Feb. 1: Transforming Hate Into Love

While visiting his sons’ video production office in Chicago, Christopher Award-winning Today Show producer Mike Leonard met 63-year-old postal worker James Hundley.  Leonard’s reaction: “Never have I met a more friendly, polite, upbeat person.”  Those personality traits were surprising in light of Hundley’s background facing down hatred and violence.

In the mid 1960’s, Hundley joined his fellow African-Americans in peacefully marching for civil rights in his native Mississippi.  He was cursed at, spit upon, had rocks thrown at him, was threatened with guns, and arrested.  Hundley told Leonard, “I was angry but…I’ve gotten past that.”

Leonard notes that Hundley absorbed the hate, then “transformed it into a genuine display of good will toward others.”  How did he manage that transformation?

Hundley explains, “My mother and father always taught us good values—that no matter what, you should love others.  Love is the strongest force in the universe.”

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.

(Galatians 5:22)

Move me beyond past hurts toward love, Jesus.