Good and Evil

August 6, 2020

Whenever something I perceive as good comes my way, it’s easy to attribute it to God’s blessing; and conversely, when something I perceive as bad comes, to ascribe it to the devil’s hand. But what if my perception is skewed, or even completely wrong? Sometimes the perceived blessing is a diversion from God’s will. Likewise, the evil I attribute to Satan might just be God’s hand shielding me from a greater harm.

Psalm 66:10-12 reveals God as one who tests us, who “laid affliction on our backs.” The immediate moment is rarely he best time to discern the benefit or detriment of a matter.

Years ago, my friend Brick (called that because of his brick-red hair) talked with a paraplegic. The man had been in a car accident and was now confined to a wheelchair. That accident and subsequent paralysis led him to an evangelistic meeting where he came to faith in Christ. Brick asked him if he would trade knowing Christ for being able to walk again. The man responded, “That accident was the best thing that ever happened to me. For the first time in my life, I know joy.” As Joseph told his brothers, “You meant it for evil; God used it for good.”

Of late, there has been much talk in our country about racism. Slavery and prejudice and the injustices and inequality that has resulted from them are horrible and atrocious evils. But (This is a difficult thing to say, and will no doubt earn me a few enemies and no end of comments), for THIS generation, the evil of past slavery has become the means by which blessing has come, for by this evil, countless blacks live in the United States, today enjoying freedoms and opportunities their brothers and sisters in Nigeria, Rwanda, and other African countries cannot even imagine. Was slavery good? Absolutely not! Is injustice and inequality good? Absolutely not. But that evil institution that caused so much suffering and pain throughout generations also became the means by which many have been able to achieve much, and one to even become president of the United States. As Joseph told his brothers, “You meant it for evil; God used it for good.”