Today’s meditation was written by retired pastor Chris Brekke, a long-time friend of mine. He posts a thrice-weekly, wise and witty devotional reading on his website titled Seasoned Hope, which can be found at:
https://pcbrek2020.wordpress.com
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As I was pushing the cart out to my car at the grocery store, I stopped abruptly. My eyes got glued on to a unique license plate on the back of your typical SUV. The message on the license plate was not typical, but it was loud and clear. “I H8 PPL”. Huh. I sure hope it was in jest; meant to be snarky funny. Or would you take it seriously? “I hate people” is bold and negative. It is stronger than “I TOLER8 PPL”. It is the inverse of “I LUV PPL.”. I wondered what they are trying to accomplish with that message. Do they want others to join them in the H8? Do they want sympathy for the people-caused scars they carry? Maybe.
I do understand where such a sentiment could come from. People can indeed be hateful. As some late-night wiseacre said it: “Humans are not good people!” People can be idiots and bozos; can be mean and nasty; and can make life a cesspool of pain and woe. Alas, yes. I saw a sign in a store: “Dogs welcome. Humans tolerated.” Right. I saw a bumper sticker: “The more I know people the more I love my dog.” Right. Got it. No doubt it is true: those darn humans can be downright unlovable. [Not you, of course… I mean other people.]
Our Christian worldview certainly is clear that people are sinners. We wear no rose-colored glasses and pretend that we are all sweet and cuddly. Nope. Our Owners Manual has plenty of criticism for the human race; and it is well-deserved. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We people have proven, time and again, to be the cause of most of the world’s trouble. We are naturally and innately bad. (Some moderns prefer the word “broken”). We are self-centered troublemakers. (The traditional label in our Christian theology for this reality is “original sin.”) Even philosopher Immanuel Kant saw it clearly: “Out of the crooked timber of humanity nothing straight was ever made.” So true. People are majorly flawed.
But then…. what next? What are we to do about this messed up situation? The heavenly Father, giver of every life, sees our sins and failings clearly, yet He loves us. Despite our lies and mean actions and violence and cruel deeds, He loves us. He does not H8 PPLE. In fact, “God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16). He loved us to death; his own death on a cross. He does not pretend that we are sinless, or overlook our evil, or wink at our wrongs. He loves us and does not give up on us. He took drastic action at Calvary to rescue us. That’s the Gospel truth. “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15).
Those of us who are His apprentices also are committed to love, not hate. We seek good things for all. We try to love, even the low-life louse and the despicable dirt-bag. We are not to H8 PPL. We are trying to learn the Way of Jesus. “Love your neighbor”… “Love one another”…. “Love your enemies.” We have been taught, from of old, “Thou shalt not hate your brother in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17). Even if some guy at the grocery store does.
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I John 3:15 — Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
I John 4:20 — Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
Matthew 5:43-44 — (Jesus said), “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
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Rescue us from hatred, O God. Grant to us Your gracious Spirit, that we might join You in care and help for all people, even the difficult ones. May Your love grow and flow all across our troubled world. In the name and for the sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
–Pastor Chris Brekke
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