SUFFERING

If you've been following along the past couple of days, you know we're talking about evil and suffering and the kinds of questions we might ask ourselves and others when faced with the dilemma of reconciling those concepts with the idea of a loving God.

The next question we might ask when sorting thru and searching for answers is:  Where do you draw the line between who should be allowed to cause suffering by their free choices and who shouldn't?

At what level should God intervene?  We might agree He shouldn't allow the very worst offenders to go unpunished - the Hitlers - the Osama Bin Ladens - but what about the next level of offender, whatever that level might be, and who would decide that?  Serial rapists, child abusers, felons?

Should God step in and stop their free will choices?  Some would say 'absolutely' to that -- others would say 'no' -- and if you'd say 'yes,' then what about the next level of offender, whatever that level might be, and who would decide that?  Drunk drivers who kill people, burglars, bullies, shoplifters, people who double park, jaywalkers?

'Why does a loving God allow suffering?  Because a loving God allows you.'

Because if we keep going with that, shortly we'd make our way down to some of us, wouldn't we?  So that we were now some of the most evil people in the world.

And ultimately someone would say: 'God, that Kevin Taylor, did You see what he did?  Why do You allow him, since he's now the most evil person in the world?'

What we'd really be saying is, 'For God to destroy all suffering, He'd ultimately have to destroy me.'  Think about that.  Why does a loving God allow suffering?  Because a loving God allows you.

The alternative is that God would make it possible for evil people like you and me to turn from their lives of self-centeredness and trust Him to live others-centered lives and that He'd give us the power to do it.

And there it is - because that's exactly what the Christian Gospel is all about.

And be blessed.