The better I try to be as a person, the more I seem to suffer. I’ve noticed it’s almost as if those of us who try to do good and do the right thing are often punished, while those who break societal rules and hurt others seem to get ahead. Why do bad things seem to happen to good people while bad people seem to prosper?
— Thanks,
Anonymous
Blake Johnson
Blake’s Take
Dear Anonymous,
Great question! This question and these thoughts have meandered around in my mind for the better part of my life. In fact, I doubt there has ever been a soul that didn’t ponder this issue. Naturally we all suffer when tragedy strikes, but when it happens to the blameless, we lose all understanding. It’s just as unsettling when good fortune rains on those who choose the cynical life.
One of my favorite pastimes is watching true crime documentaries. I love playing detective and trying to solve the case before the truth is revealed. One thing I’ve noticed in almost every case is that the victims are upstanding citizens. At least, that’s the way they are portrayed by the witnesses and friends who are interviewed. I realize friends will be biased and the producers want you to feel empathy for the victim, but it’s almost as if every case emphasizes the injustice of life. They regularly have me convinced that the victims are sincerely good people and that their tragedies really do outweigh those of people who may be more deserving.
Some may say that we just view innocent victims with more empathy, but I believe there is more to it than that. At the very least, it’s easier to justify when bad things happen to bad people. Not that it’s any different for them, but according to the concept of karma, actions have consequences. If the universe is fair, then we should all reap what we sow.
But the universe is not fair. In my early years as a Christian, I lived under the false notion that if I was obedient, God would protect me from tragedy. During every trial, I would ask God, “Why is this happening to me?”
Why is that? What makes any of us think that we deserve a life without difficulty? Think about the story of Job in the Bible. It says he was “perfect, upright, feared God, and eschewed evil,” yet he experienced tremendous loss. Job argued that his punishment was unwarranted with his friends and felt God had forsaken him. If a perfect, upright God-fearing man like Job is allowed to suffer, what makes me think I should be protected?
In Ecclesiastes, the Bible says “All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath,” (Ecc. 9:2, KJV). Basically, it tells us that both good and bad happen to everyone. After studying the issue, I tend to believe that this is more likely the case. While we may write off the bad things that happen to bad people, to them, life probably feels just as unfair. In fact, think about the criminal interviews you may have witnessed– a lot of times they share their own tragic life events.
If all of this is true, then why does it feel so unbalanced? Perhaps the perception of imbalance is just a lack of understanding. Maybe it feels like an imbalance because we are just more invested in the things we can’t explain. I know this is not exactly an answer to your question, but after diving into the subject I can’t help but feel that the scales of justice are more balanced than they seem.
When you look at it this way, it’s a little easier to not worry about social injustice and shift focus to yourself. You will likely still experience personal trials and tragedy to no fault of your own, but at least you know you’re not alone. My only advice is to continue the effort to better yourself as a person and focus on the things that you can control. That is the best any of us can do. After all, the bad things we suffer do make the good things much sweeter. Maybe the answer is as simple as that.
Thank you for writing and I hope somehow you can find purpose and comfort from all of life’s instability.
Sincerely,
