What We Lack
What we are really lacking today is a real hatred of evil. (Chuck Smith)
There was a quote I just spent 45 minutes looking for and failed to find. So here’s my version:
We listen to our pastors preach against evil on Sunday, and then go home and entertain ourselves watching actors reenact the sins that Jesus died to save us from.
Which conversation wins? I suspect the one which we spend the most hours listening to. Many of us spend far more time in front of the TV.
Captivating Stories
Entertainment has been a lifelong struggle for me, because I’m a natural-born storyteller. My memory for fiction is so good I can recall plotlines, dialog and character arcs in shows and books I haven’t seen in years. I also like to see my favorite movies over and over because I enjoy the good scenes just as much as I did the 1st time.
Unfortunately, over the last several decades, our entertainment has gotten twisted.
“Sin sells” and it also corrupts our thinking. There’s very little “innocent programming” anymore. Everything has an overt agenda. Most shows and movies exalt sexual sin, violence, occultism and anti-Christian propaganda.
I must confess, in my lifetime I haven’t done a good job of obeying the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in Philippians 4, but I have made a little progress.
And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. (Philippians 4:8 TLB, The Living Bible)
A God-less Culture?
But not quite. Because even non-Christians recognize evil when evil is done to their families and friends. I’m grateful even now that few people in this world see sexual child abuse as “healthy self-expression.” But, of course, the pedophiles are working hard to change that.
Our Light Shines Brighter
18 But we Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him. (2 Corinthians 3:18 TLB, The Living Bible)
Most of all, we have to take our cue from God’s inspired Word to truly see what is evil and what is good. Because left to ourselves, we can’t tell. The Lord is our true moral compass and there is no other.
For instance, witchcraft, sorcerers and the occult are never mentioned positively in the Bible. Neither are mediums who summon the dead to talk to the living.
Can I love unbelievers whom I disagree with? Yes—in fact, I’m commanded to do so. So while I pray against the evil growing in the world, I also pray for mercy and salvation for the people behind it.
Because our hatred of evil is most effective when we also reflect Christ’s heart for the lost.
These images came from Pixabay.com.
Editor’s note: The images I chose all have one thing in common; they warp the truth about the unseen spiritual realms which Jesus Christ and the Devil inhabit.
