A seven year old girl was playing by herself a little too far from home when she heard a voice whisper urgently in her right ear, “Look up!” She looked up and saw a man standing in an open doorway across a small field pointing a long shotgun right at her! She froze. He kept pointing the gun at her through the open glass door where he was standing. She stood up slowly staring at him. He was still pointing the gun at her. Terrified she turned and ran home as fast as she could.

As the years passed, she would often return to that day in mind. She had had been squatting down in an empty dirt lot looking down at something possibly moving along the ground. Yes, it was a beautiful caterpillar. Then, the whisper in her right ear. Who whispered in her ear? No one else was there.

As she got older she would always come to the same conclusion. Had that voice not whispered in her ear to look up, she most likely would not have. She I always wondered why that man had been pointing a gun at her. Was he going to shoot her? Decades later that woman still remembers that day and believes with all of her heart that the whispering voice was indeed Divine protection.

God sent an angel to protect me that day.

The Bible teaches that God commands angels. They are His messengers and His servants who obey Him (Psalm 91:11, Psalm 103:19, 20). God has used angels in the past and
will use angels in the future, to punish evil people who have rejected Him. (Genesis 19, Matthew 13:41, Matthew 13:49, and almost the entire book of Revelation to name a few!)

The Bible also teaches that angels protect children. In Matthew 18:10 Jesus taught that we are not to despise (or cause harm to) these little ones because “their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” It’s interesting to read that particular verse in various translations.

As an adult, I’ve found myself asking questions like “Why was I spared and other children are not? Why are some children shot and I was not? Why are innocent children victims?” I ashamedly admit that not too long ago after hearing of horrible atrocities committed against children on the news, I tearfully and with anger self-righteously asked God “Isn’t their angel seeing the face of the Father in heaven? Why did these children hurt so much, God?” I waited for an answer but did not get one to my liking.

I never had these seemingly legitimate questions as a child. My child brain could not comprehend questioning God in such a way. I may not have understood why that man was pointing a gun at me, but I understood the whisper! As a child, I listened to His voice and ran to safety! Why, then, as an adult and follower of Christ, do I question God regarding evil in this world especially against children? When did I stop listening and start demanding answers? How do I get back to following like a child who just listens and obeys, without having to know all the reasons why? I asked God this question and this time He did answer me. It was through His Word in Matthew chapter 18.

In verse 1 Christ’s followers are questioning Him as to who was the greatest in heaven! An important question, right? Jesus responds in verse 2 Jesus by calling a little child over to him. He had the child stand among his followers. Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who takes the humble position of this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who welcomes a little child like this one in my name welcomes me.”

A child was the answer to the adult questions.

 I believe Jesus is teaching us that our adult minds will never fully comprehend what sin has done to God’s creation. Until we get to Heaven and the Earth is restored, there can never be a satisfactory answer for us because we cannot fully comprehend the problem. We only see but a reflection of what is truly there. God knows our questions and attempts to understand Him cannot be fully understood right now so sometimes He doesn’t answer, but He promises never to leave us or forsake us. He is still where He has always been. On His throne, in complete control. He is coming back. Then we will fully understand. Until then we are to become as a child and just listen.

(1Corinthians 13:11-13) When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 
But the greatest of these is love.