For many years I have practiced giving updates to others, or just communicated at times beginning the exchange with, “I have good news and bad news.
Which do you want first?”
We then go from there.
I have a friend, Monda.
She has been the recipient of this type of exchange many times.
Whenever she hears me begin a conversation in that manner, she stops me and says, “Whenever you start that way, you never bring good news. You only deliver the bad news as good news. There is no good news.”
Monda knows me well.
I do tend to encircle bad news with good news.
However, this is a practice that has been handed down throughout history.
For example.
The good news is:
“You can go where you want, do what you want, when you want, with no limitations.”
The bad news is:
“There is one tree you can not go near. If you eat from it, you will die and will be introduced to all manner of evil things and all of mankind will be cursed because of you.”
The good news is:
“You are going to be made king and your name will be known throughout history.”
The bad news is:
“You and your family will also know much pain and sorrow and violence will never leave your household.”
The good news is:
“You will be given because of your vow at birth a gift of strength beyond measure.”
The bad news is:
“That strength will become your weakness and will eventually kill you and many others.”
The good news is:
“Your son will announce the greatest event in history.”
The bad news is:
“He will wear animal clothing, live in the desert, eat insects and eventually be imprisoned and be-headed because of this announcement.”
The good news is:
“Your wife is going to give birth to a beautiful baby boy and he will know no equal.”
The bad news is:
“The child will not be yours and throughout history many will know of this, yet know little of you.”
The good news is:
“You are highly favored and carry within your womb the Hope of the world.”
The bad news is:
“Because of his birth many, including babies will lose their life, your son will be tortured and killed at a relatively young age, you will witness suffering beyond one’s ability to describe and you will feel as though a sword has pierced your very soul because of the birth of this baby.”
You know?
Monda is right.
It seems that often good news only gives way to bad news or that bad news precedes the good news.
But if not for the bad news we would have no reference point to measure how truly good the good news really is.
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10
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