Driving Out Darkness

It's so tiring paying attention these days. The vitriol and hate, the erosion of norms and justice, the desire for others’ pain and suffering. I watch people saying awful slurs, wishing for violence and death, cheering on dictators, holding up fraud, deception, bribery, abuse, torture, and rape as virtues. They are angry and dangerous.

And they rile up anger in me. I want them to recognize the errors of their ways. I want them to stop. I want them to feel the consequences of their dangerous ideas. But I know that I must not give into anger. Anger turns into hate. I cannot give into the same emotional manipulation that causes people to dehumanize their fellow man. Hatred will not cause a change of heart. Hatred will not heal a broken country. You cannot fight darkness with darkness. You cannot fight hate with hate. Anger at injustice can motivate us to work for good, but hatred has no positive purpose.

We are all children of God. We are called to love our neighbors. These are the truths that transcend the current climate and personal struggles. God does not abandon us—He loves us and wants to be reconciled to us. To follow God means to love the hard to love, to desire reconciliation with those who push away or cause division. Love anyway. It’s a simple command, even if it’s not easy.

Loving does not mean condoning evil or staying silent when there is injustice. Both it does mean seeing a person, even a person filled with hate, as a child of God, worthy of compassion. No one is beyond saving and reconciliation. Love means wishing the good of the other, which is knowing God and God’s love. There are always evil ideologies trying to divide us. There is always anger and danger. It can only be overcome by belief that good wills out, that we are called to be better.

Agape love is radical. It is not conditional. It is not just. It is merciful. It is patient. It is the best of our abilities. “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) 

God wants us to love. Even when it's hard. Even when it's unearned and reciprocated. Don't give into the darkness.