Daily Devotional
An Irrational Hatred
February 22, 2012 - 5:00 amThis Devotional's Hebrew Word
“Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.”— Psalm 73:6–8
Have you ever felt like someone didn’t like you — maybe even hated you — for no particular reason? It’s puzzling, isn’t it? You wonder what you did to provoke a strong reaction, and if you can’t think of anything you did, it seems irrational. We Jews often find ourselves as the objects of such irrational hatred.
For example, at various points in history, Jews have been accused of being too poor or too wealthy; too politically domineering or too politically uninvolved. We’ve been accused of being too spiritual and too secular, unambitious and overly aggressive, too separated from others and too assimilated. Does that make sense? How can we be all those things?
Anti-Semitism, like other forms of racism, is a condition of the heart. It reflects a callous heart that has lost sensitivity to others. The writer of Psalm 73 says that “from their callous hearts comes iniquity” (v. 7). A hardened heart that has lost sensitivity to others is a breeding ground for evil.
In addition to a callous heart, anti-Semitism forms in a conceited mind. At the base of racism is the conceited belief that one person or group is better than another and “their evil imaginations have no limits” (Psalm 73:7). Rather than listening to the voice of reason, irrational thoughts prevail, driven by passionate hatred. For those who promote anti-Semitism, their hatred is simply hatred, without any reason or justification for it. This irrational racial hatred has often led to inconsistent accusations against the Jews — such as those above — because the accusations are not based on logic or merit, but hate.
Finally, the psalm writer says that those with callous hearts and conceited minds also have threatening lips, for “they scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression” (Psalm 73:8). Anti-Semitism, and other racial prejudice, often expresses itself in threats, intimidation, and oppression. Acts of terrorism against Jews and Jewish icons are an attempt to instill fear in the lives of Jews.
As the psalm writer concludes, when faced with unreasonable and unmerited prejudice, there is only one place to find hope and to remember, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you?”(vv. 23-25). We can have confidence that in God’s presence and guidance no matter what our circumstances or difficulties we face.
Each and every one of those words in Psalms reminds me of some of the very things that are going on right here in our own country. Some of the hatred I’ve seen spewed from the mouths of people I thought I knew has been shocking. Hateful comments coming from people deeply involved in the religious right. I am very close to one particular person who professes to be a Christian and has very firm views on the way our president is running (or not) the country. The slanderous words coming from him reflect his true nature. It takes a whole lot more than just “being saved” to do the Lords work. Monitoring what comes out of our thoughts and mouths can be Christlike and the best way to do this is searching the scriptures and take those teachings deep into our hearts so then maybe there will not be room for “hatred” toward anyone.
Dear Brother in Christ….for some reason, in reading what you have prepared for today, there is a particular sentence in your message:
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you?”(vv. 23-25). We can have confidence that in God’s presence and guidance no matter what our circumstances or difficulties we face.
Where, being a Gentile, I could see myself getting jealous, if it were not for the fact that God did include us Gentiles…and all that would come to Him, into His Plan. And I say that in a Spirit of Love, not ridicule. When I first came to Christ and after all the excitement of Him being my Savior and forgiving me of my sins….a how would you say…mountain top experience, where we get so excited in our flesh, had passed and we, meaning a Bible Study Group, got into the basics of searching and learning the scriptures, when I discovered that Jesus said go to the house of Israel:
(Mat 10:5) These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
(Mat 10:6) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
I was shocked, and my response was, “But Lord, what about us?” You know, I am glad God is the Loving God that He is. I think, unfortunately, that part of the reason the Jewish Nation is hated, or any other ugly word that could be named, is because God “has” called you the Apple of His Eye. You are loved and you are loved by someone who is GREATER then all of us. God has said that you are set-apart…and not you only…this I understand…but God called you guy’s first. And He did it because of His Promise to Abraham….God…how should I say…is a man of His Word.
) I am glad that He has “included” others…anyone who wishes to come…but I think the main point here is Jealousy. People fight and hate and do not even know “why” it is that they do it other then the fact it is the “norm” of they are just following after the crowd because it is what has been done for generations…on a bigger scale here…the enemy of our “souls” is Jealous. Not only is there a battle that rages on in the world as we know it but there is a “Spiritual” battle that rages on in the heavenlies….God is good, and someday all this unfounded hatred will be done….and Praise the Lord for when it is done! Me, I just do battle in my own little church where I live….just trying to teach what God would have us to learn…that Christ paid the price for us all….once, and for all….(one time and one time for everyone). Unfortunaetly not everyone recieves it. I thank you for your hoest share….for me, as an individual to get a more “indepth” perspective….and not just one from my own point of view. God Bless & Shalom 
) Love in Christ, Diane
Forgive me I was wrong. Sometimes we slander just because we are dumb and don’t know any I don’t hate without cause.