Evil’s House
July 22
If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Proverbs 17:13
Flynn said good-bye to his last guest and closed the door. “Wow! What a
night,” he said, smiling at his wife, Leslie. The grim look on her face alerted
him to something amiss. “What is it?” he asked.
“Someone has taken the cookie jar fund,” came her somber reply. “As
I began washing the dessert dishes, I noticed the lid on the jar was a little
crooked. So out of curiosity I lifted the lid. The money is gone. I know it was
there right before the dinner because I dropped in some change from my purse
right after I got home from the grocery store.” Then she added, “I didn’t want
to say anything while the guests were here because I didn’t want to offend the
innocent parties. What should we do?”
After a moment of thought, Flynn said, “I don’t know that we should do
anything, honey. To find out who took it would require asking each person if
he or she knew anything about the missing money. We would be putting every-
one’s integrity in question, and I’m not sure I’m willing to do that. I’m think-
ing that whoever took it will have to deal with his guilty conscience and that
God will convict him of his evil actions. Let’s just let God handle it,” Flynn
suggested. “We can replace what’s missing so the kids don’t suffer for someone
else’s poor choices and leave it at that.”
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To repay someone’s generosity by stealing from him is to ensure evil a place in
our heart and house. Evil acts, regardless of the act, give Satan a foothold he
will exploit in an effort to turn it into a stronghold.
If the person remains unrepentant, evil will eventually become a fortress
seeping into every part of his life. It will ultimately bring total destruction to
the entire household, leaving no one unaffected.
Solomon says that the one who commits evil will never be free from it. The
only way to escape evil’s house and Satan’s grip is to bring our actions before
the Lord in repentance. Then follow His leading.
Prayer
“Keep evil from my doorstep and my heart, Lord. Amen.”
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