BBD 01.24.06 Don't Be Evil
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
The old website is at http://www.theburningbush.org
Several devotional booklets are now available for free download in PDF
format at the new site. Just click on the "Free Book Downloads" link.
Join the Burning Bush Prayer Group! Send and receive prayer requests and be
a part of a great ministry. More than 400 (currently 497) wonderful people
make up this group. To join send an email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org
The Burning Bush Devotional
Welcome to the 486 new subscribers since November 1, 2005!!
01.24.06
Don't Be Evil
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be
kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving
preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit,
serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to
hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice
with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind
toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with
the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil.
Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as
much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is
Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed
him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good. - Romans 12:9-12.
Google has been in the news recently with its refusal to provide the
government with the record of searches performed by those using the Google
search engine. Google as I have learned does have an admirable motto which
is, "Don't be evil." The story has been told of a July 19, 2001 meeting held
to try to find a way to fulfill the directive to communicate Google's core
values. There have always been informal rules in every organization such as
"treat everyone with respect," "be on time for meetings," and etc. Paul
Buchheit, an engineer at the meeting said as this was being brainstormed,
that all of these things can be covered with "Don't be evil." The motto
stuck. Of course, now Google must decide whom they want to please in the
course of not doing evil. Whose definition of "evil" will they adopt?
A question for us as Christians is whether not being evil is enough? Of
course, we should not be involved in actively participating in or initiating
anything that is "evil." That should be obvious to all of us. Then, again,
we get down to the questions of whether something is or is not evil. The
Bible is the defining word for us on what is evil and what is not. The
apostle Paul says we should not just avoid being evil but that we should
"abhor what is evil."
Is it therefore, enough to "abhor what is evil?" No, there are some very
practical things that we as Christians should and should not do. We are to
"Repay no one evil for evil." We are "If it is possible, as much as depends
on you, live peaceably with all men." We are not to, "avenge yourselves"
because, "'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." However, we are
to go beyond this and Paul put it this way, "If your enemy is hungry, feed
him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals
of fire on his head." Finally, we are told, "Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good."
The Christian's role in the world is not to be a passive one. We are not to
just not be evil - we are to go beyond this to action. To remain passive
would by itself be an act of evil by failing to do the good that you are
able to do. We have a higher role than simply not being evil. We are to
overcome evil with good and that takes action. What are you doing to
overcome the evil of this world?
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
like to encourage you to visit this great site at http://www.crossmap.com. Crossmap
has added the Burning Bush Devotionals to their site. You may visit
Crossmap's sister website, the online version of the Christian Post at
http://www.christianpost.com.
If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page http://www.theburningbush.org.
If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org
Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
http://www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html
There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.
You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 400 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.