I’d like to focus this week’s blog on this issue of EVIL, and how we can live our lives victoriously in the presence of it. Of course, we’ve all asked the probing question: “Where did EVIL come from?” In order to talk about EVIL’s ORIGIN, we need to begin at the beginning in the Book of Beginnings, that is, in the Old Testament Book of Genesis, and specifically in the third chapter.
If you read the first six verses of this chapter, you will find that evil is traced back to the Garden of Eden, where Satan, the serpent, tempted Eve to disobey God, leading to sin and evil entering the human experience (Genesis 3:1-6). This act of disobedience is known as the FALL which resulted in the introduction of sin and evil into the world, leading to a human separation from God and the onset of death and suffering. In a nutshell, that’s where we trace the origin of EVIL.
In searching the books in my library as well as the internet to see what others have said about evil, we can identify a number of aspects of EVIL that are present in our world, and all come as a result of the FALL in the garden. I’d like to present just a few of those that most affect us:
MORAL EVIL — Evil resulting from conscious and willful human actions and choices such as murder, torture, oppression, and betrayal. This is the kind of evil that we are most familiar with.
NATURAL EVIL — Suffering caused by natural events such as earthquakes, floods, and disease. These are all events that we are most familiar with as the news reaches around the world of such disasters.
INSTITUTIONAL EVIL — Harm caused or perpetuated by social, political, or economic systems such as slavery, genocide, racism, and economic exploitation.
RADICAL EVIL — Cold and calculated evil committed as a choice to do wrong simply because one has the power to do so, such as the extermination of certain classes of people perpetuated by the Nazis.
SUPERNATURAL EVIL — Evil resulting from an unseen spiritual entity or forces coming from Satan, the Devil, or demons.
COMMON, EVERYDAY EVIL — Small, seemingly insignificant acts of cruelty, indifference, or neglect that accumulate harm such as bullying, name-calling, or just plain ole’ destructive gossip.
In my search for answers about EVIL, I also came across a new word that I would like to share with you: STOCHASTIC TERRORISM! I know you are asking, “What in the world is that?” Well, here is the answer: “Stochastic Terrorism is a form of political violence instigated by hostile public rhetoric directed at a group or individual. It uses influential figures and the media to demonize a person or group, increasing the probability of violent action by an ideologically aligned individual.”
And just in case you weren’t aware of it, that is just what is happing in our society today, as people use “hateful rhetoric” to demonize certain individuals, which may ultimately play a role in convincing others that this demonized individual is so bad that he/she needs to be removed from our society. And if that demonized person is in a position of power, the need to eliminate that person seems, in their minds, even more urgent.
Well, I think that I have given you enough to “chew” on for today. But before I close, I’d like to remind all of us of what Solomon said:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21)
This verse highlights the profound impact that words can have on others. Our words can wreak emotional havoc on others, or they can uplift and bless them. That is why the Apostle Paul exhorts us to:
“Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).
Words that uplift and encourage others are one of the means that God has given us to dispense grace to others and thereby foster their spiritual growth. So, how do we live in the presence of evil? One of the ways is to use our words to uplift and encourage others. I hope you will do just that this week!
But there is more. I hope to see you next week.
