Comfort in the Odds? And Two Great Questions?

Counting the odds. Most cancer patients read and research and inquire and try to become experts. They find hope in the statistical odds of survival. If a therapy is successful for 10% of patients, they determine to be in that 10%. I spent a couple of months one year reading every article I could find on melanoma, new therapies, trials, you name it. I became quite conversant with all that. I was able to discuss using medical terms my treatment, prognosis, etc. Then one day, I realized that I was getting myself all worked up. I was focusing on the odds. My surgical oncologist said to me one day, “I want you to stop reading all of those articles.” He then gave me a long lesson on the role that the adrenal gland plays for the body. He reminded me that I needed to stay calm, and focus on what gives a sense of peace and wholeness to my life.

A friend told me that reading all of those studies was like trying to learn to fly a 747 from playing computer games and reading a beginner’s flight manual. At times, I felt like I could talk the language of my medical team, but really I didn’t know 1/1,000,000th of what they had spent a lifetime learning about medicine. So, I stopped. I stopped reading the articles. Stopped thinking about the odds, and began instead to focus on the Lord. Realized that I had been reading about cancer, and not about Christ. I had been focusing on the odds of survival and trying to find comfort in that. God gives us tough times so that we will focus on Him and draw near to Him and focus on Him.

Why not me? This week, I listened to a podcast from Francis Chan, pastor of Cornerstone Church, Simi Valley, California. Francis taught from Luke 13 and discussed the tragedy in Haiti. He could have easily been talking about any disaster or tragedy. The question we always ask is “Why did God let this bad thing happen?” As if the Sovereign of the Universe owes us any answers? But we ask anyway. This same dynamic was seen on TV when Pat Robertson said the earthquake happened because the people of Haiti were in league with the devil and under a curse. I may talk about Pat Robertson’s aberrant theology another day (hint: I think his comments were doubly moronic!)

But Jesus’ disciples asked him about why bad things had happened. For example, Pilate murdered some Galileans and their spilled blood mingled with their temple sacrifices. On another occasion, a tower fell and killed 18 people. The question the disciples asked was “were these people worse sinners than others?” Basically, was God punishing them with a natural disaster or by a murderous dictator? Were they worse sinners than everyone else?

The interesting thing, if you study the passage closely, is Jesus does not answer his disciples’ question. He does not address why these tragedies occurred. His answer really doesn’t satisfy our intellectual curiosity or even our moral sense. We always want to know. God doesn’t owe us an answer. He is sovereign and He is almighty. Look closely at what Jesus says in Luke 13.

Verse 3 says “Unless you repent, you too will perish.” Verse 5 says “Unless you repent” again.

You see, we ask the wrong question. We ask why did this happen, or most of the time, why is this happening to me? What we need to ask is “Why isn’t this happening to me? Not “Why me?” But “Why not me!”

Really, in light of the Haiti disaster, my battle with cancer, and any tragedy, the questions to ask should be in line with Jesus’ answers in Luke 13:

1. Am I living a repentant life? Am I ready to die before something worse happens to me? This is the lesson of Luke 13.

2. Am I bearing fruit? In Luke 13:6-8, Jesus tells about living a fruitful life.

What is your answer about these two questions?

©2010 Ray Woolridge