"So, there are no 'good' people who don't deserve whatever happens to them."
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Once, while repairing a window frame that had begun to rot out for an uncle of mine who just loved a good debate. I pointed to the rotted wood and related 'See that there; that is the result of sin....'
Right off, he responded a bit perturbed, with, "so you're telling me the window rotted because of some sin on my part; is that it!"
'No,' I replied, 'you're reading into my words... what I said was that that window rotted because of sin - I did not say because of some sin on your part...'
In short, this fallen creation - even the weather is out of sorts, thus, the storms, hurricanes, monsoons, earthquakes, etc., that end up killing "the least of these little ones" that the Lord of all creation had been so moved to pause before, for a moment, to so lovingly relate "of such is the kingdom of heaven."
When that Tsunami hit Southeast Asia those years ago, I was devastated over the horrendous loss of all those "little ones."
I turned to the Scripture on these things - "that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now," Rom. 8:22.
But also, its contrast - that Tsunami of all Tsunamis The Father had had to endure as His Son died before His eyes, as the Father had had to allow Him to
"that the sufferings of this present time" might be "not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
God is at work.
Not in winning football games, and job searches, or what have you...
But in His Son as to His one day solving for "the sufferings of this present time."
Romans 8:
19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
In Scripture, hope is a knowing confidence.
Only the perspective of the world views hope as some sort of an uncertainty.
Thus, when we suffer, we can actually boast in our suffering, that nevertheless, all is well, in Him, as all will be well in Him in that day - note what our attitude can be during such distresses - Philippians 1:
20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
"Wherefore [for this reason] comfort one another with these words," 1 Thess. 4:18
