why i stopped hating the president...for less than political reasons

It would be more in vogue for me to say that the president I ceased to hate was George W., but I laid down the hatchet at the age of 5 when Bill Clinton was entering the oval office.  My parents were conservative and I would often hear them venting their frustrations about his positions and policies.  We were on a road trip to the East Coast.  I was sitting in the back of the van in a booster seat and I loudly proclaimed to my mother that I hated Bill Clinton.  I assumed my mom would confirm and sympathize with my sentiments.  Unfortunately for my young ego my mom told me it wasn't right for me to hate anyone, and that even though she and my dad disagreed with the the new president, they didn't hate him.

From that time on I tried to keep hate  as far away from my heart as possible.  My mom once said that hating someone was wishing they were dead.  That is something I would never want to wish on anyone, especially someone who has not yet made their peace with God.

Jesus said that I need to love my enemies, a thing that I have found is difficult to do in reality or abstraction.

--How do I love the neighbor kid who tormented me when I was seven?

--How do I love the soccer player who punched me in the back and called me names I had never heard before?

--How do I love someone who commits injustice, a thing that I hate?

I think one of the only ways I can love my enemies is by realizing how bad I am, and know that God loves me in spite of my sin.  The better I think of myself, the harder it is for me to love others who are less than perfect.

The closer I get to Jesus, the harder it is for me to harbor ill will towards the ones He loves.  Jesus, give me Your love.