...At peace with everyone

[Lik3]

Romans 12:18
"Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone."

Hebrews 12:14
"Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord."

I posted up a topic or two about not liking some people or some of "humanity". I know we are supposed to love everyone, but what does it truly mean at we have to necessarily like everyone, but only because of their deeds, if in the event that they are hard-hearted? Can a person be at peace with someone they don't necessarily like? Is it possible to not like someone and not be feuding with them? For example, there are people who I find rude and engage in behaviors that I don't necessarily agree with. I may not like them or what they do, but I don't find myself wanting to quarrel or feud with them. I believe that it means we are supposed to love everybody, but we don't have to like them.

I am not one who believes in passing ungodly judgement on other people, so I don't wish for others to do the same thing to me. I believe that was/is what Jesus meant about taking the mote or plank out of one's own eye. Having said that, when does not liking someone become a way of rightly judging them as compared to passing ungodly judgment on them? I believe that righteous judgement of others is about love and correction provided one is wise and not hypocritical. I also believe that being at peace with everyone, or try to, means to love even those the world deems unlikable.

I can't recall Jesus hating anyone obviously, but He was the God of Love because He is Love. However, He didn't like what the Pharisees were doing because of their evil ways. He was at peace with Him, but it makes me wonder if despite His love for the Pharisees, did even even like them? To me, liking isn't the same thing as a stronger view (dislike) or even hatred; it is about not finding a person who does things one does not like or hate or unpleasant to be around such as an unrepentant, hard-hearted person who consciously chooses to not change.

 

[Phronema]

Brother/Sister,

I'll give you an example of what you're talking about. I'm in the US military, and I will still pray for the members of ISIS. I do.

Why? Because I pray they turn from their ways and accept Christ. It doesn't mean I won't stop doing what I'm doing to assist in orchestrating or administering their destruction.

 

[Earatha]

There are people who do evil things that I still view as human beings. In line with LTP2016 I can sympathize with ISIS fighters while thinking they are wrong. A while back I read their magazine and a bunch of their published papers. I wanted to understand the why. I don't believe that people are inherently evil, and I wanted a reason. And I found it. It was sad, and made me cry for what was lost. I don't hate them, I empathize with them as fellow human beings. But I will still fight them and their ideology.

I am not immune from hatred. There are three people whose death I would/have celebrated. One is Bin Laden. When he died I found a photo of his ruined skull and had myself a drink. The other two are a private matter whose crimes are not mine to share.

I am human. I accept my imperfections. It is important to try to find the common humanity in people even if we might not like them. But it is not always possible. But like in the grail stories, the important matter is the quest. So long as you pursue, it doesn't matter quite as much if you never achieve your goal.