I did a word study on the word “evil.” We all know and realize that evil is not good. Evil is bad, real bad. A blight… For something to be “evil” that means it is “profoundly immoral and wicked.”
When we talk about “evil” we are talking something that is “bad,” “wrong”, “morally wrong”, “immoral,” “sinful”, “ungodly,” “degenerate” and “sinister.” “malicious acts,” “fiendish,” “dark-hearted,” “contemptible,” “shocking” and “heinous things” that are often times premeditated and well thought out.
I think of crimes committed against humanity. “Atrocious crimes”…things like the Holocaust, “horrific things,” “monstrous things.” When your skin begins to crawl you know it is “diabolical.” I think about “ethnic cleansing.”
But at the same time, there are occurrences that are so “vicious” and “nefarious,” but they are not considered to be evil.
People, individuals can indeed be heartless and cruel toward one another. They can be” uncaring, mean and cruel.” But are they evil?

“Evil” is such a strong word. A harsh word… A word not to be used lightly…
Often when we hear the term ‘evil’, images spring to mind of “horrible events and atrocities” such as “war,” “murder,” “rape,” “genocide” and “torture” enacted by “sinister characters,” “rotten to the very core.”
The true meaning of the word “evil” is to be found in the Greek word ‘diaballo’, from ‘dia’ meaning ‘between’ and ‘ballo’ meaning ‘to put, to place’.

The word ‘diaballo’ therefore means to separate, to put in between, to place a barrier or to create a fracture.

In other words, diaballo or “evil” is that which causes separation, that which “divides” or “creates barriers” or “fractures” – a “division” that can equally be found in what we perceive as ‘good’ as it can be in what we perceive as ‘bad’.

In an interesting article in New Yorker Magazine – I read that evil “never goes through therapy”. The tendency is to “lock it up” and to keep it “away from people for as long as possible.”

It has been suggested that the real danger in using a word like “evil” is that it is “an absolute.” There is no going back. Evil, is well, evil. Period.

To play the “evil card” is to cut off all debate and to say that any effort toward “rehabilitation or reintegration” would not be worth the risk or the heart ache.

Evil must be eradicated and suffer its own fate.

I did not find one sermon anywhere on Jesus’ use of the word “evil” in this gospel text.

Clergy love to talk about prayer. They love to talk about the Lord’s Prayer. They love to talk about the issue of showing hospitality…especially in today’s political climate. They like talking about asking, seeking or searching and knocking. Those are all safe subjects.

But no one addresses Jesus’ statement about “evil.” It is a tough statement. It is a hard teaching.

I see him turning and addressing the crowd. He looks them in the eyes, he makes eye contact with them. Without qualms, without explanation, he says, “If you then, who are evil”…know how to give “good gifts” to your children…

Stop the train…
Did he really just say that…
Did he call the crowds “evil” and get away with it? He did! Jesus played the “evil card.” Was that in part – a little bit of “oriental exaggeration?” Or, did he totally mean what he said?

He was using the old rabbinic argument from the lesser to the greater…but still…he called the people “EVIL.”

And we can only assume that the people accepted that…They understood what he was saying…exaggeration, and all.

Yes, we are sinners…
Yes, we can be “evil…”
Yes, we can cause separation…and division….and untold hurt. Yes we do not always do that which is good…that which is right, just…or even kind.

But “evil?” Really? Jesus, c’mon?
We are trying. Daily. Hourly. Weekly. We are fighting the good fight. We try to do better every day…

We get it, if a child asks for something, we try and meet their needs, we try and meet their request, if we are able.

We do not give to them anything harmful or hurtful or deadly. We can be good. We can always do better.

Lord, you know us, you see us, you know the workings of our minds…you hear all those private conversations…and the conflicts of our hearts…you are always with us…always close by…

Lord, help us to do better. Help us be better. Remove “all evil and hatred” from our hearts… You were right, we can do better. Amen.