This last precept, 'Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
good,' is cast into a form which covers not only relations to
enemies, but all contact with evil of every kind. It involves many
great thoughts which can here be only touched. It implies that in all
our lives we have to fight evil, and that it conquers, and we are
beaten when we are led to do it. It is only conquered by being
transformed into good. We overcome our foes when we win them to be
lovers. We overcome our temptations to doing wrong when we make them
occasions for developing virtues; we overcome the evil of sorrow when
we use it to bring us nearer to God; we overcome the men around us
when we are not seduced by their example to evil, but attract them to
goodness by ours.
Evil is only thus transformed by the positive exercise of goodness on
our part. We have seen this in regard to enemies in the preceding
remarks. In regard to other forms of evil, it is often better not to
fight them directly, but to occupy the mind and heart with positive
truth and goodness, and the will and hands with active service. A
rusty knife shall not be cleaned so effectually by much scouring as
by strenuous use. Our lives are to be moulded after the great example
of Him, who at almost the last moment of His earthly course said, 'Be
of good cheer: I have overcome the world.' Jesus seeks to conquer
evil in us all, and counts that He has conquered it when He has
changed it into love.