Christian Living
Russell is not sure how to answer this question. He knows and loves the Lord, and yet when asked, “Why does God allow horrible things to happen to children?” he finds his own answers unsatisfying. He knows God is good, and asks. "How can I answer this question?"
The problem is in the question. There is a lie right in it. To answer the question at all, without addressing the lie first, will leave the believer feeling they have dishonored God. The first step is to address the lie, and then ask the question again.
The word that throws the question off track is “allow.” Let’s first point out that God does not “allow” any kind of sin at all. There are a few definitions of the word, but the way “allow” is used here, according to my dictionary, is essentially:
allow: PERMIT (for example: doesn’t allow people to eat in his car) or secondly, to forbear or neglect to restrain or to prevent something (For example: she allows her kids to stay out all night).
God doesn’t “allow” evil? He does not permit harming children. In fact, there’s no greater advocate for the children of this world than is God Himself. The problem with the word “allow” is that it implies that God could do something about a child’s suffering, but chooses not to. God is not passive. Lose those intransitive verbs when describing Him! He has been very deliberate to care for the children. The problem is not with Him. The problem is, and always has been with grown-ups.
God Himself wrote out and gave us, “The Ten Commandments.” If these Commandments were highly esteemed children would be safe. These commands are found clearly marked, in the book of Exodus, chapter 20. I hear we once had them in our courtrooms. As you read them, imagine how safe all children would be, if mankind honored these commands of God. See the drama with which God deliberately bestowed upon mankind these tablets of commandments! He is not passive! If mankind obeyed, children would live in homes that honor God above all else. Imagine a world where children could live with no murder, where truthfulness is expected of all, with no unfaithful parents sleeping around, no theft, lying, or envying what others had? Just contentment!
God finalized the giving of these commandments through Moses to all, with thunder and lightning and sounding trumpets. He then sealed the deal with a warning of judgment for those who disobeyed them. The people witnessing it were terrified. God made His will memorably clear! His people were to live these Commandments out in such a way, that the nations would turn to them to learn of God. Before Christ came, if people wanted to worship and learn of this wonderful God, who was God alone, they would go to Jerusalem to learn of Him. The Ten Commandments were the basics. People weren’t to take them lightly. And by them, children were protected.
But God’s people were not always obedient to the task. Many bible scholars believe that God rebukes Jonah for wanting God to destroy Nineveh, because God wanted to save Nineveh's children! God said to Jonah:
“But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”
Jonah 4:11
Nineveh was a huge city and that number was probably only the population of the children, too young to know the difference yet, between left and right.
Later God sent His Son Jesus to Earth, where He experienced childhood fully. Knowing childhood, Jesus grew into manhood. He has some amazing things to say about children and how we adults are to treat them. Those mistreating children, beware:
“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Matthew 18:5,6
Author of "Children in Crisis," Dr. Phyllis Kilbourn is the founder of Rainbows of Hope and Crisis Care International. She’s written numerous books on bringing healing to children of war: child prostitutes, child soldiers, child laborers, child prisoners, HIV positive children and AIDS Orphans, abused, abandoned and street children. She spent 22 years working with children in Liberia and Kenya, and has worked to help restore children's lives with the power and love of God.
I once heard someone ask her, "What do you say to children who ask, ‘Why does God let this happen to me?’" She thought for a moment and answered, "I have never heard a child ask that question. That is not a question that a child would ask."
Children desire to trust in someone who will love them and care for them. Through repeated maltreatment, they can become damaged, and in time can grow cold. However God doesn’t allow it, people do. And apparently something worse than a millstone is coming. God’s judgment is coming.
Here's what Jesus says about children:
“And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:3
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14
“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 18:10
We are told to become like children. We are to come to God trusting. It is okay to ask God, "Why is this happening?" But do we really want to hear the answer? Because the answer is going to involve us! Two Thousand plus years ago, Jesus commanded us to take the gospel out to the entire world. Have we done this yet? I don't know the latest figures, but aren't there more than two thousand languages in the world that still do not have a Bible, or even the Ten Commandments written in them?
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:19-20
Ministry to children who have already been damaged, by adults, is important work. We need to bring Jesus to the world. We need to be about both now, because this world is a mess. Children at home and abroad are suffering.
Russ might try sounding out the people who ask him this question. “Do you know that judgment is coming?” It may be that the asker believes God doesn’t care about the children. But they might just be frustrated that His judgment on people who hurt children, isn’t coming now. Maybe they truly just want the suffering to end. That is hard. And that is why some who read this will not be satisfied. They want to move God’s mighty arm, and to either do man’s will for him and not harm children (thus taking away the free will of man), or they want God to exact vengeance now. I understand. Our part is to protect and defend the rights of widows and orphans. Vengeance is the Lord’s, and it is coming. But we want it now. Or better yet, we want there to be no reason for His vengeance, because we don’t want children harmed at all. But we are not equipped to move God’s arm, nor does God take away the free will of man. The pain is great injustice and shame is done by fellow human beings, and we did not do all that we might; none of us have; to protect and defend the children. Yet, God has judged, and judgment day is coming.
God’s timing is not ours. We don’t fully understand his timing. But there will be a judgment and those who harm children are in the greatest of danger. Our only peace in this outrage can come, when we will come to trust God to work out the timing, according to both His justice and His mercy. We don’t seem to do well, juggling justice and mercy at the same time. We tend to only express these one at a time. God can express both justice and mercy at the same time.
God sent Jesus to save us out of both His justice and His mercy. Though we were enemies of God, He showed us love, by taking our punishment. As horrible as things are in this world, we are not in a position to demand immediate revenge on anyone. We ourselves received grace, when we deserved hell. Yet to those who harm children, their time is surely coming:
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
God is the greatest advocate of children. It is unregenerate people who need to change. And judgment is coming. Meanwhile, there are opportunities to get involved with helping children in danger, at every level. Here are a couple good places to start. There are many more:
www.viva.org
www.rainbowsofhope.org
Let’s start with the children God has given us to shepherd. Here is a good verse that causes me to pray for God’s mercy whenever I feel that I have failed my own children. God expects this of us parents and of the grown-ups of the world:
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:4
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