If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen. 1John 4:20 (GNT)
If it were up to me, I probably would not have put this verse in the Bible. Fortunately, it wasn’t up to me.

In the movie “Peaceful Warrior”, Nick Nolte plays a character that is referred to as Socrates. Socrates is the enigmatic mentor of the main character, who is a college gymnast.. At some point, Socrates tells his pupil that “Those who are the hardest to love, need it the most.”

Sometimes I think that the above verse from 1st John and whoever wrote “Peaceful Warrior” had me in mind. This seems to apply to me and those I find I have a hard time loving as Christ did. Upon further review, when I have been at my hardest to love, is exactly when I needed God’s loving touch the most.

Now it was the governor’s custom at the (Passover) festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered. (Matthew 27:15-17, 21) NIV

This scripture is from a well-known story from the Bible. Jesus (the Messiah) has healed the sick, cast out demons, preached repentance and love for one another. He is brought before the Roman governor, accused by the high priest of blasphemy.
Jesus Barabbas meanwhile has been arrested for murder and insurrection (Luke 23).
The governor finds no guilt in Jesus the Messiah, but he doesn’t want more problems in his region. He gives the people a choice to free one of these people, the Messiah or the Murderer, thinking it is a pretty obvious choice.
However, the people demand that Barabbas be set free and the Messiah sentenced to death.
My first question is: how possibly could they have chosen Barabbas? Clearly they choose the wrong Jesus.
My next question is: What would we do? Surely we know better and cannot be fooled by the Barabbas’s… can we?
My final questions are: Are there times that I have made such a blatantly wrong choice? Have I ignored or denounced the way of the Messiah? Have I honored the way of the criminal or sinner? Have I ever chosen the wrong Jesus?

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then do we deal faithlessly and treacherously each against his brother, profaning the covenant of [God with] our fathers? (Malachi 2:10) AMPC
It doesn’t take much of an effort to see how our society is split by an us vs. them mentality. (Race against race; Republican against Democrat; rich against poor; Conservative against Liberal; religion against religion; nationality against nationality; neighbor against neighbor; I could go on and on).
Some of the worst of this is that much of the hatred, animosity, and treachery come from those who profess to be children of God. Yet have we not one Father?
It is not me that posed that question. The question is answered many times throughout scripture. It is quite succinctly put in Ephesians 4:6, “One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
I’m thinking that if I can keep that thought forefront in my heart and in my mind, I can avoid dealing faithlessly or treacherously because I certainly do not wish to profane the covenant with God.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 (NIV)
I think we have all been there at one time or another. We were simply minding our own business, or perhaps we were trying to do the right thing. In fact, we may have gone above and beyond whatever someone could have expected. It might even have been to our own detriment. Then we were turned on by those we were befriending.
God wants those that have done evil to turn from their wicked ways. So the Lord tells us to continue to do good; to bless those who curse us; and to pray for them that despitefully use us. If we continue to do right and they continue to do wrong, “burning coals” will be heaped on their heads. (v 20)
They better listen up. I don’t think anyone wants a fricasseed brain.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zechariah 7:9–10, ESV)

This message from the Prophet Zechariah seems pretty straight forward. This was not a new word from the Lord. Prophets before Zechariah gave the people the same message. People ignored it and turned their back on God’s wishes.

Once again the message did not take hold. Not only that but Jesus tells a crowd (specifically those that would be considered the religious people of that day), that they not only ignored this message, but also killed the prophets who brought it. (Matthew 23) As for Zechariah, he was: “…murdered between the temple and the altar.”

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Matthew 6:12

This verse comes from what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. When I first learned this prayer in Sunday school, I asked my father what it meant. He said that however we forgive somebody when they do us wrong is exactly how God will forgive us when we do wrong.
Yikes!
I definitely did not like that. In fact, for some time, whenever I had to recite the Lord’s Prayer, I didn’t say that verse. (As if that wouldn’t apply to me if I didn’t say it).

Eventually I would discover that apparently this verse is so important, that immediately after the prayer, are verses 14 and 15, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” NIV

Later, in Matthew 18, Jesus tells a parable illustrating exactly what this verse means.
In time, I stopped not speaking that verse out loud, because I realized that it didn’t really matter what I did or did not say, if God said it, it’s true.
I must admit, even today, whenever I say the Lord’s Prayer, my mind starts racing. Am I really ok here?
I reflect on how I forgive… and sometimes re-reflect on that.

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ ”
The priests answered, “No.”
Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”
Then Haggai said, “So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.” Haggai 2:11-14 (NIV)

Okay, this seems like some strange verses for us to apply to our time. In this passage, the exiled people of Judah have returned to Jerusalem and have attempted to rebuild the Temple which had been destroyed. However, the people are disappointed by what they have achieved.

As I understand what the prophet Haggai is saying to his people is basically: “If the people haven’t consecrated themselves to God, how can they expect to build a Temple befitting the glory of God.”
How does that apply to us?
If we as a people of God do not clean up our own act, how can we expect the rest of the world to do so? Can we really expect revival? Can we expect the world to turn to our God?
If our actions and our messages to the world are filled with hate, infidelity, corruption, greed, and the like, we are building an awful example of a Temple. It is true that we are imperfect and none of us is without sin. However, the Bible tells us that everyone will know us if we love one another (John 13:35). Love covers a multitude of sins (1Peter 4:8).
Not saying we should tolerate sin, but the first place to weed it out is in ourselves.

Zephaniah 3:11-12 On that day you will no longer need to be ashamed, for you will no
longer be rebels against me. I will remove all proud and arrogant people from
among you. There will be no more haughtiness on my holy mountain. Those who
are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the
LORD.
Zephaniah was an Old Testament prophet that spoke of God’s judgment on the earth and called
for people to repent before the great and terrible day of the Lord. The prophet places heavy
emphasis on the sin of pride.
We live in a time when pride is not just rampart; it is encouraged; and celebrated. We are told
to take pride in ourselves, pride in our work; pride in our beliefs; pride in what we deem are
strengths; pride in our weaknesses; and pride in our sins.
Don’t get me started with the pride in all the letters. LGBTQ, MARC, CERN, YMCA, KFC, NCAA,
AARP, and I can’t ignore an organization that identifies itself with three reoccurring letters and
has an affinity for white sheets. (Though, I must admit that I am especially fond of KFC, but I
digress). We are told to take pride in just about everything.
I can’t help but wonder, did the Proud Boys celebrate Pride Month?
Regardless, the Bible points out over and over the folly of pride. In no uncertain terms the Bible
says pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Psalm 16:18). Pretty sure
that hasn’t changed.