Evil + Evil = More Evil

Day Thirteen

Evil + Evil = More Evil (Read Proverbs 6:12-19)

"Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is like darkness and cold, a word humans created to describe God's absence. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith or love that exists, as does light and heat. Evil results from what happens when people do not have God's love in their hearts. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light." ~ Albert Einstein

Has anyone ever accused you of being evil? Have you ever had evil thoughts? Were they justified as a means to an end? King Solomon pulls no punches in his wisdom teaching this morning, yet many would consider King Solomon evil. He had around 700 wives and 300 concubines. In today's circles, he would have been called a player, womanizer, or even a predator. Despite King Solomon's many qualities, he still suffered a separation problem with God and sinned against God. Without God's covenant with Solomon's father, King David, he would have been stripped of everything.

Einstein's right: darkness enters when we get separated from the Light. When we get separated from God, evil is on the front porch, eager to kick down the front door. Despite Solomon's insight into the power of evil and God's position toward evil, he could not avoid evil on his own power; that was only possible by pursuing a "Thy will be done" vs. a "my will be done" way of life.

¹⁶ There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
¹⁷ haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
¹⁸ a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family.

The list of "seven things" the Lord "detests" is also a list of what Jesus accepts and endures as he goes to the cross­­­—"haughty eyes" and "lying tongues" and "hand that kills the innocent" and "hearts that plot evil" and "feet that race to do wrong" and "false witnesses who pour out lies" and "people who sow discord" (Luke 22:23).

Despite the capacity for evil that exists in all of us when we experience separation, God has made a way for every person to seek forgiveness, turn from the darkness toward the Light, and mend the separation between them and God. When we exercise wisdom, we move away from evil at cost, regardless of whether it means moving away from a particular individual, gang, group, community, or even family who chooses to live in the dark and spread evil into the world. Light trumps darkness every time. God calls us to live in the Light. It's the only place to experience freedom from bondage and bask in the sunlight of the spirit. 

Where is evil present in your life? What part of yourself is still living in darkness and experiencing separation from God? Are you ready to fully move out of the dark and into the light? Are you entirely ready for God to rid you of all evil? 

Remember, nothing good grows in the dark, and God detests evildoers.