Hate

"Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that" (M.L. King, Jr.).

Every so often, my sense of justice gets ruffled. And just occasionally, the anger I experience because of the perceived injustice morphs into hate. It happens so seldom, so when it does, it disturbs me deeply. I must confess, I am dealing with a little bit of hate these days.

I teach anger management to high school students in an urban setting. It's a bit like trying to teach peace and reconciliation in Baghdad or Palestine, but I am usually pleasantly surprised with what my students take away from the course. Anger, as I teach in my classes, is a normal human emotion. Our anger senses what is right or wrong and motivates us to make things right. It's what we do with our anger, however, that causes us (and others) problems.

Rarely -- but it happens -- I can feel my anger slipping into something much more sinister. I can feel the impact it has on my spirit when I am no longer working for my neighbor's good and find myself instead hoping for some sort of twisted "justice" in which the other people "get what they deserve". Thank God, I don't get what I deserve.

And yet, it is when my heart gets twisted by anger and hatred that God shows me mercy and gently rebukes and reminds me that hatred towards another is no different than murder. The moment my heart hates, I am reminded that I am the one acting injustly. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil" (Romans 12:17). No matter the injustice, hatred is never a just response.

Love is.

I find that when I reach for empathy instead of condemnation, compassion begins to pour into those places that hate once held. Although the frustration with the circumstance may not change, people begin to make more sense and I find myself overcome with a strange peace.

To quote a man who gave his life for the cause of justice, I offer this: "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it" (M.L. King, Jr). No matter the injustice, we should "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8).

It's a better way to live.