Overcoming Evil with Good

This past week has been heavy. Like many of you, I’ve felt the weight of hostility toward the church and even seen people celebrate the death of a follower of Christ (Charlie Kirk). It grieves me deeply. But it also makes Romans 12:14–21 come alive in a way I could not have planned. God appointed this text for us in this hour.

Paul gives us three possible paths when evil rises against us. The first is anger—cursing those who persecute us, lashing back, demanding vengeance. The second is withdrawal—keeping silent, burying our emotions, trying not to offend anyone. But then Paul gives us the third, and only truly Christian response: the Christlike way.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Romans 12:14) These words are easy to read but difficult to live. Yet Jesus modeled it when He prayed, “Father, forgive them” from the cross (Luke 23:34). Stephen, the first martyr, echoed it when he asked God not to charge his killers with their sin (Acts 7:60).

Paul tells us not to repay evil for evil but to live honorably before everyone (Romans 12:17). He reminds us that vengeance belongs to God alone (12:19). And he quotes Proverbs: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink” (12:20). Doing good to our enemies is not weakness—it is warfare of a higher kind.

This is the gospel at work. Anger multiplies evil, silence concedes evil, but blessing confronts evil with the power of Christ. Only grace breaks the cycle of hatred.

So the question for us is simple: who is your enemy right now? It might be someone in your personal life, a coworker, or even a public figure. Will you curse them, ignore them, or bless them?

Christ calls His people not to retreat but to act in love, trusting God with justice and overcoming evil with good. May we be a people who take Paul’s words seriously—and may our community, our nation, and even our enemies see Christ in us.

RIP Charlie Kirk