“God Is Not A Babysitter!”
WARNING: This may be disturbing to some readers. This article includes news of sexual brutality toward a child.
Monday evening I turned on the television in a hotel room in Gatlinburg, TN to hear something that made my blood boil…toward God. I was so disturbed by what I had heard that I found myself having difficulty sleeping. There were even moments when I wanted to scream out and cry for the misery that had been given to an innocent toddler who had no one to turn to…not even God.
You may have heard the news that someone video taped the rape of a three-year-old girl. I have a three-year-old girl, a fact that caused this horrific news to hit so close to my heart that I have not been the same since the moment I turned on that television. I struggled with anger and frustration over my own helplessness. My mind was so troubled by this story that I woke up to the sound of a screaming girl crying “Mama!” in my sleep Monday night.
Because I am a visual person, it was difficult for me not to hear the screams, picture the begging, the crying, the helplessness that this baby must have experienced. And it made me so angry that I wanted to stand outside and scream, “Where are you, God?!!!!!”
I hear so many stories about God’s powerful presence during times of prayer, when entire cities are transformed by revival. Why is the powerful presence of God always so evident when people are worshiping, but not when an innocent child is being mutilated and destroyed by those who she believes are the protectors of her world?
The absence of God in these kinds of situations is beyond frustration for me and millions of others. I am so sorry for that little girl.
Although the questions that surround God’s absence in times of desperation may never be fully reconciled on this side of heaven, there is an answer.
God is not our baby sitter.
Too often we spiritualize our own responsibilities as protectors of the children in our communities, and hand those responsibilities to God. In such a busy, out-of-control world it is easy to forget that God gave us instructions to take care of our world and all that is in it. We cannot expect to raise our children in an irresponsible, hateful, brutal society, and expect God to intervene every time we neglect our own jobs as stewards of the children in our world. And this is not a statement towards parents alone, but towards all adults. We all have a call to look out for the little ones, whether they our our own children or the children of others.
It is time that we stop pretending that God will bring down fire from heaven every time one of his children is in trouble. The simple truth is, we have a responsibility to be God’s eyes, ears, hands, and even fists in the world.
Keep our children safe. Stop trying to give God our jobs. God is not a baby sitter!
Blessings,
Johnny
© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved
October 5th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
This comment is from www.xanga.com/headflipper:
I read your story on Flocks Diner and honestly am too lazy to sign up so I can post a comment there, so I’ll do it here.
I too am angered by the story and have on many occasions (in ones like this and many many others) screamed out “Where are you God.” In some instances I am still awaiting an answer.
But in one situation, God did grant me an answer. (Another horrible story ahead about child rape). I’ve worked in foster care for about 11 years and seen some horrendous stuff. In one wonderful foster home, I worked with a 6 month old healthy baby boy. Great kid, but he’s not the one this story is about. Another child in the home, who looked to be about 6 mos old, ALWAYS smiled at me when I came to the home. Beautiful baby boy with big eyes and a cheerful spirit. This child died suddenly of a serious medical condition shortly after I began going to the home. Fever spiked on Friday, he didn’t make it to Monday. In the aftermath, I learned this baby’s story. He was raped (6 months old!) by a mentally ill man. The minute I heard that story, all I could think of was the child’s smiling face. It didn’t matter what was going on, when I came to the house, I saw him smiling. At that moment, I decided that the boy’s smile has to be a gift from God. How else could a smile so beautiful be explained from a child who had been through such misery.
There are many instances in life where I still wonder where God was and get intensely angry. My mom’s suicide is most present in my mind now. But with this child, I am grateful that God allowed me to experience his presence through the smile of a young 6 month old rape victim. He does work in mysterious ways.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
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July 31st, 2008 at 2:45 am
I am told everything that happens is “god’s will” part of “god’s master plan”. When I contemplate the world I see humans doing vast evil to other humans, animals and earth itself. Natural disasters, “acts of god”, bring destruction and pain to thousands at a time. I see disease, molestation, rape, murder, etc. If god is omni powerful god must be the cause of these vile events. Worship a beast like this? I don’t think so.
August 5th, 2008 at 3:10 am
“At that moment, I decided that the boy’s smile has to be a gift from God. How else could a smile so beautiful be explained from a child who had been through such misery.”
Well, it’s wonderful that “god” was so willing to give you the gift of a smile - what about a gift for the suffering child? Apparently a smile is more important than any of the billion and a half things “god” could have done to stop the monster - having him make a mistake, be seen, drop dead, etc.
The child was hard-wired to do things that make adults respond; children who smiled were better survivors because that, combined with the instincts adults have to respond to children, helped them survive.
Imagine the things “god” could do. What if pedophilia were genetically linked with a heart condition - pedophiles could drop dead and we’d have no hint “god” was doing it, so no challenged to faith.
Ridiculous to believe that “god” so loves us, but so hates this child, that he/she/it would let the child suffer, with limited cognitive ability, and then die. Faith really can justify anything, no matter how disgusting and vile - it’s the universal apologetic of evil.
August 5th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Children smile. They also don’t have very good memories.
That smile is a sign from god the same way the sun coming up is a sign from god, the same way rain is a sign from god, the same way steaming piles of cow flop are signs from god.
There is no excuse, none, for any sentient creature with the power to prevent it allowing a 3 year old child to be raped. Such a creature, if it exists, could claim to love us the same way a little boy with a magnifying glass can claim to love ants.
If there is a god, saying, “God is not our baby sitter” doesn’t cover the half of it. God is not anything to us. God is either totally powerless, totally uncaring, or totally oblivious.