Have we gone overboard in our cares? Are we really responsible for everything gone wrong? Could it be that our Creator has the whole matter “in hand” and we have allowed ourselves to be needlessly laden with guilt about everyday life?

The little bird in the picture above may not have gotten safely across the road had the photographer not been thoughtful and shooed it off the road but what if it did not make it? If the frolicking penguins that make us grin as we observe their near formal attire (looking like tuxedoed butlers all in a row) dive into frigid waters are in imminent danger from other animals in the sea -- what if? If the little wooly worm gets blown off course by the whirling winds on the road only to find itself smashed onto the road by oncoming cars – what if? If that little cocoon holding hundreds of preying mantises gets smashed by some quirk of nature and the intended occupants are not around to be guardians of our gardens – what if? What if that old black crow flying over the wheat field sees an otherwise well-camouflaged nest of a field bird and drops down to pick up a baby bird that will never stretch its wings to fly? And, pray tell, what if monstrosities of men or nature kill dozens or hundreds, and even thousands -- what if?

The “what if” may not be clear in each case mentioned but the thought should be evident—does the world go on? Or are we crippled of life’s future and denied the destiny of delight and forced to suffer the indignity of inadequacies just because a hungry crow saw what looked like a meal to him? Or because fellow sea creatures whose duties are to prey on penguins and monitor sea life in a greater picture than humans can imagine – is the earth all out of balance? The little fishes in a brook that might not be caught by the fisherman’s hook might still become the meal of a larger fish or other animal.

The grave concerns shown by some groups of naturalists and their ilk suggest that the Creator had no idea these circumstances would ever occur and looks aghast at such events in our world of living things. The “food chain” alone should give a hint that something indeed is at work in the larger picture. However, the droning fears go on to shame us for allowing certain species to die or think that we can prevent every negative circumstance from developing if only we would “send in our check of $250 to aid in the prevention of this danger or that danger to wildlife” (or if $250 is too much, a $50 check will be appreciated).

The understanding of life and its complexities are already well noted by God, that is, unless we have convinced ourselves that man is superior to Almighty God. I am reminded of the quote, “Nothing ever occurs to God.” The fact of God’s awareness and interest in matters of life and death need to be sustained and the Scriptures are not void of divine care and concern: “Yea, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young…” (Psalm 84:3) And, “Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.” (I Samuel 2:3) But we need to realize that God does not get all bent out of shape when killer whales gobble up dozens of his prize penguins! Nor does he become unnecessarily alarmed when a cocoon of a mantis becomes smashed to smithereens when a lightning bolt tears a limb off the tree flattening that precious cocoon only to kill every baby preying mantis in its safe home!

Sometimes, could it be we even get too “tied up” in life itself? When Mary tearfully told Jesus, “You should have been here – Lazarus would not have died”! Can you imagine a human scolding the co-founder of all things that exist? But Jesus did not push Mary aside or straighten out her philosophy of life, he simply said, “Lazarus, come forth.” But, moments before, when Jesus wept, we might wonder why he wept. He knew, before he got in their presence that Lazarus was dead. He also had known this was part of a greater plan—he even told his disciples that. But he shed a tear when he joined his grieving friends. Could it be he shed a tear knowing he was about to disturb a person already enjoying the joys and peace of Heaven – only to come back to a world of pain and death?

I like to think God could easily answer our “what if” questions with a simple statement, “I made a few extras…” Like the mother or grandma fixing pies often makes an extra pie shell to use “when the occasion arises”. Or the automobile manufacturers “need” to provide extra doors, fenders, electric switches and a thousand other parts, and in all truth they too could say, “we made a few extras…” The patient mother bird that comes back to her nest only to find one of her chicks had become a treat for a larger bird or raccoon, she doesn’t get all bent out of shape and curse God for such a life. One humming bird I read about in David Kline’s wonderful book discovered her nest to be in a dangerous location and she deftly “unfastened” that nest and moved it to a more secure spot! Wouldn’t that have been a movie to film?

Perhaps when that next catastrophe occurs we ought not challenge or scold God for not caring. Maybe the mission of caring Christians would be sufficient evidence to the survivors that “God still cares” as well as carpenters who plied their trade to rebuild houses for people in need. When terrorists pillaged the Towers of the World Trade Center, were the lives of thousands of no worth or purpose? Could it be we ought to believe God is still in control and allow out faith to grow through grief and expand our concept of acceptance and trust in God?

THE WORDWRIGHT