Not Good Enough

One of the best descriptions about the supposed goodness of mankind that I have ever heard goes something like this:

"Nobody does anything they believe is wrong."

One of those eternal questions that people from all walks of life seem to ask is "Why do bad things happen to good people?" And, of course, the opposite question can be asked as well. "Why do good things happen to bad people?" This latter question arose recently on a Christian chat room. The following three examples were given to discuss because as the person asking the question said, "these things really tweak my cookies."

I struggle with seeing the drug addict who cares nothing for no-one... especially her children... get a court settlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars from her dad dying that she had nothing to do with all of her life. (a real person... we counseled with her)

I struggle with the wicked, bottom grabbing business man who thrives on his greediness, end up with millions of dollars... and pays his employees poverty wages. (a real person... we knew him and his wife)

I struggle with THE under-age drunk driver who collides head on with another car and receives a check from her insurance company for over $25,000 dollars because she got an owie. (another real person)

These are all good examples and deserve an answer. However, I am one who does not readily accept the premise behind the examples. And that premise is that there are good and bad people. Normally, what we consider good and bad is based upon our own personal definitions of these two terms. Add to that the fact that most people in this country, and many in this world, have an accepted and shared morality then you have a backing that justifies your beliefs. In general, good people are those considered to pay their taxes, are friendly neighbors, take care of their families, go to church, mind their own business and believe in the "Golden Rule." Conversely, anybody who violates these same tenants, or worse, on a consistent basis is considered bad. That is why your average individual is not considered a bad person, but your Adolf Hitler's, Saddam Hussein's and those like them, are considered bad. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not trying to say that we shouldn't try to keep these tenants or to excuse those that don't. But, there is a selfishness and pride behind these examples.

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." Judges 17:6

"All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart." Proverbs 21:2

As I stated earlier, nobody does what they believe to be wrong. And even if they do, they will try and justify it in some way. I say this because if we believe something is wrong, we will not do it on most occasions. Some of the most evil people that ever walked this earth, like the previously mentioned Hitler and Hussein, believed that what they were doing was right and good. And all of them had some sort of foundational doctrines that supported their beliefs, not to mention thousands and millions of followers. However, when somebody who we believe is rewarded for bad behavior, it does not mean that they are good or bad people. I remember watching an episode of the Simpson's and the Simpson family had just survived another misadventure started by Homer Simpson. Near the end of the episode, Marge, Homer's wife, tried to find a moral to what the family had experienced. Homer quipped that there is no moral, but rather what they experienced was just a "bunch of stuff that happened." In some ways, that applies to these situations as well. I am sure we can find examples of people who we feel are deserving of financial rewards. But, they are no more deserving as those we feel are bad are not deserving. It is just the way things work out in this world.

"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone." Mark 10: 17-18

There are no good people in this world. You can also argue that there aren't any bad people as well. All of us come into this world as spiritually dead people simply doing what comes naturally. And that is to indulge the flesh to varying degrees. Granted, we have to have an agreed upon system of right and wrong, or good and bad, in order to have a functioning society for us to live in. But, from a Christian standpoint, we have to judge good and bad from God's perspective. When the man in Mark 10 called Jesus, "Good teacher," he was rebuked. From the perspective of the individual that called Jesus "good teacher," he is using the same definition of good that the individual who gave the three examples above is using. And that is that their are "good" people. Those, by human definition, we believe to be good (i.e. somebody who has done something beneficial to us or mankind). I don't believe the man Jesus rebuked thought Jesus was God when he called Him good. Rather, because of the way Jesus was acting and what He taught lined up with his definition of good, he called Jesus good. But, from God's perspective there are no good people. Besides, the drug addict, businessman and drunk driver that are called bad in the above examples, may not benefit from inheriting all that money. That money could be a curse, as much as it is a blessing, because it affords these individuals more resources in which to indulge the sins they are apparently trapped in. Furthermore, we are not to judge ourselves by others in these circumstances. I would presume if we had come into a large some of money we wouldn't view it as something good happening to a bad person, right? After all, most of us aren't drug addicts, wicked, bottom-grabbing businessmen or under aged drunk drivers. Therefore, we are not bad by our own definition and are deserving of financial rewards. We all think we are "good" people. Therefore, we are the ones deserving of "good" things happening to us.

"All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:12

If no one does good that means nobody is good. Because goodness can only come from an ultimate source of good. And that source is God. Anything we do that is good, from God's perspective, is only what He has done through us. If we were good, that means we are God, and only God is good. That is something none of us can ever be nor does God expect us to be. It is our pride at work that makes us sit in judgment of others who seemingly have benefited from sinful behavior as if it should not have happened to them. It also sounds like simple jealousy on our part. In order for us to feel better about ourselves we must find ways to tear down those who have what we want. The last time I checked, coveting was still a sin. This is not an attitude that comes from God. An addict, wicked businessman or drunk driver has a larger problem than their sin or any financial reward they seemingly receive from engaging in their sin. Their sin is evidence that they are dependent on something other than Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Instead of sitting in judgment over them we should go to them, in love, and try and share the Gospel with them. If they are lost, we have given them an opportunity at salvation and eternal life. If they are a Christian, we can restore them back to the knowledge of who they are in Christ. We should not be concerned with trying to figure out why good things happen to bad people. What we should ask is why a good God loves us so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, as ransom for our sins so that we could have the opportunity to spend the rest of our natural lives and eternity with Him in Heaven?