Daily Devotional
How Much Does A Cup Of Hatred Cost
Text: 2 Samuel 13:15
“Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.”
Message
Have you found yourself involved in hate as a giver, avenger or the victim?
No, you said.
But hate is a subtle behaviour. Those who hate you avoid eye contact, their body language is closed off, they consistently interrupt you, they’re overly critical of you, they’re excessively courteous, they avoid you, they mock you subtly and never initiate contact among others.
Hatred or hate in the words of the famous Reber, A.S., & Reber, E. (2002), The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology, New York: Penguin Books, “is an intense negative emotional response towards certain people, things, or ideas, usually related to opposition or revulsion toward something.”
“Hatred is often associated with intense feelings of anger, contempt, and disgust.”
Hate is a feeling of intense hostility and aversion, usually deriving from fear, anger, or a sense of injury.
To hate, therefore, is to feel intense dislike for somebody or something. It is extreme dislike or disgust, antipathy, or loathing, which, in our context, is towards somebody.
Hatred is sometimes seen as the opposite of love.
Hate starts from negative assumptions, images, and beliefs about a certain group. These negative assumptions are called stereotypes.
God tells us in Scripture that hate is a heart issue and that someone who hates a brother is a murderer! (1 John 3:15) We are encouraged to love one another, keep short records of wrongs, and forgive others, not harbouring bitterness or anger in our hearts.
What does the Bible say about those who hate us?
Luke 6:27-28 New King James Version (NKJV)
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
Bible commanded, “’Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself’” (Leviticus 19:18).
Professor Gbile Akanni wrote, “I never knew it was that costly. I wanted to know the cost of HATRED, so I decided to branch to a shop where it’s being sold.
As a good businessman who was looking for a buyer, the salesman rushed out to ask what I wanted.
I told him I wanted just a cup of hatred, and then he smiled and asked if I could afford it.
‘How much does a cup cost?’ I asked?! Hmmmmm! He took in a deep breath, then started:
1. It will first of all take away your inner peace.
2. It will cost you incurable worries.
3. It will eat up your heart.
4. You will be deeply bitter whenever you set your eyes on the person you hate.
5. When others are celebrating him or her, you will always be looking for why he or she doesn’t deserve it.
6. You will become so weak and tired of seeing the person.
7. Whenever he or she laughs, you will cry.
8. While others are busy planning their future, you will be busy looking for how to pull him or her down.
9. The Spirit of God will leave you, and you will become the temple of devils where demons reside.
10. You will begin to have different health issues like High Blood Pressure, Diabetics, Stroke, Cancer, Liver Disease, Kidney Disease, etc, as long as you drink from the cup of Hatred, Bitterness, Grudge, Unforgiveness, Malice, Anger, Jealousy, Envy, Resentment.
11. Worse still, prayers or drugs can not help much because you have disobeyed the natural and supernatural laws.
12. You will die.
The seller was still counting what a cup of hatred would cost me when I shunned him, realizing how EXPENSIVE hatred is.
I left because I knew deep down I could not afford it.
I refuse to pay such a huge amount when I can LOVE so easily and cheaply.
Brethren, don’t allow anybody to take away your joy and sell or give you hatred.
Avoid gossip, bitterness, anger, etc. because a lot of times, it is what you hear about somebody that breeds hatred.
Don’t die.
The person you are busy planning his downfall and/ or celebrating his perceived misfortune because of hatred has since reconciled with success and moved on with prosperity.
Stay safe and stop HATE.”