Thursday Thought -- June 23, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.’” (Luke 13:1-5)

There have always been those who believe that people get what they deserve in life. If life brings a person health, prosperity and happiness, then that has to mean the person is doing something right. They are being rewarded for their good character and behavior. On the other hand, if life brings a person sickness, poverty and trouble, then that has to mean the person has done something terribly wrong. They are being punished for their sin.

That seems fair and most people want life to be fair, or at least some express some semblance of fairness. They want to believe that if they work hard and strive to be good that it will pay off for them and their family.

Jesus reminds us that life isn’t about fairness. The Galileans He mentioned weren’t more wicked than others around them. Their wickedness did not result in the tragedy they experienced. They were not being punished. The same was true of those who suffered in the fall of the tower in Siloam. They weren’t more sinful than the rest of the population that lived in Jerusalem.

Life isn’t about fairness. Bad things happen to good people. Good things come on those filled with sin.

But there are lessons to be learned by all of us who see tragedy strike those around us. The primary lesson is about the need repentance. The truth is all of us deserve punishment. If life was about fairness we would all suffer tragedy. So let the tragedy we see move us to turn toward the Lord and seek His grace and mercy for our own sin. Let it be a reminder that punishment for evil will come and the only way to avoid it is through the protection that Jesus offers.

His, by Grace,

Steve