BY GREG CRUM
“I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.” Psalm 37:35-38
Based on the money made in Hollywood over the last several decades, it seems that most all of humanity loves the thrill of a good action-adventure story. Whether it’s a TV show or a movie, the plot twists and suspense of unresolved conflict are enough to captivate our hearts and minds. Really though, since early on in human history, whether on stage or screen, we have enjoyed reenactment of the most basic of humanity’s triumphs and tragedies, particularly the ever-present struggle of good versus evil.
Now, growing up in my generation, it was fairly easy to predict how a book, TV show, or movie was going to end. No matter the predicament the good guys found themselves in, they were going to figure out a way to win in the end. This was the satisfying conclusion audiences expected, and thinking about it, it did much to help reinforce the ideas of justice, fairness, and righteousness.
Boy, have times changed!
Think about some of the entertainment that is being produced today, especially the material being offered to our children. Somewhere along the way Hollywood decided to interject their brand of reality and began to write endings where the good guys lost, or if they didn’t lose outright, suffered greatly for their righteousness. The “good guys” began to lose, and this helped to spread a message of injustice and inequality to all that would see and hear.
I really don’t have to remind you of this, but we live in a time when authority is distrusted, and many believe that injustice is the norm. The exceptions have been publicized and magnified until they seem to be the majority and have worked to reshape people’s perception of reality. It has discouraged many and emboldened others to take “justice” into their own hands. The truth of the matter is this, though: God’s reality has never changed. Hollywood can write and produce what they want, but in God’s reality the good guys still win in the end!
Why is this important to understand? Because knowing that God’s justice still prevails gives us a proper understanding of reality and hope for a brighter future when things look bleak. In this life there will be times when it looks as though those that are ungodly have gotten their way and that evil has won the day, but when you read the Bible, you see that is only the beginning of the story.
Remember the short-lived triumph of a man named Haman? He thought he had manipulated his way into riches and glory, all the while getting rid of a race that he deemed unfit for the planet (if you’re a student of history that broken record sounds familiar, doesn’t it?). He looked like he had won, but then God stepped in and rewrote his ending—an ending that included a rope and gallows meant for the righteous!
What’s more, read the whole of Psalm 37. I dare you. There you’ll see the norm, God’s usual way of dealing with those that refuse His grace and opportunities for forgiveness. Spoiler alert—it doesn’t end well for them, ever!
Brothers and sisters, Revelation 20-21 gives us a picture of the future. The scenes described haven’t happened yet, but they will. There you see a message reinforced—the good get the good, and the bad get nothing but bad.
Don’t buy into the lie the world is trying to feed us in this generation. The ungodly still get what’s coming to them eventually, and the righteous receive their reward as well. The good guys still win in the end, so stay on the winning side if that’s where you currently reside, and if you don’t, there’s still time to get things right. Switch teams as quickly as you can because one day, maybe soon, the credits of this life will roll and then your eternity will be set.
Greg Crum is pastor of Calvary Temple Church in Lovely.