What is evil? What is wicked? By dictionary definition, evil means “morally bad or wrong.” The same source (Webster) defines wicked using the same terms but adds, “done with evil intent.” In a culture that has largely dismissed Biblical absolutes, who gets to define what is morally bad or wrong? And, if we can’t define it, how could we determine evil intent? It seems that most people will admit that evil exists, but we have a hard time agreeing about what “it” is without an objective source. If we believe the Bible to be authoritative, the confusion starts to fade. Good and evil are more clearly contrasted against the backdrop of God’s character and what He says about life and how it is to be lived. Sadly, even people who have the Bible get it wrong sometimes. Isaiah had to proclaim to his own people, to God’s people, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil…” Getting those two things mixed up has dangerous consequences. It would be like calling water gasoline and gasoline water. Imagine the chaos that would create! I’m bringing this up as an introduction to the conclusion of 1 Samuel 12. There is something in that chapter referred to as evil and wicked that doesn’t seem very evil or wicked. I’m planning to use a word in church this week to reframe evil for us in a way that might stick. It won’t lessen the idea of evil, if anything, it will make it even worse.