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

Paul got on a roll here with his nuggets of wisdom, but this verse comes as close to summarizing the whole section as anything. There is a lot of excellent, practical advice here, bringing to mind both Proverbs and the Sermon on the Mount. The first verse of the section, verse 9, sets the stage, talking about evil and good, as this verse does, but starting out with genuine love. We can’t live like Paul says in this section, or as the Bible as a whole says, without obeying what Jesus said were the 1^st and 2^nd commandments: loving God, and loving our neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40) If we will do those things, we will indeed hate evil and love good, overcoming evil with good. As I have said many times, genuine love is in no way weak. Jesus, of course, is the ultimate example, submitting to scourging and crucifixion out of His love for His Father and for us, and thus achieving the greatest victory in all eternity. Every one of the things outlined in this section is an expression of love, and frankly, some of them can be pretty difficult. We can do them only to the degree we accept and grasp the love God has for us. As John said so succinctly, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) It is when we let God’s love flow through us that we live as Paul describes here.

I grew up with genuine love, which is a blessing not everyone has. I knew my parents loved me, and more than that, I knew God loved me. I wish I could say that I’ve always let that love flow through me, overcoming evil with good, but that would certainly be overstating the case. I am grateful to say that I think I currently have a reputation for being loving, but that is without question only by the grace of God. I need to be constantly seeking God for the wisdom to apply His love accurately, not excusing sin but forgiving it, indeed over-coming evil with good. Looking at the Internet, I am all too aware of the evil that is all around us, but I must not let that drag me down. Instead, I must let God show me my part in His rule and reign being established as His will is done, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. We’ve got a great deal going on in the coming week, to the point that thinking about it is intimidating. Thank You that our older daughter was able to rearrange her schedule so that she will get here tonight with her sister, despite the first leg of her trip being so delayed as to throw everything off. I do pray that both daughters will have good trips and meet up in Tokyo with joy. Cathy and I have a lot going on here while they are traveling. May we all rest, relax, and rejoice in You, assured of Your love and Your perfect plans, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!