4 WriteStuff

We so often use the word hate casually, we miss the depth of that pit by normalizing the term. But true hate is evil, it is blinding: you can neither justify it nor reason with it.

When did hate become the standard (banner) behind which hearts align?

When did disrespect of others and their beliefs/opinions become acceptable?

When did kind words become so difficult to express to those who are different?

Are we so shallow that we can only like those who think like we think?

We turned away from filling our hearts with Jesus, with positive spiritual growth, with seeing others through His loving eyes, of walking with Him on an amazing journey and instead became spiritual couch potatoes and allowed the noise, the propaganda of this world to fill our hearts with hate. Politically, this is rampant on BOTH sides of the aisle. Spiritually, this has no place in our lives and hearts… The verse, “

It’s sad when you think about it: hate is a strong word. Doesn’t it usually look like putting your focus, your energy into 1) negative thoughts, actions and energy and 2) giving away power over your heart: your heart is held captive, it is often so focused on destroying that it cannot live, love, encourage and build. True hate is to put something or someone you dislike on the throne of your life and focus all your energies into feeding that beast. It is a fully treatable cancer of the soul, but we so often feed it instead of treat it.  

Sometimes there are people or things which we don’t love, but don’t hate: kindness is not so difficult, right? Can’t we disagree and still see good in others? But we let trivial differences fester and become hate.

I remember a study which spoke of how often God will use those you may not even like to bring truth into your life… I wanted to say, “no, no, no, God… please don’t do that!” But He did exactly that… the same week. It is those who see things from a different perspective who allow us to consider possibilities or problems we may have missed. And yes, I was thankful, for it allowed for a better end result.

Adding those extra dimensions can add color to our vision… think about it: seeing life as black and white is not correct in all circumstances. No. I’m not talking about black and white as in right and wrong, I’m talking about how different things look when you shine a light on a scene and see the color, dimensions and obstacles more clearly. A perfect example is when I was working around the ranch at night: I was trying to be quiet so as not to wake up guests and didn’t want to use my headlamp for the same reason. But when there is only that faint light and the darkness, well… there was this rock between the main dining room and the store… I knew it was there, but I kept bumping my shin (not so quietly) over that same obstacle. We can walk in the dark, without counsel, without light, by ourselves and hit that same rock over and over and over, or we can take another look when someone casts a different light on a situation we thought we already had dialed in.  

Not all counsel we receive is wise, nor is all counsel foolish. By the same token, you CAN’T always judge a book by its cover because sometimes the wise are too full of themselves to grasp the wisdom of God while a child can speak such profound truth. Sometimes painful truth, but there it is.

Have you heard it said, “do you kiss your mama with that same nasty mouth?”

Remember the threats to wash your mouth out with soap?

Would that it was so easy… it’s not our mouth that needs washing, it’s our heart… hateful speech comes from a hate-filled heart and no matter how hard we try, we can’t clean that that on our own.

One of the beautiful, yet painful aspects of the Bible is that it seems no matter what we study, there is a light that shines back on our own words, thoughts and actions to clean our hearts, purify our thoughts and to teach us to live that life which honors God… A couple nights ago I read a verse which was just such a light:
Psalm 85:8 

“I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints;

But let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.”

I will hear: understand, obey, discern, publish

He will speak peace: His peace: shalom, not the superficial peace of the world. Shalom peace is complete, whole, full peace of mind, body and situation.  What God speaks, comes to fruition.

But… His peace is not compatible with our folly.

There are many praying for our nation right now. Those of us who are praying through the Psalms are praying for God’s glory to again dwell in our land. But His glory does not dwell in darkness, in our folly and until we turn from our folly to His peace, glory will not dwell in the land.

This is the foundation for the rest of this verse which stirs my heart: such a beautiful picture of His forgiveness, redemption and love.

10 Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.

Mercy: hesed – goodness, kindness, faithfulness, mercy

Truth: emet – truth, firm, stability, faithfulness, divine instruction

“Met together:” pagas – meet, join

Righteousness: sedeq – justice, rightness, righteousness, what is right or just, God as covenant-keeping in redemption

Peace: shalom (*see shalom above)

Kissed: nasaq – to kiss, fasten up, also to equip with weapons.  

Mercy and eternal truth are joined together… righteousness: God, with whom we are in covenant and His perfect peace kissed… I found it fascinating this is also to equip with weapons. God’s righteousness and God’s peace equip us for the battles we face.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.

The word for “shall spring” also means grow…
This seems like a picture: truth grows out of the earth and God gazes upon it from heaven…

and

12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.

We do know that God does not abide evil, but delights in good. It is as though He sees our hearts turn back to truth – those seedlings taking root and growing – and He gives “what is good” to yield the increase. In the picture of a plant: rain, sun (son), nutrients, fertile soil, protection from insects, weeding out the invasive plants is what produces better crop yield.

 
13 Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway

Righteousness will “walk” “before Him” – panim – also faces (turns toward), presence, before and behind…

More Lit. translation:
“and shall set” (us): to put, place, set, appoint, make (us)

“in the way” – derek- a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:—along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).

“of His steps” – paam = time, a stroke, literally or figuratively (in various applications, as follow):—anvil, corner, foot(-step), going, (hundred-) fold, × now, (this) once, order, rank, step, thrice, (often-), second, this, two) time(-s), twice, wheel.

As a musician, paam brings to my mind the rhythm of our footsteps on a journey or a hike. The picture I see is righteousness sets us in a course of life, a mode of action, a journey where God’s timing, the rhythm of His footsteps

turns us towards God’s face. God’s face isn’t just before us, His presence surrounds us. We aren’t just walking in those precious footsteps, we are walking in His presence, in His timing, in His way. Note: “in the way” – Derek – also includes conversation… God’s voice is not hateful, it is sweet, loving, sometimes correcting Fatherly voice guiding us on our journey so that we are not injured.

Deeper Still:

1 Corinthians 1:2 0 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a [f]stumbling block and to the [g]Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Proverbs 3: 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall [b]direct your paths.

12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,

But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,

And the end of his talk is raving madness.

14 A fool also multiplies words.

No man knows what is to be;

Who can tell him what will be after him? Ecclesiastes 10

Proverbs 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.