Eyes for Evil

(Proverbs 8:13 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Why do we have such a hard time recognizing and labeling “evil” (7451b)?  I think that part of the problem is that we have absorbed the values and standards of the world and the world does not want to admit that evil exists.  The world will accept that Hitler was evil but for some reason they don’t see Stalin or Mao in the same boat.  Much of this is because the people on the political left identify Stalin and Mao with the political left and Hitler with the political right.  The standard of evil is relative, based on political considerations. 

For us evil is really anything that is outside the will of God and contrary to His plans.  We are surrounded by evil.  Much evil masquerades as good.  Much good is labeled as evil.  There are too many cases of this to start listing and I am not sure that my thinking is unbiased enough to see clearly, but we need to learn to define evil based on what the Bible says.  We cannot accept without careful consideration any guru’s list.  Know the word.

So?  Keep your eyes open.  Make your own evaluations as far as possible.  When you can’t know enough be careful whom you trust for their opinions.  God will supply the input we need.