CHAIN REACTION

Have you heard the parable about the man who is yelled at by his boss; the man goes home in a foul mood and kicks his dog; the dog, in turn, bites the cat; the cat then shreds the sofa; the wife, seeing the cat clawing the sofa, swats at the cat; and on it goes.

One act incites another act and sets off a chain reaction. It happens every second of every day. The resulting causes and effects, in a world of almost eight billion people, are incalculable.

This is similar to the expression or idiom ‘the butterfly effect’. The Butterfly Effect is the idea that a small change, action, or event can cause a much larger one elsewhere or in the future through a chain reaction. (An allusion to chaos theory, popularized by the notion that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world might cause a tornado many miles away.)

THE POINT

This leads me to my point. Have you ever heard anyone say, “If God was such a loving God, why does He allow bad things to happen?”

First let me say that anyone who asks such a question is probably the victim of an unfortunate turn of events or a recipient of ill-treatment and asks this type of question out of anger, angst, self-pity, confusion or ignorance of God and probably couldn’t define ‘the butterfly effect’.

The Bible deals thoroughly with why ‘bad things happen to good people’ and why, to some, it appears that God allows bad things to happen.

NOTE: If you claim that you do not believe in God or that you do not believe the Bible, and choose to ignore what the Bible says, your desire to continue uninformed (ignorant), angry, full of angst and self-pity is sad. It is also self-centered.

I appeal to you to read on, consider what is written, then decided. Please.

FREE WILL

First and foremost, The bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. (Interestingly, the Bible informs us that It is the very breath of God then He created man and woman, and it is most important to know that God created humankind with what is called a ‘free will’. Men and women are created with the ability to make their own decisions in life, whether they are informed or uninformed.

Some people prefer to ‘read the instructions’ first, get directions or ask advice before launching out own their own. Some others, however, prefer the ‘trial and error’ method of learning. Both can lead to unfortunate or even disastrous results at times, but the ‘informed’ have always fared much better than the ‘free wheelers’, and why does it matter which method you choose? Collateral damage from cause-and-effect is why. You not only hurt yourself, you hurt others. (Further reading on ‘free will’ by Pastor/Teacher John Piper)

THE GOOD AND THE BAD

The Bible unequivocally states “God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”, a euphemism for both good things, fortunate and advantageous things happen to both good people and evil people. Likewise, bad and evil things, unfortunate or disastrous things can also happen to both good and bad people.

So, don’t be surprised when ‘stuff happens’.

IT’S HIS FAULT – IT’S HER FAULT – IT’S GOD’S FAULT

The Bible unashamedly defines and good and evil and assigns these attributes and identifies and profiles those who possess these character qualities. (See the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden). The Bible even tells us that we are defined as a ‘good or bad’ person by the things we continually, practice (See Galatians chapter 5). The Bible tells us we may ‘inherit’ these qualities (“as far as the 3^rd of 4^th generation), so we may know where these taught and learned behaviors come from, but the responsibility and the consequences lie with the perpetrator, although the consequences are also shared – they spread like a ‘butterfly effect’.

Back to our opening example of cause and effect, imagine EIGHT BILLION people, each individual setting off a chain of events at one time. Each event affecting tens, thousands, millions and even billions of other people, causing them to react, either through:

Sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,

(Of which God forewarns us, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.)

Or with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The summary is that although God created all things and all people, they were created with a mind and a will of their own. God created people with the ability to think and to reason, and with the power to choose.

God created a world in which things happen, and we, as human beings, have been given the ability to think and reason, so we have ascribed good to some things and bad or evil to other things.

Reasoned out, we can see that good things can happen to both good people and evil people. Likewise, bad things can happen to both good and evil people as well.

Taken together, in a world of 8 billion people, the cause and effect brings both good and bad things, and the interactions and numbers of ongoing events are incalculable.

Things are made more unpredictable and increasingly worse when people behavior and actions are taken without regard to outcomes.

The Collateral damage from cause-and-effect, as demonstrated by the Butterfly Effect, could be worse than inconvenient in our modern world of advanced technology, it could be a ‘world ending event’.

TELL ME HOW

Would it be great if there was a way to anticipate what was coming or how to avoid or navigate what does come upon us. What if ‘read the instructions’ first, so to speak, or to get directions and ask advice before launching out on our own depending on a ‘trial and error’ method of acting, avoiding or learning? Wouldn’t we have a chance to fare much better? I realize that we cannot always avoid unfortunate or even disastrous circumstances at times, even if we are prepared. But the ‘informed’ have always fared much better than the ‘I’ll take my chances, trial-and-error-free-wheeler types’.

So, where can you go for dependable advice? I strongly suggest the Bible. The Bible was written about 3,400 years ago and was completed about 1,900 years ago. So, it has longevity over a broad period of time through all kinds of circumstances. (Here is a comprehensive Biblical and Historical Timeline chart covering 3,000 B.C. through our current day.)

BUT IS IT DEPENDABLE?

The odds are 1 to 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 (Stated another way, that is 1 to 10 to the 157th power)

These are the odds against – yes, AGAINST – Jesus Christ having fulfilled just 48 of the over 450 prophecies written about Him.

In order to give you some perspective, electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES 10 to the 15th power of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one-inch long. 19 MILLION YEARS!

Read that again, please. Why is that significant?

It is significant because it gives us evidence that the Bible is true and correct when it says that Christ Jesus came to earth and is the Savior of the world.

It gives YOU evidence, if you choose to pay attention, that your life can be eternal with the only LIFE source which gives eternal Peace, Safety, Security, Joy and fulfillment the universe has ever known or ever will know.

Just think about it: It is a scientific and a mathematical impossibility that HAS COME TO PASS!

Nothing, no one, and no odds can defy the REALITY of Jesus Christ.

So here you stand – at the PRECIPICE of the End of this Age. Only a few prophecies are yet to be fulfilled.

This is the “final yard”, so to speak. But it is going to be the FINAL and the TOUGHEST of eschatological yards. Some so-called theologians or Bible teachers say, “It’s already happened”. Some so-called theologians or Bible teachers say “It won’t happen”

But, the evidence says, “It is in the process of happening”.

FINALLY!

It has been said, “What really matters is what you do with what you have”, and this can include material possessions as well as circumstances. The Bible is replete with instruction and examples on doing your best to do what is right in order to obtain the best outcomes.

You can change the trajectory of your life, whether for good or for ill, by the choices you make. It matters little that you set and reach an unobtainable objective, it matters how you go about the effort. Just remember that for ill or for good, you will have to live with the outcome.

Choose to be good and to do good. Choose to live well, and when it’s over, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have passed the ways to success to others – on the wings of The Butterfly.