Do No Evil
Open Your Bible
1 Peter 3:8-22, John 15:18-21, Galatians 3:23-29
BY Erin Davis
The year was 1967. Crowds had gathered outside the Pentagon to protest the ongoing Vietnam War. Members of the 503rd Military Police Battalion formed a semi-circle and pointed their rifles toward the protestors. It was a tense moment, in a tense era, in a tense world.
But then hope seemed to break right through the moment, as a young man stepped forward to place carnations inside the officers’ barrels. American photographer, Bernie Boston, captured the moment in a shot entitled, “Flower Power.” The photograph moved the nation so profoundly, it earned Boston a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize, and the ethos of an entire generation was captured and preserved.
Whatever your political beliefs, as Christ’s followers, we’ve been given clear marching orders to protest the evil so prevalent in our world. We don’t fight with rebel fists, clenched in rage. Our assignment is to do good, to combat evil with righteousness, darkness with light, lies with truth, hatred with love.
Though it sounds warm and fuzzy, we cannot expect the world to respond to us with heart eyes. Jesus Himself warned us that they would instead take up arms against us.
“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you” (John 15:18–19).
This battle is not new. There is no bait and switch. Jesus is clear: we will offer love and receive something else in return. Our good deeds may fall on deaf ears, or worse, turn others against us. Knowing this to be true from his own experience, Peter sought to encourage believers who faced suffering for the sake of the gospel. He told them, “It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17).
Because of Christ, we are free to face such reactions from the world without the element of surprise. As in all things, Christ goes before us. He absorbed insults for His wisdom, betrayal for His faithfulness, and lashings for His love. Because of Him, we can bless when we are cursed, do good when others seek to harm us, and love when we are hated. We stand ready with hope, in a dark world that needs hope so desperately.
May we follow the example of our humble Savior, Church. May our hope in Jesus prepare our hearts for the battles we may face because of our love for Him. Let the world hurl their worst in our direction. Because of Jesus, we stand ready, eager to see hope break through.
But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with
gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15–16).
38 thoughts on "Do No Evil"
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Right. Between. The. Eyes. Boom.
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Sarah, I’m lifting you up in prayer! Been there in that frustration and with the lies that satan comes at you with. I noticed an attack about a week ago and I’m actually paying more attn to them and binding and rebuking satan and sending anything not of God to the feet of Jesus. Have you tried that when the attack happens? Peace sets in for me. Praying you see the real beauty you are and realize no blemish is going to steal the beauty that God created. :) xoxo
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…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy…God help me honor you in my heart instead of running to unhealthy things
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Amen! Praying along with you !
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In the Bible reading for today it includes Galatians 3:28. “There is no …. male or female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus. ”
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Why then does it say in 1 Timothy 2:14 “And Adam was not the one deceived, it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner”. He uses the man’s name and not “the woman’s”. The implication is Adam did not sin. -
Hey everyone, prayer request. If I’m honest, I feel so ugly. I had a blemish that I was too impatient to leave alone, and this morning I feel like I made myself nauseous just trying to cover it up with concealer. Not the way I wanted to start the week. I think Satan is really attacking me with how I see myself when I look in the mirror, and how I have to wait for my skin to get better…thankfully it’s not horrible acne. Honestly I’m making it worse than it really is, but I still don’t feel confident about my skin right now. It’s not how I would like it to be. I only have a couple spots that flare up on my skin, but some scars are there too from previous things. I just want my face to go back to normal again!! I want to feel confident and not have to wear concealer. I’ve been trying to help it and it has worked, but recently a couple blemishes broke out. I’m really sorry to rant, just would love prayer in this area, that it would all heal and not touch my face, and that I would find my confidence fully in Jesus.
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Praying for you today!
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Praying for you. That your face would heal and that your joy and confidence will be found in Jesus. Hope your day gets better.
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Ice, preparation H ..for swelling, and tea trea oil to dry
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Praying that God would fill you with his love and perspective!
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What stood out to me today was “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.” It seems as if in the world today, everyone is being told to focus on our differences and to not trust or to hate those that are different in any way. That is the exact opposite of what this verse is telling us to do. It opened my eyes this morning.
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I’m so thankful for His word. Great devotion and time with the Lord today.
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Angie, just a good reminder.
I am a people pleaser too… almost to an extreme.. I almost have anxiety attacks whenever I feel like someone doesn’t like me, or I am not pleasing enough people. It’s something God revealed to me last year that I needed to change my perspective. this was a good reminder.
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