Winning Words 9/10/12
“God writes straight on crooked lines.”  (Folk Wisdom)  Some things just don’t seem to make sense.  “Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?” for example.  The Bible described the sale of Joseph into slavery and its good outcome, in these words.  “You meant it for evil; God meant it for good.”  God has a way of turning bad things into good things, given time and perspective.  Maybe you’ve seen it happen.  I have.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM INDY GENIE:  Yes... I've seen it happen..again and again.////FROM JACK:  The ancient Bible has relevance to what's happening, even today.

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  I think that some of the worst things one has done, and some of the worst done to us, serve as opportunities for equal levels of transcendence into good. I call it "fertilizer". Paul had been using his zeal for justice with a misdirected understanding. God "educated" Paul, and used that same zeal in Paul for good -- of which we are all beneficiaries. Suffering, as a blessing from God, has quite a profitable potential.////FROM JACK:  I remember these words from Paul: "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed."  It's easier that is easier said than lived...when the glory remains yet to be revealed.

 FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Your WW today reminds me of my learning penmanship in elementary school. I subscribe to a newspaper which recently published an article which stated "Regardless of whether they find themselves in a DPS, charter or EAA school, for the vast majority of our young people, attending school has become a form of child abuse. Subjected to relentless testing and the narrow notions of learning, our children are being forced to spend longer hours in an atmosphere governed by punitive practices that care little for them as whole people." This just doesn't make sense. "Why do Bad Things Happen to these Good Kids?" It sounds like there is every attempt to sell these kids into slavery. Usually, when I watch the news or read newspapers, I get more of a perspective that there is something wrong with the kids--too much television, inability to concentrate, speak well, lack of interest in reading, etc., etc., etc. need to test and make sure they are learning, etc., etc., it's interesting to entertain the thought that maybe the kids' perspective and behaviors are positive things that some people are listening to which will, given time and work turn the evil into the good that God wants for these kids and their communities and the world. I like the optimism of this WW folk wisdom.////FROM JACK:  School as child abuse?  I don't think so.  Complaining about the teachers and the homework is nothing new.  In fact, I seem to see far more learning opportunities available now than in the olden days of readin', writin' and 'rithmatic.  I know it's a generalization.  There can always be specific situations which back up your comments.////SHARON:  Still maintain something is wrong when kids are dropping out in droves. The same article said many have the idea the thing is to study and "get out of the community", go where there is more opportunity, etc., but actually the article posits that parents and kids and families might want more to to build up the community, find learning experiences directly related to doing things within the community to enhance life there together. The article called it "place-based education" I believe. Maybe joining the global workforce, going where the jobs are, success in the eyes of the most powerful in our society isn't so appealing to many youth. Do the schools everywhere have a lot of learning opportunities about the history, present and future of their communities? I know I never studied that in school though I did study Iowa and U.S. history. My parents always thought I would "go out into the world" but I think the family structure of many cultures is that the family feels like it is more "on its own" in our society than my parents and I have felt. Probably the nature of oppression. You write from your own good luck and fortunate educational experience I fear.////JACK:  I guess all we can do is write from our own experience.

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  The biblical story of Joseph has always been among my favorites, because as you said, it illustrates how God transforms suffering into triumph.  Moreover, Joseph remained faithful through all the hardship, realizing he was being guided by God's hand.  We usually fail to take into account that God pulls the strings.////FROM JACK:  You've captured the essence of today's WWs.

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Romans 8:28, All things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."  I think one can bring good out of what has been a bad situation to experience. Often it takes awhile to see the "whole pattern".  I have a dear Christian friend, whose son stabbed a man in fight, (did not kill him...) and had to do prison time. While in prison, he became a Christian, and his life did a complete turn-about!  His mother said, "God put Kevin in a place where he could hear Him!"  Patience and 'Faith!~!////FROM JACK:  Now, that's what I was looking for when I asked, "Have you seen God turn bad things into good things?"  Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is more than a Broadway musical.

 FROM AG IN MICHIGAN:  I did a little browsing around your blog and the various entries.  There is a lot of wisdom in all of them, including today's entry.  I sometimes regret that during my school years and first few semesters at a university, I did not work harder and really did not take advantage of the opportunities that were available to me there (in short, I was lazy).  But had I done that, I probably would not have met my wife; I would have had an entirely different life, and that takes care of all my regrets ....////FROM JACK:  I'm reminded of the old saying:  "We grow too old soon and too late smart."  My school experience has some similarities to yours.  But, in some ways, I think that I am better, because of that experience.

 FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Absolutely!  He knows what He's doing even if we don't understand. ////FROM JACK:  There's usually "pain" associated with it.  Does that mean, no pain, no gain?

 FROM MKH IN MICHIGAN:  Were you aware of the situation when you sent this or are you and the Lord just that tight?  You Rock!////FROM JACK:  After coming home at 4:30 am, from my counselling duties as Chaplain, I had to rewrite the Winning Words for the day.  I'm pleased that you noticed.  The tragic death of one of our police officers has been, indeed, a crooked line.

 FROM PL IN MICHIGAN:  When I was growing up, and faced disappointments or sadness over something, my mother would point at me and say, "Paul, you wait and see, something good will come out of this. Sometimes this wasn't what I wanted to hear. In most cases she was right. When I heard you say" G'd writes straight on crooked lines, I remembered my Mother and how wise she was.////FROM JACK:  One of G-d's great gifts is the ability to remember....and by remembering, the teacher's lesson lives on.