A time for Hate. A time for Unity

They say there is a time for all things.

“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

In the wake of the brutal killings in these last few days in Baton Rouge, Minnesota and now Dallas, there are many good reasons to feel angry.

Civil Rights activists and everyday citizens understandably took to the streets following the brutal shootings of the previous few nights to vent their anger and frustration with these and other too-common tragedies.

And then last night five people who have chosen to dedicate their lives to protecting the rest of us were brutally shot by a few rogue killers.

So now is a time for Hate.

We should feel hate for the Evil of this world. For the lie of Hate itself.

We should hate the very Evil that divides and inspires these murderous and heinous acts.

By choosing to Hate the hate itself, we can see that this Evil is the root of the violence.

And in that same moment, we can then choose to Love one another. To pray for the families, communities and victims of this hate.

We can see that, yes, today there is pain in Black communities. Today there is pain in White communities. Saying that doesn’t minimize one or the other, because we are in this together.

Today there is pain in American communities. In our hearts and homes as we pray for those officers and also the gentlemen that were killed in previous days. And even as we pray for the young children who are killed in Chicago each and every day. And those killed by terrorists and others all too often. We can even pray for those veterans who come home to pain and heartache and end their own lives in suicide. For the far too many who end up dead far too early.

This is a time for love for our aching hearts and for healing.

And the good thing about Love is that love begets love. It is a multiplier. It is like magic.

And through this choice — from hating hate itself, to loving one another — perhaps now is the time for Unity.

In a season of Red vs Blue and Us vs Them, perhaps we can honor the memories of these latest victims of the lie of Hate to choose something different. Maybe we can choose Unity, to love one another as Americans. All of us.

There is a season for every Purpose. As the Byrds put it:

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.

Perhaps now is a season for Unity.

By hating hate, loving one another and recognizing we are all in this together: Americans, Humans, people. Maybe we can find a way through to Peace. To Unity.