The Color of Evil

I am surprised at how often and in how many places, situations, and circumstances around the world, so many individuals want to put a color on the face of evil.

Evil is White.
Should we conclude that all Caucasians are inherently racist?

or
Evil is Black
Is it true then that black Americans are the only source of serious crime and poverty in our cities?

or
Evil is Brown
Migrant workers from Mexico are the root of our economic woes?

or
Evil is American
Our standard of living and addiction to global policing is the ultimate source of all ongoing global conflict?

or
Evil is Christian
Without Christians, the world would be a more tolerant and therefore more peaceful place?


or
Evil is Liberal
With less tolerance, we would have no crime and no sin in the world?

or
Evil is Muslim
The Islamic faith is the driver of all religious fanaticism and violence?

or
Evil is Bill Belichick
Who ever thought of a Superbowl with an asterisk next to it until Mr. Bill stepped onto the scene with the New England Patriots?

While clearly, some whites are racist, some blacks are criminals, some illegal immigrants steal jobs from american citizens, some christians forget to be Christlike, some liberals advocate tolerance as a cure-all, some muslims do very bad things, and bill bellichick has issues, none of these problems should be painted with the very narrow brush stroke that so many choose to use.

The narrow brush stroke restricts the capacity for evil to only one class of people, when in truth we would be better to paint the portrait of evil with a much broader brush... creating a stroke so broad that it would cover the hearts and minds of every single soul on the planet.

Evil is in not one, not two, but all colors.  We all have the capacity for evil thoughts, evil choices, evil acts.  Every moment that we believe ourselves immune is another moment where we become more vulnerable to evil itself.

ISIS beheaded twenty Christian laborers from Egypt this week.   They released a video of this unspeakable evil act for the whole world to watch.

How easy it would be to say 'I would never do a thing like that ... ever.'

Instead, I hope that I can and will bow down in humility and pray that God keep whatever is dark inside of me from ever, ever growing into something that is even a fraction as unspeakable as this.