A Brief Moment of Grace

From this morning's One Year Bible reading (New Living Translation - which is new to me):

“O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens. ⁷ From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.

⁸ “But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. ⁹ For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery.

- Ezra 9:6-9a

This really struck me this morning.  It's referring to Israel's behavior as a nation, but as individuals, we can't look at our own conduct, motives, words, and not acknowledge that "steeped in sin" pretty much covers it.  

However, God mercifully throws in a "But now" ... we are given a brief moment of grace.  He's brightened our eyes -- allowed us to see our need.  He's given us security -- the offer of deliverance from our sinful natures through Christ's sacrifice.  He hasn't abandoned us in our slavery.

A brief moment of grace ... a respite from the insanity of self-focus, and self-worship to hear Him calling. 

Hate

It seems that Facebook has taken a lot of the steam out of my blogging, but this morning I'm finding myself thinking about hate.

I've noticed in the last few weeks that somehow the meaning of this word has been radically re-defined.

Let's start with the dictionary definition:

hate

 [heyt] Show IPA verb, hat·ed, hat·ing, noun

verb (used with object)
 

1. to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest. 

(examples of usage: to hate the enemy; to hate bigotry.)
 

2. to be unwilling; dislike. (example of usage: I hate to do it.)

"Hate" is a nasty word.  And the actual presence of it is at the root of a great many of the world's evils.

So now ... though ... the definition has shifted, and it seems that the word is used more or less to mean "disagree with."  

So, if I take any position on any issue that implies that others are wrong.  Or worse yet, implies that I believe that others are DOING wrong, I'm "hating."

Sorry ... friends ... not only is that NOT "hate", but it cheapens the word.   
  

History has SHOWN us hate.  To lump someone who's expressing disagreement, or even condemnation, in the same camp with those who have committed genocide, is insane.  (so, yes, I suppose I'm "hating" there.  I seem prone to it, apparently).  

 When we use the word this way, we're implying that strong disagreement will automatically lead to animosity, or worse yet, violence.  But if people don't disagree, and don't discuss, then there is no refinement of ideas.  We never realize WHY people hold the positions they do, and we don't learn to know them as individuals, rather than stereotypes.

The fear of "hating" creates far more distance between people, than it would if we simply looked in one another's eyes and said, "I think you're wrong."