Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:2
Today I saw a picture that gave me hope. On a bridge at the border of Romania there were toys lining the side of the walkway for children who were entering from Ukraine for refuge from war. Yesterday, I found it in a picture of emergency vehicles heading towards Ukraine that had been donated by another nation. Each day a thousand more of these images emerge, and countless more are made but not captured. These are the pictures that tell us the truth: Good ALWAYS overcomes evil.
The images at the border stand in stark contrast to the images of war ravaged cities under siege. The streets that tanks have trampled are covered with grey and ash, but along the bridges and roads that lead to peace and refuge, color abounds. And where there is color, there is light, and where there is light, there is hope that overcomes the darkness.
No matter how atrocious man’s evil actions may be, they will never be able to extinguish or overcome the capacity in the human heart for good. For every loud and violent explosion that shakes the earth under one man’s iron fist, there are a thousand reassuring whispers calming young and fearful hearts from a mother’s trembling lips. With every venomous threat and barrage that rains down upon the innocent, there are a million innocent prayers rising to the One who is Just. While a few displace many, many more embrace the displaced. As men in uniforms make a public show of power, people in rags find a hidden strength within. In all of this there is an eternal, irrevocable, and undeniable principle that manifests:
Wherever evil is great, good is greater.
Whether one is president, soldier, prisoner, or refugee, there is never more evil than there is good to overcome it; in every case, the greater the evil, the greater the good. Today, one man may imagine he writes the script of history according to the evil dictates of his heart, but tomorrow, a million other stories will emerge, all with an ending not of his choosing.
Wherever evil is great, good is greater, because God is good.
This war can no more depose this truth, than man can dethrone his God. It is during these very times that those who are made in God’s image reflect His image most, and God’s image will not be diminished, no matter how badly it appears to be marred or destroyed. When it is resurrected, it is always with greater glory!
If evil rushes in like a flood, good soaks in like a gentle spring rain. Today we see destruction, but destruction cannot be sustained. Don’t be deceived or dejected by evil’s temporary gains. It takes time for God to work all things for the good, so wait in hope, and pray. If we join Him in His goodness, we will overcome.
We may not know when this war will end, but we do know by what means, and what the final outcome will be:
Good WILL overcome.
If you want to overcome evil with good, consider contributing to these organizations:
For a special song I’ve written dedicated to the people of Ukraine, and everywhere, who are in need of help and deliverance listen here:
