January 22
“He who does nothing to stop evil condones it” ― Bangambiki Habyarimana
Meditation: What a humanly understandable wish and prayer. “God, destroy the wicked and save those who want to follow you.” If only it were that easy! Usually murderers and liars live long, even if they have miserable and toxic lives, and they make the lives of those around them miserable and toxic as well. The Psalmist wishes and prays for a reality where the unjust and wicked will be stopped or even killed, and the faithful and trusting will be saved.Isn’t that in sync with God’s will? Why does God not just stop evil? Why does God allow evil to go on? And who are the wicked?
Maybe I need to ask differently: Why do we humans allow evil to go on? Why has religion been (ab)used so many times to justify wickedness, condone oppression and perpetuate lies inside and outside of its religious communities? How can life giving spiritual values at times become so perverted that people use religious language to make lies and evil deeds “look good”?
Prayer: God, we are tempted to join the Psalmist asking for protection and wishing for you to intervene and stop the murderers, the wicked and the liars, as if this was alone your job and not also ours. Help us to see when we are the ones called to stop violence, when we are called to name injustice and to speak truth into falsehood. Save us, God, by giving us courage to openly name the destruction and the lies that exist inside and outside of our communities. Help us stop the violence and change the wicked ways in our own communities first, so that we are believable when we work to change the world. Amen
Psalm 55:23 But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.
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