8/6/18
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only; only love can do that.” – Dr. Martin Luther King
There is a Darkness in our Fallen World that hates and divides those who were Created to Love. And this Darkness spreads through the very hate and division in which it lives. If I try to retaliate against the hate with my own hate, it only serves to Darken my spirit and soul, making me like that which I hate. My Girls, hate is hate, regardless of the flag it waves or cause it claims.
The reason we remember Dr. King is two-fold:
- He led a just cause in the Civil Rights Movement. The right of all people to live free is fundamental.
- He never disrespected his opposition. This is crucial. It’s okay to hate injustice but to hate the people who are unjust will not solve the problem, because the problem is not the people – it’s the Darkness within them. The people don’t need to be destroyed. They need The Light to replace the Darkness.
The reason we don’t remember many of Dr. King’s counterparts isn’t because they didn’t have a righteous cause or the wherewithal to persevere. No, it’s because of the words they chose, the tones they used, and the hate-filled actions they took. My girls, you can’t defeat hate with hate.
The main problem in America today isn’t the signs and symptoms of its Darkness (sin), and we have plenty of them. No, it’s the fact that I choose to see and hear the hate from both sides, and then I buy into the Fool’s Choice that I must pick a side. Unfortunately, once that happens, I close my heart to reason, start seeing those who think and act differently as enemies, and begin preparing for war – not against the Darkness but against those who are manipulated by the Darkness (just as I am), and all the while the Darkness laughs as we scurry around in our hatred with our flags of this cause or that injustice drenched in the blood of division.
My Girls, we’re Called to Love God and People (Matthew 22:34-40). Don’t ever see the hate around you and think you should become a part of it. Don’t return a bad word with a bad word, because it’ll only create more bad words. When you feel the effects of hate from someone, instead of returning that hate, show compassion, realizing that the person in front of you isn’t the enemy – it’s the Darkness, and the only way to defeat the Darkness is with The Light of God’s Love.
Challenge Question: Who needs The Light around you TODAY?
God’s Word: John 1:1-18, 3:16-21 & 14:5-7, 1st John 1:1-10, Luke 6:27-38, & Ephesians 6:10-20
Dad's Wisdom 