“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, ESV)
How do you stop injustice? Over the past couple weeks, our country has been in turmoil over the death of George Floyd. Some of the response to his tragic death was peaceful and legal protest. However, some of the response was destructive as people rioted, destroying property and looting stores. I even saw people commenting on social media that the rioting and looting was justified as the only way to get justice and raise social concerns over the mistreatment of certain groups of people. Is this type of action justified?
Might I say that Martin Luther King did more to change our culture and bring racial equality through peaceful and legal means than has ever occurred through violence. As I mentioned yesterday, the type of violence we have seen through rioting, its associated property theft and destruction, only exacerbates, worsens, the division. Those who have had issues with an ethnic community will only become more hardened towards that community by such violent response. They will conclude that their prejudged thoughts towards that community were justified.
Paul wrote, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Here he tells us how to deal with injustices. It is not through retaliatory violence, but with peaceful and loving care and concern. Rather than violence that will create a greater divide, peaceful protest and community service will tear down the barriers. I was encouraged to see, after the riots had settled, volunteers from the ethnic communities out on the streets serving to put the affected neighborhoods back in order.
Make a real difference. Do not let evil dominate for it will never solve the problem of racial divide. Over come this injustice with good and see what God will do.
Renewing the Heart 