I don’t usually interact in debates on this site. Occasionally I will leave a few words, but I simply read the varying opinions on many subjects. This thread looks like a good place to hopefully leave a few words that won’t get misunderstood. I wrote them a while back as I thought about the brokenness I see in so many families;
I call it “Learning Not to Hate”
Our hearts are changed when we continually seek God's face for His forgiveness and wisdom. First, we learn to forgive the hypocrites, the liars, the thieves who have wronged us, and sometimes, even ourselves. Then, we can learn to see them differently and slowly learn to "Not hate" them anymore.
Our hearts are changed so that we may speak in a manner that offers them a way out, that gives them hope. All the liars and thieves are on a road that only leads to destruction. They are deep in the ruts of sin and seem oblivious to any alternative. They've grown numb from and to their sin, and their conscience is seared- remorse or sympathy for their victims is long gone, even for families.
Their hearts have slowly grown cold, and they have little hope or desire for a different life. Our words alone cannot penetrate the wall of guilt that surrounds their soul. Only the power of God's love and forgiveness can reach down and soften their stony heart, and He uses sinners such as ourselves to offer a glimpse of how they, too, can have a new awareness.
Self is all that matters; they can ignore and lie well enough to fool all but their mother and God. Forgiveness is hard, but it can be the mirror that allows our enemies to see the truth.
We can only share the peace of God if we first have made peace with God, and the forgiveness we offer must be genuine. Real hope begins as a thread and differs from what the world offers because our lifeline comes from God, with the strength to save any sinner who grabs it.
Let us embrace this gift of a clean conscience that God's forgiveness has promised so that we may offer the same to those with no hope and see the darkness in their souls changed to light as God reveals His love to them.
