A Word from Laura: Abide No Hatred

I tried to order the flag, but it sold out in less than a week from one of my favorite on-line sources. The Bitter Southerner began printing the t-shirts after editor Chuck Reese wrote about the events in 2017 in Charlottesville, concluding: “White faces have to look straight into the eyes of other white faces and say: I will not abide your hatred.” Reese was right, but there’s more.

In a life of faith, stopping at “no hatred” sets the bar dangerously low.

How did we get to the point that the absence of hatred will suffice? What’s wrong with us that we simply want no homophobia or violence or misogyny or racism or ableism? Has hateful behavior become that normal?

Jesus always went further than “no hatred.”

“Love God… love your neighbors,” Jesus would say. (He told stories that showed he meant all neighbors, especially those most difficult to love.) “Love one another,” Jesus told his disciples, and then he washed their dusty, smelly feet.

Jesus demonstrated the power of kindness. His kindness was more than the absence of hatred, more than being nice. Scripture would later come to describe his brand of kindness as a gift of the Spirit.

This summer, as our nation discusses voting rights, immigration, and racial justice in law enforcement, there’s a good chance hatred will manifest itself, potentially on different sides. As our church continues to discuss antiracism or work to the time when we’ll be together in both in-person and on-line worship, we have an opportunity to rediscover the power of kindness.

What if kindness could change the world? It’s a question from former PC(USA) moderator and member of the board of More Light Presbyterians Bruce Reyes-Chow in his recent book In Defense of Kindness. What if we could practice Jesus’s commandment so that our world moves beyond “no hatred” and even “being nice,” to a new way of living together?

I was persuaded when some of Western’s deacons encouraged me to develop a preaching series on kindness, along with a bible study we could engage together. This Sunday will be a preaching intro; the bible study will begin following worship next Sunday, June 13. Join us for some or all of it, and I hope you’ll find it meaningful enough that you’ll share it with a friend!