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      <h3>The Test of Love</h3>
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      <i>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;By: Dr Bob Wilkerson<br>
      Posted: 2008-09-07 01:12:59</i>
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      Whom do you hate? The word hate is a household word. I hate the butter it tastes like glue, someone might say. I hate her; she is always looking at my boy friend. Hate is a very strong emotion and those who live in hate travel down a dark path. Stop for a second and think about how many times you used the world hate today. How many times did you feel the emotion of hate? If you didn't use the word, hate or feel the actual emotion congratulations.What is the test of true spiritual love? I John 2:10 (NIV) whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.Whoever loves his brother is referring to a Christian brother and it can also apply to anyone who is human, after all, we are all brothers and sister. If you hate your brother, your neighbor or the person with a different color skin then you need to question yourself about your true spiritual condition.It is easy to fall into an attitude of hate, angry and resentment. Of course, someone may have intentionally committed some sort of wrong towards you but you don't have to hate. Hate is a choice not a learn behavior. Yes, family and friends can influence your choice but the over all choice is yours and yours alone. I can choice to hate or to love. Someone might say, you don't know what he or she did. Yet, hate is still a choice and the wrong choice. Love is the best path to follow and you can decide right now, with God's help to love the person who committed a wrong against you.The second part of I John 2: 10 is interesting. Some say this is referring to making the other person stumble but I think it is also referring to us not stumbling. Anyone who has walked the face of this earth for any period knows how easy it is to fall into patterns of behavior that are harmful to others and us. Addiction is one way of stumbling. When you participate in your addiction because you have a deep resentment towards another then you are the one doing the stumbling. The best thing to do is realize your own hatred is harmful, forgive and even talk to the person with whom you are angry and come to a peaceful understanding, if possible. Regardless choose love over hate if you want to walk on solid ground and not stumble.The point of this little article is to help myself. I do have problems with resentments and I decided to find a solution to my own difficulties. I needed to test my own degree of spiritual love and then make the choice to love not hate.Dr Bob Wilkerson is author of the book, "I Will Not Be Defeated Anymore". He is dedicated to helping others recover from life altering circumstances. Dr. Bob is a motivational speaker/singer with a true life story of God's power to change any individuals life. If you would like more information go to http://www.freewebs.com/bobwilkerson
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