It's easier for me to identify the things I love than it is the things I hate. I was always told when I was growing up (and I think in ways it was probably good advice) that you're not suppose to hate...but I don't care what you say, I hate pimento cheese. Jesus said I'm not even worthy to follow Him if I don't "hate" my family (Luke 14:25). God said He hated Esau (Romans 9:13). Obviously there's no sin involved in these holy acts...is there? The phrase "love the sinner...hate the sin" is another phrase that pops into my mind and confuses it. How do I separate the action from the actor? Should I love a 9/11 terrorist and only feel hatred for what he did on that day? On the other hand, it would seem only right to hate sin...especially my own. So what gives with this little word?
Well, I think it's obvious that "hate" plays an important role in our spiritual lives. It's something we don't like to think about but need to do. To deny one thing and embrace the other...to reject something in order to give more attention to another. Every time we say "yes" to something we naturally say "no" to something else. What do you hate? Who do you hate? I want to take our time to think about this unusual word that I think sometimes is misunderstood and often misapplied. Share your thoughts today on what comes to mind when you think about the little four-letter word - "hate".