The world is generally evil, although there is good and good people in it. The bible makes this clear, “Christ died to save us ‘from this present evil world’.” And if we look around us, we see evidence of this evil. In fact, God was so frustrated with the evils of men, that he flooded the entire earth destroying everyone and everything, except for one boatload that would repopulate it.
The bible tells us that “the heart of man is desperately wicked” If you look around you, you’ll see evidence of this biblical truth. Money is used more as a weapon than a tool. Employers exploit their workers living fat off the backs of others. Some of them use their ill-gotten gains to drag the innocent before courts. As Jesus said, “do not the rich drag you before the court?” And if we look at the life of Jesus Himself, it tells the whole story: a man who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead…yet evil men had the audacity to nail him to a cross and mock him saying, “Call on your God to save you.” Little did they know they will bow before the throne of Jesus on the Day of Judgement.
For people who choose to follow the teachings of Christ, life becomes especially challenging. We’re commanded to “give to all who ask,” “turn the other cheek,” and “go the extra mile.” But oftentimes, we find ourselves exhibiting this Christlike kindness to people who don’t give one iota of attention to His words, and who would nail Him to the Cross a second time. They don’t understand that you are doing this for God. They think you’re stupid, you don’t have a choice, or you’re a donkey to ride. God’s people, therefore, can find themselves drained and exhausted, and some exploited and abused.
With all of that being said, here are some tips for good people to survive an evil world.
- Go to Church and honor God. Trying to be a good person without God’s direct power and protection can be dangerous in this evil world. Attending church regularly and honoring God with tithes and offerings bring you closer to God’s protection, provision, and power. Remember, you are no match for the devil without God.
- Try to reduce your circle as much as humanly possible to Christians. You may occasionally step out of this comfort zone to do God’s work and minister to others. But make it clear that you are doing this “for God” and not of your own good will.
- Rejoice constantly in the joy that you have treasures in heaven. When Jesus was on earth, He emphasized the importance of storing our treasures up in heaven, and the superiority of doing so. One piece of treasure in heaven is worth more than all the gold, silver, diamond, castles, and kingdoms of the earth. As a child of God, you have the opportunity to store a treasure up in heaven every day.
Yes, being a good person in an evil world can be challenging. But as you approach the end of your earthly life, you are filled with joy and excitement. You welcome death with arms open wide because you know it is the beginning of a glorious and perfect eternity. On the other hand, the wicked will be filled with fear and misery.
