Haters

I bump into various people or I come across people in my life that come to hate me for some reason or another or they just hate me on the spot! Maybe I didn't say what they wanted me to or maybe I didn't do what they wanted me to do. Maybe I looked wrong to them or I moved the wrong way. Maybe I wore the wrong clothes. Maybe I had a freckle in the wrong place! Who knows why people hate other people? It's most likely for a ridiculous reason...

The world says: If you come across someone who hates you, by all means, hate them back! Tear them down, break them down, beat them up, treat them like trash! Talk to them or ABOUT THEM like trash...Yeah! It'll make you feel better...just do it!
But what does the Bible say?

Luke chapter 6 paints a very clear picture of how we are to treat those who hate us.
The Bible says I am blessed when people hate me! I am blessed when they exclude me! I am blessed when they cast my name out as evil and all for the Son of man's sake! When people hate me (and if they ain't lovin, they hatin'...there are only two options), I am to REJOICE! I am to LEAP for joy for my reward will be great in heaven.

So, the more they hate me, the more I should rejoice and leap for joy. It's Kingdom Math (i.e. Jesus' Kingdom.) I don't know about you, but I LIKE rewards!

Now, I'm not saying go provoke someone to hate you and then leap for joy. That would be a dumb strategy. But if you go about your way and you know in your heart that you are doing what would please the Father, then you've got nothing to fear when someone comes against you, misunderstands you and hates you for no reason. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at my heart (1 Samuel 16:7). I can stand confidently on this fact when the haters write me off in just a glance or nod...or even just in their thoughts!

Rejoicing and leaping for joy are things that I should do when people hate me. But what should I do towards the ones who hate me? How should I act towards them?

Luke 6 further says to LOVE my enemies. Do GOOD to them who hate me! BLESS them that curse me and PRAY for them which despitefully use me. So, LOVE, DO GOOD, BLESS, and PRAY for my enemies? Wow!

This would probably freak a LOT of people out. I can hear it now. "But, Suzie stabbed me in the back and You want me to what? You want me to LOVE her? You want me to PRAY for her? My stab wound is oozing the very life out of me and I am to stand back, do nothing evil and return only love, blessings, and prayers? Wow."

Lots of people have a hard time doing this. I'm sure many have read this chapter in Luke and thought I can do that when the time comes. Sure, I'll love her, sure, I'll pray for her...But when it comes down to their actions or attitude towards the person (if they are able to come near the hater), they can't lift a helping hand or say a kind word. They refuse to say a prayer for the person. Most people want the hater to get hurt themselves!
It is evil to hope someone gets hurt just because they hurt you!

This is not the way Jesus told us to do it.

In the midst of being in pain from the wound of a hater, ask the Lord to give you the strength to LOVE, DO GOOD, BLESS and PRAY for the hater like HE would!
If you go to say a prayer for your hater and the prayer seems fake, KEEP PRAYING for the hater until the LOVE of GOD consumes your heart and you truly do WANT to see them flourishing in the blessings of our awesome God!

Another important thing to remember when dealing with your haters, is that you ain't no bed of roses yourself! It's so easy to get to thinking that I'm better than her or he's better than me when actually ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)! That lie you told yesterday is JUST AS EVIL as a person who punched someone out. Every day sinners point their fingers at other sinners and it gets pretty ridiculous. A HA! A SINNER! they say. Silly Sinner, it takes one to know one. It's like pointing in a mirror.
Don't like what you see? The only person you can change is YOU!

The following is a prayer that I have used and will continue to use for my haters. (If you know anything about the hater's life, ask the Lord to touch and bless that part of it! Praying for the hater should be based on whatever their needs might be...)

Thank you Lord for (Fill in Name Here). Bless them Lord! Help them in their time of need. Protect them wherever they go. Provide for them in a BIG way. Show them Your immense love for them in a way that touches their hearts. Bless their marriage, Lord. Bless their children, Bless their family. Bless them at their workplace. Bless them when they get up and when they go to bed. Help them to grow in the knowledge, wisdom and understanding of Who You are and Who they are in You. Thank you for this person who hates me, cause if they hadn't of hated me today, I wouldn't have known that they urgently needed prayer. I KNOW You don't want this one...this one that hates me...to perish! Thank you Jesus for Loving them sooooo much that you died for their sins and you conquered death so that they don't have to perish...so that you can have relationship with them personally-one on one! Thank you Lord for loving this hater!

Thank You Lord for Your provision. If someone hates me for any reason, bring them my way so I can pray for them! And give me the strength to deal with the hate...knowing every moment that You LOVE me immensely!
AMEN!

The more you start genuinely praying for your haters, the more you will walk in love and the less chance you have of hating back which equals OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD (Romans 12:21)! Don't you love Kingdom Math? :)