When serious troubles enter our lives, the human tendency is to say, “This isn’t fair.” From childhood on, we crave equality, and when tragedy strikes one person but not another, it doesn’t feel right. Even if we don’t say it out loud, our brains reverberate with the words, “No fair!”

As we finally come to terms with our disease, disability, abandonment, or other calamity, the next question is, “Why me?” Searching for reasons on which to hang our difficulties is part of human logic attempting to order of chaos. The only problem is, when bad things happen to good people, logic has very little to do with it.

Through the wonders of cyberspace, I “met” a man who was double-struck with tragedy, a pastor, a thinker, and a good writer. (He’s the father of Jennifer, who’s married to Aaron, who’s the son of my cousin Gloria.) The pastor’s name is John Kunz, and never to have met him is my loss.

John’s first crisis came when his wife, Sue, had a major stroke, debilitating her in all categories and rearranging their family permanently. When the stroke hit, their children were ages 9, 6, 4 and 2, so these youngsters grew up in a home revolving around their disabled mom. John cared for Sue with joy and love for the next 27 years until the second crisis hit, his own terminal cancer. Acceptance of his failing health was complicated by him knowing he wouldn’t “finish the adventure” with his beloved wife.

As for asking “why,” here are his comments, written near the time of his diagnosis:

“When Sue’s stroke happened nearly 27 years ago, a lot of folks asked ‘why.’ Some are again asking the ‘why’ question in connection with my current diagnosis. Here’s my answer.

There’s a power in the universe so strong it has the ability to mar perfection. It’s called sin. Once this power was unleashed, it threw ‘cosmic dust’ all over the throne room of God, all over the Person of the Godhead, and all over His creation. Imperfection marred perfection. This is Genesis 3.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden tree, they introduced death into our experience. Some may want to debate what ‘death’ means, but I know it’s the opposite of the ‘life’ God intended for humanity. Everybody dies, and so will each of us. The power/principle of sin is no respecter of persons. It has its grimy hooks in everyone.

So, ‘why’ did this (or that) happen to…..?”

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[His answer and what to do about it, tomorrow.]

“With eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:21-22)