Hatred is exhausting. I don’t have any hatred heaped upon me personally, but if I read the mainstream media that is about all I get. Hatred, failure, revenge, hopelessness. I thought my life was great, until I saw the news. If it drains the life out of me and I avoid the news, what is happening to the people who bathe in these putrid waters every day, 24/7 online, on the TV, wherever you go?
God doesn’t have a one sided view of humankind, or our problems, or even our solutions. Jesus makes it clear that we are sinners needing help, but then he also gives us a solution and says, “Atta boy, you can do it.” There is no continuing heaping of guilt and shame on us for our failings, as though we would never get our heads up, fearing we’ll be shot down once again.
Negative emotions take a terrible toll on one’s health. Jealousy, says the Bible is the rage of a man. Can you imagine spending all your days being jealous, and enraged? Who would want to live in your house? The children would scatter if they saw you coming; your wife would join a canasta club and stay away. Your boss would dread your showing up at work to have you spread gloom and doom.
“The heart if man is evil above all things and desperately wicked,” said God in Jeremiah. But it also says in Ezekiel, “A new heart and a new spirit will I put in you.” God wants us to recognize our frailties but also the cure through His provision.
The Media has placed itself under a curse by encouraging violence which keeps their 24/7 news cycle greased with pictures of evil doers, angry mobs, protests, vandalism, looting and well-financed marches. Rational leaders and citizens have little chance of being heard. Being good is not news to the news people who are competing for bloody video and advertising dollars.
God has a long list of the things He hates which modern Media feast upon, Such as “Hate stirs up fights. But love erases all sins by forgiving them.”