A Simple Response to Evil

A simple life can be hard because life can be complicated, right? I have unanswered questions. Questions, big and small, like:

What’s the synonym for thesaurus?

Why do we usually find one shoe on the side of the road?

Why does your nose run and your feet smell?

Why didn’t Tarzan have a beard?

But on a more serious note:

Why do people believe ruthless dictators?

When did skin color become a judge of a person’s value?

Why does a 4-year-old get cancer?

Why doesn’t a drunk person go blind when he cranks a car?

It’s a messed up world. I bet you have a few questions you would classify as “a doozy,” don’t you?

These questions are too big for me to answer. So many situations don’t make sense to me. Life is complicated, which makes living simple difficult. And yet, simple is the answer to complicated. Anytime I’m struggling with complexity, I’ve learned to take the route of subtraction because when I take the path of less, I usually find a way forward.

For example, when life is complicated because of injustice and/or evil, I’ve learned a powerful principle. It’s simple, but effective:

Live good.

After all, good can overcome evil, so when I choose “good” in the face of evil, I can overcome it. I’ve seen it happen. For instance, I’ve seen people respond to:

Hurt with forgiveness

Loss with hope

Despair with encouragement

Anger with listening

Fear with presence

And the difference it has made can’t be defined. Good is transformational in the season of darkness.

Ever heard of Miep Gies? She and her husband, Jan (pronounced Yan), hid Otto Frank and his family from the Nazis for two years during World War 2. When their family was discovered and sent to concentration camps, Miep kept Anne’s diary. It was published as a book in 1947 and is considered one of the most important books of the 20th century. It has been a beacon of light and hope to millions of people who have read her entries. Life in the Netherlands during the 1940s was a dark time of injustice, distrust, confusion, and uncertainty. Miep and Jan responded to evil with good, along with thousands of others. Their good didn’t stop the atrocities of Hitler, but it did save the lives of many.

Good is simple.

However, good isn’t the same in every situation for every person. Whatever the good is to you in a situation, do that.

If everyone did the good they could . . .

Holy Moly!

What a difference that would make!

That’s what Jesus had in mind when he taught and exemplified good.

“Love your enemies.”

“Forgive those who offend you.”

“Do to others whatever you would like for them to do to you.”

“Let your good works shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.”

Good is simple.

It’s not always easy, but it is usually simple. When life is complicated, simplify by finding good and doing that.