Overcoming Evil

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

I’ve always thought of this verse in reference to doing good to our enemies. Of showing kindness in the face of rudeness, of giving a peaceful answer in the face of anger…those kinds of things. And I still think that is one valid interpretation of this verse. But can it be there is another side, too? Is it possible that this verse is talking about the evil in our own lives? And that by filling our lives with good, the evil is overcome? Just as pouring fresh water into a glass of tainted water will eventually cause the glass to be full of only fresh water, if I pour enough of God’s goodness into my life then the evil will be overcome by good. We’re constantly being bombarded by evil, we can’t help the fact that it does infiltrate our lives just by living in this world, but in the things we have a choice in, we should be consciously choosing to fill our lives with good.

“Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9b)