Many years ago, I took some academic courses in journalism. The professor stated five questions a good reporter must ask when seeking a news story or reporting on an event. Those five questions are; Who? What? When? Where and why? The five W’s. The answers to four of the five questions are facts to be learned or discovered. But the answer to the question of “Why” is not easily learned or determined. So, let’s consider asking this question.
Why do bad things happen to good people? This question has been asked by many people throughout the ages. Some have tried to answered it by offering many explanations. In 1981 a book was published by author Rabbi Harold Kushner having the title, When bad things happen to good people. I like his approach to the question.
Let’s consider current events, such as hurricane Helene or the fire in downtown Clinton. Many good people suffered. Local people lost their place of business. In several states many suffered loss of life, loss of homes, loss of family and friends. Communities suffered. Total and complete destruction of towns and roads. Good people loss everything. A very bad thing happened to good people. Why?
Some may say, calamities are an act of God. God doesn’t cause bad things to happen. It rains on the just and the unjust. The sun rises on the bad and the good. When sin entered the world, all of creation (nature) was affected. One may disagree if you like. Nonetheless, God desires harmony with His creation.
Consider if you will, the story of Job of the Old Testament in the Holy Bible, chapter 1. Job was a righteous man and feared God. God was pleased with Job. One day Satan, (the devil) was bragging to God about his ability to influence persons and events in the world. Satan boasted that he could turn Job away from God. How confident was God? He allowed Satan to test Job. The key word here is “test” not “allowed.” Evil was already in existence. Talk about bad things happening to a good man! Wow! That, man lost all his possessions. He lost all his children. His wife ridiculed him. He was stricken with a painful illness. Even his close friends criticized him, but he never cursed God. He remained faithful. Satan was proven wrong.
The New Testament Gospel of John provides a clear answer to the main question. In chapter 9 verses 1 thru 5, Jesus meets a man who has been blind since birth. His disciples ask Jesus who sinned, this man or his parents that he should be born blind? Jesus’s answer in verse three clearly states why bad things happen to good people. His answer:
“It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
Be faithful and trust in God. With a natural disaster like hurricane Helene or a terrible fire in town, God’s people came through. They are helping one another to re-establish lost harmony. Helping with food and water. Helping with shelter and comfort. And yes, helping with the grief. No, God doesn’t cause bad things to happen. It is how we respond when bad things happen that is of importance.
Walter Allen is a graduate of TCHS and Auburn University. He is retired from the paper industry and is a published author. A former president of the Laurens County Museum Assoc. in Laurens, SC. He lives in Tuscaloosa County, AL.
