Overcome Evil with Good

Short Talk (SHT054) Overcome evil with good © Jane Hulme 2015 Aim of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Props: (SHT054) To encourage people to overcome evil with good in their own lives. Evil, overcoming, good, attitudes Romans 12:20, 12:21, 1 Peter 3:9, Psalm 37:1,3 A set of “6 top trumps cards” that you have made (see end of this SHORT TALK: “OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD” talk) arranged in two piles of three. ........................................................................................................................ Today as we come together to worship God, we are very aware that the world is not as God would have it be.  Terrible acts of violence are being committed by people intent on evil;  many people are suffering in all sorts of ways because of the sins of others,  and many other people are frightened as they watch the news of what is going on. So how are we, God’s people, meant to live in a world where there is much evil going on around us?  I need two volunteers to come and help me now as we explore that question together. (Two volunteers come forward)  You two are going to play a version of the card game “Top Trumps” How many of you here have played the game “Top Trumps?”  For those of you who don’t know the game, basically cards are dealt out to the players and then the players have to guess whether the information on their card is better and can “trump” the information on their opponent’s card.  For example two players might be playing, “Top Trumps” and one player is given a card with a picture of an Aston Martin on it and another player is given a card with a picture of a Bugatti on it.  The person holding the card with the Bugatti chooses the category Top speed because their card says top speed is 254mph.  The person holding the card with the Aston Martin looks at their card and discovers that their card says top speed is 183mph.....and so the person holding the card with the Bugatti wins.  OK....got the idea? Today N1 (name of 1st volunteer) and N2 (name of 2nd volunteer) are going to have a game of Top Trumps with a difference.  This game isn’t about which car is more powerful.  This game is about which Life attitude is more powerful. So Life situation number 1: 1) Clive has recently come to live in this country from Kenya. At school a couple of boys in his class constantly call him rude names. How should Clive respond?  N1 please can you read out what is on your card number 1, but not the Life attitude score yet. © Jane Hulme 2015 2 (N1 reads out the following:) “Clive calls the boys even worse names and beats them at their own game”  So N1 what is the “Life attitude score on your card?” (N1 reads out the following:) “Ten”  N2 please can you read out what is on your card number 1, but not the Life attitude score. (N2 reads out the following:) “Clive says nothing when the boys call him rude names”  So N2 what is the “Life attitude score on your card?” (N1 reads out the following:) “Twenty” N2’s life attitude score is higher than N1’s life attitude score because the Bible says in 1 Peter chapter three verse nine: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.”  Choosing not to repay insults is much more powerful than revenge. Let’s look at the next situation. 2) Heather is disabled and uses a wheelchair to get around. She has just started a new job in an office where everyone goes out for a social drink after work on a Friday. Her colleague Eve tells Heather that she won’t be welcome to the social because she’d spoil the atmosphere in a wheelchair. A few days after that conversation, Heather overhears Eve saying that she has forgotten her lunch and that she is really starving. How should Heather respond?  N1 please can you read out what is on your card number 2. (N1 reads out the following:) “Heather does nothing and feels secretly glad that Eve is so hungry”  So N1 what is the “Life attitude score on your card?” (N1 reads out the following:) “Eleven”  N2 please can you read out what is on your card number 2. (N2 reads out the following:) “Heather offers to share her packed lunch with Eve”  So N2 what is the “Life attitude score on your card?” (N1 reads out the following:) “Thirty five” N2’s life attitude score is again higher than N1’s life attitude score because the Bible says in Romans chapter twelve verse twenty: “If your enemy is hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on their head.”  Kindness is much more powerful than unkindness. Let’s look at our final situation. 3) Eric has just heard on the news that someone in his town was stabbed by a homeless person outside the Pizza restaurant. He is meant to be going out with his church to hand out soup to the homeless. Eric is really frightened to go out and doesn’t see why he should help homeless people after the stabbing. How should Eric respond?  N1 please can you read out what is on your card number 3. © Jane Hulme 2015 3 (N1 reads out the following:) “Eric stays at home and doesn’t go out with his church”  So N1 what is the “Life attitude score on your card?” (N1 reads out the following:) “Fourteen”  N2 please can you read out what is on your card number 3. (N2 reads out the following:) “Eric goes out and helps with the soup run despite the fact that he is feeling afraid and angry”  So N2 what is the “Life attitude score on your card?” (N1 reads out the following:) “Forty” N2’s life attitude score is higher than N1’s life attitude score because the Bible says in Psalm thirty seven verses one and three: “Do not fret because of those who are evil” and “Trust in the LORD and do good”  Trusting in the Lord is much more powerful than fear and fretting because of evil. In our three situations today we have seen a biblical principle at work;  the principle that was emphasised by St Paul in Romans 12:21 which is: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” As God’s people, living in a world where there is so much evil,  let us try to overcome evil wherever we can with good...  We might do that in small ways like refusing to return an insult,  Or we might do that in a big way like forgiving someone who has hurt us, or showing kindness to someone who is unkind or by even blessing our enemies and praying for those who cause horrendous pain and suffering. Thank you volunteers......would you like to sit down. © Jane Hulme 2015 4 5 1. A Clive calls the boys even worse names and beats them at their own game. Life Attitude Score = 10 1. B Clive says nothing when the boys call him rude names. Life Attitude Score = 20 © Jane Hulme 2015 6 2. A Heather does nothing and feels secretly glad that Eve is so hungry. Life Attitude Score = 11 2. B Heather offers to share her packed lunch with Eve. Life Attitude Score = 35 © Jane Hulme 2015 7 3. A Eric stays at home and doesn’t go out with his church. Life Attitude Score = 14 3. B Eric goes out and helps with the soup run despite the fact that he is feeling angry and afraid. Life Attitude Score = 40 © Jane Hulme 2015