This will be a Christmas unlike any we have known, with fewer large family gatherings and crowded worship services. Under any condition, it is no less the day 2.2 billion people — more than a quarter of the world’s population — celebrate the birth of Christ, the son of God sent to the earth to spread his word.

Like Jews, Christians believe in Hebrew scripture that assures us God turns all bad, all evil, into good — including a deadly pandemic.

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” — Genesis 50:20

Christians accept the New Testament, written by apostles of Jesus, as God’s modern addendum and explanation of the Hebrew Bible’s teachings. It tells us in dozens of scriptures how God, with the cooperation of humanity, turns evil into good.

“Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” — Romans 12:21

Multiple scriptures of the Islamic Quran, guiding the world’s second-largest and fastest-growing religion, likewise talk about God turning evil into good. The religion views Jesus as a prophet who will return to establish peace and goodwill to mankind on a planet enmeshed in conflict.

“Those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them, secretly and publicly, and repel evil with good, for those will have the good end” — Surat ar-Ra’d 13:22

The bad-turns-to-good philosophy may be hard to hear in Colorado, where an evil, microscopic virus that began in China — a country oppressed by communist-sponsored slavery and religious persecution — has killed more than 3,500 innocent victims. It might be hard to hear anywhere, as the COVID-19 virus kills millions worldwide indiscriminately without concern for geography.

For those who dismiss the teachings of the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Quran, and other religious texts, the pandemic can make the evil-into-good belief seem laughable.

Yet, if we read Judeo-Christian scripture, and other major religious writings, we understand that God expects adversity to bring out the best in humanity.

We learn that, as told in the Bible, many people have been kept alive and will be kept alive. Most people are likely to survive this treacherous contagion, though most will do so with the never-ending grief for lost loved ones who are not around the Christmas tree or celebrating a holiday meal during this season of Hanukkah, Christmas, the New Year, and other traditional winter celebrations.

Because of the human intelligence created by God, and the general goodwill of the human heart and mind, wealth and talent have combined in the United States — the freest and most diverse society in the world — to develop vaccines that will stop the virus. It is the good works of humans defeating an anti-human foe.

Without vaccines, billions would not live. Without them, the “evil meant against me” would have prevailed. Planet Earth would not consist of unprecedented numbers of humans enjoying the highest quality of life, and the lowest rate of poverty, in the known history of the world.

Just as humans conquer evil foes with vaccines, today we must consider our obligation to right wrongs. For the sake of humanity, and the need to conquer evil, we must love and cherish our deceased and give gratitude for the time we had with them. Pray they are in a better place according to God’s plan.

Christmas is a time for giving and we can defeat adversity by making 2020 and 2021 record years for charitable donations. We can decide, on this day as much of the world celebrates Jesus, to forgive our mortal enemies. We can leave generous tips and commit anonymous acts of kindness. We can choose to comfort strangers in need, who lack the support of family and friends.

Humanity can tan turn evil into good and make this the happiest, most constructive, most meaningful Christmas of them all.