It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. An now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. 2 John 4-11 NIV
John’s letter is just as clear today as I’m sure it was to the church when he wrote it. If we claim to know God the Father and Jesus the Son, we must walk in love. For Jesus said, “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.” These are His commandments. If we have not love, we are not walking in love and cannot love others.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, over and over until we get it or my fingers stop working or my lips are sealed in death. IF WE DO NOT LOVE OURSELVES, WE CANNOT LOVE OTHERS!
If we do not recognize that hate is taught–planted in the hearts of people from an early age as demonstrated by those around them who say hateful and bigoted things about other people simply because they do not look like them, act like them, or worship like them. Here’s my question for all who think they have a “moral right” to tell other people anything: Who did you die for that we might have access to the kingdom of heaven?
I’m not saying we shouldn’t teach God’s Word–accurately and coherently–I’m saying none of us–imperfect beings that we are–can take a moral high ground if we don’t know love. There have been times in my life when I allowed my “emotions” to overrule logic and it brought disastrous results. We cannot allow our fickle-ever-changing emotions to dictate our lives and expect peace and harmony. It won’t work.
What will work–for every human being on the planet–is for us to take the time to seriously do some introspection into what makes us who we are. Are we so bound to tradition and feelings that we cannot accept truth about ourselves and no matter how many times we are proven wrong, we continue in the same path? We have to be honest with a critical assessment of our ability to love self–accept our shortcomings without blaming others for what we don’t have or can’t do. We have to acknowledge that our lives are the end result of what we have put into them. If we put nothing into a bank account, we cannot withdraw from it (legally). The same is true of our lives–whatever we want out of it–must align with what we’re willing to put into it. If we all we do is nurture hate–that seed that was planted before we were able to recognize it–then all we’ll get out of life is refutation and rejection.
Most people who honestly care about where they are in life have sat down and realistically assessed their lives and how they got there. I’ve heard of so many people who were taught to hate, come to a place in their lives where they realize hate never solves any problems and they changed. They began to love themselves, seeing themselves in another light–a beacon that could pave the way of success for others.
What we need–more than anything else in this world right now–is to learn to love self so we can love others. For when we love others, we only want the best for them and we work together to accomplish that end. Knowing that love trumps hate is not just a slogan or buzz words. Love truly conquers hate in every imaginable way. It may not happen over night, or in a month in the next two years, but we have to start somewhere. And now is the time.
Let’s work on promoting love, eradicating the hate that resides in the hearts of so many. If hate can be learned, then so can love and love is far more pleasant experience. When we see hate being promoted–we must stand firm and call it what it is–no using any euphemisms to disguise it–just call it what it is: hate, racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia and whatever else destructive attitudes and actions can be called–CALL IT OUT AND THOSE WHO PERPETUATE IT!
Since we only have this one planet that is considered fit for human habitation, we might as well learn to live together in harmony before we decimate the human race because of hate. Love is the answer and it has been from the beginning and forever will be.
I’m Mary M. Hall-Rayford and I approve this message and will be moving forward in my bid for president in 2020. I hope you join me in promoting love and not hate. http://www.facebook.com/YesIAm2020 browse and like my page.
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