The word “hate” conjures up so many images. Just saying the word makes me think of anger and darkness. I can almost smell the fumes of brimstone and ash. Hatred is a very strong word. And we throw it around so carelessly.

“I hate lima beans.”

“I hate that reality show.”

“I hate her dress.”

“I hate my life.”

After some pondering and Scripture-searching, I’ve decided there are two sides to hatred. We need to stop using it nonchalantly. There is no place for the word “hate” when we are referring to a person. God calls us to love each other, even to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48 Read it in the Message – powerful stuff). Though the Psalms are rife with references to “hating our enemies,” the New Testament arrival of Jesus puts into perspective how much God loves all of us, no matter our political party affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation. I’m not where I need to be yet – but I’m facing the right direction. I desire to choose love over hate, every time.

But there is a place for hatred. We need to hate how we treat each other. We need to hate how we treat ourselves. We need to hate sin, all sin, the way God does. And sin means more than just what you don’t like.

Paul gives a great list of behavior and attitudes we should hate: “It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.” (Galatians 5:19-21 The Message)

So hate what deserves your hatred…and then choose to love.