There’s a centuries-old proclamation that’s held true many times in history, often attributed to Irish statesman, economist and philosopher Edmond Burke who died in 1797. The exact words of the saying are debated; I’ll paraphrase it here: “Evil will flourish as long as good men sit back and do nothing.”
A prominent example of this astute observation is Hitler’s reign of terror being eventually crushed by “good men” who had had enough and took strong, decisive, and costly action to save the world from being fully engulfed by the Third Reich.
Hitler used his political ideology as a cover for his true objective, which most other evil doers have done throughout the history of mankind, including the present day. The real underlying motivation can be found in God’s Holy Word, a verse that virtually all of us are familiar. First Timothy 6:10a: “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (King James Version of the Bible).
There are two key words in this verse that require our attention, “love” and “all.” The first tells us that money in itself is not evil. The second, “all,” serves as a basis of my conclusion that the true foundation of all evil is predominately an insatiable quest for wealth (and the power to attain it and keep it). Of course the tragic outcome of the things done in such an evil pursuit is that innocents are “collateral damage.”
That is, people(s), in the course of being deprived of basic freedoms, are exploited, abused, enslaved, misplaced, trafficked, raped, and slaughtered to death (sometimes in the millions) along an evil doers wicked road to amass wealth (and power) for their own personal pleasure and “happiness.”
I’ve said all the above to join with you – on Memorial Day 2021 - in being forever thankful that the providence of Almighty God raised up a great and mighty nation, the United States of America, to boldly take on evil, serving as His earthly banner and sword and guardian of FREEDOM around the Globe, a world God supernaturally created and loves to the extent that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, to conquer all evil (and death itself as well), bringing ultimate freedom and everlasting internal peace for all who accept Him.
And in being forever grateful - on Memorial Day 2021 - for our brave and noble Warriors - “Good Men and Good Women” - who in standing up to evil, made the ultimate sacrifice, enabling FREEDOM TO RING LOUDLY AND SHINE BRIGHTLY ON EVERY HILLTOP THAT CAN BEAR IT. Yes, those freedoms we all continue to enjoy - day in and day out - as citizens of God’s Country.
AMEN and AMEN