One of the classic theological questions is “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Religious people have puzzled over this question since the days of Job.  Oddly enough, I can’t recall a parishioner ever asking me that question in real life.  Perhaps the reason no one has asked me to answer this question is the same reason you don’t ask a schnauzer to do calculus.  You know my limits as a theologian. 

The theological problem that people do ask me about from time to time sounds similar, but it really is a different problem.  The problem is often expressed as the outraged question: “Why do bad people have it so good?  Why aren’t they suffering and miserable?” 

Underlying both of these problems is really a complaint against God – that serving God really isn’t worth it if we don’t do better than the bad people.  Naturally we aren’t the first people to complain about God.  This is how God addressed that complaint through the prophet Malachi:

You have spoken harsh words against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, “How have we spoken against you?” You have said, “It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts? Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape.”

It’s galling to see bad behavior go unpunished.  It’s worse to see bad people prosper as a result of their evil acts.  We get frustrated when we can’t see justice being done.  That’s understandable, but when we begin to secretly envy those who get away with evil and resent the cost of our own obedience to God, we have bigger problems than trying to figure out a theological question. 

Prayer:  God of mercy, forgive us the times when we envy the worldly success of those who do evil and fail to be thankful for the inheritance we share with Christ as your beloved daughters and sons.  Amen.