Because He Cares

Posted on October 28, 2009 12:00 AM MST by Sara Richardson

“Cast all your anxiety on God because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7

At a recent party my son learned a harsh lesson about the reality of life. We were all outside at a park, and while my husband and I chatted with the other parents, our boys played with their friends. As I watched from afar I noticed a struggle starting to take place. A couple of older and bigger boys were playing a game and my son wanted to play with them. Except … they didn’t want him to. Instead of rushing over like motherly instinct insisted, I simply strode closer, as nonchalantly as possible, and watched. Everything in me wanted to march right over there and show those bigger boys who was boss, but I believe it’s important to let my son learn how to handle these things on his own. (With me only a couple of feet away supervising, of course.)

I have to say, I was very impressed with how he was handling it. He was using his words, politely inquiring as to whether or not he could join them and play their game. Unfortunately they weren’t as amiable. The scene ended when one of the boys “accidentally” bumped into my son and knocked him to the ground. At that point I had to step in.

Even now, months later, AJ still brings up those mean boys. He was so shocked, so disappointed, and so hurt that the memory has stuck with him like it happened just yesterday. It was the first time he realized not everyone liked him. It was the first time in his three-and-a-half years that he had been exposed to such blatant unkindness.

We are born with innate trust in other people, aren’t we? But then over the course of our lives we start to realize that other people will let us down. We start to understand disappointment. We start to fear.  That’s where my son is at right now. Learning that all is not right with the world. Realizing that we can do little to control another person’s actions. Sometimes he worries about this. I can now see a slight hesitation when he meets new people, a flickering second of fear. But I don’t want him to stop trusting. I simply want him to learn how to hold onto the One he can always trust.

So I repeat this verse to him, hoping that eventually he’ll understand. Hoping that it will become truth to him as it has to me. I love the simplicity of it. Set all of your worries in his hands. Why? Because he cares. Even when no one else does.

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