Hating.

Sometimes I wonder if I have become apathetic, with my heart softened by the comfort that surrounds me.  I think that abandoning compassion and quenching the Holy Spirit is one of the worst things a Christian can do.  No, we can't do everything or help fight every wrong, but we can still do our part and hate it.  What do I mean?

"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil..."

Proverbs 8:13

Sometimes when I observe the wrongs of the world, I see a lot of things that aren't my problem.  I feel bad, but I don't hate it.  I tend to be optimistic and try to ignore the terrible things in life.  However, the other day I was convicted by this verse.  I desire to fear the Lord, so now I must be unafraid to hate.  You know, God hates; He hates sin and wickedness.  He hates a lying tongue and feet that rush to do evil.  Our God is a God of unexplainable love, that is why He hates.  What a paradigm! God hates those things that destroy humans's lives and draw them away from Him.  He loves us so much He wants what is best for us, and He hates what takes us away from the beautiful life He has planned.  God, as you teach me how to love others more, teach me to hate what makes them stumble.  Teach me to hate the world's cruelities.  Then I can truly love those around me, and fear you all the more in the process.

What I hate:

I hate that 27 million people around the world are enslaved.

I hate that there are thousands of unreached people groups that haven't heard the gospel message.

I hate that in Africa, child soldiers are drugged and brainwashed to kill.

I hate that addictions are destroying individuals and their families.

I hate that thousands of children are growing up in foster care without a family to call their own.

I hate that the Dalits are persecuted so terribly in India.

I hate that prostitution is so widespread in Thailand.

I hate that AIDS is causing the deaths of millions in Africa and across the world.

I hate that divorce affects so many families in America.

I hate that Americans battle obesity while children in other countries starve to death.

I hate that our luxuries like chocolate and coffee come from the hard work of unpaid slaves in Africa.

I hate that in some places, being a Christian just means following empty religious traditions, not actually having a relationship with God.

I hate that people die around the world because they don't have clean drinking water.

I hate that in so many children don't have a bright future because they can't get an education.

I hate that some people don't even have the Bible in their own language.

I hate that wickedness triumphs so often, but I trust that in the end, God will triumph over that evil.