Did you hear about the hate that LeBron had to deal with before the start of the Finals?
Before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, an unknown person visited LeBron’s home and spray-painted a racial slur on his gate. There was no reason for this to happen other than the spirit of hate. So when reporters asked LeBron about the incident, being wise beyond his years, he saw the bigger picture. He wanted to bring awareness to the problem of racism as a whole, rather than an attack on just his family.
In his conversation, LeBron brought up Emmitt Till, a young black man who was murdered decades ago due to false allegations and because of his skin color. LeBron’s ordeal didn’t end in the same manner, but his home and peace of mind were still violated because of his skin color. It’s hard to say that there has been progress in America if people are still treated differently because of what they look like or even their beliefs.
When I saw this story, I was a little discouraged. Then I came across Titus 3:3. Before Paul changed his name from Saul, he was known for showing hate towards Christians. Paul admits he had envy, malice and hate in his heart. But when Paul accepted Christ, those foolish feelings were replaced with compassion, empathy and love. I hope that those with feelings of hate will one day accept God. Until then we should show them compassion and love, and make sure we’re a representation of God’s love on a daily basis.
