Strong Word

The word hate is a strong word. According to the dictionary it means to dislike intensely or to have extreme hostility toward someone or something. 

For all of my adult life I have shared that I hate cats. I love most other animals, but I have intensely disliked cats. Early on we discovered that Jeremy was allergic to numerous things including cats, and then Amanda became so allergic to cats that she could not be around anyone who had petted a cat. 

That was reason enough to justify my dislike for cats, but my aversion began long before having children. I just did not trust any animal who stealthily moved around humans. 

There were numerous other reasons to mistrust cats as I believe that they can sense people who don’t like them. When they have opportunity a cat will leave their body waste in your car or in your luggage when you are visiting cat-loving friends. And, as I can attest, they are capable of actually attacking a cat-hater. 

Once when I bought a goat from a farmer, he gave me the price for the goat on the condition that I would have to take home a cat. He had a plethora of cats and was strategically trying to get rid of some of them by forcing buyers of his livestock to accept a feline gift. I reluctantly agreed because I wanted that goat. 

That cat became a valuable animal on our farm. Living on a mountainside in the middle of the woods lends itself to having regular problems with mice and rats. Viola (named by our granddaughter, Abbey) provided varmint control in our garage and barn for 10 years before passing away. 

Thanks to the Feline Society in our town, our new cat, Gus, is patrolling Ton Tenga and bringing us evidence of not only rodents, but small copperheads, moles, squirrels, and birds. 

Over the past 14 years I have learned not to hate cats. Now I still don’t want them in my lap, but I confess that I occasionally rub Gus on the back to thank him for his service to our family. 

Right now many people around the world will say that they hate Russians because of the invasion of Ukraine. Like most people in the western world, I am appalled at the atrocities they are inflicting upon Ukrainians, but I don’t hate them. I have Russian friends. God created them in His image just like you and me. 

In First John, the Bible says that “whoever hates his brother is in the darkness,” and in Leviticus it says “You shall not hate your brother in your heart.” Our challenge as followers of Jesus is to hate the aggression and anguish that is being cast upon the Ukrainian people, but not to hate the people who are inflicting the damage. Lord, help us because this is so difficult.