10/13/19
Q.230: “How is it that people say that God is good, and then when someone dies, they say that God took them?”
A very observant question indeed for which I thank you. People do say that: ”God took him/her.” I do not agree with saying that lightly.
Why? Well, one must be careful about ‘Putting words in God’s mouth,’ or claiming to know what God’s plans are. I know of a missionary who has gone back to a country in South America to die there. She has spent 55 years of her life over there, telling the people all she can about Jesus. She has learnt to love these people and they are family to her. She has never married and is now around 82 years old.
If I hear that she has died I could say: ”God took her.” Because one can get sick at 82 years old. But if a drunkard who cared nothing for other people died early in life nobody could say: ”God took him,” because he took himself to the grave. Why he became an alcoholic is quite another matter (WE DO NOT KNOW WHY!); only God knows that.
It is easy to say ‘God took him’ but I think that can be superficial or insincere. One should be careful and perhaps think about a more sincere word of sympathy to someone who is hurting. Maybe a hug and the truthful words: ”I’m so sorry,” is much better.
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