Hatred.Is.Purity

I've been thinking about this statement since I first saw it tattooed on a man's neck. My first thought was "Why would anyone put a needle so close to a major artery without a medical team nearby?" Then I tried to think of all the reasons why someone would want to portray that statement to the world everyday... for the rest of his life. I promptly went on thinking about all the reasons he was wrong.

What happened, for me, was a journey into my past. My sarcasm didn't always have a funny overtone to it. It used to be for inflicting the pain I felt inside to the outside of another. I took risks that it would harm them internally. Just like this man taking risks with his arteries, I took risks that permanent damage would occur and possibly even death - physical or emotional. He wears his pain, as a tattoo, as a badge of honor. Me? I try to wipe the slate clean, but like a dry erase board that didn't quite pass inspection, sometimes it doesn't completely go away - it only fades.

I expected to write down all the reasons this man was wrong about hatred being purity. I thought it would only be the loving thing to do. As future clergy, I am supposed to propagate the love of Christ and make it visible to the world. Yet, I find myself agreeing with this man. Hated seems to be the only emotion we authentically show. We hide pain lest people find our weaknesses. We hide our strengths lest we seem vain. We hide our love to protect our hearts. We deny our passions to act in accordance with what an adult should do. I'm not saying these are right or wrong, although I do have opinions on them. What I am saying is that we have allowed anger and hatred to be authentic emotions which are okay to display publicly. Maybe there is authenticity there. Now it is time to reclaim the authenticity in kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, love, compassion and self-control. It is time to reclaim the fruits of the Spirit. Hatred may be purity, but the living waters of God can wash it away and make it new.