Verse of the Day - Psalm 97:10

Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
~ Psalm 97:10 (NIV)

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Have you ever thought about why Got hates the things He hates, and why He doesn't want His children to associate or participate in that stuff? Why is lying such a big deal to God? Why is it bad to steal? Why does God care what we do with our bodies sexually -- homosexuality, prostitution, adultery, etc.? What difference does it really make if I hate my neighbor, or my brother?

At the core of who God is is all things good and right. At the core of who the devil is is everything opposite of God, because the devil opposes God. Everything God is about, the devil wants to flip upside down in the mud. So God hates these things, because they are a direct slap in the face of His character. They disgust Him with their damaging effects and ability to turn people away from Him. They hurt His heart, because His kingdom is not built on slander, malice, sexual perversion, murder, lying and stealing (to name a few among countless evils); rather, it's built on the foundations of His pure and holy character -- the opposite of all that the devils holds dear -- love, peace, faithfulness, hope (to name a few). We can wonder how anyone would buy into the devil's bill of goods, since the contrast that he plays out every day in the lives of people is so stark compared to God. Or is it?

Sure, we see the evil of the crack dealers and gang bangers and go, Yeah, now that is a sharp contrast to Mother Teresa and Billy Graham. But what about the insidious evil that the devil weaves every day that doesn't contrast so strongly against the goodness of God? What about the little things that slip under the radar if we're not paying attention? The little white lies, or half-truths? The gossip that you only write in an email but don't speak out loud? The nagging buildup of resentment and hatred for someone else in your heart?

The reason God gives His people rules to follow is to show them what is character is about, and what it's definitely not about. He's not just trying to keep us from experiencing "life" (although experiencing evil is really experiencing death), or somehow wielding His authority like a bullwhip. It's just that He can't stomach evil -- it's like putting salt in a wound, or eating rotten food. Painful and disgusting.

So, if we say we are God's children by deciding that following Jesus is the only way, then God says to us, Okay, you are My witnesses of what I'm about. I need you to live in keeping with My character, because I just can't stand the evil. And there's a world out there who doesn't know Me -- how will they see Me and what I bring versus the vileness of the devil, if you don't show them the difference? You need to be My sharp contrast, shining the light of love and goodness to people who are blinded by the devil's darkness.

But a word of caution: Do you think a person who lives life according to the devil's rules is apt to run to God, if God's children are pious and self-righteous about their godliness? Do you think it's attractive at all for a person in the dark to want light from someone who says, You can look at my light from a distance, but I won't let your filthy hands actually touch my flashlight... ? Do you wonder why unbelievers flee from Bible-thumpers, who ram the do's and don'ts of God's word down their throats like a kidnapper puts a rag in their victim's mouth? Not a pretty picture, is it?

Living a righteous life is our calling as believers in Jesus Christ. But if we live it without love, we get the Pharisee Syndrome. Living God's character in the light of love gives us the Jesus Syndrome. That's what I want - the Jesus Syndrome. How about you?

Love,
Joelene