Do everything in love.

I Corinthians 16:14

Really?  Is this true?  As I look at my own life, from youth to now, I can see that I was encouraged to hate!  I should hate people who do us harm.  I should hate those who want to harm my nation.  Come to think of it, my culture encourages us to hate anything that would weaken our culture, if I am not mistaken.  Without even thinking of it, I found myself agreeing with this.

As I consider life now, I find that I love those who are like me and fear, if I may use that word, those who are “on the other side of the fence.”  Are there no limits to love?  Maybe I need to reconsider the word, love.  This world is evil, should I not hate that?  Am I not supposed to hate that which my neighbor hates?

I must look to Jesus for answers to this dilemma.  Was he loving the people he was driving from the Temple?  Or did Jesus hate them?  He, himself said, “Love your enemies.”  Even in his hate for the works of Satan his overriding virtue was love.  He loved people enough to alert them to the evils in our world.

What do you think?  Should not Jesus have said, “love some people and hate others?”  I think this is how I respond.

I heard my mother saying often, “Hate the sin but love the sinner.”  I find that helpful.  How about you?