Sunday School Answers in a Pandemic
While many, if not all, of us have wrestled with the challenges of these last few weeks self-quarantines, an unforeseen need of toilet paper, social distancing, a lack of clarity in messaging from leaders and just general boredom, I have a very dear friend who has been bothered by the philosophical and theological answers of individuals during this pandemic. For many folks it appears that we need some clear cut and easy explanation as to God’s role in these kinds of moments.
You’ve seen the Facebook post proclaiming that God is in control of all this, implying that he is causing this for a reason. Or the post that state God is causing all of this to teach us something about where we put our trust, our attention, our resources or place our love. If you haven’t seen those, then surely you have seen the post where God is initiating judgment on all of mankind for abortion, human sexuality, worshiping other gods, or some other set of sins.
I heard both of these answers by church leaders, pastors, and Christians in the midst of 9/11. I must confess they made me mad. To imply that God would fly a plane into a building to teach us a lesson or pass judgment might be one of the dumbest and cruelest things I have heard.
Truth be told, we often gravitate to a God who is strong, decisive and just (in our eyes) in these moments. We want and celebrate a God that we can blame for all of our hurt or pain. Or perhaps we just want a God who is easy to explain when nothing is explainable.
For many individuals caught in these moments, the simple Sunday School answer can be bothersome, confusing and even frustrating. The idea that the God of love would cause the death of 240,000 (possible White House estimates for USA) people just to get our attention is a little unnerving. Or the idea that God the Father would need to inflict pain and suffering on someone just to teach them a lesson is a little contrary to the thinking of many. It would imply that a good father teaches a child not to touch the hot stove by pressing their hand against the hot flame.
Perhaps Job is our best example of how best to address these moments. He loses everything even his own children. He has it all taken from him. And yet it is his response in all of this that sets him apart.
His friends suggest that he did something wrong. Perhaps God is teaching him a lesson. His wife even recommends that he curse God and die. These sound like some of the explanations I have heard through the years from others.
Finally, at his lowest point Job confronts God with his questions, concerns and anger. Why would a God who loves, cares, and acts allow this to happen? Why is this happening when I have done everything asked and lived well? Why doesn’t God intervene? What is the real purpose of all this pain?
It is at this moment that God speaks to Job. “Where were you when…?” For the next four chapters God responds and Job simply listens. Job’s question of justice is answered with God’s assurance that he is present. It is the same promise God makes time and time again. That He (God) is with us.
Yet, it is Job’s response that answers everything best. “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.” In other words, I have often heard other’s descriptions and explanations of you, but now I have seen you with my own eyes, even in the midst of my hurt and pain.
You see, Job now understands. He doesn’t need an explanation for what is happening. He simply needs to rest in the assurance that God is there. That when his pain is real, when all seems lost, when loneliness sets in, that God is with him. When the chaos of life is in full swing God is still present and working. You simply have to look.
In the words of Barbra Brown Taylor, “For most of us, the worst thing that can happen is not to suffer without reason but to suffer without God – without any hope of consolation or rebirth. What Job wants us to know is that God does not abandon us.”
You are not alone!!!
Now if you’ve made it this far, there are just a couple of last things I want to say to the folks that always feel like the need to say something in these moments.
Don’t give Sunday School answers. They do not help! And STOP posting Sunday School answers.
A desire to have an answer for every question does not excuse bad theology or making God look unjust, unkind or evil.
Simply saying nothing is often better than saying something doesn’t make sense.
Examples:
God’s in charge.
Everything happens for a reason.
God needed another angel.
God is teaching you a lesson.
This is God’s judgement on…
God is better than that. We are better than that. Don’t blame God. Find God. He’s still working, moving, active and you are not alone.
