I Have Been Marked as a Hater

I went to bed one night, a loving person but woke up a representative of hate. What happened you ask? It is time that we asked, isn’t it?

The teenage boy in my Sunday school class brought a newspaper photo into class.

The day before, there had been a gay pride parade in a nearby city. The photo was of one of the more colorful floats as it passed a group of scowling, shouting protesters holding signs proclaiming that God hates gays.

Pointing to the photo, the young man asked me, “I don’t get it. Which side are we on?”

Three years later, a tenth grade girl in my high school Sunday school class asked if we could chat privately.

“Mrs. Roeleveld, I’m worried that I’m not really a Christian.”

“What’s causing you to doubt?” I asked.

“I love all the wrong people at school and I don’t feel as though I can hate anybody.”

These teens were absorbing the deception Satan set off like a bug fogger on this generation. They actually believe that Christians are haters. That the world sets the best standard for love. And that we have to choose between truth and love, ergo those who dare to speak unpleasant truths are filled with hate.

And where are we?

Backing down. Retreating. Staying silent. Watching evil abscond with love. Inhaling some of the fumes from the getaway car. Knowing truth cannot be compromised, we assume love can be, so we turn it over to Satan without a fight. Making Christians who speak the most about love suspect.

We do not have to choose between truth and love. Jesus never did and His Spirit lives within us. Why have we believed this lie?

As my father gets older, he has more to say to those of us he loves. He feels the press of time. His conversations are urgent – full of what he feels is important to impart.

Jesus felt this on the night He was betrayed. More than this. He KNEW the time of His death was drawing near. So, in His last precious hours with His disciples, what is the theme of His conversation?

“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:33-35

He doesn’t say – All people will know you’re my disciples because you’ll turn out to be right.

He doesn’t say – All people will know you’re my disciples because you won’t compromise on what’s correct.

He does say – All people will know you’re my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Love is our shibboleth. Our password. Our uniform. Our code. So when we allowed it to be hijacked without pursuit, we messed up big time.

So now, the next generation believes they can’t be believers if they can’t find it within themselves to hate.

We must wage a recovery mission for love.

We should be hosting conferences and workshops on how to love. Our pulpits and airwaves should be blaring messages on the Scriptural instructions to love. Love discussions should fill our small groups and we should have weekly love check ins – how are you doing loving God? your neighbor? Your enemies? What creative ways have you found to express love to your coworkers? Your church family? Your unsaved loved ones.

We should scrap our To-Do lists and replace them with To-Love lists!

We should have love seminars. Christian artists, musicians, filmmakers, writers, and choreographers should collaborate on vehicles for the message of love. Love which is the greatest, hardest, least compromisable truth of all truths.

If they will know we are His disciples by our love and we let that be stolen and counterfeited, how will they see Him in us, and find Him, and open to His love for them?

Every generation has mission in furthering His kingdom.

Could ours be to recover love?

Thank you to everyone who has been sharing the love by sharing this blog! I write for God’s glory and to encourage believers. Do you know someone who might enjoy the blog? Share it and encourage them to subscribe! Send them this link I’m In,  about readers who belong at this blog. I love the community we’re creating here. How about you? Thank you, again.

I’ve Been Marked as a Hater http://t.co/5WIlHuWhC5 #recoverlove #amwriting #amwritingfaith #Godislove

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) April 15, 2015