Whose Sin Causes Disasters?

Controversy brews over why would God send such devistation on the coasts on Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Some of our strict, conservative brothers and sisters in Christ are telling the world that the sins of alcohol, gambling, and sexual immorality cause Katerina to destroy one of America's oldest major cities and the area around it. While sin brought the destruction and lost of life, it was not merely the sins of the locals that wrought disaster.

In the Gospel of John Jesus and the disciples came upon a man blind since birth. The disciples asked Jesus who sinned the man or his parents. They automatically assumed that because of his condition that is was a punishment from God for sin. Jesus told them that his condition was not brought about by anyone's specific sin, but by sin in general, and he was there with that condition in order to bring God glory.

Katerina happened to show God's glory. How many were miraclously spared? How many have finally met and became acquainted with their neighbors? How many of us, thankful for God's grace in sparing us from the storm, have shown compassion for these people, either directly, through going to the area to help or indirectly, through the donations to various organizations that are bringing aid to these people? How many people discovered the love of God through the kindness of a stranger? When we help these people, Jesus said we did it to him.

It is sin that brings about the bad things of this world. And those who claim that the sins of the people on the Gulf Coast caused their calamity, beware. It is by the grace of God you have been spared, and before you throw stones at other sinners, you need to look in the mirror and point an accusing finger at yourself.

(See the post "Those Who Condemn")