As I was reading this morning in Proverbs, I stumbled across this verse and just couldn't get it out of my mind:
"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions." [Prov. 10:12]
As I read that verse, two thoughts came to mind immediately. First, Rob Bell's controversial book "Love Wins." While I disagree with the proposal that all people will be won to God and that no one will end up in hell, as the saying goes, "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while." Rob has recognized that love is very powerful. For many people, loving them where they are goes a long way to breaking down barriers between them and others. We could learn a lesson from that, especially those who make grand, potentially hurtful statements without thinking about the consequences of their remarks.
The second thought I had, though, was something Jesus said in Matthew 5:
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Jesus' words indicate that my first thought is a correct one: we must love people, especially those we are expected to love. BUT, He is also communicating to us that we must love our enemies. So, what are the implications of this? Why is Jesus' statement relevant to my reading in Proverbs?
God is gracious in general ways to all of His creation, whether they respond to Him in love and gratitude or not. So, we love all people graciously, whether we agree with them or not, whether they reciprocate that graciousness or not. As Christians, that is our job, as strange as that might appear to others, because we are the people of God, we are aliens and strangers in this world, we are uniquely set apart for God's purposes.
That means we especially love our enemies, those who persecute us, those that we really disagree with. Like the Good Samaritan, we stop by the side of the road to pick up the injured soul and care for them far beyond what is commonly expected. I think there are many people who would do just that, in person. But online, in the easily anonymous world of social media, how many of us have written things that are equivalent to, not just ignoring an injured person, but stomping on their wounds and taking the rest of their money? I would hazard a guess that we're all guilty of that, especially with those we (sometimes very strongly) disagree with.
You see, Jesus set the bar. In spite of being perfectly innocent, He did not argue His case. In the face of radical injustice, Jesus was silent. Isaiah paints the picture this way: "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed...He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth."
If you are a follower of Jesus, think of your own conversion. Was it Jesus' condemnation of you and your sin that won you over? Or was it His sacrificial love for you in spite of your junk? Our family, friends, and yes, even our enemies, are more likely won to Christ by our love for them than our condemnation. They are more likely to hear and believe the truth of our words when they feel the weight of our love behind them.
"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions." Will you stir up strife today? Or will you love others?
After all, where would you be if Jesus hadn't loved you?
