Curl 2 - Hate vs. Love

I have a question if you dont mind me asking... 

Do you believe that someone based on their affiliations/associations are "hating" maliciously and consciously or subconsciously? Feel free to leave your comments and responses below. Not to argue. I want to hear you.

In my humble opinion, many people I look up to don't have many intimate friends that don't look or act like them... does that make him a hater or just not intentional about his/her circle? Some people just haven't made time to be intentional. Some people are just afraid, annoyed or prefer to be alone. That's all okay really. Because that's what makes us unique. No 2 people are truly alike as much as we're all not that different.  

This season of 2020, I've been proud of some of my friends who have chosen to take into action the change necessary for a better future instead of sharing statements on social media to prove a stance. I'm loving the stories of strangers meeting in public places to talk and get to know one another who are  different from oneself. These issues are not statements to be made but a conversation to be had. Not everyone believes the sentiment of racial, political, religious and even this blog post. They all vary. Be intentional by listening more and hearing well. Paraphrase back to a person what they said- "What I hear you saying is...... " see how far you get with solutions instead of hanging on to issues. Be a solution. Not a problem. Obviously, people hate problems... stop being one.

To me, Hate is a heavy word that rquals committing murder in your heart. It's what I've learned all my life especially because of the gospel description of hate. Today, we call it canceling . Whatever mask you want to put on a word (as I feel, media uses emotional semantics to rile up responses) Cancel culture is not Kingdom culture! Unless we're canceling sin. Let's be real. We've all fallen short of the Glory of God with that one.

   

    I think generally people personally discern who they want in their lives over who they don't subconsciously. In the end, the results show up at our funeral based on who we valued and invested in. The ones we didn't just won't show.  All I know is I want my funeral to be colorful and full of variety like a box of chips from costco! John Maxwell once said that if you don't have at least 25 friends that are not like you, you're not living well.

    

  I know change doesn't happen over night. But how we speak about change can affect the process of change. Just like we do when sharing the gospel. 

 

Here's where I'm coming from:

As a 1st generation American, I never thought my parents hated people of other races, cultures, political affiliations. We just didn't have time in our lifestyle to always invite the world over. If you came over, we welcomes you in. Even Jehovah witnesses got a seat on our couch. In the best English my dad could explain, he shared the gospel with them.. PLOT TWIST! I think we were black listed since. My parents were unfamiliar with non - indians, they barely knew the english language well and would gravitate towards their own people with what little time they had in a week. So I grew up around Indians who specifically spoke Malayalam and were from various parts of a state called Kerala, India. I don't find that to be hateful. That's survival. Due to the amount of time they have in a day or week to mingle (the south indian pentecostal church) within the hustle they chose for themselves, with the lifestyle of saving and staying home, I think they missed out on great relationships they could've had. However, they reaped a crop that gave us the space, time and capacity to do more and be better with all cultures. 

  In reality, many of us hate ourselves and moreso people in our own homes. Shoot!, we barely love God the way He loved us. How can we force people to love anyone well. We can't give what we don't have. We're incapable of Christ level love. To be honest I don't know if I'd want love from someone who barely loves God. Love is a nice concept, but in reality, I hold that obligation for others loosely. They are people too. Life happens. 

We, as christians, do know how. We simply choose to unknow it because it requires MY"SELF" to change. Well, get used to change. Heck!, with the way 2020 is going, get used to different. 

Christianity is a faith. Faith without action is dead. It starts from the inside of our hearts.  Many of us are walking dead. To counteract this daily issue of the condition of my heart I like to recalibrate my "Love Guage" with these verses almost every week oreverytime I feel petty, hateful or straight up shady. Hubby calls me the Queen of Shade at times. Some of you know how I can be. HEY! No judgement. I'm in a process just like you. So here's what I do. I replace Love with my name and I quickly realize, reflect and reconcile with God where my love needs improvement. 

1 Corinthians 13:1‭, ‬4‭-‬10 ESV

 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

(My name) is patient and kind; (My name) does not envy or boast; (My name)is not arrogant or rude. (My name) does not insist on his/her own way;  (My name) is not irritable or resentful;  (My name) does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (My name) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  (My name) never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

Don't be someone who is partial. 

Be all in. Be love for others. Be eternal.