Drive-by Scripture: Psalm 11:5

The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. (Psalm 11, verse 5, King James Version)

It’s nice to think that God would give an easy life to all the innocent and good people, and give a nasty life to those who are evil and selfish.

That would be fine, if of course God’s priorities were with this Earth we live on. They aren’t. His priorities involve the souls of the people who live here, who are going to spend a hell of a lot more time in the next life than they could possibly spend here.

Sometimes, those who don’t “deserve” bad things will get tested and tried. Mostly, just by the randomness of life or the machinations of nasty people around them. Sometimes, God will put us through some paces when we need to be guided or tempered.

But you know, I don’t think that’s what this passage I’m highlighting today is really talking about.

Life is the trial. This Earth is where we have our time to shine or fail; to choose the right path or the wrong one. The righteous—those people who will be brought into God’s embrace—should expect that temporal life will not necessarily (nor probably) be a feather bed. In fact, at times it might be a bed of nails.

Those who are determined to do wrong and go against God’s will and purpose, who will hurt and use others and not show love to God and their neighbors—those people may prosper in this world and they’d better enjoy it while they have it.

Because the end awaiting them ain’t nothing pretty.

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