Lent Day Nine - Break the Dam, Release the River

     In my efforts to understand God I often got stuck on the question of why bad things happen to good people.  If He’s all-loving, all-knowing, all-powerful why does He allow evil to remain in the world, thinking that evil is some “thing” out there that can be eradicated.  Much like when he flooded the earth because everyone, except Noah,  had become wicked.

     So I thought about my own life and while I do think of myself as a good person, someone who follows the laws of society and makes every effort to treat others with respect and kindness, I’m certainly not perfect and I wonder…would God have asked me to build the ark?

     God has handed down laws to us in the form of the Ten Commandments.  For example, Thou Shalt Not Steal.  Well, that’s easy, I don’t steal.  I mean maybe when I was a teenager.  And there have been times when the cashier handed me back too much change and I didn’t make the drive back to return it.  But does that count?  The commandment doesn’t say Thou Shalt Not Steal except if peer pressure is involved or you are stealing from a corporation that has too much money to notice.

     God also asks me to love others as myself.  I do that.  Generally.  I mean unless I’m in a really cranky mood or the person in front of me is driving way too slow, but does that count?   Did God say love others until it becomes inconvenient?

     So before I press God any further on why He doesn’t eliminate evil, I better make sure I know where He draws the line.  After all, I am a really bad swimmer.