Editorial – Sadness — But Bitterness?

Bitterness

All down through the ages, mankind has expressed bitterness when calamity befalls them. Naomi expressed such bitterness at the death of her husband and two sons. It is indeed hard to avoid such a reaction, whether the situation is one that impacts you personally or one you love. There is a natural reaction to look for the reason behind the situation, as did the disciples when they came across a blind man.

“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:1-3).

The disciples had two explanations: personal sin or inherited sin, but in modern times other reasons often occur to us. Society tends to look to assign blame (and obtain monetary compensation) whenever bad things happen. I had an accident recently that resulted in a broken bone in my leg: my insurance company wanted to know where the accident happened, whether it was on a sidewalk or someone’s property — presumably to investigate the possibility of assigning blame and then obtaining compensation from the property owner.

Thus the natural reaction of sadness and grieving over illness or death has, all too often, been replaced by bitterness and then by blaming inadequacies in medical care. To the explanation of “sin” suggested by the disciples, a modern questioner would surely add “or was it the fault of the doctors?” Medical “miracles” are expected: we commonly refuse to accept a terminal diagnosis, and expect the doctors to treat patients even when any rational being would accept the situation — but we are not rational about death.

But is such a reaction Biblical? Was Naomi right to be bitter? In both cases above, good came out of disaster. Naomi became an ancestor to David, and to his greater son. And the blind man was cured. In fact, the reason for the blindness was made clear: “that the works of God should be made manifest in him”. It is hard to accept God’s will, even though we know that sickness and death is our inevitable lot. “Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:4-5). Repentance, belief in the truth, and baptism offer us the ultimate hope of resurrection, but brings no escape from sickness and death in this life.

It is very hard to accept that disease and death is a natural lot of mankind, common to all our race and an inevitable consequence of the sin of Adam, whose mortal nature we all inherit. It is also very difficult to accept that sometimes the purpose of God might require such illness as the blind man suffered. Disciples are not immune: sometimes indeed God sends us trials to prove our faith, as James tells us: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3). And sometimes, perhaps, when our work, or that of someone else is done, we cannot second guess the purpose of our Heavenly Father. It is hard to accept, as we look as to whether we or anyone else could have prevented a sad outcome, but sometimes our work is done. “And [Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LoRD” (Job 1:21).

Does God preserve Christadelphians?

In any disaster in our days, wherever in the world it occurs, we are quick to check on the safety of any Christadelphians that might have been affected. The Chris­tadelphian Internet sites are alive with information, and we are naturally often happy to know that all our brethren and sisters are safe — often followed by an outpouring of monetary help to assist with the material needs of the victims, and prayers and praises for the safety of those involved. There seems to be an implied belief that God protects His own from such disasters.

Indeed, there was an idea prevalent in the brotherhood early in WWII that God’s protection would be afforded to His children and that if we had faith we should be in some way immune from the effects of the bombing. One brother actually wrote a hymn called “London, night-bombers overhead”, based on Psa 91, to the effect that the Lord would preserve those who trusted in Him. “A thousand shall fall at thy right hand, and ten thousand at thy left, but it shall not come nigh thee…” was the implication, but events proved that in fact David’s dictum was nearer the truth — “the sword devoureth one as well as another”. For there were many casualties among Christadelphians from the bombings. There were many who were killed when their homes were blasted, and many who lost their homes and their health.²

The natural consequence is such feelings that, when automobile accidents take one of our own, or a similar fatal outcome is the result of some other episode, we wonder “what happened?” How could such a disaster strike a faithful Christadel­phian? How can a person be struck down in their youth, or even middle age, before they have had an opportunity of serve God for any length of time? Is it something they did, or someone else did? And such we feel bitterness and look for some cause, some way to assign blame, some source to which we can assign bitterness.

Why does God allow pain and suffering?

The easy answer is basically as follows:

1. God gave man free will, so that he would have the opportunity to love.
2. Man chose hatred rather than love, thus bringing suffering (much of which is man-made) into the world.
3. Death puts an end to both sin and suffering. It is God’s way of wiping out of existence those who do not choose to love Him.
4. But there is a hope of life after death for those who do try to love God.

But there is a further aspect: there is a purpose to the life of everyone, whether it is obvious or not. All work to the greater glory of God, knowingly or not. Jesus knew his purpose, and accepted great suffering and death for it.

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son’ ” (Heb 12:2-6 NIV).

Let us remember that, in our grief and sadness at the passing of one we love, we ought not to fall into bitterness, either at ones we might be inclined to blame or at the reality of death itself. There is a sure hope for those who endure to the end: eternal life, free of suffering, death, and sorrow that is our present lot. Despite what we might expect, as Solomon put it:

“…the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them” (Eccl 9:11-12).

Finally, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Eph 4:31).