Hate is commonplace. If we’re being honest, we know most of what there is to know about hatred. It’s the star of every news program every night. We’ve seen it at work in our own lives. We know what it does, we know its plan. We know hate.

I sometimes see signs in my neighborhood that says “Hate has no home here” and I think to myself that this house would be the first. I know what they’re saying but hatred finds its way into our relationships, into our homes, and into our hearts. And if we’re being honest, I think we’d have to admit that we invited it there.

So when we heard that a hate-filled young man plowed his car into a crowd, we were rightly horrified. But I’m not even sure we were shocked or surprised. Not anymore. I think we’ve seen too many reckless acts of hatred to be truly surprised by it anymore.

But then something happens that truly surprises, and maybe it’s the only thing that truly can anymore. Something which makes us stop and wonder. And forces us to measure ourselves against it.

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*subhead*Love surprises.*subhead*