Submitted by Pastor Donna Clark Fuller, Rock Port and Watson United Methodist Churches

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Sometimes it may seem that the only way to fight evil is to be like those who are doing evil. If someone is angry, get angry also. If someone is saying negative things about you to others, find whatever is negative in them and get others to listen as well. If you are being bullied, be a bully back. Sometimes it seems as if being nice just sends a message that people can get away with anything.

This verse says just the opposite. It says don’t let evil overcome you. Don’t let evil change you from the person God created you to be into just another person doing evil. But then the hard part comes. Overcome evil with good. Don’t just do nothing and let evil win. Don’t fight evil with evil, but fight it with good. Is someone angry with you? Do they have a reason to be angry? Listen first. But if the anger is based on something that is not true, respond with the truth. If someone sees only the negative in others, help them to see the positive – in others and in themselves. If someone is a bully, either by physical assault or verbal assault, take whatever steps are necessary to avoid abuse, and insist the bully get the help they need to change.

Sometimes it is hard to see the way to overcome evil with good. Especially in a world where evil is often very prevalent and organized. Beyond just individual situations, there are groups organized for hate, governments organized to oppress people, and multiple ways that we can divide ourselves into warring factions.

It was hard for Paul, too. Paul wrote these words to the church in Rome shortly before he was executed. Paul preached the good news of Jesus Christ until the end of his life. It might look like evil overcame Paul, but Paul won in the end. We don’t remember those who killed Paul, but we remember Paul’s words, his good words, all these centuries later. We remember, also, the good news that Paul preached. We remember the gift of life given to us by Jesus Christ, which is the goodness that overcomes all evil.