I’ve had twelve wonderful days with my grandson, Raffi, 4, (even though I’ve been sick for the last few days), and will be heading home tomorrow. Raffi is obsessed with who is the bad guy and who is the good guy. If we’re watching a cartoon, he’ll ask, “Is he a good guy?” If we’re reading a book, he’ll ask, “Is he a bad guy?” And if he’s familiar with the cartoons or book, he’ll tell me who is who.

Maybe as a four-year-old, he’s sorting out the world and he knows there’s a difference between good and bad guys in the stories he hears. It would be fascinating to be inside his brain to know why this is important but I’m sure it’s a part of his development and God’s design to develop his sense of goodness and sin.
As Raffi has asked me these questions so often, I have been impressed with asking a similar question of myself: “Is this good for me? Or is this bad for me?”
Another application is the joy of knowing that God is always good. When we are pointed to God, we can always know and say He is a good guy with no mixture of bad. No matter what He chooses for us, He is a good guy and intends it for our good and our best.
My brother, Chuck continues to express his faith and trust in God’s goodness as he today begins the process of a bone marrow transplant for myeloma cancer, a cancer of the blood. I’m always encouraged by him. Of course, he goes through various feelings–that’s normal. But his faith in his good God is a blessing.
Maybe in some ways, we’re all still trying to figure out who is good and who is bad; what is good and what is bad, in this complicated world. Raffi has just started that journey. Regardless of everything we could consider, let’s always believe that God is a good guy.
Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” We can truly trust our great good God who is our refuge.