Flooded by Hate. Anchored by Love.

Hate radicalized me once. It’s trying again.

As a young man, in a war half a world away, hate dug its hooks into my soul.

Friends killed. Men beheaded. Families torn apart. Hate was my teacher - and I its best student.

A few radicals sparked a fire in my heart against an entire people. I fanned the flames into a wildfire.

I spread hate’s gospel message wherever I could. And the world became more divided.

Hate birthed hate. Country against country. Religion against religion. Countryman against countryman.

I hated based on a message, an idea, of a small group of people.

It took me decades to learn to love again. But now, hate is back - knocking at my door.

It’s already captured friends, family, neighbors, and many of my fellow Americans.

My country continues to fund endless wars.

Women and children buried in Gaza’s streets.

Ukraine’s meat grinder fueled with fresh bodies.

Political assassinations - attempted and successful. Calls for more.

Justice for trafficked women - subverted by the powerful.

And hate has been working overtime this week.

I watched as a woman was stabbed and ignored. I witnessed a man assassinated in front of a watching world.

As blood poured out of their necks, hate flooded my country.

Death is celebrated. Words treated as violence.

Friend against friend. Family against family. Neighbor against neighbor.

All because we have a different idea of what freedom and flourishing looks like in this great country of ours.

We live in a house divided with no other home to go to.

We need our unique dreams of what our future looks like. We need our diverse ideas and beliefs on how to get there.

We need each other.

I don’t know what the future holds for my country after this week, but I refuse to let hate rule my heart again.

I will fight against the raging river of hate currently flooding our country.

I will not be swept over the cliffs into chaos and destruction.

I will choose conversation over anger. Curiosity over judgement. Assume best intentions over worst. Service over revenge.

I will let the love for my Creator and Savior drive the love of neighbor.

I will fight hate and surrender to love.

Hate radicalized me once. But now, I choose love - until my final breath.