We’ve dumbed down the word “evil” by casual overuse. It needs to be reserved for the most serious of acts. If we deem most things as evil, then nothing is evil. On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, an evil 18-year-old armed himself like a soldier with the intent of murdering innocent children in his local elementary school.* He (his name doesn’t deserve to be uttered) walked through an opened door and flippantly slaughtered terrified children and their teachers. Even if we revered the word evil doesn’t do the act justice. It should come close. Evil exists in many places in the world. If we refrain from calling it out, it only leads to our eventual suffering.
We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].
Who’s Qualified?
God is the perfect balance of truth and mercy. Humans are far too affected by and impressed by our experiences, values, and pain to judge by ourselves. Our pain alters our perspective of the truth of good and evil. This is why no one person or entity should have absolute control. All people should have a voice. Therefore, we are all human and fallible and imperfect; no one person has the corner of the market on truth. It’s time to show humility, welcome thoughts that challenge our views, and allow experiences and questions to challenge our faith. If we added up all the goodness and wisdom inside of people, it wouldn’t come close to touching God’s. We should know the truth for ourselves and be open to God speaking through others to challenge us.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Raising Cain
We’re afraid to look judgemental; thus, we refrain from calling evil acts evil. Society is in the habit of squashing narratives that call people out on destructive behaviors. Evil exists, and the more we ignore it, the stronger it becomes. Where were the people calling this kid out, getting him counseling when they saw he was troubled? We need to be careful, but do we give evil a pass? The kids that played violent video games with him gave him the nickname “School shooter” they suspected something; they knew his propensity deep inside. One of them even reported him, but nothing was done. Both good and God exist, and God tells us how to overcome evil in Romans 12:21.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Finding the Power
Why does God confront our evil? It’s not to punish us but out of his mighty love for us. If God didn’t care, he would do nothing and allow us all to go to hell. He overcomes our evil with the truth, and we find his mercy within the truth. If we are to overcome evil with good, as in Romans 12:21, we must start with ourselves but not stop there. Our society needs a good dose of God’s love, the love that’s not afraid to show us where and how to change and then gives us the power, grace, and forgiveness we need to do it. We must treat ourselves and one another with the dignity and love that God first gives us when we do, for we love because he first loved us. If we all lived John 15:12, May 24 might have been prevented.
We’ve dumbed down the word “evil” by casual overuse. It needs to be reserved for the most serious of acts. If we deem most things as evil, then nothing is evil. On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, an evil 18-year-old armed himself like a soldier with the intent of murdering innocent children in his local elementary school.* He (his name doesn’t deserve to be uttered) walked through an opened door and flippantly slaughtered terrified children and their teachers. Even if we revered the word evil doesn’t do the act justice, but it should come close. Evil exists in many places in the world. If we refrain from calling it out, it only leads to our eventual suffering.
We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].
1 John 5:19
Who’s Qualified?
God is the perfect balance of truth and mercy. Humans are far too affected by and impressed by our experiences, values, and pain to judge by ourselveses. Our pain alters our perspective of the truth of good and evil. This is why no one person or entity should have absolute control. All people should have a voice. We are all human and, therefore, fallible and imperfect; no one person has the corner of the market on truth. It’s time to show humility, welcome thoughts that challenge our views, and allow experiences and questions to challenge our faith. If we added up all the goodness and wisdom inside of people, it wouldn’t come close to touching God’s. We should know the truth for ourselves and be open to God speaking through others to challenge us.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8
Raising Cain
We’re afraid to look judgemental; thus, we refrain from calling evil acts evil. Society is in the habit of squashing narratives that call people out on destructive behaviors. Evil exists, and the more we ignore it, the stronger it becomes. Where were the people calling this kid out, getting him counseling when they saw he was troubled? We need to be careful, but do we give evil a pass? The kids that played violent video games with him gave him the nickname “School shooter” they suspected something, they knew his porpensity deep inside. One of them even reported him, but nothing was done. Both good and God exist, and God tells us how to overcome evil in Romans 12:21.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21
Finding the Power
Why does God confront our evil? It’s not to punish us but out of his mighty love for us. If God didn’t care, he would do nothing and allow us all to go to hell. He overcomes our evil with the truth, and within the truth, we find his mercy. If we are to overcome evil with good, as in Romans 12:21, we must start with ourselves but not stop there. Our society needs a good dose of God’s love, the love that’s not afraid to show us where and how to change and then gives us the power, grace, and forgiveness we need to do it. We must treat ourselves and one another with the dignity and love that God first gives us when we do, for we love because he first loved us. If we all lived John 15:12, May 24 may have been prevented.
This is My commandment, that you [a]love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you.
John 15:12
