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 everyone’s integrity in question, and I’m not sure I’m willing to do that.
"I’m thinking that whoever took it will have to deal with their guilty conscience and that God will convict them of their 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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