A teacher asked her students to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. The students cast the most votes for 1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids 2. Taj Mahal 3. Grand Canyon 4. Panama Canal 5. Empire State Building 6. St. Peter’s Basilica 7. China’s Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not turned in her paper yet. She asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: 1. To see 2. To hear 3. To touch 4. To taste 5. To feel 6. To laugh 7. To love.
Children have this tremendous ability to make us stop and think, don’t they? Sometimes their statements stop us in our tracks and make us reconsider a course of action or our views on an issue. Their poignant insights create questions in our mind that force us to stop and think.
Children also create a great deal of questions for us as parents, grandparents, other family members, as well as caring adults. Their actions leave us wondering from time to time, “Why in the world does my child leave his clothes all over the room and yet has all of his Transformer’s collection in perfect order? Why are her dolls so neat and clean and in perfect order on the shelves and yet a trail of chaos and disorder seems to follow her everywhere? ”
The way that some are treated also create why questions in many people’s minds. Questions such as:
Why did you give all the energy to kids?
Why do people who can least support children (in all ways) always have so many and they are neglected?
Why would God make them [children] endure suffering when they are so innocent and pure? Why wouldn’t he give them chances to experience life to the fullest so that they can make our world better? He created those children, so shouldn’t he keep them safe too?
Why do some women actually choose to kill their unborn babies and it seems like God does nothing to stop this practice?
Heavy questions. Sharp questions. Unsettling questions, aren’t they? Perhaps we find some of these questions rather judgmental and harsh in tone. But, they are questions that have been asked in response to the question that I have asked for this series, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?”
Does the Bible have any answers to these questions? Let’s find out.
Question number 1, “Why did you give all the energy to kids?”
Good question! A former parishioner once told me that her doctor said that if an adult were to duplicate the exact movements and actions of a toddler in the course of one day, that adult, no matter how fit, would probably die from the exertion!
Kids have incredible energy. Boys, probably because of testosterone seem to have more and a look at the 2nd and 3rd grade camp last Monday afternoon at YCL would have proved it. As Susan, Daniel, and I left Jonathon at camp, we noticed that all the boys were running and jumping and throwing balls to one another while the girls were sitting down in a circle talking to one another. Granted there are exceptions to this view but the difference was striking.
A former seminary professor, Don Joy, has said, “Good biology is good theology” as he explained for many years to the development of little boys and little girls from conception through puberty that God put in place as His human development plan.
But energy, tremendous energy, is common to both little boys and little girls! Why do they seem to have it all?
Now the Bible does not specifically address this issue as to why kids seem to have all the energy, but it does address the issue of raising children in a responsible and God-honoring way in several Old and New Testament passages.
One important and revealing passage is Proverbs 1:8 and 9, “Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you. Don’t neglect your mother’s teaching. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and clothe you with honor.”
I think that we can correctly assume that part of what fathers and mothers are to teach their children is how to use wisely their energy in the correct way and for the right reasons. Now wisdom as defined in the Bible is more than smart thinking. Wisdom has to do with our entire character and one way we demonstrate a wise life is that we use our time and energy wisely. A good upbringing is one way that our energy is connected to wisdom and a life crowned with grace and clothed with honor shows good use of energy throughout a person’s lifetime.
Here’s a shorthand answer to the question. “Adults have wisdom. Kids have energy. Adults are to teach kids how to wisely use their energy so that as they become adults they will develop wisdom that will be, if you will the more important source of energy in their lives.”
Question number 2 is “Why do people who can least support children (in all ways) always have so many and they are neglected?”
According to statistics from our state Division of Family and Children there were 1,121 children of “substantiated child neglect” statewide in January 2004 compared to 931 for the same period in 2003. In Noble County, there were 17 children of “substantiated child neglect” in January 2004 compared to only 1 for the same period in 2003.
At first glance, this question may seem judgmental, but if we are honest with ourselves this morning, it is a question we ask, and answer, too often in our courts because of the issue of neglect and these statistics for our state and county reveal that this is a major issue today.
In a couple of different Gospel passages Jesus reveals that children have a very important and high view in God’s eyes. In Mark 10: 13 – 16 we read, “One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them, but the disciples told them not to bother him. But when Jesus saw what was happening, he was very displeased with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God.” Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.”
Then in Matthew 18:1-6 we read, “About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.”
What do these passages say to us about children and their welfare? They say a great deal! Jesus, both in His act of welcoming and blessing, as well as in His warning about the consequences of mistreatment, lets us know clearly that children are important to God and serve as reminders of a faith that God honors and strengthens.
But, why does abuse and neglect happen? Our state’s Division of Family and Children indicated in its 2003 report several reasons for abuse and neglect such as:
1. Lack of parenting skills
2. Family Discord/martial problems
3. Heavy child responsibilities
4. Insufficient income
5. Drug Dependency
But why do people find themselves in these positions? The Bible reminds us through the life stories of various persons that humanity has been given the ability to choose-between right and wrong, good and evil – by God from the very start of human existence. The temptation of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 is a case in point.
Another reason is reflected in what the just read passage from Proverbs assumed would take place – good parenting. Parenting is a learned skill. Good parenting is a choice made over time to help people become responsible and God honoring adults. Good parenting is not an issue of economic, educational, or social status. We do find good parenting at all levels of our society. But, good parenting is necessary to properly support and care for children.
Simply put, some children find themselves in a situation where their care is tenuous because adults create conditions in which care is not what it should be make such choices. God, I have no doubt is troubled by those choices and does a great deal to offer people the chance to change. Some take those offers and some do not.
Which brings us to our final two questions, “Why would God make them [children] endure suffering when they are so innocent and pure? Why wouldn’t he give them chances to experience life to the fullest so that they can make our world better? He created those children, so shouldn’t he keep them safe too?”
“Why do some women actually choose to kill their unborn babies and it seems like God does nothing to stop this practice?”
Last week I read a quote from Simon Tugwell in his book, Prayer, in which he writes about God’s omnipotence (all-powerfulness) and our ability to make choices.
It is assumed that if God is omnipotent he can do anything; but this is not strictly true. What God’s omnipotence does mean is that nothing can obstruct him; nothing can prevent his being fully and eternally himself.
But this means that it is actually a part of his omnipotence that God does not contradict himself. He is free to determine the manner of his own working; and in fact, as we know from revelation, he has chosen to work in such a way that we can interfere, and interfere very drastically, with his creation. God made man such that man could rebel against him, and set up his own “world” in opposition to God. Of course, God is not without allies even in “our” world; he knows that we can never really be satisfied with any world of our own devising, so that it will always be vulnerable to his influence in one way or another; and God exploits this to the full. But he always respects the freedom and independence that he has given us.”
The ability to rebel… to set up our own “world” against God…. we have done a really great job of this haven’t we? And the children have often paid a price with abuse, neglect, and death – either in the womb or outside of it.
Suffering knows no boundaries. In Matthew 5:44 and 45, Jesus makes a statement that perhaps we wish that he did not make. “But I say, “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.”
On our prayer list are some children who are suffering physically. We have been praying for them. We struggle with watching them suffer. We wonder, “Why do they have to suffer?” Suffering comes to all – those in “good” families and those whose families we wonder about, and judge as being “bad.” And in this statement Jesus forces us to come to grips with the fact that good and bad come to both good and bad. None of us is exempt from suffering.
Then there is the agony of abortion. Much has been written and said about the issue that does not need repeating. But I read somewhere the other day that the percentage of Americans who support abortion is dropping.
Both sides in the debate have used the Bible as part of their argument for their position. Those opposed to abortion use passages that relate to creation of human existence as being from God and not to be messed with as well as passages that forbid the murder of human beings. Supporters have said that the Bible does not specifically mention abortion and therefore it is a matter of personal choice.
As I pondered this question and recall the images of confrontation, violence, pain, and shame that this issue has created, I thought about a familiar Bible story that troubles us because of what almost happened. It is the story of Abraham’s almost intentional sacrifice of Isaac that appears in Genesis 22.
The story is prefaced with a statement in verse 1 “Later on God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience,” which is followed in verse 2 as to the course of action, “Take your son, your only son…sacrifice him… as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you.” We have trouble with this passage because of who is being sacrificed and why.
It makes us uncomfortable because we don’t view God as a murderer of children.
But, a line in Karen Armstrong’s book, A History of God, gave me an insight that I had never thought of. She writes, “human sacrifice was common in the pagan world.” Then I remembered that child sacrifice was quite common in the various groups and tribes of Old Testament times who did it to either please or appease their gods. Children, it seems, have always had a precarious place in human history.
As Tugwell reminds us, we have the ability to rebel against God and set up our own world. And we have when it comes to the sanctity of human life and the care and protection of kids.
This ability to choose is an ability that sometimes we do not wish to have. But have it we do because just as we have the ability to rebel against the Lord, as is well documented in our personal lives, human history, and the Bible itself, we also have the ability to love God and our neighbor as our self.
These are serious questions because they force us to really look at our hearts and motives and actions. What do we do? Here are some suggestions:
1. Become better parents and grandparents. There are some excellent video series on parenting from a faith perspective. May be we get one and go through it together. I also think that our community could use a support group for grandparents who are raising their grandkids in their own homes.
2. Get involved as a mentor to a child or teen that needs one. Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana is starting a faith-based mentoring program. I have met the person who is getting it started. She is a person of faith who helped get such a program going in a major east coast city.
3. Pray for your kids, the friends, and the kids of our church. Prayer does matter, it does work, and our kids and teens need it.
4. Volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center to help those in the throws of a pregnancy they did not want or expect. Love them and help them to make the right decision.
5. Get involved in our own kids and teens ministry. I believe that we have an excellent kid’s ministry that needs more hands to make it grow and be an effective one. We have seen a comeback in our youth ministry and we still need to keep moving forward so we need caring and willing adults to help us again this year.
6. Get to know the kids of this church. We averaged 12 preschool and 24 elementary age children in our VBS? That is 46 kids. Many of those kids are connected to some of us by marriage or birth. We need to keep them coming. Love our kids (they are all our kids). Learn at least one child’s name this year and greet them warmly when you see them. Pray for them and their family as well.
I like what Tugwell said, “God is not without allies even in “our” world; he knows that we can never really be satisfied with any world of our own devising, so that it will always be vulnerable to his influence in one way or another; and God exploits this to the full.”
Who are those “allies?” They are you and I. Let’s be allies of God for the children because it is the right thing to do. Amen.
(Statistics are from the in.gov website under the Family Social Services Administration section.
The opening quote is from a preaching today.com illustration which appeared in the June 22, 2004 Leadership Weekly e-mail. The quote originally appeared in a July 27, 2003 issue of Get SYNgerized newsletter submitted by Phil Myers from Chesterton, IN.)
