Good Wins!

I read in a devotional a couple of days ago that humans hunger for hope and justice…basically, most of us want the good guys to win. That is probably why superhero movies that don’t have a clear conclusion in which the villains are defeated by the heroes who make them face their evil crimes and punish them, are not satisfying. We don’t mind our heroes showing vulnerability and getting beat up a bit (or a bunch). BUT, we need them to win. At least I do. I have watched my fair share of superhero movies with my sons and I tell you, I have truly enjoyed most of them…until I watched one, recently, that I found extremely disappointing. The basis for my disappointment was that the hero had to adopt evil ways to defeat evil. Goodness was not enough. He had to invoke darkness to conquer darkness. I mean, really? Does that even make any sense? Haven’t they heard? A house divided cannot stand! We have to look no further than Matthew chapter 12 to understand,

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12: 24-28)

It is Light what overpowers darkness. Darkness is only made deeper if attacked by darkness.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1: 5

The problem is the world’s love of darkness,

And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. John 3:19

The good news is that the story is not over yet. Not unlike our feelings after watching a movie in which the good had to turn evil to “defeat” evil, as Christians we may feel discouraged and disappointed at the way the world is going. Evil does seem to be triumphant so much so that even superheroes are turning bad…but the curtain hasn’t closed…the stage is still wide open…the Greatest Hero is yet to make His triumphal appearance. As we wait…our job is to continue to hope and to hold on to the promise of His return. Our job is to remember that He is Sovereign and that He is in control. Our job is to know that His Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven and that His Will is Perfect, not corrupt and corroded like the will of our human heroes.

Let’s wait in assurance that the Goodness of God has already overcome! In the Precious Name of Our Divine Redeemer, Jesus the Christ. Amen!