As we move closer to celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, let’s consider four of his quotes on love and ha:
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” –Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, Dec. 10, 1964
“Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.”
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars… Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
Gen. 37 demonstrates the anatomy of hate in the family of Israel, formerly Jacob. Joseph, 17, pastured the flock with his brothers and brought back a bad report about them. Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons. As a result, his brothers hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms (Gen. 37:1-4). The root cause of hate is fathers showing favoritism toward one child at the expense of the other siblings instead of unconditional love.
Joseph told a dream to his brothers about sheaves standing erect (administering justice in position of authority) and his brother’s sheaves bowing down (showing submission). His brothers asked if he was going to reign and rule over them. They hated him even more and Joseph’s father rebuked him. His brothers were jealous but Israel kept the saying in mind (Gen. 37:5-11). Sharing words that place you in a superior or ruling position over another stirs resentment.
The brothers pastured their father’s flock in Shechem and Joseph was sent to look for them. Israel asked him to seek the welfare of his brothers and flock and bring word back to him. They saw him from a distance and before he came close, Joseph’s brothers plotted to put him to death (Gen. 37:12-18). Merely seeing a person provokes hate in one’s heart leading to plots of violence.
Joseph was thrown into the pit, Midianite traders lifted him out of it and was sold to Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. They brought him into Egypt (Gen. 37:19-28). Hate isolates and takes advantage of people for personal gain.
Reuben returned to the pit and tore his garments when he saw Joseph gone. His brothers dipped his varicolored tunic in blood and Israel concluded that an animal tore him to pieces. Jacob mourned and wept for Joseph while refusing to be comforted by his others sons and daughters. Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguard (Gen. 37:29-36). Hate causes deception and the devaluation of others, the total opposite of love.
Anatomy of Hate is Described As Follows:
1. The root cause of hate is fathers showing favoritism toward one child at the expense of the other siblings instead of unconditional love.
2. Sharing words that place you in a superior or ruling position over another stirs resentment.
3. Merely seeing a person provokes hate in one’s heart leading to plots of violence.
4. Hate isolates and takes advantage of people for personal gain.
5. Hate causes deception and the devaluation of others, the total opposite of love.
To defeat hate, claim I John 4:17-19 to be filled with God’s unconditional love.
