"Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all the faithless live at ease?"
Jeremiah 12:1

Let me paint you a picture of a northern mid-west high school in the late 80's ... maybe around 1987.

Teenager number one ... we'll call him Mark.  Mark was not the best student.  The going to class part of school didn't really interest him.  He was however an exceptional athlete.  He was a starter in any sport he went out for.  He was also exceptional with the girls in school.  They all loved him.  He wasn't even that nice to them, but they loved him.  Typical isn't it?  The girls at that age always wanted the bad boys.  The 'wicked' boys.

Teenager number two ... we'll call him Duane.  Duane was an above average student.  If he worked harder he probably could have been a straight A student.  He went to class ... he never skipped one until the latter part of his senior year ... but he liked the social part of school more than the class part.  Duane was a nice kid.  Nice.  Cute.  Sweet.  Kind.  Those are a few of the words used to describe him.  Guess who wasn't exceptional with the girls?  That's right ... Mr. Nice-cute-sweet-kind guy.  He had a few girlfriends ... he didn't totally strike out ... but compared to Mark, Duane wasn't even good enough to make the team, much less start.

Bad boy ... prospered.  Nice boy ... friend to many, but dated few.  I realize this is a juvenile example to use to compare how good things happen to bad people, and how bad things happen to good people, but I bet anyone reading this can relate to that story.  Right?  Of course I'm right.  Remember, I spent years not talking much, but observing plenty. 

Jeremiah knew it as well.  To quickly review, up to this point we've learned about the bad things that Judah was doing.  They were beyond bad ... they were wicked.  Only they didn't know it.  So God sent Jeremiah to warn them about the coming judgment.  They didn't listen.  Jeremiah felt bad for them, because he knew what God was going to do.  Jeremiah wanted to pray on their behalf but God said no, you are not to pray for them.  Jeremiah did anyway.  That brings us to Chapter 12.  He knew he wasn't supposed to but did anyway.  He also knew that he was going to hear about it from God.  He then acknowledges God's righteous judgment ...

I know, I know.  You told me not to pray for them and I did.  But don't you see them?  Look at how lost they are.  Look at how far they have strayed from your laws.  If I don't pray for them, who will?  I'm ready though ... I'll take my punishment.  But before you do, can I ask you one thing?  Why do the wicked people seem to have it made?  Why do those who deserve your harshest judgment seem to walk around without a care in the world?  Could you just answer that for me?  Okay ... I'm done ... I'll take what I have coming now.

Here's how God answered him:  “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?"  Isn't that awesome?  I believe in today's vernacular God told Jeremiah:  Dude, quit your whining.  If you can't run with the big dogs, get off the front porch!  Let me say it again: good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people.  The Bible says that it "rains on the just and the unjust."  We all have to learn to deal with it.  That's how the world worked in 600 A.D., and that's how it works January 26, 2011. 

Before I go on, let me admit something: I don't "deal with it" very well.  Not well at all.

Back to my point ... here's how I see this verse ... take it for what it's worth.  So good things happen to bad people.  Evil, rotten, jerks walk around as if they don't have a care in the world.  I was there at one point.  Before I knew God, I walked around as if I didn't have a care in the world either.  I didn't see things the way God does.  I certainly didn't see people the way He does.  Then I began to follow Him.  I asked him to change this "Tin Man's" heart ... and He did.  What He didn't do was make everything perfect.  In fact, I'd say at times it's been harder to live as a follower of Christ than it was when I wasn't following Him.  I've had some bad things happen to me.  Maybe you've got the same story.  Maybe you've had some bad things happen to you as well ... so what?  Just because you have it tough, and some bad things have happened to you when you thought they should have happened to someone else, what are you going to do?  Quit?  Give up?  If that's how you react to life being unfair, what are you going to do when life really gets tough?  What are you going to do when God thrusts you into a horse race, or puts you out on the big dog porch? 

Here's what I try

If you try to compare the life you had before you trusted God to the life you now have after trusting in Him, it will never appear to seem fair.  Trust me ... I've spent countless hours thinking about how unfair life can be.  However, I wouldn't trade this journey with God, littered with countless difficult moments, for a lifetime of being lost and feeling at ease for anything.  If you haven't experienced God in a life changing way yet, I hope you do.  I'll be cheering for you.