Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good

The answer is probably, 'Quite a bit, but what for this time?'

And the answer is that on a day when Rolf Harris is found guilty of sexual offences against girls it appears that others are coming forward to add to the allegations as Harris, like Savile, crashes and burns and, quite rightly, is brought down.

But what confuses me is a conversation on a radio programme where an 'expert' from some group was talking about the fact that compensation was the key to many of those abused 'finding their healing' - a comment that stopped me in my tracks and brought my full attention to what was being said (it was almost background noise until then).

The speaker continued along the lines that it was act of stripping the abuser of their money and possessions and possessing what had been theirs that brought 'healing' for many. It's not just about justice, it's about 'getting your own back'.

A small voice in the back of my mind reminded me of Romans 12 (17-end):

'Never pay back evil with more evil. 
Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable. 
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. 
For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. 

Instead, 
If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. 
In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.'

Years back I encountered many who had been abused (and a few who had been abusers) and saw them come to a place of wholeness and healing through the power of God's love. What I saw during that period was that those who sought revenge and harboured bitterness, malice and a desire to inflict pain were brought down by various afflictions in body, mind and spirit. Those who found a place of forgiveness and peace within themselves were the complete opposite, they flourished and grew. Not theory but true, empirical, evidence of the mechanisms that bring healing.

I guess what we are seeing is the fruits of our emerging post-Christian society. A society where (Micah 6) justice and mercy are put aside for revenge and malice (but don't think these two awful traits are not found in Christians or that I'm knocking those who are not Christian. I could take you to the homes of many in the town I inhabit who have these traits sharpened, honed and perfected ;-(  ).

Once more it all comes down to the fact that we always have a choice in the way that we think and behave.

Prevention or something more sinister?

I listened this week to a most unsettling interview relating to Jimmy Saville and how, having reached five hundred potential victims of his brand of wickedness, we should be turning our attention to those who gave the man access to the people he abused. One of those speaking said that they would like to see a new law created to prosecute the people who 'stood by' and let act as he did. Now, to be honest, I thought that being an accessory to such things was already illegal so I was a little surprised.

My surprise turned to something approaching despair as the person continued to say that we should punish everyone who had been in charge of the hospitals and other places because 'they needed to be made to pay for what they had done.' What followed had little to do with justice but appeared to be all about revenge. It had little to do with ensuring such awful acts never happened again, learning from the impotence, weakness and sloping shoulders syndrome that aided the bloke but everything to do with 'making them pay'.

'Those who stood by and did nothing should be ashamed,' they said; and indeed those who knew  should for it is true that stupidity and weakness is often at the root of shame. They continued, 'And no matter how old they are, they should be prosecuted and made to pay!'

 Pay?

Pay with what?'

The Bible tells me that those who permit wickedness are judged by God to be as guilty as those who do it. But don't take my word for it, let's look at Ezekiel chapter three (17-19):

'If God says to the wicked, ‘You are going to die,’ and you don’t warn them then they will die and you're responsible. But if you warn them and they continue sinning them then their fate is in their own hands, but you, having done the right thing, have saved your life.'

But of course this is a 'then' penalty and, wanting 'justice' in the 'now' it is simple for us to be an imprecatory people and being generally a godless people too - to seek redress, vengeance and a desire to inflict painful responses - rather that that which is right.

Justice rather than revenge. Mercy rather than something more primal. A knowledge that their is accountability, that even in the world of Christian Grace there is a judgement - a 'day of reckoning' - brings with it a justice that is tempered by mercy. Lacking in this knowledge brings something by which the whole world dies just a little bit more.

The beginnings of the harvesting of the fruit of a world where God is perceived not to be: The basis by which Burke's, 'Evil triumphs when good men fail to act,' is both the effect and the cause as the feedback persists and the noise becomes deafening.

Love is a dish best served ...

Faithfully!

Recently I have found myself engaged in dealing with a number of incidents where 'love' has been replaced by vitriol, spitefulness and rancour. Relationships have soured and many things have conspired to bring actions and words together with the intention of hurting others. The sad thing is that those who have acted thus appear to have not only achieved their goal but have also, somehow, become part of the collateral damage from their actions as well.

The Bible tells us that those who dig a pit for others are destined to fall into it themselves (Proverbs 26). Those who seek to wound others might achieve their goal but when the target of their hatred has long gone, the melody lingers on and they are not only damaged but find themselves unable to engage in secure or fulfilling relationships ever again. They blame the person who has gone and the more the estranged combatant appears to be be successful and happy  in their post-them life the greater their pain.

We live in a world where people want revenge rather than justice and appear to put more energy into the destruction of relationships than the maintenance or restoration of them and this is wrong. I see people excuse, and accept, the breakdown of relationships amongst their friends with not a thought to encouraging the couples to reconcile and resolve. The ease at which relationships are entered and left and the speed at which some join together and then break apart is something that speaks of a worrying lack of fidelity and commitment.

I often find myself using a formulaic explanation of what marriage (and non-married but cohabitational relationships - so you're not off the hook because you're not married) should be about. I call it the 'F Plan Diet' and it goes like this (perhaps I should (c) it :-)  ):

FAITH - regardless of what has happened, you need to keep faith with one another - to trust and believe in the other person and even when this is difficult, to find a way through the situation to restore the belief.

FACTS - The reality is that once you are together, you are together. If this is a a married relationship then regardless - you are married and this brings some serious elements of commitment, sacrifice and engagement.

FEELINGS - Feelings are the most easily manipulated of all the things that influence our relationships and attitudes. Often they bear little relation to the facts and are often fuelled by well-meaning (and sometimes not so well-meaning) friends, misunderstandings, selfishness and a host of other factors (tired, drunk, absence and the like). When the feelings conspire to damage or break a relationship - or to bring a third-party into the mix - refer to the two points above!

FORGIVENESS - The Bible tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger. If there's a problem then discuss it and bring about some resolution and reconciliation before you go to bed, for if you don't you'll wake up to a worse situation! Forgiveness requires us to put ourselves in the other person's shoes and the other person to do the same and to repent (Turn away from, stop, accept that their actions were wrong) and bring about a restoration.

FELLOWSHIP - The Bible tells us to 'love our nearest neighbour as our ourselves' and the person with whom we are in a relationship is that 'nearest neighbour' (and the act of sexual congress makes us 'one flesh' too). Being in fellowship - doing things together, sharing interests (yes, even going shopping!) is not just important but is the very glue of a relationship (and you perhaps thought it was merely the sex!).

FRUIT - The Bible says that the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) is:
'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law.'

Having these attributes in our life (individually and corporately) can only be good - after all, theyt are all highly desireable (aren't they?).

FUN - Regardless of how much money you have, or how much work you have, there are always way that you can have fun TOGETHER!

So many relationships appear to fall because of the many nights out with friends and the few out with you partner or at home. Relationships take time and need fun - when we were married and broke (still are) we used to walk along the river bank and feed the ducks - the important thing was that we were together and enjoying each other and the place we were in. So here's a quick outline - the people I have spoken to this past week will hopefully find something within it to build their relationships and mend the broken bits, this is my hope and prayer for you :-)

Removing knighthoods and other stupid acts!

I see that that great bastion of all that is morally right and proper (The Sun) is calling for Sir Jimmy Savile to be stripped of his OBE and knighthood. That's the way to do it, hit the man where it hurts!

Oh yeah, forgot that he is dead and so taking away the honour would do? Exactly nothing, unlike taking Freddy Goodwin's knighthood from him in an act of public vengeance. Now that did something (didn't it?).

How I wish that we would stop the bitter, revenge-ladeen, bleating that is so much a part of this society of ours. We don't seek justice nor do we engage in dialogue that seeks understanding and craves peace but instead we lash out to redress the balance and gain the upper hand (regardless of how Phyrric it might be).

Four years ago the prime Minister of the day (Gordon Brown, remember him?) launched a bail out of the banks and promised a balanced and more moral banking system as a result. here we are four years on and the Chancellor (George Osborne - wouldn't you like to forget him?) is talking about cutting benefits to the tune of £10bn to help balance the books of a financially (to go along with morally) bankrupt nation, thanks to the Bankers and the Labour Party (who last week with their sans Gromit leader promised more 'spend. spend. spend' profligacy).

Seems we have three undesirable parties vying for power  and bankers still living as they did and making money at the top end whilst the drones find themselves redundant and paying for the excesses of the privileged (much like the Church of England according to one critic this weekend!!!).

Forget knighthoods and throwing stones at dead people and let us instead concentrate of those who knew and were complicit in the acts that Savile did. Let us ask questions of those who were, and are, in power regarding PFI scams, the imminent demise of the NHS (a jewel in our nation's fast dimming crown), the excesses of bankers and the so many other real, and accesible, excesses and errors. Let's call upon the Lord for justice (for He does hear and does act).

As for revenge?

Paul has a good thought for the day in the words of Romans 12: 19:

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD.