How Can A Loving God Allow Evil?

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
Matthew 13	Matthew 14	Matthew 15	Genesis 9	Genesis 10	Psalms 4	Proverbs 2

In the Parable of the Sower Jesus addressed in part the question of why God allows evil. In the parable a farmer had planted good seed and then an enemy sneaked in at night and sowed weeds among the good seed. When both good seed and weed grew up and it became apparent what had happened, the hired hands suggested to the farmer that they take out the weeds to allow the good seed to grow freely. But the farmer told them, "No, When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them." In other words, Jesus was saying that to uproot evil risked also uprooting those who are not evil. God's love for those who are not evil is such that He doesn't want to risk harming them by rooting out those who are evil.

While this parable provides at least a partial answer to the question of why God allows evil, it also raises other questions. It is a multifaceted question which cannot be answered with one reply. However, our acceptance of God's love cannot be dependent on having all our questions answered to our satisfaction. Our relationship is, and always has been, a matter of faith.

As we pursue our relationship with Him through faith, He provides insights as Jesus did with this parable of the sower. But we will never have full understanding this side of heaven. Nor should we expect to have full insight. Our relationship with God should be all-sufficient without the need for all the answers. As the Psalmist stated in Psalms 4:7:  "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound." God, and God alone, can put more joy in our hearts than material abundance. We do not pursue God in order to have abundance. We do so in order to have God, for in Him we have all we need.