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UNDAUNTED
For a few very hard years this word was my mantra.
The word means
-undismayed; not discouraged; not forced to abandon purpose or effort
-undiminished in courage or valor; not giving way to fear
But the truth is, I was often dismayed by everything that had taken place, and I did battle discouragement. I battled fear and doubts. I hurt and was angry, and sometimes "undaunted" sounded more like a mockery than a mantra, and I was determined to be real about all of it in these posts, thus the name, Undaunted Reality. More than that, though, I was determined to live undaunted, not because I'm so great or strong, but because my God is, and no matter what this world looks like, He is the only reality that matters.
I pray I live the reality of Him beautifully undaunted.

Friday, August 18, 2017

My Pondering Place: What is Hate?

This morning while I was walking, I was thinking about the question:
Do you hate anyone?
 
With some of the situations people I listen to are in, it is a fair question, and I thought I knew the answer, but I didn't.
 
In my mind, hate meant I wanted someone tortured and treated cruelly and I wanted them to go to hell for eternity. You know, HATE.
 
Suddenly, in jarring clarity, I heard a Voice, not my own, say,
 
"Hate is when you don't love someone.
Hate is the absense of Love."
 
Think about that for a moment.
 
Let it sink in.
If love is working through an argument with someone, is the silence of staying angry or not trying to build the relationship...hate?
If speaking encouragement and life into our kids and responding to them with hugs and assuring pats on the back is love, is withholding kind words and a soft touch...hate?
 
If helping a tired spouse get the have to do list done is love, is ignoring their fatigue...hate?
 
If giving encouragement and prayer to our leaders is love, is withholding encouragement and prayers, even if we don't bash them...hate?
 
Maybe hate isn't a monstrous ferocious beast that carries a torch and screams or throws rocks or bombs. Maybe it is something far more subtle...like simply not being kind when we can, not being encouraging, not giving another car some room to get in when the lane is ending, not giving an appropriate tip at a restaurant, not taking a child's hurt feelings seriously, not listening to our spouse's day, not telling our leaders we appreciate them, not being a light in whatever way we can when teh world gets dark for someone.
 
If hate is the absence of love, then is not choosing to respond with love, even small acts of it, choosing to let hate have room to plant seeds and destroy our relationships, families, communities, and nations?
 
My pondering place today...
 
--Jerri L. Kelley--

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