All Things Working for Good?

I got a nice question in response to the Epiphany sermon right below this post.  The source was the following paragraphs:

As annoying and sometimes traumatic as [life's] journeys can be, they're the only way our lives grow beyond our own stunted vision and self-will.  They're also the only way we ever get to see and understand the Messiah who, in the end, is too large and glorious to be contained in the static understanding of any individual.

God is sending your Epiphany star in many ways every day.  Do you see and do you follow or are you in the business of shutting out, shutting down, and killing off anything that's going to change the life to which you have grown accustomed? 

Our life's journey ultimately leads to the Messiah. 

The gist of the question was, "Does saying that 'all life's journeys ultimately lead to the Messiah' mean that all paths in life are inherently good?"

Extending the metaphor of the journey of the Magi a bit further, we find that this is not so.  The journey from the East culminated in Bethlehem with the Messiah but that does not mean that every step of that journey was sweetness and light.  The Bible doesn't describe the trek, but one may assume that it was hard and long with plenty of missteps, pointy rocks, reluctant camels, inclement weather, and what have you.  Those things weren't inherently good in themselves just because the destination was right.

More to the point, the Wise Men took a rather unfortunate detour into Herod's arms in Jerusalem and then were warned against returning to Herod on their way back.  These events precipitated the murder of many young children.  The path to Herod wasn't "good" and we may assume a return path to him would have been even worse, since the Magi were warned against it.

Our lives (and deaths) ultimately lead us to the Messiah.  That is righteous and proper.  It does not follow that any path we take in this life is good any more than every step the Magi took to the baby Jesus was equally good.  We make mistakes, get lost, step on those sharp stones, wade in weeds, experience all kinds of detours and distractions.  That doesn't stop God from bringing us to him in the end, but that act is as much deliverance and rescue as it is a happy homecoming.

Therefore it's perfectly fine to look at a path we, or someone we know, is taking and to say, "This does not seem like a good one."  The knowledge of our ultimate destination frees us from the burden of considering that judgment infallible and all-powerful.  God will decide our fate, our conceptions of good and evil paths notwithstanding.  Because we know God has the final say no matter what we decide, we are free to converse and even critique in our search for the best path forward.  Indeed, sometimes we are called to do exactly this, even to the point of intervening in difficult situations.  If you suspect your child is addicted to drugs, "Oh well, all paths ultimately lead to God!" is not the called-for response.  Rather it's, "All paths ultimately lead to God and goodness so why are you so invested in heading down this evil and destructive one that's just going to end up empty and powerless?"

Our ultimate destination does make a difference in how we perceive the world irrespective of good and evil, though.  We may not always be able to see the right, best, or even good path forward.  Most of the really difficult situations in life obscure our vision to the point that discernment of a "right" way is impossible.  But if we know that we are headed towards God no matter what we also trust that God is present no matter what. Even when we can't see the path forward, we trust there is a path forward.  More to the point, we trust that God will accompany us as we take the next steps forward even if they ultimately end up being the wrong ones.

In this way we experience the truth of the oft-misused quote from Romans 8:28,  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Not all things are good, but God will not let non-good things have the last word.  He will ultimately work goodness for us even when we're on the most misguided paths.

The more "experienced" I've gotten in life the more I've come to understand this truism.  There are two kinds of people in the world:  those who trust in God's presence--and thus see/experience/share him--even in the most desperate of circumstances and those who cannot bring themselves to trust in God's presence no matter how ideal the path they're on.  The first type of person believes, hopes, endures, and walks with his or her neighbor through trial and tribulation, bringing comfort.  The second type of person always finds something to complain about.  The first person finds the potential for God and goodness in every moment.  The second wouldn't know goodness if it bit them in the behind.

All of us fall into both categories somewhat.  We will all find strength and we will all find the capacity to complain and find wrongness.  But when push comes to shove, one or the other of those traits will win out and guide our lives, particularly our lives of faith.  Not all paths are equally good, but each path has the potential to teach us something about life, love, faith, and God if we are the type of person to regard it so.  We have no choice over our ultimate fate and destination.  We do have the power of interpreting the circumstances of our daily lives and paths.  Will we believe that God works in, with, and through them (that they lead us to him) or will we deny him at the end, beginning, and on each step in between?

--Pastor Dave (pastordave@geneseelutheranparish.org)