“Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”, maybe we should be asking, “Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people?”

The biggest question with evil is, "Why doesn't God prevent it from happening?" If God is really an all-good and all-powerful being, why doesn't he do something?
I bring this subject up because I reminded of my human nature to doubt purpose or reasoning. I know of a college student that survived a nearly fatal accident. I have a neice going through a staph infection on her legs that can not be treated with medication. My mother is dealing with more leg problems and a rash that seems to be spreading. Give me time and I am sure I can mention other issues that people I love are going through!

First of all, God does not create evil; he allows it to occur. When he originally created the world, he created all things good. He created people, however, with the freedom to choose. This includes the freedom to make right and wrong choices. Often those wrong choices bring about consequences that end up hurting ourselves or other people, sometimes innocent victims who didn't deserve it.
As a high school student, I went through a series of tests due to an incident that occured because of the choices I made and eventually had a pacemaker installed. God did not do this to me to punish me or necessarily teach me a lesson; I can blame no one but myself.
Of course, God could intervene and control everything about our lives--the good and the bad--but then we would merely be robots and not truly free. Basically a BORG for those Star Trek fans! He could even force us to love him if he wanted, but then forced love isn't true love. He gives us the freedom to choose or not to choose him, the freedom to live and enjoy life, and the freedom to make right and wrong choices. Unfortunately, we are left to deal with the consequences of our own and other people's actions.
Author C. S. Lewis said that 80 percent of suffering comes from the moral evil of mankind. So what about the other 20 percent? There are some things we will never truly understand here on Earth.
There is good news, however. First of all, the God of love is also a God of justice. For all those who make wrong choices, hurt innocent victims, and get off scot-free, a time is coming when they will face the consequences of their actions. God is the Ultimate Judge, and in due season, God will judge everyone for all their deeds. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). Please do not send me email proclaiming a God as a judge with anger....I still view God as a compassionate fair and loving judge! This may date me a bit but I loved the old Andy Hardy movies and always pictured Judge Hardy as mimicing what I think represents God as a Judge.

Second, God often uses the trials of life for a greater good, often to develop our character and makes us stronger through the experience. And we are able to help others in similar circumstances ( I could not have dealt with some opportunities without the experience). I have been able to reach out to disabled students (after my character was changed from complacency to compassion!). Trials also force us to see what is important in life, and often drive us to God when nothing else will. We see the importance of faith, of love, of caring, and of family and friends.
Third, God has provided a way out. A time is coming when there will be no more suffering. In heaven, people will enjoy a paradise beyond imagination. God has created a place of eternal glory where there will be no more crying, pain, sickness, or death; a place where people will share his joy forever.
Finally, God does care! He never promised life would be problem-free (how boring would that be?), but he promised to be with people. Jesus himself felt love, compassion, and sorrow, and was drawn like a magnet to those who were hurting. God, in his love, wants a relationship with us. "For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Real 911 calls

Dispatcher: 911 What is your emergency? Caller: I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the brown house on the corner. Dispatcher: Do you have an address? Caller: No, I have on a blouse and slacks, why?

Dispatcher: 911 What is your emergency? Caller: Someone broke into my house and took a bite out of my ham and cheese sandwich. Dispatcher: Excuse me? Caller: I made a ham and cheese sandwich and left it on the kitchen table and when I came back from the bathroom, someone had taken a bite out of it. Dispatcher: Was anything else taken? Caller: No, but this has happened to me before and I'm sick and tired of it!

Dispatcher: 911 Caller: Yeah, I'm having trouble breathing. I'm all out of breath. Darn....I think I'm going to pass out. Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from? Caller: I'm at a pay phone. North and Foster. Dispatcher: ! Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Are you an asthmatic? Caller: No Dispatcher: What were you doing before you started having trouble breathing? Caller: Running from the Police.

Dispatcher: 911 What is the nature of your emergency? Caller: I'm trying to reach nine eleven but my phone doesn't have an eleven on it. Dispatcher: This is nine eleven. Caller: I thought you just said it was nine-one-one Dispatcher: Yes, ma'am nine-one-one and nine-eleven are the same thing. Caller: Honey, I may be old, but I'm not stupid.
Dispatcher: 911 What's the nature of your emergency? Caller: My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart Dispatcher: Is this her first child? Caller: No, you idiot! This is her husband!

Party

Once upon a time there lived a woman who had a maddening passion for baked beans. She loved them but unfortunately they had always had a very embarrassing and somewhat lively reaction to her. Then one day she met a guy and fell in love. When it became apparent that they would marry she thought to herself, " He is so sweet and gentlemanly, he would never go for this carrying on." So she made the supreme sacrifice, and gave up the beans. Some months later, her car broke down on the way home from work. Since she lived in the country she called her husband and told him that she would be late because she had to walk home. On her way she passed a small diner and the odor of the baked beans was more than she could stand. Since she still had miles to walk, she figured that she would walk off any ill effects by the time she reached home. So, she stopped at the diner and before she knew it, she had consumed three large orders of baked beans. All the way home she putt-putted. And upon arriving home she felt reasonably sure she could control it. Her husband seemed excited to see her and exclaimed delightedly, "Darling, I have a surprise for dinner tonight." He then blindfolded her and led her to her chair at the table. She seated herself and just as he was about to remove the blindfold from his wife, the telephone rang. He made her promise not to touch the blindfold until he returned. He then went to answer the phone. The baked beans she had consumed were still affecting her and the pressure was becoming almost unbearable, so while her husband was out of the room she seized the opportunity, shifted her weight to one leg and let it go. It was not only loud, but it smelled like a fertilizer truck running over a skunk in front of pulpwood mill. She took her napkin and fanned the air around her vigorously. Then, she shifted to the other cheek and ripped three more, which reminded her of cooked cabbage. Keeping her ears tuned to the conversation in the other room, she went on like this for another ten minutes. When the phone farewells signaled the end of her freedom, she fanned the air a few more times with her napkin, placed it on her lap and folded her hands upon it, smiling contentedly to herself. She was the picture of innocence when her husband returned, apologizing for taking so long, he asked her if she peeked, and she assured him that she had not. At this point, he removed the blindfold, and she was surprised!! There were twelve dinner guests seated around the table to wish her a "Happy Birthday"!!!

What Someone Said Someone Said

I first heard this piece of advice about 10 years ago from a gifted Christian leader. He was speaking at a Bible conference and in the course of his message advised us to “never repeat what someone said someone said.” It only gets you in trouble.

This is especially important advice when you are angry and in the midst of some sort of relational conflict. It could be at work or at church or with a friend or in some professional context or it could be within your extended family. The speaker recounted an occasion when he had been part of a bitter church controversy, the exact details of which he did not share because that didn’t matter. It was evidently about personalities and programs and decisions and power and which way are we going and who will lead us and how will we get there? The usual things Christians fight about. In the midst of the controversy, the speaker said he broke this rule one time and one time only. He repeated something that someone said someone said. Only he didn’t quite get the story right. Perhaps it wasn’t relayed properly or in context. But he passed the quote along as the truth because that’s what he thought it was. And it blew up in his face in a big way. Someone called him on it and he had to go back and apologize and try to make things right.

It was a difficult and embarrassing time for him.

Never repeat what someone said someone said. Why is this such good advice?
–Because you may not have the full story.–You probably don’t have the context of whatever was said.–You weren’t there to observe the body language of what was said.–If you are angry, you will be tempted to put the worst possible context on what was said.–The person relaying the information may have an axe to grind, maybe there in the mood to put those karate lessons to good use.–You may be guilty of passing along a bad report to those who don’t need to hear it.–You may gain a reputation as a talebearer or as a gossip.–If the information is not correct, you may face serious consequences, possibly lose friends and create unrepairable bridges! (Been there, done that and not fun!)
And mostly we shouldn’t do this sort of thing, especially when we are angry or hurt, because it corrodes our own soul & contaminates everything (How can we ask God to use us when we have this poison in our system!).

Guard your heart.Set your mind on things above.Think on those things that are pure and lovely and of good report.
The heart is a fragile thing. Once filled with anger, it is hard to fill it again with love. We can abide in Christ or we can abide in gossip, but we can’t do both at the same time.

I suppose we have all occasionally repeated what someone said someone said (Are you confused yet). But let this be the last word. If you are angry or hurt or in the middle of a conflict, DON'T DO IT! Let those who actually heard what was said repeat it–and let them be held responsible for whatever they say.

When you are angry, hold your tongue

and guard your heart.

And don’t repeat what someone said someone said.

iphone

While riding the web highway, I came across this:
Then I got to thinking about how the new iPhone phenomenon thoroughly depresses me, not because I don’t have one but because everyone seems to want one. But why?

We’ve accumulated laptops, cell phones, personal DVD players, mp3 players and a million other technological gadgets, and now we’re told we should own one that combines everything and costs hundreds of dollars. But why? (let me give you a tip the next big thing is just around the corner-meaning this is a never ending adventure!)

I still have a dinosaur of a phone, and don’t get me wrong, I’ll be more than happy when it’s time for an upgrade. For now though, I’m glad it’s just a piece of metal with a cover because I abuse it to no end. My cell has been through torturous times (everyday clumsiness, water submersions, plummets, drops, throws and even ice cream-don't ask!). Perhaps this emphasizes something about my personality (immaturity?). In the larger scheme of life though, what does it really matter what my cell phone looks like?

I wasn’t going to follow the whole mp3 trend either until someone else bought me one. I listen to it occasionally, but given its hefty price, I don’t put it to use as much as I should. Even though it was a gift, I still feel guilty about it.

And who uses a personal DVD player anyway? Loners? Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh. And I have to admit, there’s one in our car, but it’s boring to watch movies with myself (try watching Monty Python's Holy Grail - not fun!). I can’t answer my own ridiculous questions in a thought-provoking indie or laugh with myself in a comedy or hold my own hand in a romance, so what’s the point?


So the point is… I don’t have one… an iPhone that is, and I’m completely satisfied in life without owning the new, up-and-coming thingamajig. (By the way, Microsoft Word actually suggests the words thingamajig and thingamabob as synonyms for gadget. Pretty nifty, eh?)

As photo confession says, no matter what your phone looks like, you’re still going to have the same people calling you (or not calling you). If you’re going to waste that much money, you might as well just buy some new friends.