Why do good things happen to bad people?

Today: Job 21-23

A few days ago, we tackled the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" In today's passage, Job raises the question on the flip side: Why do good things happen to bad people?

If you have ever been annoyed at the success of "bad" people, you may have asked yourself (or even God?) this question. It's hard for most of us to understand why messed-up people can appear to have such picture-perfect lives. It's contradictory to modern, New Age self-help logic (like much of the stuff from The Secret). And in some ways, the idea that good things happen to bad people seems contradictory to other portions of the Bible (e.g. "A man reaps what he sows..."). Right?

Not necessarily. Eventually, we face consequences for our actions--those consequences might happen here on Earth or they might happen in heaven. That's God's call.

Let's review what Job said:

"But who are we to tell God how to run his affairs?

He's dealing with matters that are way over our heads.

Some people die in the prime of life,

with everything going for them—

fat and sassy.

Others die bitter and bereft,

never getting a taste of happiness.

They're laid out side by side in the cemetery,

where the worms can't tell one from the other.

Basically, Job is saying that God's not a genie who follows our commands. Some things in life we just don't understand. I can't understand why good things happen to bad people (or vice versa)...but it's probably because I don't fully understand God's grace and God's justice. However, I am forever thankful that God far surpasses my limited expectations. Aren't you?

Tomorrow: Job 24-28

The Jesus who defied, rebeled and hated

Today: John 5-6

Have you ever had times when you've read the Bible and thought to yourself, "Holy cow those people were dumb!"?

I had a few of those moments while reading today's chapters. But then I realized that when it comes to God, I can be a bit clueless myself.

One of the biggest problems I saw with the people in these chapters was their own expectations. They expected Jesus to fit their ideal timing, their visions of what the Messiah would "look" like, and meet their needs exactly as they asked.

Hmm...have you ever been in that same boat? I have.

But here's the thing about God--if He's going to defy anything, it's human expectation. If He's going to rebel against anything, it's injustice. And if He's going to absolutely hate anything, it's complacency. Jesus did not conform to the commands of people--and thank God for that!

Here's a few examples if you wanted to take a second look:

• Defying human expectations for "the perfect timing": After Jesus healed a lame man on the Sabbath, He said, ""My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I."
  
  Love this! God doesn't have to wait to start working in our lives...but sometimes, He does delay miracles. He's God--He can do whatever He wants. That's the point of Jesus' message here.
  
• Rebeling against injustice: When Jesus walked around, He forgave peoples' sins. And that really angered religious leaders--particularly because Jesus wasn't afraid to help people who they considered second class (prostitutes, Samaritans, women, tax collectors, children, etc.).
  
  Here's what He said, "The Son gives life to anyone he chooses. Neither he nor the Father shuts anyone out. The Father handed all authority to judge over to the Son so that the Son will be honored equally with the Father. Anyone who dishonors the Son, dishonors the Father, for it was the Father's decision to put the Son in the place of honor..."
  
• Hating complacency and hypocricy: There were plenty of people who liked the status quo of religious rules and regulations during Jesus' time. Maybe it was because they were profiting from it or because it gave them superior social status.
  
  But Jesus called out hypocrites when He said, "You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want.
  
  "I'm not interested in crowd approval. And do you know why? Because I know you and your crowds. I know that love, especially God's love, is not on your working agenda. I came with the authority of my Father, and you either dismiss me or avoid me.
  
• Not conforming to the demands of people: When people saw Jesus multiply bread and fish, they were amazed...and basically asked him to do it again, saying, "Why don't you give us a clue about who you are, just a hint of what's going on? When we see what's up, we'll commit ourselves. Show us what you can do. Moses fed our ancestors with bread in the desert. It says so in the Scriptures: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
  
  But Jesus replied, "The real significance of that Scripture is not that Moses gave you bread from heaven but that my Father is right now offering you bread from heaven, the real bread. The Bread of God came down out of heaven and is giving life to the world."

The last one is perhaps my favorite example in this passage because it show God's heart--not to simply give us what we ask for. It's not because He's mean, but because He offers us so much more than what we ask or imagine. We don't always see His answers or the value of them. Our blindness doesn't mean that God's not there offering to free us from sin, heal our souls, and help us to run...and see...again.

Tomorrow: John 7-8

Expecting the One...and Bill Cosby?

Today: Matthew 11-12

"When you meet the One, you'll just know."

Really?

You may think the quote above comes from the Message version of the Bible (since that's what we're reading and all). It doesn't. It's common philosophy passed on to single people everywhere. And while today's passage had absolutely nothing to do with being single or being married, there were a few things in it that reminded me of the holy grail--the search for "the One"--and the expectations many people have, whether searching for a "soulmate"...or the promised Messiah.

Here's what I mean--our expectations for the One may be very different from the real person or the real God--so much so that we may not recognize the One at first sight.

In chapter 11, John the Baptist is in prison, but sends his disciples to ask Jesus an important question:

"Are you the One we've been expecting, or are we still waiting?"

Jesus replies:

"Go back and tell John what's going on:

The blind see,

The lame walk,

Lepers are cleansed,

The deaf hear,

The dead are raised,

The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side."

Is this what you were expecting?

Then count yourselves most blessed!"

I love His response because it's not just a simple, "Yes" or "No." It's a "Take a look at the evidence for yourself and decide" kind of answer--similar to later in the passage when He instructs that, "The fruit tells you about the tree."


When Jesus sounds (a little) like Bill Cosby...

Okay, so I may be stretching (quite a bit probably!), but does anyone remember Bill Cosby's ads for Jell-O pudding in the 80s? I think Jesus sounded a bit like the trusted Cos here:

John came fasting and they called him crazy.

I came feasting and they called me a lush,

a friend of the riffraff.

Opinion polls don't count for much, do they?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Well...Jesus wasn't trying to sell pudding pops I guess. :)

Instead, He was basically saying that people had built-in expectations for John and for Him--what they should do, who they should hang out with. Depending on who you talked to, you probably would have heard a different list of what "the One" should be. I love how He taught, "the proof is in the pudding."

But wait, there's more...

(Now I sound like a TV pitch woman!). Later in the passage, it looks like He contradicts the quote above when He says:

"....The only proof you're going to get

is what looks like the absence of proof..."

Confused? Don't be. It all goes back to the idea of expectations. You see, the religious leaders were asking Jesus for evidence--they were putting him on the spot to see His credentials, the signs and wonders they expected the Messiah to perform.

I think it's interesting that Jesus didn't perform a miracle. He had the credentials they wanted. We know He already healed people. But Jesus knew their motives...and was making a point.

"You're looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind.

All you want is something to titillate your curiosity,

satisfy your lust for miracles."

I think He's speaking to their "If you're the Messiah, then you'll fit into the mold of our expectations"-hoity-toity (did I just write that?!?) attitude.

But guess what? He defies expectations. And there's something pretty cool about that.

Tomorrow: Matthew 13-14