Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Continuing to read through Proverbs is getting tiresome. I don’t know how many ways we can be told that good things come to those who are good, and bad to those who are bad. Perhaps there are so many ways, because different people hear things differently. One of the pithy statements may appeal to one person, while another may appeal to someone else. But to read through them all becomes a bit of a slog.
Having said that, here’s my take away from this morning’s reading. Hatred stirs up strife. I know that hatred is disruptive. I never feel better when hatred is around, whether it’s in me, someone I know or strangers. Hatred absolutely stirs up strife, and who needs strife?!
Love covers all offenses. That’s good, but tough. There are plenty of horrible things that have happened and are happening in the world. Love covers it all. The turmoil in Afghanistan? What is my love going to do there? Severe mental illness?
I don’t know how love will fix or cover all things, but I do know that hatred stirs up strife. So if hatred doesn’t work, what are we left with? Anger? Apathy? Resignation? Those don’t feel any better than hatred. Fear? Fatigue? All of these include some measure of strife, or at least leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Perhaps from the process of elimination, I’m left with love. Maybe I need to love because the price of everything else is too great, and the return too small.
Today, I’ll try to respond with love to all offenses, and see how that leaves me. I’m betting I’ll be a little strife-less.
No comments:
Post a Comment