But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.

1 John 2:11

As a child growing up, we were not allowed to us the word HATE when referring to anything we disliked and certainly refrained from using the "H" word when referring to a person. My Mom would say "hate is the opposite of love and we should try to love everyone around us as if they were Jesus." This explanation has always stuck with me, especially now that I have got children of my own. I find myself scolding my boys for the same reasons today.

There is no doubt that the last few years have been a challenge in our society: hate and blindness are a mainstream topic that seem to be around every corner. Even if this darkness has always been a part our lives, it is crucial that we replace it with the LIGHT of Jesus. When we see hate between one another, we are blind to the possibility of love.

Dear Jesus, help us to lead our lives in love. As we wander through dark paths, help us to see the light, YOUR LIGHT. Steer us from the hate we have within and help us to find love that exists in all of us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.