Columbine Redefined
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Romans 12:21)
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For most of my life the word columbine brought to mind the beautiful state flower of Colorado. But all that changed on April 20, 1999, with the tragic shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The violent actions of two hate-filled students changed the meaning of the word for me, and for countless others.
Evil can hang a shroud of despair over any word in our lives. It may be the name of a person who has deeply hurt us, or a place where we failed, or a time when we were rejected. But God’s love has dynamic power to redefine the most painful words.
In Romans 12, God gives us the antidote for the poison of evil so prevalent in our hearts and in the world around us: “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good” (v.9). “Repay no one evil for evil” (v.17). “Do not avenge yourselves” (v.19). “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink” (v.20). “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (v.21).
Everything in our lives that has been defined by evil is an opportunity to seek the Lord’s power to overcome it with good. There is no painful word that cannot be redefined by the goodness of God.
Meditate:L ord, give us grace to pray for those Who seek our harm and not our good; And teach us how to show them love In ways that will be understood.
Aphorism:As light overcomes darkness, goodness can overcome evil.
重新定義
「你不可為惡所勝，反要以善勝惡。」
(羅馬書12章21節)
「鴿的」這個詞讓我聯想到科羅拉多州(Colorado)美麗的州花。但在一九九九年四月廿日以後，這個詞卻走了樣。科羅拉多州立多頓的鴿的高中發生的悲劇槍擊事件，兩個滿心怨恨的學生所引發的這場暴動完全改變了這個詞對我和對很多人的意義。
邪惡能將我們生命中的任何字眼注入絕望的氣息。那些字詞可能是給我們帶來創傷的人的名字、或我們失敗的地方，以及是我們被拒絕的時刻。但上帝的愛有著強大的力量，足以給那些讓我們痛苦的字眼一個新的定義。
在羅馬書第12章中，上帝給了我們一劑解毒藥，用來醫治邪惡遺留在我們心裏的毒素。他說「惡要厭惡，善要親近。」(第9節)「不要以惡報惡」(第17節)「不要自己伸冤」(第19節)「你的仇敵若餓了，就給他吃；若渴了，就給他喝。」(第20節)「你不可為惡所勝，反要以善勝惡。」(第21節)
當邪惡改變了我們生活中很多事物的定義時，也正是我們用上帝的力量來遏制罪惡的機會。每一個痛苦的字眼，都能在上帝的恩慈中，得到重新的定義。
默想：主啊，請給我們能為那些，傷害我們的人禱告的恩典；教我們用他們理解的方式，將你的愛通過我們來彰顯。
格言：以善勝惡，如同光明驅散黑暗。
轉載：住在鄰近遠方的信仰前輩