The Baddie

To be honest, I grew up in a world where everybody loved the good guy.

The good guys I remember from childhood were not conflicted. They were good. Really good. They wore the white hat, saved the day, and almost always knew exactly what the right thing was. Even if they didn’t, they usually figured it out by the end of the book.

And the bad guys, well, they were really bad.

There usually wasn’t much redeeming about the baddie. You knew who to cheer for before the opening chapter was finished.

Today, things are a little different.

Somewhere along the way, the lines between good and bad became blurry. Sometimes it feels like we have become so determined to understand everyone, that we are afraid to call anything wrong.

Now, real life is certainly more complicated than Louis L’Amour. Good people make bad decisions. Broken people can do beautiful things. Every one of us is capable of both.

I have made enough awful decisions in my own life to know that grace is real. And I am deeply thankful God does not define me by my worst moments, my worst decisions, or even my worst seasons.

But grace does not require us to pretend that wrong is right.

Paul wrote, “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9 NKJV

That sounds remarkably clear.

We should have compassion for people. We should understand their stories. We should leave plenty of room for redemption because all of us need it.

But maybe we still need a few lines we refuse to erase.

Grace is here with us. Goodness is abundant.

But so is evil.

First Light
www.firstlightblog.org

A daily reflection on faith, leadership, and life. One honest thought each morning to help you start grounded, focused, and full of grace before the world even wakes up.

By Nathan Clark

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