Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
“Do you feel the world is broken? We do….” pens lyricists Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive. Recent events underscore that sad affirmation. Evil is rising in the world.
It’s falling on cities like Kiev, on school children in Minneapolis, on innocent subway riders in North Carolina. On a free speech advocate at a Utah college campus. Evil nests in social media outlets. It prods people to applaud heinous acts and justify their hatred by distorting the truth. Evil promises authentication to those who display (even violent) intolerance of any view but their own.
I can’t help but wonder if evil knows its time is short and is working overtime to inflict as much pain, chaos and despair as possible before its ultimate doom (Rev. 12:12). It uses anyone who will give it a landing strip, no matter their political party, ethnicity or social status. And because of the fall of man, every human heart presents a potential place for evil to land. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23).
Yes, evil is rising. But so is truth.
We recently watched the excellent film, Truth Rising, produced by Focus on the Family and the Colson Center. It documents how western civilizations fell when they moved away from truth. And it challenges the church today not to let the culture redefine truth, morality and identity. But to stand firmly and courageously against the onslaught of deception.
By putting our hope in Jesus Christ, who is the truth.
Jesus assures us that light will overcome darkness, that good will prevail over evil. We overcome all the ravages of a fallen world by living in the light of our Lord. We choose to love when anger calls us to hate. And we choose kindness over self-centeredness. Faith over fear. Eternity over the present.
So although the world is broken, we don’t have to fall through the cracks. God has given each of us a purpose. Charlie Kirk knew this. He lived out his part until his last breath. His life and tragic death inspires me to pray that you and I will not shrink back in overcoming evil.
Because God is Worthy.