OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:21).

While a Sunday School teacher was trying to explain to some small children what the Bible means by “overcoming evil with good” a boy for some reason hit his little sister. She immediately clenched her fists to hit him back. The teacher, who had seen what had happened said, “Mary you better kiss your brother George.”

Mary lowered her fists and looked puzzled at just what the teacher meant. She had never thought of returning good for evil. The teacher looked kindly at Mary and George and said, “Mary, George looks angry and sad, I think you had better give him a kiss.”

Mary looked at George and then put her arms around his neck and kissed him. George was so surprised and overcome, that he began to cry. Mary said to him gently, “Don’t cry George, it didn’t hurt too much.” Mary’s words and actions made George feel very ashamed and sorry for what he had done. The teacher was able to use this incident to explain love and forgiveness to the class. Afterwards he and Mary were better friends than ever they had been.

God requires us to show love and kindness even towards those who hate us and do wrong things towards us. By showing love we will find that we can overcome evil with good, as the Bible says in Romans 12:21.

[Source: R Cameron Smith, Saved in the Icy Waters and Fifty Other Stories, published by Southern Presbyterian Church of Australia, 1999–2004.]