This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood

The words of Peace Pilgrim—“This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.”—shine like a beacon from the deep well of human wisdom. They carry within them the essence of ancient teachings, echoing the voices of prophets, sages, and saints who knew that peace is not passive, but active. It is not found by retreating from the world, but by standing firm against its darkness—not with more darkness, but with light. This teaching calls us to a higher road, one that demands courage greater than the sword, and strength deeper than the fist.

The first command in her words is simple yet profound: overcome evil with good. For evil feeds upon itself; violence breeds more violence, cruelty gives birth to cruelty. To strike back with the same hand of malice is to let evil multiply. But when good is shown in the face of wickedness, the cycle is broken. The ancients called this the victory of virtue over vice. To feed the hungry even when wronged, to forgive when betrayed, to show kindness when despised—this is how evil is stripped of its power, for it cannot survive where goodness is relentless.

Her second teaching is to overcome falsehood with truth. Lies are the weapons of the cowardly, the chains of the oppressor, the shadows that blind nations. But truth, though sometimes buried, rises as the sun. Consider Galileo, condemned for declaring the earth moved around the sun. His enemies silenced his voice, but truth could not be silenced, and centuries proved him right. Lies may win a battle, but truth always wins the war of time. To walk in truth, even when costly, is to stand with eternity, for truth does not decay.

And lastly, she proclaims the most difficult and the most powerful path: overcome hatred with love. Hatred is fire, consuming both enemy and bearer alike. To answer hatred with hatred is to let the blaze spread until nothing remains but ash. But love quenches it, like water poured upon flame. Think of Nelson Mandela, who, after decades of imprisonment, could have unleashed vengeance upon his captors. Instead, he chose reconciliation, extending the hand of love. And because of this, a nation was spared a river of blood. Love is not weakness; it is the greatest weapon, for no wall can withstand it forever.

The origin of Peace Pilgrim’s words lies in her own life. She renounced possessions, walked thousands of miles, and gave her days to spreading a message of harmony. Her strength was not in armies, nor in wealth, but in the unshakable belief that peace is built by deeds of good, truth, and love. Her life itself was her teaching, as she lived simply, trusted strangers, and answered every cruelty with compassion. She showed that peace is not an abstract dream, but a discipline, a way of life walked step by step.

For us, the lesson is clear and urgent. If you wish for peace in your own life, in your family, in your nation, you must practice it. Confront evil not with revenge, but with good acts that disarm it. Speak truth even when lies are easier, for truth is the seed of trust. Answer hatred not with bitterness, but with deliberate love, even if it costs your pride. Peace is not the absence of struggle, but the triumph of these choices made again and again.

Practical action follows: forgive someone you hold bitterness against. Refuse to spread gossip, but instead speak what is true. Perform an act of kindness for one who has shown you none. These are not small things—they are the bricks from which the temple of peace is built. And as each person takes up this task, peace grows not only within, but spreads outward, until nations themselves are changed.

So remember the words of Peace Pilgrim as you walk the journey of life: “Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” This is not the easy way, but it is the only way that endures. For kingdoms founded on the sword crumble, but the deeds of goodness, truth, and love endure beyond time, carried in the hearts of all who live after. Take up this way, and you will not only find peace—you will become its maker.