February 14, 2023

I Corinthians 13: 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (NIV)

If we lack love, we misuse truth.*

When you watch a movie, do you cheer when the bad guy gets what’s coming to him? Do you feel the same way when it’s a real-life villain? Perhaps it’s become even worse – the bad guy doesn’t really have to be all that bad; he’s just someone we don’t like. 

Now that our country is so divided between “us and them,” we find ourselves feeling like “we” have won a victory when something bad happens to “them.” Why do we want bad things to happen to anyone? Shouldn’t we want them to learn a better way? The better way? 

As Christians, of course we don’t delight in evil . . . do we? If we are going to represent ourselves as followers of Jesus, we must respond to evil as he did: 

· He did not delight in evil, but he loved the sinner. 

· He rejoiced with the truth, but he spoke it in love. 

· He never got confused about what is truth and what is evil. 

The next time you see a Facebook post that gloats over the misfortune of someone with whom you disagree, turn it into an opportunity to pray for your enemies – and for those among your friends who just might have the wrong attitude about the bad guys.

This world always has and always will hate truth and truth-tellers. But I would at least have the world hate us for the right reasons. When the world hates us because we are hateful, no one wins – least of all our Lord.*