Facing Evil

             Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. (Psalm 37:7-15)

 Today’s passage seems long, but it seems to go together, and it raises a difficult dilemma. We are not to fret when people do evil. We’re not to get angry. We are to turn away from wrath. Fretting leads to evil. So… I have a friend who is working to legally prevent an “adult entertainment” venue from plying its trade, advertising to children (or across the street from an elementary school using a bus designed to look like a school bus as part of its advertisement.) What should that friend do?  This friend supports an organization that is trying to give kids a way to escape slavery in Africa and Asia. I have other friends involved in trying to help animals, end abortion, or speak out against other injustices and evils.

Should these friends shrug their shoulders and say, “Whatever, I’m not going to fret?” Should they not be angry about the exploitation of children? The abuse of people or animals? Should we just let these things happen? Is that what not fretting means? Is that what not being angry means? How can taking action against these things lead to evil on our part? If “all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing” is true (and this is debatable) then can any of us stand by – as so many Germans were criticized for doing – and allow evil? Is that what this passage is calling us to do?

          Scripture rejects this notion. If you read the Mosaic Law, citizens were to take action against evil people. But what does this passage actually say? It says not to fret or to be angry.

          So what do people do when they fret? The dictionary says they are constantly or visibly worried or anxious. Does fretting not also tend to lead to withdrawal? Doesn’t it say, in effect, “This is terrible! Someone really, really, really, honestly needs to do something. Someone else that is”?

          And what do people do when they are angry? Generally speaking, don’t they tend to attack or to take control? In short, don’t they tend to at least want to dominate?

          In both fretting and being angry, one is hating, not loving. We’re told to love our neighbor as ourselves and even to love our enemies, but that’s not what we do when we fret or lash out in anger. So, what’s the alternative? First, to pray. Second, to let God be God instead of trying to take His place.  But a third option is interesting.

During the early part of the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. led people to peacefully protest and willingly suffer to spread the message about what was wrong. As a result of the Roe v. Wade decision in the 70s, some folks opened pregnancy aid centers. In response to slavery in Africa and Asia, Carl Ralston started Remember Nhu, which provides safety, shelter, and education for endangered children, so they can grow up free.

I don’t have the answer for what I, you, we, or they should do about whatever evil is being encountered. But if we are not to fret and not to be angry, it seems plausible that the answer may involve our being loving, engaging, problem-solving, and/or creative.