Why The Righteous Suffer

JOYPEACE

========================= Rabbi Dov Ber, known as the Magid of Mezritch, explains with the following parable, why righteous people may at times experience suffering and the wicked may prosper: A father who wishes to teach his child to walk, in the beginning will walk together with the child and hold his hand. Then he will move away from the child, leaving the child on his own. The child will then take a step toward his father and the father will retreat a bit further so that the child will take a few more steps on his own. The father will repeat this process in order to get the child to walk greater and greater distances. To the child it may seem that the father is moving away and ignoring him, yet the father does this out of love and care for he knows that the child's growth and development depends on this. The same is with the righteous people. At times it may seem that God is ignoring them, yet, in truth as they come closer to God, He will move away so that the righteous person will continuously move closer to Him. Through this process, the righteous person ascends higher and higher spiritually. This is what the Torah means with, "just as a man reproaches his son so the Lord your God chastises you." Deu. 5:8 A person will seldom reprimand someone else's child. The reason and purpose a father chastises his child is out of love for the child for the sake of setting him on the right path and for his spiritual growth. So too, the tests which God gives us should be taken as proof that He cares for us and considers us His children and His responsibility.

peaceinmind

1 Peter 1:5 Who, by the power of God are kept, through faith, for that salvation, which will be seen at the last day. 1:6 You have cause for great joy in this, though it may have been necessary for you to be troubled for a little time, being tested in all sorts of ways, 1:7 So that the true metal of your faith, being of much greater value than gold (which, though it comes to an end, is tested by fire), may come to light in praise and glory and honour, at the revelation of Jesus Christ: Hebrew 12:6 For the Lord sends punishment on his loved ones; everyone whom he takes as his son has experience of his rod. 12:7 It is for your training that you undergo these things; God is acting to you as a father does to his sons; for what son does not have punishment from his father? 12:8 But if you have not that punishment of which we all have our part, then you are not true sons, but children of shame. 12:9 And again, if the fathers of our flesh gave us punishment and had our respect, how much more will we be under the authority of the Father of spirits, and have life? 12:10 For they truly gave us punishment for a short time, as it seemed good to them; but he does it for our profit, so that we may become holy as he is. 12:11 At the time all punishment seems to be pain and not joy: but after, those who have been trained by it get from it the peace-giving fruit of righteousness. 12:12 For this cause let the hands which are hanging down be lifted up, and let the feeble knees be made strong, 12:13 And make straight roads for your feet, so that the feeble may not be turned out of the way, but may be made strong.

[此贴子已经被作者于2003-10-2 0:49:10编辑过]