"Why" shouldn't matter

I recently read an editorial on Relevant Magazine's web site, and it stimulated in me a reaction. (To read part one of the article, click here: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7233)

I am hoping the writer provides answers to some of the questions he poses in his follow up next week, but let me offer my perspective. There was one passage at the end of the article I'd like to explore further. Curt Lamm is the author, and he offered this as reaction to suffering in the world in which we live.

But honestly, is that ever the first reaction when a small child is raped and murdered? “Well, we live in a fallen and sinful world that has ramifications going back to the dawn of man’s disobedience.” If that is ever my first thought, then please put me out of my misery, because that is what I will have become … miserable.

It's an interesting perspective, but depressing as well. Asking to be put out of one's misery simply because you don't like the answer...? I don't know. One may not like the answer, but I'm not sure there is much to argue about, unless you simply don't like how simplistic and scripted the answer is.

But how else do you explain suffering except in the context of the sinful world in which we live? Before man sinned, this world was perfect. The land produced fruit and vegetation - and God saw that it was good. He created birds and fish and animals - and again saw it was good. And then he created man to rule over the animals and to enjoy the fruits of God's creation - and once again, God saw it was good.

Man had it all - except one thing. He was man, and not God. But, Satan said that by eating the forbidden fruit, man would have knowledge and "be like God." (Genesis 3:5) And so man fell to temptation and a life of sin - and things changed. The ground was cursed - man would now painfully toil to earn the food he would enjoy. Woman was cursed with tremendous pain during child bearing. God was rightfully livid.

And so, here we are. Sin is still pervasive, and man still is toiling to overcome it's grasp. And one result is unexplainable suffering. Children are born with various afflictions, innocent families are killed in the depths of war, and untold millions die as a result of starvation and thirst. It's not pretty, it's not nice, it's not good. But we had "good" and we messed it up.

See, Jesus came to bring forgiveness for our sins, but he didn't come to remove sin. It's still here, and we lose to sin every single day.

What I find ironic is that Mr. Lamm's struggle seems to be that he has no answers. The initial cause of man's sin, the desire to have the same knowledge as God, is still rooted deep in each of us. It drives us crazy that we don't know why people have to suffer, especially seemingly innocent people. We want to know why, and we want to know right now damn it.

But it's not our place to know. We may have questions, but we certainly shouldn't think we deserve any answers.

We are to be obedient. We are to ask forgiveness when we sin. We are to model our behavior after Jesus, knowing He is the only way we can enter God's house. At that point, God willing, maybe we'll learn why. But until that time, it really doesn't or shouldn't matter.

I'm not trying to take Mr. Lamm to task. Quite frankly, I think it's a great article, and I look forward to reading his follow up post. I agree with him that too often, we go through the motions of our daily lives, forgetting or ignoring that we are to live like Jesus. We turn away from those in need, don't extend a hand to those suffering.

And maybe that's why there is suffering - because God sees our indifference. We need to move beyond "why is their suffering" and toward "what can I do to ease the suffering?" It is my responsibility to do something, to help "the least of those" as Jesus has instructed us. And I think Mr. Lamm and I share that sentiment.