Ecclesiastes
8:12-14
Bad
Things Happen to Good
People
-
8:12
Although a wicked man commits a
hundred crimes and still lives a
long time, I know that it will go
better with God-fearing men, who
are reverent before God.
13 Yet
because the wicked do not fear
God, it will not go well with
them, and their days will not
lengthen like a shadow.
14 There
is something else meaningless
that occurs on earth: righteous
men who get what the wicked
deserve, and wicked men who get
what the righteous deserve.
This
too, I say, is
meaningless.
This
is the Word of the Lord ... It is
meant to change the way that we
think, and the way that we live.
Commentary
by Bob Pardue
Bad
things happen to good
people
This is a
line that I remember from a
recent TV commercial in my area.
Not too original but it fits this
passage perfectly!
People
often are confused by the fact
that bad things do happen
to good people.
And, on
the other hand, good things
happen to bad
people!
Something
comes to mind when I read these
two profound statements that I'm
sure you have pondered
before.
Have you
ever known (or known of) a
person who became very rich and
prosperous in your town, maybe
was even elected into a
government office and received
awards for his honesty and
generosity but you knew that he
was "the biggest crook in
town?"
Sure, we
all have known someone like that.
If we look
at this situation on the surface
it would appear that maybe
crime does
pay?
The
other side of the
coin
As if that
were not enough, to add insult to
injury, here is the story of
another family.
This family
has a hardworking father, a
loving mother and children who
are adorable. The whole family
attends church every Sunday and
are just the salt of the earth
when it comes to love and
generosity.
Then,
without warning, the family's
house goes up in a blaze and one
of the children is killed in the
fire.
A few weeks
after the fire the father finds
out that his job is being
downgraded and he will only be
able to work 20 hours per week
instead of 40.
And, as if
that wasn't enough, the wife
finds a lump and it is determined
that it is cancerous.
This seems
far-fetched but I've known people
who were in almost that difficult
a situation.
And yet
their faith was unshaken.
Why?
Because
they know that this life is just
temporary and the life with God
is eternal. Through prayer and
hope they are able to withstand
the worst of earthly
storms.
I just hope
that my faith will pull me
through as I face life's
difficulties and
storms.
I also pray
you will be able to withstand any
life situations which are
guaranteed to come your way. If
you haven't experienced a storm
in your life, I'm very happy for
you but your storm will
come just as we all will face
them.
The Good
News about Facing
Hardship
If we put
our trust in Christ we can lean
on Him in times of hardship and
He will comfort
us.
Going back
to the theme of this passage and
asking the question; "Will bad
things happen to good people and
good things happy to the bad?"
Sometimes
this will certainly happen, but
remember that God is with us
through our tough times and will
judge all of us and so the wicked
who are prospering here on earth
will get justice in the
end.
One last
thought ...
God will
judge and decide who is punished
and who is not but the decision
is totally His; not
ours.
Keep Christ
close so you have his comfort
when those times come.
Love in
Christ
-
Bob
If you have
never made the commitment to
receive the love and
life-changing experience of Jesus
Christ, please take a moment to
go
here
and take the first
steps
to salvation.
Verses are from Life
Application Study Bible: New
International Version
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