[223 words]
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” Romans 12:21.
My teens have posed the question: if you were a superhero, what superpower would you want to have? Answers range from extreme speed to flight, from x-ray vision to great strength. Everyone wants to be in control and not beaten back by the villains. So, on the surface, everyone agrees wholeheartedly that we shouldn’t be overcome by evil but to overcome evil with good—like ‘good’ is some sort of superpower to wield. But, Jesus tells us that only God is good. And yet, we are to add goodness to our faith in “increasing measure” to “receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom.” This shows this fruit of the Spirit to be rare but certainly grow-able in our lives. The key to having goodness is found in the beginning of the chapter. We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, not conforming to the pattern of this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then, we can be like God, who alone is good, to overcome evil with good. Spiritual superpowers don’t come as gifts to be given but as fruits to be grown. Don’t wait until you’re hungry to plant a garden.
How will you overcome evil?
Doug Kashorek
Plattsburgh church of Christ
Plattsburgh, NY