We hear a lot of talk these days about the evil in the world. There is certainly evil within the murderers, child molesters and terrorist that are out there but let’s bring it closer to home. What does evil really mean?
     I looked the word “evil” up in a Bible dictionary and to be honest, the definition was long and complicated. I did, however, find a nugget in that definition that I think sums it up. It said that evil is anything that deviates from the character of God. That puts evil at our back door, doesn’t it? Maybe, even in our own hearts.
     Last week, when I asked for suggestions to write on in my blog, my friend, Diana suggested that we talk about Romans 12:21. The verse says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” She said that her mother taught her this verse as a child. I am sure by teaching her this verse her mother was telling her that she wanted her to be good even when others weren’t and to do good things for people even when they didn’t deserve it. I think as we become adults the meaning of this verse grows even deeper.
     Think with me for a minute about how we can be overcome with evil. Of course, the first thing we think of is getting in with the wrong crowd and becoming like them but as Christians, we know to stand against this kind of evil. There is a more subtle way we can be overcome by evil. We can let evil overcome our minds. When we hear all the horrible stuff that is happening in the world today. We can stay in a constant state of worry and hopelessness. We sometimes want to throw our hands up and say that our world is too far gone. We have to train ourselves to remember that we serve a mighty God and that he is still on his throne. We can seek to do good deeds to make this world a better place and show God’s love to others
     So, if we go back to the personal definition of evil that it is anything that deviates from the character of God. We have to look at our lives and see what actions and attitudes we have that deviate from who we know God to be. Do we harbor anger? Do we want to seek revenge? If we try to overcome these feelings with good, we may find it hard or next to impossible to do what this verse says and overcome evil with good.
     The reason this will be difficult for us is because we are not good on our own. Any good that is in us is from God. So maybe a better way to translate this verse is to overcome evil by being godly. The righteousness that we claim is only through his grace. So we must seek him first so that we may recognize what deviates from his character and ask him to replace it with his goodness.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) (NIV)