Vision Check

18Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
Genesis 50: 18 - 20 NKJV

Not so long ago Dennis mentioned something he refered to fifty-twenty vision in response to one of my posts.  I believe that the topic of that post was "The God, the bad and the ugly."  Yes, I do take some time before I decide on a topic for my writings.  That being said, this particualr topic happened to cover something which critics of christianity have used against us for years.  That being, how could a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people?  Fifty-twenty vision, that's how.  That is, what man may have meant with evil intent in his own heart, our heavenly Father meant allowed for good.  What?  Yes, there have indeed been times where even I could not comprehend that thought.  Lost in emotions of anger, hurt and revenge I have all too often felt that somehow my Lord was punishing me for some unseen sin.  How could a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people?  Fifty-twenty vision my friend.  Obviously it's not as if God Himself is venting His fire and brimstone anger on us, as He has nothing but love for His children.  However, just as a loving father will at times make decisions which his own children may feel as his being "mean" and unfair, so it is that our heavenly Father will from time to time allow those things in our own lives which we may question as being out of His perfect love for us.  I'm sure that thought may have crossed young Josephs mind as his own brothers tossed him into that pit {Genesis 37:24}.  Now, most christians and non christians alike know the outcome of this story.  How young Joseph was sold into slavery before he was finaly esteemed by Pharoh himself as one of the most powerful men in all of Egypt.  For those who were wondering how a loving God could have allowed such a fate for Joseph, what his own brothers had meant for evil...God meant for good.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45“that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46“For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?"
Matthew 5: 43 - 46 NKJV

I can only imagine the reaction of those hearing the words of Jesus on that day as He talked of...blessing those who curse you.  Really?  But what of that man who clearly had evil intent in his own heart as he spread lies against me?  Fifty-twenty vision.  That is, what man meant for evil, God meant for good.  Does this mean that everything which happens to us can be seen as a blessing?  I wouldn't agree with that.  However, I would agree with the fact that God indeed uses others that He may reach whom He chooses.  Fifty-twenty vision.  Indeed, not every bad thing or difficult situation which we may encounter is contrary to us.  We do well to remember that, as Jesus tells us in Matthew 6, our loving God indeed sends rain on the just as well as the unjust.  In those times of difficulty it is all too often hard for us to wrap our minds around the fact that God is working behind the scenes of EVERY situation we may face.  All too often, our pain is too personal.  We can, however, learn a valuable lesson from that story of young Joseph.  What man meant for evil...God meant for good.

~Scott~