are reminded that we are to love and not hate, even if they’re our enemies. So, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you,” Luke 6:27-28. And remember, “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs,” Proverbs 10:12.

Cover Picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr courtesy of College Christian Church