The presence of hate is the absence of love.

I work at an after school program called The Wesley Connection. Each day at 3:30 we have circle time and we do some type of devotional with the kids. Today they had to draw a verse out of a cup and perform a skit based on the passage it came from. The one chosen for today was Matthew 5:43-48. It reads, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." 

After our wonderful actors and actresses did their best to act out loving their enemies, we discussed the passage. When asked what were some characteristics of enemies we may have, one boy answered, "My enemies hate me." Another boy shot up his hand and told about how his teacher once said that those who are mean at school probably have a hard time at home. He compared it to something he learned in science. Cold doesn't really exist. It's just the absence of heat. So maybe hatred doesn't really exist. It's just the absence of love. Those who are mean to him aren't being loved, and therefore don't know how to love others. To make something that is cold warmer, you add heat to it. So why do we try to destroy hatred in the world by adding more hate to it? Shouldn't we be loving those who hate us, so that they can experience love and love others in return? God looked at the sin in this world and combated it with the perfect example of Love, His Son Jesus Christ. Who is He calling you to love today? Share the love of Christ with someone who needs it.