This Means War: Choose to Refuse (To be a Hater)

Hate Spills
Venomous javelins
Like a volcano of destruction, decimating anything in it’s deliberate path.
Spewed to elevate belligerent divisives
And decimate differents.

Tainting rancid our own soil dark.
A country constructed and bloodied for freedom.

Did they think God wouldn’t look?
That somehow he would approve?
Or did they not care?

In a state with churches on every corner.
Did they harden their hearts as they marched near pillared sanctuaries with staring window eyes?
So bent in their hatred they could not think?
Ignoring the cross affixed to the facade.
The cross of a Savior who died for them and everyone in the square.
I know multitudes of these haters sit tall pious in their Sunday pews. Did they get so caught up in the passion of hate that they lost their minds? When did they became kin to the crowds who released the insurrectionary by shouting,“Barabbas!” and thus sealed the death fate of their very own Savior. (Matthew 27:21)

A lynch mob rolling blindly with the tide of mometary passion.

And yet we are all precious children in his sight.

Do they think God is a respecter of persons,

A regarder of color?

Are they blinded by a pasty picture of white man’s Jesus?
Forgetful of his true heritage.

He who would have been different.
Born to a despised people.
A Jew.

So we are called to wage our own war.
A war with darkness.
A war to show love and teach our children to love.
A war to spread kindness.
A war to be a light in the dimming world.

We must choose to refuse hatred for the haters.
The dark pull of animosity grips like a vise.
An easy pit of rancor to plunge into deep stuck.

We must swim against the incoming tide.
They vow more, more, more.
We clash bold in our calling to be light and love.

“Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
And as the news flashes loud—images burst violent into my own home,
And anxiety tries to upend me,
I remember clear his words of comfort.
“Though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”’ Psalm 27:3

“No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.” Psalm 33:16

“He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.” Psalm 46:9

And I am thankful for his calming peace.