Choosing to Hate

As a child in the 60’s, growing up during the “Cold War” I was taught to duck under my school desk in preparation for an atomic bomb whose launch by the Russians was imminent. I hated the Russians, never mind that I didn’t know a single one, but I knew one thing, they wanted us dead and if we were lucky enough to survive we were to be their slaves. I truly believed this and I wanted them dead before they could kill me.

We all have preconceived notions and prejudices that affect our everyday life. Some we learn from others, some we develop on our own through our daily experiences, still others are imbedded in our culture. As children we are often taught to fear or distrust things and people that are unfamiliar to ourselves. There’s a sense of discomfort we develop towards those “different” than us that is not necessarily there at our birth. If we as parents do not teach our children otherwise, they will “learn” what is not only wrong, but sinful.

Many people have heard the term, “good Samaritan,” but what is a Samaritan?

Samaritans are an ethnic group, part Jew and part gentile (non-Jew) a half-breed; because of this the Jews hated them.  While traveling near Samaria, Jews would usually travel a longer distance just to avoid Samaria. They neither spoke to nor had any dealings with Samaritans.

In John 4:3-42, Jesus stops in Samaria and has an exchange with a woman while sitting by a well while His disciples did some shopping.  The mere fact that Christ traveled through Samaria was “bad enough” but to actually stop and talk to a Samaritan woman, was, in the eyes of his Jewish disciples – profane.

Christ shows His love toward others, regardless of their God given or “self-imposed condition.” Shouldn’t we do the same? This woman had no say, what-so-ever to her being born a Samaritan, Yet Jesus, showed her love. She did have a say in the fact that she had had 5 husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband, yet, Jesus showed her love. Would that be your response or mine? Or are we more like that of His disciples, who upon seeing Him talking to her thought, “What do you want?” Never mind that she too was created in God’s image, never mind that their Master, had decided that she too had worth, never mind that they too deserved the same wrath from God that she did, but because of Christ they along with her now had hope.

Like the disciples it is easier for us to befriend those similar to ourselves, and in doing so show compassion and kindness towards them.  The disciples had no trouble associating with Judas; after all he was a fellow Jew. He was one of them, he was not the enemy – he was not – a Samaritan. But God does not call us to love Asians if you’re Asian, or Blacks if you’re Black, or homeless if you’re homeless or even homosexuals of you’re homosexual. No He was very clear, love your neighbor as yourself. He was then asked “who is my neighbor?” It is here that he tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Now remember, Jews and Samaritans share no love for one another.

So what now? Well first of all, I am sharing this primarily with those of us who claim to follow Christ. Many make that claim, but quite frankly the evidence is lacking even among evangelicals. I’m not talking about the occasional slip we all make, which is just evidence of the fact that we need Christ in the first place. I’m talking about those who dislike “Samaritans” for no other reason than they are different, whether by race, lifestyle, circumstances or status. Christ was compassionate with the woman in spite of the fact that she was committing adultery. He didn’t excuse the sin and confronted her about it, but not before recognizing her value as a child of God.

Because of this she was receptive of His remarks. Because of this, she went and brought others to meet Jesus. Because of this, many were saying, “. . . we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John4:42)

Who are the Samaritans in your life? Who are those you’d rather not deal with? Find them and love them, and in doing so they too may one day believe.

I’ll close with a quote from my friend and pastor Jeff Wheeler:

“Don’t tell me you’re a Christian unless your nature has been radically converted by Christ, don’t name the name of Christ if there hasn’t been radical transformation in your life. How can we say that we have the spirit of Christ working in us and our lives are no different than the worlds?"

"If you’re a believer you’ve been changed, by the power of Jesus Christ. So why are we living as though we haven’t been, if Christ is in you, your marriage ought to be different than the world, because of the power that is working in you.  Men you should be different husbands because of Christ. You should speak to your wife differently than the world does; you should love her in a different way than the world does. Parents your kids should be the most loved blessed kids on the planet because Christ is in you.”

I agree with Jeff, I want to live that way.