It is easy to point my finger at the hate-filled white cop who killed an innocent black man. What is not easy, is to look within myself for hatred. Hatred is like that. Everyone can see your hatred but you.

Do not take revenge my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” says the Lord. Romans 12:19

There is an old story about a hater named Jonah. For whatever reason, he hated people from Nineveh. We are not told why, but we are told they were evil. I’m sure they must have wronged Jonah or his family or his village. Jonah was told by God to go preach to them so they would turn to God. Jonah refused on the basis that they didn’t deserve the forgiveness and second chance that a loving God would offer them. We are all very familiar with what happens next. Jonah ends up inside a big fish then barfed up on a beach.

I find it interesting that the Lord gives both the people of Nineveh and Jonah a second chance. This is a story of forgiveness for both the hater and the hated. He is the God of second chances. If only we, as Christians, can learn to give second chances to those we have learned to hate.

Jonah went to the city of Nineveh and preached to them to turn to God and they did, saving them from certain destruction. However, Jonah was not happy with this conversion of his enemies. He became angry and complained to the Lord that he knew that this would happen because God is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding with love. He asked the Lord to take his life rather than to accept this redemption of the people of Nineveh. This is where we can plainly see the problem was more with Jonah than with the evil Ninevites. This prophet that God used to bring the city of Nineveh back to him was eaten up with hate and anger.

His source of hatred was unforgiveness. Hatred can be passed down from generation to generation. Hatred will always find a target. And most often that target is the innocent.  And for Jonah, it was the people of Nineveh. For people in our world today, it may be conservative Republicans, liberal Democrats, Pelosi, Trump, bosses, employees, men, women, blacks, whites or hispanics.  Hate is ugly. I know someone who suffered at the hands of several men throughout her life. Now, deep in her heart, she carries the stench of hatred for all men. She tries to cover it up. But it often lets loose on an innocent male target.  Sadly, it has changed her and made her bitter. Hatred can’t be controlled.  It controls you.  Like cancer, it eats you from the inside out. And like cancer, it is a slow, suffering death. 

First, we have to see the hatred in ourselves. That is the hardest part! Everyone around us can see it but us. Ask God to shine a light on it. He will reveal it to you. How do we get rid of it? Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice. Forgiveness doesn’t excuse the wrong that was committed against us. Forgiveness frees us from the chain on our own hearts. The good news is that there is a cure for unforgiveness. I have found that it takes time. The book I have turned to to help me deal with unforgiveness is Forgiveness…the Ultimate Miracle by Paul J. Meyer.  He does a wonderful job of shining a light on how to get out of the grip of hatred. 

Lord, we need your forgiveness. Please lead us to find the unforgiveness in ourselves and turn it over to you.