Let’s ask the right questions

If I may, I wish to address the elephant in the room.

These past couple of weeks have been difficult for our communities. Labor Day weekend and the week leading up to it led to more than a few casualties. This in turn led to funerals and the inevitable question of “Why.” Questions like, “Why did God let this happen?” or “Why does God allow suffering in the world?” It seems in trying to seek comfort, we seek reason behind the actions of our world.

The thing that I and my colleagues in ministry can tell you for sure is, we don’t know. We don’t know why bad things happen to good people; we don’t know why young lives are snuffed out before they can live. We don’t know why there is famine, or war, or greed or any of the issues that we must deal with in the world.

What we do know is we have a sovereign God who can bring us through all these problems. We also can tell you that God is not the perpetrator of bad things. James 1: 17 tells us that everything good comes from God. God is not the maker of bad things. We live in a fallen world, and in a fallen world bad things happen. So maybe we need to change the question. I would propose that as followers of Christ we need to stop asking “Why” and start focusing on “How.”

How can we stop hunger? How can we stop hatred? How do we stop the homeless situation and the disease problem? How do we help those who have suffered so much? How, how, how, and then we change the question again to “What.”

Ultimately the question becomes, “What can I do to make things better?” What is God leading me to do? I believe if we change the question, then we can change the response. Instead of asking “Why,” let’s find out ways we can heal and alleviate the problem.

Instead of asking why people are being hurt by the hurricane, let’s gather resources to help people get back on their feet. Instead of asking why there is so much problem with homeless, let’s focus resources on getting the homeless the help they need. Instead of asking why people are hungry, let get together and make sure no one goes to bed on an empty stomach.

Folks, asking “Why” is not a bad thing, but it can lead to indecision, non-participation and maybe some self-righteous indignation. Asking how, however, can lead to action and change. All we need to do is look to Christ and follow his example. Each of us can change the world in some way for the better. Christ has given us a commission that is guaranteed to change the world (Matthew 28:19-20) all we need to do is fulfill it.

The body of Christ is about asking what needs to be done, how to do it, and then doing it. Let’s start asking the right questions. Just a thought.

Shalom my friends.

See you in church.

Rev. Kent Wilfong is the pastor at the United Methodist Church, Doniphan/Neelyville.