and posted in Q&A Corner
Why do wars happen? What causes poverty? Does God make them happen?
Wars and poverty happen for all sorts of reasons. But a lot of the time it's down to humans wanting what others have got (so they fight for more land) or wanting more for themselves (they want more money so they refuse to pay a decent wage). It's often about human aggression, selfishness and greed. In his love God gives people freedom and what do we do with it? Too often we fight and exploit others.
Why doesn't God just stop it? Good question and not easy to answer. However, Christians believe that he can and he will. But we need to think about how he has chosen to do it. He hasn't chosen to come in all guns blazing. The war in Iraq shows that that approach isn't always successful. No, he chooses to change people; that means coming alongside them, trying to understand them, loving them and transforming their attitudes. That's exactly what God has done in Jesus: becoming a human being, suffering with human beings and dying for them.
God wants to see an end to wars and poverty, just as he wants to see an end to all injustice, crime, abuse, jealousy, selfishness and pride. But how do you change people? God thinks showing love to people will help us recognise our part in what's going wrong and bring us to him and accomplish change.
I wonder how you would stop wars and end poverty?
