Love and Hate in Politics:One Year Bible Reading for August 8

Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Ezra 7:1-8:20
1 Corinthians 4:1-21
Psalm 30:1-12
Proverbs 20:28-30

Let's look at the Proverb. It says something that is very foreign to our 2022 American ears. It says that LOVE is what keeps a king on his throne. 

This used to be more true here in the US. There were presidents that people loved, even during their lifetime. People loved Reagan. They loved JFK. They loved Lincoln. When Reagan was shot, and when JFK and Lincoln were assassinated, people were devastated. 

But today we've been taught to hate by those in power. Most people don't love the president, and they don't vote for someone because they love them. They usually vote for someone because they hate the other candidate more. We've allowed the powers that be to cause us to make our decisions based on hate rather than love. 

Let's make a change. Let's stop hating. Stop hating those in the party that you don't agree with. You can still disagree with them, but love them. Pray for them. Genuinely hope for them to do well in their lives and to find God. Let's stop acting in hate, and learn from today's Proverb to live in love. 

God, thanks for reminding us that hate only hurts us, and love keeps a king on his throne.