Good Out Of Evil Part2 Series

A tornado came sweeping across the prairie of Minnesota

destroying everything in its path. When it struck Rochester,

Minnesota, hundreds of people were injured, and 23 were killed. It

was a tragedy, yet millions of people have been thankful for what God

did to bring much good out of that tragic evil. After the storm, the

Mayo brothers, William and Charles, worked with their father, who

was the local doctor, in bandaging wounds, setting broken limbs, and

performing operations. Sister Alfred, the mother superior of the

Convent Sisters of St. Francis was so impressed with their work, she

offered to build a hospital if the Mayo's would take charge of it. They

agreed, and Mayo Clinic was opened in 1889.

Dr. Mayo and his two sons had never even had an hospital

internship, but they turned that hospital into one of the most famous in

all the world. They probably would never have been heard of outside

of their own small territory, but because of that tornado they got the

chance, and they took advantage of it, and became some of the best

known surgeon's in America. Millions of people have been helped,

cured, and blest because of the suffering of a few. It is one of the great

truths of history, that God delights to bring good out of evil, and turn

a negative into a positive.

The vast majority of victories over disease in this world are the

result of someone's suffering. Out of suffering comes the victory over

suffering. Because John D. Rockefeller suffered an illness at age 55,

he was motivated to give millions to medical research. Several million

a month is spent by the Rockefeller foundation to promote good health

throughout the world, just because a rich man got sick. It may sound

strange, but the fact is, many can say thank God that Rockefeller

never had perfect health. Thank God he suffered, for out of his

suffering millions have been able to conquer suffering.

Thank God that Dr. Sabha Rav had a brother that died of a disease

called sprue in India. That may sound cruel, but listen to the full

story. He was so crushed by his brothers death that he was going to

bury himself in a Hindu Monastery for the rest of his life. A Christian

missionary urged him to, instead of that, do something to help others

who suffered as his brother did. His imagination was inspired by the

idea, and he went off to Spain, and then London, and finally to

Harvard. After 15 years as a professor in Harvard Medical School he

became the director of the mammoth research center in the Lederle

Laboratories in New York. With 300 assistants he discovered the

cure for sprue, and with his own money he sent the drug back to India

where the disease that killed his brother was wiped out. Dr. Rav

became a Christian, and one of the most Christlike men of our time, as

well as one of the greatest medical men. Thank God for the tragic

trial he had to endure, for out of it came blessings for millions.

We cannot know the value of any experience at the time of

experiencing it. There is no way to know if that which makes us cry

now will be one of our most precious blessings in the future. Jesus

said blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. In

other words, our weeping will be turned to rejoicing, and the very

thing that we feel bad about now will make us glad in the future.

James says the same thing as his divine brother in verse 12. "Blessed

is the man who endures trials for when he has stood the test he will

receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love

Him." Evil endured will end in good. What this amounts to is a

challenge to be an incurable optimist, always assuming that life's trials

are opportunities to cooperate with God in bringing good out of evil.

Only time can reveal the true worth of any experience.

Lin Yutang tells the story of a Chinese nobleman who lost a

beautiful horse. This was bad luck, and so his friends came to console

him for his misfortune. But the next day the lost horse returned with

ten other fine wild horses he had befriended in the wilderness. This

was a stroke of good luck, and his friends gathered to congratulate

him on his fine fortune. But the next day his son tried to break one of

the wild horses, and was thrown off, and broke his leg. His friends

gathered to bemoan this bit of bad luck. But the next day a local war

was declared, and the noblemen's son was unable to fight in the bloody