There are many times, as a Dad, that I know something bad is going to happen to my son before it does.
And depending on the situation or predicament, I will make a decision to save him from what's about to happen or just let it pan out.
One time, I knew this cat was going to bonk him on the head. I saw it in the cat's eyes. I knew the cat didn't have claws, so I wasn't too worried about my son. He kept pestering it, kept trying to pick it up. He wasn't being mean, but he just didn't understand that the cat wanted to be left alone. And finally it happened. He grabbed the cats fur a little too hard and the cat went full Rocky mode and socked my son right in his left cheek. My son turned around and looked at me with all kinds of confusion and shock and questions.
Why did the cat hit me? Why didn't you save me? What did I do?
But then there are other times, when my son is jumping from the couch to the ottoman and back again, that I decide to intervene. Sometimes he jumps a little too far and falls forward. I'm sure for a spit-second, if that, he believes he is going to fall flat on his face and oh how it's going to hurt. But, I move quickly and catch him before he falls. He giggles his head off, I tell him to be more careful, and he goes back to jumping.
I can't tell you why I stop him sometimes and others let him experience the consequences. Sometimes it's to teach him a lesson. Others it's to spare him pain. And sometimes it's just a reaction.
But I do know that God is our Father. And He is watching out for us.
There are times that He may save us from our own consequences or pain. He may catch us before we fall.
Then there are other times that He lets us get bonked by a cat.
Then we turn to him with disgust and lack of faith and ask:
Why did you let this happen? Why did you do this to me? If you are really loving, why is all this bad happening? Why did my husband lose his job or my wife get this sickness?
Why did these people treat me awfully? Why did my daughter get pregnant or my son get addicted to substance abuse? Why did my parents divorce or my friend pass away early?
We cannot answer nor can we even begin to try. We cannot grasp the larger view of life that God has.
All we can see is the cat.
But we must always have faith in the One who created the cat.
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
Proverbs 16:9 ESV
