Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

1 John 2:9–11

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For this series, we’re doing something really fun with our devotionals. As we welcome back some of our favorite pastors and teachers from years past on Sunday mornings, we’re going to “welcome back” devotionals from the past few years! We hope you enjoy these posts that garnered quite the heartfelt response when they first found their way into your inbox and on the Willow app.

It seems like we live in a polarized world. Some days, I can’t check the news or scroll social media because my heart can’t handle the vitreal. Every issue has a side, and if you aren’t on the “correct” one, you are othered. And yet, when I feel passionate about a certain issue, I, too, can ‘other’ people, furthering the cycle of hatred that is so prominent today. 

A common part of how we speak in our culture is using hyperbole. We say things like, “You always say this” or “You never do that.” Or with broader audiences, we write things like, “Everyone who believes ____ is ignorant” Or “This political party is made up only of hypocrites.” 

In today’s passage, God calls his followers to a higher standard. If we follow Him, we cannot hate a brother or sister. What’s more, we know from Jesus’s words in Matthew 5:21–25 that when we have contempt for anyone, it is as if we are murdering them in our hearts. That might seem extreme until you consider this in light of God’s all-encompassing love for His children. And we know from Matthew 5:43–44 that God’s children are called to love our enemies. 

That doesn’t mean we should disregard our beliefs and values. It means we must hold convictions without ‘othering’ people with different perspectives. Jesus was masterful at it. He treated people with kindness and compassion who were living in ways that were vastly different from the ways He called his followers to live. 

Practically speaking, how do we do this? Often, loving other people means listening and creating space to hear another perspective without ever sharing ours. It also means being aware of the times that you use hyperbole. Especially during intense disagreements, using these qualifiers can trigger or shut down the other person. It is helpful to begin by identifying the common ground we share with the other person when we share our convictions. Together, let’s work to be brothers and sisters who live in the light—being known more for what we are ‘for’ than what we are against.

Next Steps

Reflect on moments when you may have been tempted to use hyperbole and perhaps unknowingly othered someone. Replay the situation and consider what it would have been like to find common ground. 

Read this sermon from Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Reflect on how God might be calling you to love your enemies.