When Bad Things Happen to Good People

PERRY STONE

One of life’s most perplexing mysteries is why bad things happen to good people. We have all heard the stories of how the most dedicated teenager in the church was abruptly killed in an automobile accident, or how the beautiful young mother with three children is stricken with cancer and suddenly passes, leaving her infants to be raised by loving family members. Why the righteous suffer has always been an enigma.

There is no one set reason or explanation as to why bad things happen. However, after years of ministry, I have some observations as to what may, at times, help prevent bad things from occurring:

1. Avoid making wrong choices. A shortcut through a dangerous part of the city is not a wise choice. Leaving your wallet or purse on the seat of your car while you stop at a convenience store for a restroom break is foolish. Mowing the grass on a riding mower on a steep hill can get you killed. The barrel of a gun is not a small telescope to look through. When people make unwise choices, they can open the door to difficulty or tragedy.

The God of a Second Chance

John Grant

“Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” Psalm 30:2
Recently I heard the story of a rebellious young man who got caught up in drugs, alcohol and a lot more. He left home and struck out on his own looking for something, but he didn’t know what. Things went from bad to worse and he was running with the wrong people. They all ended up in jail in a foreign country. He scraped up all the money he had and hired a lawyer, but the lawyer absconded with the money and failed to show in court and the young man was sentenced to five years in prison.

While in prison he met a murderer and a drug smuggler who were also serving time for their crimes, but had given their life to Jesus after reading Bibles given to them. The young man began meeting with them but the Bibles were in Spanish and he could not read the Word. Eventually someone got him an English Bible and through reading it, he too gave his life to Christ.

After five months in prison, his father and another man came to see if they could get him freed, but their efforts were not met with success. It was too late to appeal or re-open the case. The night before they were to leave they were in a local restaurant and began weeping over their failure. The manager observed their behavior and asked what was wrong. When they told him, he introduced them to a judge who just happened to be dining across the room. Through that introduction, the young man was freed.