Pearson lives a life of extravagance. His $4.5 million mansion, nestled in an exclusive California neighborhood, is surrounded by a brick-and-wrought-iron fence. He owns three luxury cars, an in-ground pool, and more adult toys than most could imagine. Pearson also mocks Christians, claiming they’re weak and use God as a crutch. He takes pride in his success, boasting that he worked hard for everything he has and doesn’t need God for anything. On his third marriage, Pearson treats his new, younger wife like a trophy, just as he did the others. He believes she’s lucky to be married to him because of his looks, talents, and financial provision.
From the outside, Pearson’s life seems enviable. He gets richer, trades up wives for younger, more attractive ones, and exudes confidence. Some might even admire his lifestyle, thinking he has it all.
But for Christians, watching people like Pearson prosper while they themselves struggle can be disheartening. Jeremiah expressed this frustration in Jeremiah 12:1 (NIV): “You are always righteous, O LORD, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?”
Job wrestled with the same question, lamenting in Job 21:7, 13 (NIV): “Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? … They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.”
Doesn’t Scripture say that God’s children are the ones who should be blessed? Why, then, does it seem like the arrogant and wicked thrive? Why does this bother us so deeply?
Jesus gives us clarity in Matthew 5:44-45: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
God, in His goodness, allows blessings to touch the lives of those who don’t know Him—even those who reject Him. Why? Because He wants them to know that He loves them. His kindness is designed to stir something deep within—a desire to acknowledge and seek Him.
When Christians experience God’s goodness, we naturally thank Him. But when someone like Pearson experiences goodness, it creates an internal conflict. Deep down, they know the source of their blessings is God, even if they deny Him. That thankfulness has nowhere to go but upward, toward Heaven. For those who don’t outright deny God but have avoided Him, His goodness can lead to guilt. They recognize their spiritual distance, and that recognition can be the first step toward repentance.
Romans 2:4 (TLB) explains this beautifully: “Don’t you realize how patient God is being with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see that He has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.”
This is God’s strategy: to touch hearts through His goodness, drawing people toward repentance. It’s the same way He reached us. Romans 5:8 (TLB) reminds us: “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” God poured out His love when we didn’t deserve it—when we, too, were wicked.
When God’s goodness touches a believer, we call it a blessing. When it touches a sinner, it is His “goodness and mercy.” While it may feel like a blessing to them, true blessings are reserved for God’s people. His kindness is an invitation, but it’s not endless. There comes a time when God’s pursuit ends, and without repentance, they face a tragic conclusion.
For Christians, it’s essential to remember that we are rich in blessings because we know the Lord. We don’t need to envy the Pearsons of the world, for without God, they are spiritually poor, blind, and naked. Meanwhile, we are rich in what truly matters.
Psalm 73:18-19 (NLT2) assures us of their fate: “Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.”
So let’s not be jealous or discouraged. Instead, stay focused on God’s will, knowing that He is good, just, and faithful. The wicked may appear to prosper, but their path is fleeting. We, as God’s children, are the ones truly rich in His blessing.
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
