Shouldn't The Good Guy Win?

A Snapshot

by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2026
Posted 3/23/26

Shouldn't the good guy win? Shouldn't the godly man of faith prevail over the ungodly man who for lust steals and usurps his rightful place? Just about every story, play, or movie that has been made has the same basic framework that its plot is based upon. There is a good guy and bad guy, and the bad guy plots against the good guy for some desired prize or coveted thing. As the story progresses the bad guy gets the upper hand over the good guy. As the plot thickens it seems like the good guy is beaten, but then the story climaxes and there is a sudden reversal, and the good guy wins! That which is seemly prevails over that which is unseemly. This appeals to our sense of justice and to the settled order of things in a good versus evil universe where these two opposites are in continual contest. As we watch the story unfold we find ourselves on the edge of our seat cheering for the good guy, and we want to see him win. We understand that good should triumph over evil and the godly man over the man who makes no place for God in his life – like David over Saul, and Jacob over Esau.

Jacob, who had a respect for God and that which is spiritual, ends up inheriting the birthright that his godless brother Esau was entitled to. The birthright should have been his, but he sold the spiritual thing for a bowl of stew. As a profane man, Esau rejected God because he served only the God of his belly. Why did God preordain this outcome? Though God is in the business of redeeming sinners purely by grace, he is not in the business of rewarding deviance; and he does not ultimately pay people for choosing perpetual disobedience to the gospel of grace. His reward is reserved for the "good guys" of faith. “The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." (Proverbs 13:22b) Just as audiences rejoice to see the protagonist win in any good drama, so do we long to see justice done for the good guy in the story that surrounds him. Common sense itself begs this question to every good and reasonable mind: "shouldn't the good guy win?"

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. (Psalm 37:5-9)

Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. (Psalm 37:27-29)