Life is too short to
waste time hating anyone.
Part III
Let me revisit this again.
This morning I was hit with the reality that indeed LIFE IS
TOO SHORT… I found out that a young girl I have known for years, who I had in
pre-marital counseling, I had performed her wedding, I was part of the baby
dedication for her son, stood by her when the grandfather who raised her died,
then the dear grandmother who raised her like a mother died, I had talked with
numerous times in some very trying times of her young life…. Is dead.
Suddenly, without warning, she is gone. I dare not go into
the details of her death because I am not at privilege to do so. But let me say
this – she was a young woman, her life ended very shortly.
My heart is sad for her and for the family that is left
behind. My heart hurts for them as they try to make sense of it.
I was reminded in a real and harsh way that yes – LIFE IS
TOO SHORT.
This leads me to think on the second half – not wasting that
time hating anyone – and I pondered beyond
what we call “hating” someone. This deals with the Christian, the Follower of
Christ. We say we don’t “hate” anyone… but I would ask you (Christian) to think
on the fact that maybe, just maybe we do hate a lot of people…
When was the last time you shared Christ with someone? When
was the last time you shared His death, resurrection, love, grace and mercy
with someone? If you have not shared that with people, then let me ask you – Why do
you hate people? I know that right now
you are saying “But I don’t hate people!” Ok, but you’re ok with them dying and
spending eternity in hell. How badly do you have to hate someone that you would
be ok with them dying and spending eternity away from God? If you don’t hate
them then is it that you really don’t believe the gospel? I know that sounds
harsh but LIFE IS TOO SHORT.
Listen to what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 13-19
“…if there is no resurrection of the dead,
not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your
faith also is vain. Moreover
we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against
God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not
raised.
For if the dead are not raised, not even
Christ has been raised; and
if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your
sins. Then those also who
have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only,
we are of all men most to be pitied.”
If we are wrong, if Christ didn’t do what
the Bible said He did, then we who believe are to be pitied because it is all
worthless. BUT if we truly believe, and we know that Christ did what He said He
would do… then isn’t it incumbent upon us to make sure everyone knows?
You see, if we truly believe what we say we
believe it would be (as David Platt says it) the epidemy of hate not to tell
people. On the other side - the pinnacle of love would be to tell others what Christ
has done.
So the hypothesis that we must really hate
people if we don’t tell them is the only conclusion.
Was it not in the book of John that Jesus said
– “God, so loved the world…” If He had hated us He would never have
provided salvation through Christ. Even later in 2 Peter 3:9 it says – “ The
Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
If you ask me… that is love. If He hated us
He would not be patient with us, He wouldn’t care if we perished.
Let me go ahead answer your question. Yes, I had shared
Christ with this young woman many times. But I will also confess that sometimes
I too make excuses for my “hate.” I am going to try to love more, love so much
that I tell more people. I hope you will too – because….
Life is too short to
waste time hating anyone
