"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV 2010
" . . . because the days are evil."
Evil is a strong word.
Evil is a word some are afraid to say, thinking it "intolerant," which no one wants to be in a world where TOLERANCE is seen as the greatest good.
But evil is real.
We are well acquainted with the symptoms of evil, but it's "nicer" to call someone "misunderstood" rather than evil. It's more politically correct to speak in societally acceptable postmodern gobbledygook about "my truth" or "doing what's right for me."
Then something happens that is so glaring, so stark in its evil that most of us have no qualms about saying the word and applying it where it fits. The shooting in Tucson is such an event. While less widely publicized, there are murders and other violent crimes every day that are barely noticed by most of us because the victims weren't public figures. Is there any question in your mind that these are examples of evil?
While it is true that there are often tragic circumstances that help explain how people become perpetrators of heinous acts of murder and mayhem, the reasons behind the murderer's state of mind are irrelevant to the question of evil. Murder is evil--God said so. It's not about your truth or my truth, it's about God's truth and His is the real thing.
The world is dark and dripping with evil. It has been ever since The Fall of mankind, and probably every generation from that one to this has had moments where they think to themselves, "This is the worst the world has ever been!" Ever hear yourself thinking that? I do sometimes.
In Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, a teenage girl named Meg Murray must travel through space to fight "The Black Thing" that holds her father captive on a planet that has given in to evil's dark shadow. From a vantage point out in space, she is able to see that the same Black Thing shrouds her own beloved earth. She is dismayed, until she is reminded that there are still people on earth fighting it, battling against evil . . . fighting darkness with the LIGHT.
"But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation."
1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT
This picture was taken at 3:46 pm. Ordinarily it would be broad daylight, but this storm was wild and dark and ominous. Then the light punched its way through the clouds and threw its brightness all over the golden-green hills in the distance.
Light overcame darkness--it always will!
Just like The Black Thing in that favorite story of mine, we face a deep, dark, swallowing shadow in the evil that lives here on earth. Just like in that story, we are in the fight of our lives against it. Just like in that story, it is LIGHT
. . . the light of LOVE . . .
that SHATTERS the darkness! Evil doesn't stand a chance against love!!
In what ways do you fight the shadow of evil?
Tell me about a time when the light of love in you shattered the darkness!
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I'm joining Ann Voskamp in her counting of the multitude of gifts God bestows everyday!
I hope you'll join in if you haven't already!
#221-235
221. For a fun BSF girls get-together and grilled sweet potatoes for breakfast
222. For Janet's story of peace that encouraged me
223. For consensus on a next step and prayer support to go ahead of us
224. For the chance to go to lunch with K2 =]
225. The unbelievable way Mom & Daddy knocked my biggest excuse right out from under me with an incredibly generous offer
226. Teasing She So Sweet at Peet's and the way she only pretended to mind
227. Conversation with Drummer Boy: DB-"What did you make?" Me-"Burritos" DB-"YES!!" Me- =)
228. An impromptu "Leadership Forum" at Starbucks, called by a very spontaneous Hero Husband
229. She So Sweet's leadership story of challenging a former friend on his decision to sell drugs
230. Drummer Boy's leadership story of setting a good example in excellence and diligence for his coworkers at two different jobs
231. Hero Husband's leadership that always starts at home
232. A new season of the PBR!!
233. That I found two things I really needed to find
234. For God's protection over all our comings and goings this week
235. For baby steps in the right direction
