I love comic book movies. Wait, amend that, Marvel comic book movies. DC’s are hit and miss, whereas I can watch Marvel movies repeatedly.
While on leave with Sam, I rewatched Avengers: Infinity War. The villain collects six stones that will make him nearly all-powerful. He uses them to eliminate half the life in the universe.
I wondered what it would be like to experience that. You’re out with family and friends, having a good time. Then your friend’s expression shifts, and they suddenly drop into a pile of dust.
It only took a second.
Eyes wide, you watch your kid disappear. A woman walking her dog screams as she stares at the empty collar.
No one saw it coming.
There are levels of evil we have no idea about. What would it look like if the forces of darkness were given free rein?
There are nine things in the Bible that there are no laws against.
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
What are their opposites? What does a world of unrestrained evil look like?
- Love: despise, hate, don’t care
Imagine a world where everyone despised you, and in turn, you hated them. They could all die for all you cared.
- Joy: depressed, melancholy, miserable, sad
The results of this lack of love.
- Peace: discord, hate, disharmony
The Biblical word for peace is Shalom, which, when in effect, means complete well-being. You don’t see that in this world I’m describing. It’s chaos, no order whatsoever. No one knows what’s happening next…kinda like this year of 2020.
- Forbearance: agitation, indifference, impatience
Good thing we don’t have to deal with impatient people, or be agitated, right? Oh, wait…
- Kindness: hostility, intolerance, mercilessness, selfishness
That guy over there is different, so you don’t like him. He asks for help, and you don’t only ignore him, but you hit him, and then ruin his reputation on top of it to such a degree that he’s fired.
- Goodness: corrupt, dishonest, evil, immoral
You’re taking advantage of your spouse, your boss is taking advantage of you. Businesses are bribing politicians to gain favors. Politicians are using their authority to punish and attack anyone they don’t like.
- Faithfulness: disloyalty, treachery
You can’t trust anyone, not because of cynicism, but out of self-defense.
- Gentleness: hard, impervious
Nothing affects you. You are ice cold. Emotionally dead inside when it comes to empathy or sympathy. You don’t even like your dog.
- Self-control: instability, no impulse control
Imagine a world where everyone was like a toddler throwing a tantrum but could do something about it. They want it, they’ll go for it, and they don’t care what happens to you to get it.
We think of evil and good as two equal and powerful forces at war. That’s not the case; evil is outmatched. Darkness seems like it’s running wild, but it’s not.
“3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you, I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
Evil is being restrained. Even in the time of Noah, there was still one good family.
We have that consolation. Even in the worst of times, we see people coming together to help each other. Like lights in the darkness.
A Ronin's Journey 