Helping God cross the street like a little old lady

While putting together my Keynote (Powerpoint for Mac) presentation for Christian Ed this Sunday, I listened to the new U2 album for the first time a few weeks. One of the lyrics in a song called "Stand-up Comedy," holds this thoughtful insight: "Stop helping God cross the street like a little old lady..." First of all, I think that's a hilarious image, whatever it means.

But I do think I see what Bono's getting at. There is much mystery in God, and we don't always "get" His ways. In fact we shouldn't expect to always "get" His ways, since He does remind us that His ways and thoughts are often not the same as ours; they are higher (Isaiah 55:8-9). While Bono isn't divinely inspired like the writer of Isaiah, I think he provides some helpful insight for we who are too quick to defend God's actions to others-as though we know the purpose behind them.

Sometimes we need to just say, "I don't know why He did it that way; it doesn't SEEM to make sense." Often times it is better not to defend God's actions to others (especially those suffering) as though He were a little old lady needing help some help to cross the street. We can believe He's fair and just, and at the same time say to the person questioning God, "I don't get it either." He's not a little old lady.