Hatred of Evil

I like to try new things and dabble in others to see if I’d like them. I like new fun experiences. So for example, evey time I hike up a mountain I want to go just a little higher, littler farther, engage it a little more risky business because I mean that’s where the best views are and I want to see them. I want to get as close as I can. I don’t break the rules but man I want to get as close as I can to places I’ve never been before.

While that’s fine and dandy for hiking mountains, sometimes we live our lives that way in relationship to sin – we want to get as close to sin as possible without actually crossing the line. We want to dabble in it but not fully commit. Or, maybe we don’t try it but we think – “hey, to each their own.” We create a friendly relationship with evil so that even if we aren’t engaging in it ourselves – we aren’t repulsed by it either.

Solomon tells us that is folly. You can’t fear God and have a cozy relationship with sin. God does not tolerate evil nor does He tolerate those who enable evil. Instead, we should hate evil as God does. If we don’t, then we do not understand God. If we don’t, we do not respect God. If we don’t, then we don’t truly fear God because God will punish the wicked and those who enabled them.

Evil comes in all shapes and sizes. We must be on guard for it and constantly looking for how Satan has repackaged it. It takes the form of pride, arrogance, evil activities, sinful lifestyles, lustful thoughts, and perverted speech (jokes, songs, books, and cursing). We shouldn’t sit quietly and give the impression we support or encourage those activities or that we aren’t bothered by them.

I struggle with this. How to make a stand for the Lord in a loving way – how to be brave in a world run by the wicked. It is hard but I’ve got to find a way. Silence gives the impression I am complicit with evil and that simply can not be if I am follower of the Lord.

“The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil, pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” (Proverbs 8)