"Overcome Evil with Good": The Spiritual Discipline of Nonviolence
What Coretta Scott King and the Bible teach us about the strength it takes to choose peace.
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We have such an inaccurate view of nonviolence.
Where did we ever conjure the idea that nonviolence was weak or easy?
In fact, to absorb the blows—be they verbal, emotional, or physical—of someone who sets out to harm you and not respond with similar anger or malice requires tremendous strength.
The strength needed is not just physical, it is spiritual.
According to the King Center, Coretta Scott King, explained nonviolence this way:
"People who think nonviolence is easy don't realize that it's a spiritual discipline that requires a great deal of strength, growth, and purging of the self so that one can overcome almost any obstacle for the good of all without being concerned about one's own welfare." ~ Coretta Scott King
The people we now admire for their stance against injustice didn’t just show up and protest.
They first examined themselves to test their motives and count the cost.
They learned to channel their emotions instead of lashing out in retaliation to mistreatment.
They looked to God and their faith as sources of moral power against the worldly forces of oppression.
Coretta Scott King understood that true power did not come in the form of fists and physical fighting, but in the form of the spiritual discipline to return good in the face of evil.
The Bible speaks of this same concept in Romans 12:17-21.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[ says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Nonviolence does not avoid conflict—it cultivates the courage required for it.
In Romans 12, Paul is not offering a soft or sentimental alternative to revenge. He is describing the way of the cross, the path of discipleship that refuses to mirror the violence of the world.
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil."
That alone is a radical instruction in a society saturated with retaliation and power plays. But Paul goes further—he dares us to make peace even when we have every right to fight.
“As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
These words acknowledge that peace is not always possible. Some will reject it. Injustice will persist.
But the call remains: do everything in your power to be a peacemaker.
This is not passivity. It is spiritual discipline. It is the daily practice of resisting our instinct to lash out, to wound back, to "give them what they deserve."
Instead, Paul says: leave room for God's justice. That doesn't mean tolerating oppression or ignoring abuse. It means trusting that vengeance is not ours to carry.
The weight of cosmic justice rests in God's hands—not ours.
Instead of wrath, feed your enemy. Offer water to the one who wronged you. These are not metaphors for niceness; they are acts of resistance that disarm hate with grace.
This passage closes with the charge that frames the entire Christian ethic of nonviolence: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Evil wins when it provokes us to mimic its methods. But goodness—fierce, holy, embodied goodness—has the power to break cycles. To interrupt injustice. To change hearts.
This is the spiritual discipline Coretta Scott King spoke of.
Not soft-spoken submission, but strength forged in the fire of self-restraint. The strength to believe that another way is possible—and to live like it’s true.
If you’re ready to develop the spiritual discipline of nonviolence, join us for a live online training in partnership with the King Center, founded by Coretta Scott King.
Live Online Nonviolence Training
Saturday, July 19
12 pm - 3 pm ET
Cost: $50 (scholarships available; email: info@jemartisby.com)
Watch this video for crucial clarifications
When you add the $79 training to your cart, the cost will automatically drop to $50. (If it doesn’t add TISBY50 to the cart.)
When you enroll, you will receive a separate email with the link for the live event. There will be a recording sent to all registrants if you aren’t available for the live event.
Going to raise some good trouble today.
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