Detest Evil, Cling To Good

Earlier this month, the Islamist terror group Hamas, which politically runs Palestine, launched a deadly attack on Israel, but their war crimes didn't stop with bombs. Israelis were abducted from their homes and cars. Women and children were abused, tortured, and brutally murdered. The terror group even live-streamed acts of atrocity, including children being burned alive and beheaded.

‌Sadly, some in elected positions as high as Congress have not condemned these inhumane and vicious acts. Even more concerning are the rallies they spoke at and their social media posts supporting Palestine but not a word of wellness for Israel. That trend has followed suit in many Ivy League colleges, cities, and even the US Capitol, where pro-Palestinian gatherings have occurred. To be clear, Palestinian people who do not support these repulsive acts and their leaders who perpetrate them are caught in the crossfire of this conflict and need our prayers. However, those who openly support Hamas' measures are openly standing for evil.

‌Scripture teaches that we must "Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9).

‌Breaking this verse down, we can understand Paul's instruction for all believers to be genuine and sincere. We must "detest or hate" anything evil to accomplish that command. We do not pretend that evil doesn't exist because it's far away or even make excuses for it. Yes, there has been conflict in that region before, but these attacks are not warranted or acceptable. It has been said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Not only must we openly oppose this depravity and detest it, but we must also pray for God's will to be done in addressing these evildoers.

‌The last part of Paul's charge is to "cling" to what is good in God's sight. Think of clinging as attaching yourself to something or someone. You want to be "clingy" to what God deems good, including justice and mercy.

‌Knowing this, pray for our jaded leaders and college campuses. We are certainly in uncharted waters. You would've been hard-pressed to find pro-Nazi rallies and Nazi flags during the WWII era. Therefore, seek God and His goodness concerning this issue and all that follows.