Hate
Isn’t it a terrible word?!?! I have probably heard the words “hate” and “hatred” used more in the last few months than I have in most of the rest of my life.
Sometimes it is used casually. We talk about things we hate: our weight, our hair, liver and onions, our job, Covid-19, and any number of other things which affect our lives.
More seriously, it might even be someone’s behavior or attitude that we think we hate.
However, there are other times we come in contact with hate or hatred and they are so recognizable that it is hard to miss. It could be something we feel, or something said or done by someone we know well. It might even be something we view on our phone, computer, or TV.
In trying to deal with this overload of negativity, I began to try to think about it from God’s perspective. Now, I know I can’t see things the way God can, but I can turn to His word and see what He has told us about the subject. I didn’t have to travel very far because our Tuesday Ladies’ Bible Class is studying Proverbs right now. The list of what God hates is right there in Proverbs 6.
Let’s briefly examine that list and then ask ourselves some questions. Proverbs 6:16 begins by letting us know that there are six things the Lord hates and seven are an abomination to Him. In our language, He is disgusted by them.
- Haughty eyes (or a haughty look) — This expression simply means having an arrogant attitude toward others. It’s the “I think I’m just a little better than you are because ________” attitude. You can simply fill in the blank. Think about how this attitude can cause resentment in the church and does nothing to welcome those with whom you come in contact.
- A lying tongue – Since Satan is called the “father of lies” (John 8:44) by Jesus Himself, it is not difficult to see why God hates lying. Lying causes confusion and mistrust in every kind of relationship in life. When a husband lies to his wife, she learns not to trust him. When children learn to lie their way out of trouble, they don’t learn to deal honestly with all people. Not only are our lives damaged when we lie, but the church is hurt by those who are not honest in speaking the truth.
- Hands that shed innocent blood – This phrase actually refers to violence that, for whatever reason, tends to cause more violence. In our culture we think about abortion because that is the shedding of the MOST innocent blood. However, any time the blood of any innocent person is shed, no matter their age, God hates it.
- A heart that devises wicked plans – This always makes me think of a person who has an agenda. In Psalm 36, David paints a picture of a godless man. In part he describes him this way, “He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good…” (Psalm 36:4). Today we might say, “He lies awake thinking of ways to hurt someone or something.” Since God wants our heart to be pure, can you see how very evil this would be in God’s eyes?
- Feet that make haste to run to evil — I believe this is tied to the previous thing that God hates. It seems to me that once the wicked plans are devised, the next step is to carry them out. I’m sad to say that I have known people who just couldn’t wait to get back at someone who had done wrong to them. There is an urgency that is most definitely misplaced. Shouldn’t we rather be running to do good?
- A false witness who breathes out lies — At the time this was written, it probably made reference to those witnesses who were called under the Old Testament law to determine if a man should be charged with a crime (Deuteronomy 19:15). Today it most definitely would also refer to those who gossip about a person or slander a person’s name. It is more than just a lying tongue. It is one who gives information about another without knowing its truthfulness, or deliberately lies about another person as easily as he/she exhales air.
And most of all, God hates-
- One who sews discord among brothers – I believe that this one ties the whole list together. When you examine the previous six, it seems quite clear that this would be the result of any or all of the others. The word “discord” is one that means strife, quarrel, or contention. Sadly, there is a great deal of discord in our world today, and some of it is spilling over into our congregations. If God hates discord, shouldn’t we???
Let’s end with those questions I alluded to at the beginning of this post, and let’s be sure we answer honestly.
- Do I see myself in any one of those things that God hates?
- Is there even a place where I am leaning in that direction?
- Could others look at my life and with assurance say God has nothing to hate in her life?
Once again, the writer of Proverbs sums it up very well.
“The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil…” (Proverbs 8:13).
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AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
