When growing up, I can recall my mother saying “don’t say you hate someone, that is a strong word, hate”. Though I have had plenty of selfish moments in my life to where “hate” didn’t seem strong enough on how I was feeling. Over time I have seen what hate has done to friends, family, and my communities, not to mention the world through-out our history of existence.
It’s been said that we need to understand our history, or we are doomed to repeat it. I’m not entirely sure we are getting that.
Proverbs 15:4 says “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve watched my Twitter feed blow up with bashing sessions of ignorant hate, judgement, and sarcasm. I understand that some think that sarcasm is a spiritual gift… though sometimes funny, it can wear me out after a while. You?
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.”
I’m just enough of an idealist that I have dreams and hopes of us fighting for a peaceful existence to where we build each other up and cease the need to celebrate when we do see others fall. Loving our neighbor as ourselves wasn’t just a suggestion.
My friend Pete has another kind of post of the power of a tweet HERE. This is along the lines of thought here though. Be it a misunderstanding or straight up mistake, when words are carelessly used, the damage can alter the future our our own personal histories.
I want to believe that Love > Hate.
Chad Jarnagin
Stephanie
March 22, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Ouch, and thank you for saying this. This is unfortunately true more than not. This is a lot to process.
Nathalie
March 22, 2011 at 12:17 pm
I agree Chad. I’m over it. And although I’m not on the twitter scene {as of yet}…God has caught my attention on several occasions as to my words…mostly in my own home. Life or Death… Thats powerful stuff.
Stephanie
March 22, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Oh Nathalie. That is so true. It starts with my children and my husband.
Chad Jarnagin
March 22, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I’m grateful for positive feedback considering I’ve had some hate mail over the past few days. :)
Thanks ladies.
Stephen Collins
March 22, 2011 at 4:06 pm
I’m not sure what brought this post on, but it seems to be good timing. I appreciate your good intentions, and honestly I may agree with where you are coming from. However, I believe that many people take taking a stand while calling something out as “hate”. That’s not that case most times. One can express their opinion with gusto and it may need to be said.
Whatever the case may be, this is good to discuss.
Whit
March 22, 2011 at 4:58 pm
You’ve had hate mail? Seriously??
Chad Jarnagin
March 22, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Thanks for chiming in Stephen. I see what you’re saying. No one will listen to each other if it’s not done in love. True gentle candor… love.
Whit, yes. Crazy, right?
alece
March 28, 2011 at 7:46 pm
i get so nauseated by the angry bitterness and hatred that seems to blow up in my twitter feed… but at the same time feel challenged in all the small ways i don’t respond to people or situations out of love. hatred doesn’t have to be overt and obnoxious. it is merely a lack of love. a few years ago i felt convicted by 2 Sam. 13:22 — “Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.” even though he never said a negative word about him, there was hatred in his heart toward his brother. i know there is far more in me than i’d like to admit…
Chad Jarnagin
March 29, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Thanks for this Alece. I’m with you…
Maybe seeing hatred is a sacrifice for others to learn from… Hatred in essence is a lack of love and understanding, & yes, maybe even ignorance?