Do you ever wonder why bad things happen to good people? At some point in our lives, I think we all ask that question. It is really hard to understand why people who don’t seem to try to do the right things get all the breaks!

Let me give you a Biblical example of two men, both of whom were trying to do the right thing. Each one had a different ending.

The story begins in Acts 6. The widows of the Grecians or Hellenists were being neglected. We don’t know exactly how, but it would seem that they were not being cared for in the same way the Jewish widows were. The Grecians complained to the apostles, and they asked the people to “Pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty” (Acts 6:3).

The apostles did this because they were busy with teaching, and they simply did not have time to deal with such matters. They also knew that men chosen specifically by the people could relate well to their needs.

Seven men were chosen, Stephen and Philip, the most familiar to us. Both of these men are also well known to us as preachers.

Stephen, the scripture says, was full of faith and power. He performed miracles and did many great things, but certain people disputed with Stephen. They accused him of speaking against God and Moses, and they did it because “They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (verse 10).

Stephen did not back down. He preached with such power that they became enraged. They stopped up their ears and rushed at him. They threw him out of the city and stoned him to death, and they did this because he preached the gospel.

Philip, on the other hand, came to a different end. He performed the task of serving the Grecian widows, and then he went to Samaria where he preached and performed miracles. Chapter 8, verse 8 says, “So there was much joy in that city.” This is a very different reaction than the one Stephen received.

After Stephen’s success in Samaria, the Lord spoke to him and sent him to meet a man going from Jerusalem to Gaza. This man was from Ethiopia and was charged with overseeing the treasure of the queen of Ethiopia, Candace.

This Ethiopian invited Philip into his chariot, and Philip taught him the gospel. He was baptized by Philip, and there is no mention of him again in the scriptures.

Philip is mentioned later in Acts as having four daughters, all of whom were virgins and who prophesied. He must have been a wonderful father to have such a dedicated family.

So here are two men, preachers, dedicated Christian men; but each had a different life. Each served God faithfully; but one was murdered by an angry mob, and the other lived a longer life serving God. There is no record of his being persecuted.

Why the difference? Was there some reason one was killed and the other one saved? Each one was chosen. Each one was a righteous man. Each one taught the gospel. Jesus gives us the answer in His Sermon on the Mount. He said:

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45 ESV).

We can’t blame our enemies for our misfortune. We can’t blame God for the evil there is in the world.

At the end of this portion of Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 5, He tells the people to be perfect as the Father is perfect. The word “perfect” means complete, pure, and holy. To be complete, we must love our enemies as well as our friends. We must be consistent in loving everyone.

Our true destiny, heaven or hell, depends on how we live our lives. Long or short, good or bad, our eternity depends on the way we live not the length of time.

Sandra Oliver