Thought for the day…

The World as a Training and Testing Ground

Perhaps the best way to make sense of the idea that an all-knowing and all-powerful God could nevertheless allow world-class mismanagement and evil actions to happen resulting in the deaths of millions, along with the suffering of individuals on a daily basis for other reasons, is to think of life as a journey, a comparatively very short transitional period leading to eternity, and to think of our time here as a period of training, and a time where the quality of our character is displayed and assessed for the amount of compassion we show to others, in order that we be judged fairly on judgment day.

It isn’t only the quality of the character of the person suffering that’s being tested, but the quality of those around them. Every incidence of suffering is an opportunity for those around the person suffering to show compassion and to help them overcome their problems to the best of their abilities. The quality of compassion in a person’s character shows up much more clearly when some of those around them are suffering so it has cause to be displayed.

Of course, suffering can lead to a feeling of helplessness and being overwhelmed and other emotional pain on the part of some of those who witness it. Yet it may be an opportunity for compassion on the part of others with better training and resources who are witnessing the same suffering, or an inspiration for others to develop the means of helping such people.

Suffering can also be a means of developing compassion in people that makes for less selfish and more caring individuals than a perfect world would, although maybe some personality types are more likely to be inspired to greater compassion by suffering than others.

I believe that failing to take opportunities to try to help others in the face of clear need when it’s in a person’s power to do so, as well as deliberately causing harm, will be judged, according to the degree of negligence or evil committed.

First John 3:17 says “That if ye who have earthly goods to take care of yourselves, sees a brother and sister in need and do nothing to help meet that need…how can you say that the love of God dwells in you?”  I have often wondered if Christians have ever read this scripture, or even believe that they will be judged if they fail to obey it?

First John 3:15-16 says that “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” It is clear, that the body of Christ has yet to understand what this scripture means. Hate means more than what some think. To God…if you have no compassion for the needs of others and refuse to fellowship with them or help them, you are showing hatred in your heart towards them and you are not displaying the love of Christ in your hearts. Jesus says that we will know that we are His disciples by the love we show for each other. Not just for a select few, but for all.

It’s a scary thing to see how hearts have become so cold in these latter days. I truly believe it breaks God’s heart when we refuse to help someone, because we have some unforgivness towards them. If we as parents saw our children rejecting another sibling, by not allowing them to be a part of the group, refusing to speak with them, or helping them when they had a need; would it not grieve us? Though our hearts would be broken and hurting, we would definitely give a reality check to the sibling causing the discord and refusing to forgive. How much more would God be with us? Believe me when I say…that God knows how to “touch” our experience if we are disobedient to show His compassion and love towards others.

However, each suffering is an opportunity for acts of personal heroism and compassion towards the hurting, and I believe that people will be eternally rewarded according to how much they show to those who are in need.