Defeating Evil

December 3, 2008

I Peter 3:8-12

“Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.
Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good,
Here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good;
Run after peace for all you’re worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
Listening and responding well to what he’s asked;
But he turns his back on those who do evil things.”

Maybe you were as shocked as I was to hear of the attacks in Mumbai. At some point, I heard that the terrorists even waited for the television crews to arrive before they began the bulk of their massacre. I couldn’t help but think of this as the very definition of evil. Evil is wicked and pernicious. It is that which brings sorrow and catastrophe. It is the fact of tragedy and suffering.

In the face of our world’s current reality of the terror launched in Mumbai, come these words from Peter. Peter is making a transition here from the discourse on relating to each other. He’s talked about slaves & masters. He’s talked about husbands and wives and now he turns to talk about how we relate to others and then more broadly beyond individual relationships. He is using these verses to create a transition toward discussing suffering.

His words are really lovely and they are not to suggest that as Christians that we are meant to be “doormats.” We are to stand up for what we believe. Christ did that didn’t he? We are to be people who speak truth but not people who offer retaliation for evils done to us.

It is not clear how India will react to this recent horror on their soil. Maybe from our vantage point of having been attacked in 2001, we feel that they should retaliate. Maybe from our vantage point of not having been attacked in seven years we feel they should not retaliate. No doubt we all have our different opinions. Peter is clear that we should not offer evil for evil and I believe that. Still, I wonder, in this world that knows so much suffering and catastrophe, so much retaliation and anger, when does the tide turn toward love? When will we find that moment where we no longer need to retaliate for the suffering we are caused? When will we find that moment when we can speak against the wrongs and love through them?

I don’t know when such evil will change in our world but I do hope that I live to see love defeat it. May our world and each of us know the hope of peace this week! Amen.