Not long ago I posted an Ask RC piece in which the question was, “What kind of pizza topping are you?” I didn’t try to answer the question, because the piece was actually about the internet and its sundry and silly quizzes and how we give them too much credit, even while we think we’re too clever to give them any credit. One reader responded with words to this affect- “That’s an incredibly stupid question, even for you.” Now I’m no shrinking violet but I thought, “Surely it would have been biting enough had he simply said it was a stupid question. But to go even further, “even for you” is kind of cruel.”
Which is what inspired this Ask RC. The answer is not too terribly complicated. In fact the answer reminds me of an answer my grandmother gave me when I was a little boy that deeply puzzled me. I asked her why my grandfather was so grouchy. She, thinking I meant, “today” mentioned that he had fallen and hurt his knee. I, having meant “all the time” went away thinking that must have been quite a painful fall to make a man perpetually grumpy. People are such jerks because a long time ago these two people listened to someone they shouldn’t have listened to, came to distrust the living God, and defied Him by eating a piece of fruit He had, for a time, forbidden them. That is why people are such jerks.
What this answer ought to remind us of, however, is the right way to ask the question. Usually, when we say, “Why are people such jerks” what we really mean is “Why are other people such jerks?” Because we are all jerks we tend to think that only other people are jerks. The question ought to be, “Why are we such jerks?” This gentleman who apparently believes I mostly ask stupid questions apparently thinks I’m something of a jerk. And he’s quite right. In fact, I’m far more of a jerk than even he knows. Heck, I’m far more of a jerk than even I know, and I’m with me all the time, and know my every thought. There are only three persons who know me better than me, and they would all agree that I’m a jerk.
Which is why they covenanted together to rescue me. The Father sent the Son to live a perfect, not-a-jerk-in-any-way life in my place, and in the place of all those who the Father gives to Him. The Son died a jerk-in-every-way death in our place. The Spirit gives us new life, applies that work, and begins the lengthy process of de-jerking us, which process will end at our deaths. For now, when they look at me they see Him, and they love me with a perfect, infinite and immutable love.
The ultimate answer to every “why” question has two simple answers- for God’s glory and for the good of His children. He is glorified in saving jerks like me. And jerks like me are saved, loved, adopted, heirs.