Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21
“We ourselves were well conversant with war, murder and everything evil, but all of us throughout the whole wide earth have traded in our weapons of war. We have exchanged our swords for plowshares, our spears for farm tools…now we cultivate the fear of God, justice, kindness, faith, and the expectation of the future given us through the Crucified One.”
Justin Martyr (c. 100-165) in Dialogue with Trypho, 110.3.4. I changed the header photo to the shot I took in Kyiv back in September 2021.
In walking through the Apostolic Fathers, I found it ironic that the next author I came to today in my reading was “conversant with war” so his words seem as relevant as ever.
Imagine if swords and spears were exchanged for plowshares and farm tools. In the same way, we can exchange selfishness for generosity and change the world around us because of Jesus.
Let us not be overcome by the evil around us but overcome it with good. Pray for God’s grace and mercy on all at war and for peace in Jesus name.