SELF-DESTRUCTIVE HATRED
George Washington Carver (1864–1943) overcame terrible racial prejudice
to establish himself as a renowned American educator. Spurning the temptation
to give in to bitterness for the way he was treated, Carver wisely wrote, “Hate
within will eventually destroy the hater.”
In the book of Esther, we see how self-destructive hatred can be.
Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow down before Haman—a self-important dignitary in
the Persian court. This angered Haman, who manipulated information to make
Mordecai and his people appear as threats to the empire (3:8-9). When his
scheming was complete, Haman called on the Persian king to kill all the Jews.
The king proclaimed an edict to that effect, but before it could be carried
out, Esther intervened and Haman’s devious plot was revealed (7:1-6). Enraged,
the king had Haman executed on gallows the schemer had built for Mordecai
(7:7-10).
Carver’s words and Haman’s actions remind us that hatred is
self-destructive. The biblical response is to turn hatred around and return
good for evil. “Repay no one evil for evil,” Paul said (Rom. 12:17). When
offended, “do not avenge yourselves” (v.19). Instead, do what is right (v.17)
that you may live “peaceably with all men” (v.18).
Hatred promotes
self-destruction;
love fulfills God’s instruction. (RBC)
