Our news feeds are constantly filled with stories of war, images of hate and brutality, and a myriad of expressions of evil in the world. It can be overwhelming. But what if there was a way to actually overcome that evil, instead of being overcome BY it?

In a world filled with division and hostility, God calls us to be agents of His love and reconciliation. We, in fact, overcome evil with what is good. I think of it like striking a match in a dark room. The room might be mostly black. It can be pervasive and constant. But the instant even the tiniest match is ignited, the darkness begins to recede. Darkness never overcomes light. Light, by definition, dispels the dark.

Jesus described us, His disciples, as the “light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) We’re like a city on a hill that can’t be hidden. So, when we work to dispel darkness with light, when we fight hate with love, we are on the winning side. We cannot be overcome.